Lexor's Server Side Starter Kit for Tribes 2
--------------------------------------------

NOW REVISED - includes 30+ new terrains from the Sierra Final Update for Tribes 2.


INTRODUCTION
------------

This pack was designed to help Tribes 2 mappers create "server side" maps that use existing terrains found in the base T2
install. Due to a limitation in the current version of T2, new or changed terrains cause havoc in the online game community.

Bytor from Tribes2Maps.com is currently beta testing a solution and we can hope to see many mappers abandon the base
terrains, as the T2 Editor's terrain system is perhaps its strongest part. But in the meantime, this kit makes it a lot
easier to get started. And I suppose there may always be an interest in the pre-built T2 terrains.


WHAT'S INCLUDED AND TERRAIN STRATEGY
------------------------------------

This package consists of overhead terrain images and a volume of blank missions for all of the base terrains. If you want to
create a new "server side" map, a good strategy would be to browse all of the jpg's first, make a list of what you think
might work for your project, and then jump into each terrain's blank mission in-game to take a closer look before making
your final decision.

Also included in this .zip is a .gif image list of the new Final Update server-side skies that you can use (skies.gif).


THE TERRAIN SCREENSHOTS
-----------------------

The file "ServerSideTerrainImages.zip" contains a visual catalog of the available Dynamix base terrains (images were scaled
down from 1280x1024 in-game Command Circuit overhead screenshots).

Panama Jack's client scripts helped greatly in this project (they allow you to take an unlimited number of screenshots
withot overwriting existing screenshots).


THE VL2 FILE
------------

Copy the "zz_SSSK_rev3.vl2" into your tribes2/gamedata/base/ directory. In T2, select a CTF game and scroll to the bottom of
your mission choices (if you wish to create another gametype you can change it in the .mis file later). The blank maps all
start with "ZZ_Blank_" and end with whatever the terrain's name happens to be. Load it up, scroll around with the camera,
jump-in or start editing.  

If you edit and then save one of these blank missions, it will appear in your tribes2/gamedata/base/missions directory, and
will be named "zz_blank_abcd.mis" where 'abcd' is the first four letters of the terrain you used.  

Change the name of the file, (always copy out a backup !!) and then open the .mis and edit the first line (which tells T2
what to display in the map list) for example:

// DisplayName = My New Map [beta001]

All of the blank .mis files are based from Tim 'Zear' Hammock's MissionBlank.zip package, and as of REV01 they now point to
the .nav file of the accompanying terrain to help anyone who has problems generating a spawn with an invalid .nav
(thanks Bytor).  

Best of luck !!


NOTES 
-----

The Blank Dessicator mission, and the new SubZero map gave a UE when going to the Command Circuit so I had to take a
screenshot of the original base CTF map.  I don't know what the problem is...  not sure if this will affect new maps.

You will note that a couple of the terrains are remarkably similar, or even identical.  They are separate .ter files in the
original mission.vl2 package, so don't look at me...

Feel free to use these files in your projects, especially if you're creating something for the T2 mapping community (hint,
hint).

Thanks go out to Zear and Bytor, and Panama Jack.


Regards,
Lexor