Product Description

Create your own levels and game mods



Build single- and multi-player levels, add scripts, and share your mods

Ever wonder what Quake 4 would be like if it included that especially cool weapon you dreamed up? Here's the fun and easy way? to find out. Start by creating a basic level, and then discover how to include your own weapons and effects, change colors, add textures, and send your creations out into the world.

Everything you need to get started --
* Adobe? Photoshop? Elements tryout version
* WinZip? evaluation version
* The Compressonator and NormalGapGenerator by ATI Technologies, Inc.
* Sample tools, textures, and examples from the book
* For details and complete system requirements, see the CD-ROM appendix.


Discover how to
* Work with various modding tools
* Develop a map
* Alter user interfaces
* Paint and decorate your level
* Script advanced actions
* Distribute your creations online

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1231914 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 388 pages

From the Back Cover
Create your own levels and game mods

Build single- and multi-player levels, add scripts, and share your mods

Ever wonder what Quake 4 would be like if it included that especially cool weapon you dreamed up? Here's the fun and easy way® to find out. Start by creating a basic level, and then discover how to include your own weapons and effects, change colors, add textures, and send your creations out into the world.

Everything you need to get started —

• Adobe® Photoshop® Elements tryout version
• WinZip® evaluation version
• The Compressonator and NormalGapGenerator by ATI Technologies, Inc.
• Sample tools, textures, and examples from the book
• For details and complete system requirements, see the CD-ROM appendix.

Discover how to

• Work with various modding tools
• Develop a map
• Alter user interfaces
• Paint and decorate your level
• Script advanced actions
• Distribute your creations online

About the Author
Erik Guilfoyle is the originator and manager of the game-modding Web site www.modsonline.com, as well as vice president of a company specializing in 3D modeling, animation, and motion graphics.

Customer Reviews

Mapping and Modding
While this book does primarily cover mapping for Quake 4 (which is a form of modding), it also covers other aspects of modding (although in lesser detail). However, if you want to make a new level for the game, this book rocks. It comes with complete examples on making maps from start to finish. It shows you how to make custom textures for your maps and characters. Then it shows you how to package and release your map to the world.

[...]

Definitely worth the price. You'll be making your own maps for your friends or clan by the end of the weekend.

Not what expected, advertised
The title is Quake 4 Mods for Dummies. The tag line is "Ever wonder what Quake 4 would be like if it included that especially cool weapon you dreamed up? Here's the fun and easy way® to find out." But here's the deal: it will show you how to INCLUDE that fancy new weapon, but not how to make it. Nor will it tell you how to change the gameplay mechanics of the game.
What you get instead is 200+ pages of how to make maps. At the end of that is a small section on how to make a GUI, reskin models, and package them for putting into the game.
I'm giving it 3 stars because it seems like a pretty nice map tutorial, but this is NOT a book on how to make mods. If you wanted to learn how to make that machine-gun-shotgun, you're out of luck here. If you wanted to find out how to make new power-ups, you're out of luck here.
Summary, the book would be better named Quake 4 Mapping for Dummies.

A dummies book...for dummies
Sadly this thing only really covers Map making,with the title it has I would cry foul and demand your money back,unless you are focusing on maping.