How to Add Custom Maps to AVP Classic 2000

This guide will provide you with the links to all custom maps to AVP Classic 2000 and will walk you through how to add them.

How to Add Custom Maps to Your Game

FOR STEAM USERS

Download the map pack here: http://www.moddb.com/games/aliens-vs-predator/addons/universal-map-pack

Extract the folders to your Aliens versus Predator Classic 2000 folder:
Your Drive:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/SteamApps/common/Aliens vs. Predator Classic

Combine folders when it asks; it should only ask you to overwrite one file, which is a sound file for the Ferarco level. You can choose to overwrite it or not.

FOR GOG USERS

Download the map pack here: http://www.moddb.com/games/aliens-vs-predator/addons/universal-map-pack

If you own the game on GOG, the directory will look like this:
Your Drive:/GOG Games/AvP Classic

Combine folders when it asks; it should only ask you to overwrite one file, which is a sound file for the Ferarco level. You can choose to overwrite it or not.

UMP Contents

For those of you who want to know the details about the contents of the UMP, read this section.

The UMP contains six folders:
avp_rifs
Cancer Black Maps
fastfile
graphics
sound
UMP Miscellaneous Readmes

The avp_rifs folder is where each actual map file (.rif) will go. In order to play a custom map in multiplayer, you must first have a folder within avp_rifs called "custom" (without the quotation marks). The custom maps MUST go in that folder. If you do not have this folder, create it.

The fastfile folder contains fastfiles. A fastfile is a special kind of file specifically made for this game. It contains either textures or sounds. Certain maps require custom textures or sounds and therefore require that certain fastfiles go into your fastfile folder.

The graphics folder functions very much like the graphics kind of fastfile. Really it's just an alternate form of the texture fastfile; again, some maps have custom textures and will require. Note that your game does not come with a graphics folder, however, the game will still register them. Simply place the graphics folder in the same area as you have the other folders of the game (avp_huds, avp_rifs, etc.). The same thing is true for the sound folder.

The UMP Miscellaneous Readmes folder contains all the readme's that came with the custom maps. Some maps didn't come with a readme, but this is as inclusive as I could find.

Lastly we come to the Cancer Black Maps folder. I saved this for last because this requires a bit of explanation. So what is this folder all about? Well, Cancer Black was an unfinished total conversion mod for AVP Gold Edition (the 2000 release of this game) by a group called the AMP Team. The project was terminated in 2004. In that year, the team's progress was released in an unfinished state, which you can download here. You actually can play it, but you'll need Gold Edition for the full experience. Anyway, the team created entirely new levels for the mod, and that's what this folder contains. They are fully playable in AVP Classic 2000.

The maps in the Single-Player folder are playable in single-player mode (they were all intended to be played by the marine). To install these, follow the instructions in the section below for adding custom single-player maps to your game. I was also recently given a collection of unfinished Cancer Black maps, and these have been provided to you as well. These are in the Unfinished folder and they can all be played in multiplayer. To install these, simply add the .rif files to your "custom" folder in avp_rifs.

How to Add Custom Single-Player Maps to Your Game

There are a few custom campaign missions that you can add to your game. These are:

• Derelict Mod
  
• New Episode 1 - Waterfall 2
  
• Research Base
  
• The Cancer Black single-player maps found in the UMP.

To play these, you must convert them to single-player mode. Here is how to do that.

1. Add the map file (in its default name) to your avp_rifs folder.
2. Figure out what species you want to play as (or what species the map was intended for).
3. Locate that species' first SP map. For Alien, it is Temple.rif. For Marine, it is Derelict.rif. For Predator, it is fall.rif.
4. Rename the species' first map to TempleORIGINAL.rif, DerelictORIGINAL.rif, or fallORIGINAL.rif.
5. Rename the custom single-player map to either Temple.rif (if you want to play as alien), Derelict.rif (if you want to play as marine), or fall.rif (if you want to play as predator).
6. In-game, select the first mission of that species and the game will load the custom map.

To revert back, just retitle or remove the custom map from your avp_rifs folder and retitle the original map back to its original name.

Hidden Maps You Already Have

If you own Aliens vs. Predator Classic 2000, congratulations, you already have "custom" maps without even knowing it! Actually, they're not really custom at all, just hidden from plain sight.

To play these, go to the avp_rifs folder. If you own the game on Steam, the directory is Steam/SteamApps/common/Aliens vs. Predator/avp_rifs. If you own the game on GOG, the directory is GOG Games/AvP Classic/avp_rifs.
In this folder, you will find the files E3demo.rif, E3demoSP.rif, and Lockdown4.rif. To play E3demo.rif and Lockdown4.rif in multiplayer, copy and paste them into the "custom" folder you created within avp_rifs. To play E3demoSP.rif (the single-player version of the E3 demo level), rename it to any of the rif files from the Marine or Predator campaign levels (you'll have to rename whatever level you choose, or cut and paste it to a different folder) and select that level in the single-player game.

Here is a good video showing how to do this step by step (made by {ESJ}AdminWarrior{CF}, used with permission): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vAihN1n8qo
It is also possible to play the supposedly Coop-only levels Stranded and Trapped with any gameplay mode by using the same method. Simply copy and paste the files kens co-op.rif and Trapped.rif into the custom folder and you can play those levels on Deathmatch, SDM, ATAG, PTAG, or LMS.

Using a similar method you can make the single-player levels available for cooperative play.
For more specific information, read my guide on that here.

FAQs

Q: ______ map isn't working for me. How can I fix it?
A: Check and make sure you did the following:

• Did you download from one of the links I provided?
  
• Did you extract the files to the correct location?
  
• Do you have a custom folder in the avp_rifs folder? Did you add the .rif file to the custom folder?
  
• If it was an automatic installation, did you change the directory from Fox to either Steam/SteamApps/common/Aliens vs. Predator Classic or GOG Games/AvP Classic?
  
• Did you add any other files to other folders? If so, did you add them all and did you add them to the correct folders?
  
• (Only to GOG users): Are you opening the game through the .exe called AvP_Classic.exe instead of the AVP launcher (see "A Note for GOG Users" in the Introduction)?
  
• Did you read the read_me?

If the answers to all of those questions are yes and the file still isn't working, I most likely won't have an immediate answer for you. All of the maps I have do in fact load, but that doesn't mean that some of them may not have missing textures. Other levels may be incomplete. If you have a specific question regarding any of the maps, you can contact me or post below.

Q: Will getting any of these ruin/affect my game or any maps that I already have?
A: No. As long as you only add files, not remove any, your base game will be unaffected.

Q: Any tips for installation?
A: ALWAYS back up your game files first in case something happens, especially before running .exe's.

Q: I need to do a fresh installation of this game. How do I do that?
A: You shouldn't need to, but if for some reason you do, go to the menu option Library, right-click AVP Classic 2000, and choose Delete Local Content. After the content is deleted, you will be able to reinstall the game. All custom files will remain unless you manually delete them.

Q: There are a lot of maps. Which one should I start with?
A: It depends on what mode you want to play. For deathmatches, I highly recommend you start with the official Fox maps. For coop, I recommend you start with the B maps or the regular campaign levels. For LMS, PTAG, or ATAG, still try out the official Fox maps but I would also recommend Scythewraith's Event Horizon, Derelict_Multiplayer, and Pyramid.

Q: Some of the campaign maps won't let me get to the end in coop mode. What do I do?
A: For any questions regarding playing the single-player maps cooperatively, see my guide on that here.

Q: Some of the maps come with a (c) after the name. What does this mean?
A: That is the coop version of the map. Many maps are slightly different for coop play and should be only played on coop; the converse is true for the regular maps.

Q: Some maps don't work for coop. What do I do?
A: Play the version of the map that has a (c) after the name. If the map you're playing doesn't have an alternative (c) version of the map, then it wasn't intended for coop mode.

Q: A lot of the maps are incomplete. Why?
A: I suppose people either lost interest, couldn't figure out how to complete them (either conceptually or technically), or life caught up with them.

Q: How do I make my own custom map?
A: Contact me personally about this.

Q: Are there any other custom maps not mentioned in this guide?
A: Yes. Where are they? I don't know. I know for a fact that there are other custom maps floating around out there. I also know that some are gone forever. I did my best to include links to as many workable ones as I could.

Q: Who made the UMP?
A: Me.

Q: Know where I can get any mods/skins/custom sounds?
A: See my guide on that.

Q: How do I contact you?
A: If you have any questions, comments, or if you discover problems with the links or other custom maps not mentioned above, please leave a comment below and I will try to respond as quickly as possible. You can also contact me via Steam or YouTube, however, I will only respond to specific questions. The kinds of questions I won't respond to are: "How do I add the custom maps to my game?," "Where are the links?," or "Your guide is tl;dr, give me the short version."

Legal

Copyright/Legal

I am not claiming copyright or ownership of any of the maps created or described. In fact, I have not contributed to the design or creation of a single one of them. The custom maps are the sole property of the designers and the links will be taken down if so requested by the respective owners.

Rights/Credits

This guide was written solely by me (Olde). You can (and should!) use this guide and share it with others. However, you should not distribute it while giving authorial credit to either yourself, someone else, or to nobody at all. You may quote from it at length but please do not post the entirety as a guide on any other forum or site without my express permission. I also reserve the right to remove or modify this guide at any time and/or make it unavailable, with or without providing a reason.

Thanks for reading and enjoy playing!

[f0rest]

coolQ