Am I the only one who runs into bugs that make maps unplayable? (RIPhammer)

[kinggambit]

Thread is primarily to vent but I'm genuinely considering finally learning UE4 after this ordeal. I'll probably just start working on other map projects... but I've never wanted to punch an arbitrary thing so much. CURSE YOU HAMMER!   but on a more serious note:

1) do you guys encounter issues like this? Any efficient ways to prevent this?

 

2) does creating levels on other engines like UE4 a smoother/less frustrating process?

 

There are tons of bugs and issues that I always run into in my source mapping workflow-- but while most of them are fixable (or i had luckily updated the map's backup frequently enough to not lose much work), the past 2 projects of mine are just halted to grinding dead end.

 

Insurgency map Prophet. Spent ~3 months on it. Server would crash trying to change levels from my map. searched for a good month for answers (even asked the devs):

 

 

Now my current project (another contest entry for GB winter map) auto-generates a pseduo-1kb nav file whenever I load the map (can't play it, cant generate a proper nav unless i only add 1-2 spawns, nav will just reupdate to that 1kb nav file randomly on compiles). I've tried everything (even offering $20 to anyone who might help fix the problem over on facepunch). While I've learned my lesson a while back to keep contingency back ups, i dont even know how these bugs keep happening. Somehow it affected my back up as well...

 

 Hammer, I love you but you're bringing me down.

Edited December 27, 2014 by kinggambit

[clankill3r]

I made a list of all hammer frustrations many years ago. I lost the list, but I remember it was huge

[Spherix]

Have you tried compiling the insurgency map for another game and see if it also crashed the server there?

 

As for the nav file; does that also happen when you create a new map or rename the one you're trying to gen a .nav for? If you want you can send the files over, I kinda love troubleshooting stuff like this.

[Deh0lise]

Not sure if it could help, but there is a CSGO (not insurgency) bug that crashes the game when changing level, it is related to memory and can be solved by editing the video.txt.

 

Regarding the nav issue you may try to make the nav file read only. Never encountered such an error before.

 

Another stupid way to fix impossible to solve issues is to select everything and copy it into a new file. Despite it seems illogical sometimes it works.

 

P.S Yes, we all have suffered bugs that makes us spend many days doing nothing but trying to find an explanation and solution. I'm told UE4 workflow is much better.

[Nakroma]

Funny enough I've never encountered such thing in Hammer (except the weird carve "lets just pull this brush to infinity" bug) but I do all the time in programming.

 

 

Another stupid way to fix impossible to solve issues is to select everything and copy it into a new file. Despite it seems illogical sometimes it works.

 

Try that, at least for the few bugs I had this actually worked.

[Vaya]

I get the 'extra/extended surface' bug quite often. hammer extends brushes with non-solid textures...amending the brush size normally fixes. no idea what causes it