This thread is meant to help new mappers start mapping, but could contain information for older mappers too.
The tutorial is written for windows and GTK radiant 1.5, linux and 1.4 users will have to adapt some/most of the steps.
First of there is some software needed:
GTK radiant 1.5 aka the map editor, you can grab the newest package from here
http://zerowing.idsoftware.com/files/ra ... ghtly/1.5/
You also need a programm that can open zip files, I prefer 7zip, since it's totally free and can do a lot of other formats too, but you can also use winrar or winzip for example
7zip is located here: http://www.7-zip.org/
We will also need some other files later wich I list here, just dl them, we'll need them later on.
http://www.truecombatelite.com/files/mapping/common.pk3
http://www.truecombatelite.com/files/ma ... Custom.zip
Setup
When setting up my mapping environment I prefer to have everything in one folder (in my case D:\mapping), you can install everything here and there but I prefer the one folder setup since you can simply copy paste that folder to another pc and adjust some paths and you're running again.
The only important thing is, that you don't install the mapping stuff into the drive where the operation system is located (normally C).
Mapping takes time, and at some point you always screw your os, so it's better to have the data seperated from the os to decrase the chances of dataloss.
The first step is to create a clean install of TC:E to work with, so I create my mapping folder (D:\mapping) and make a full install of TC:E into that folder so that I have tc:e installed like this: D:\mapping\Wolfenstein Enemy - Territory
You might ask why you need another installation of TC:E for mapping, and the reason is quite simple, the editor loads everything from the path you tell him the game is, so if you play on some server dl some pk3s you have way more stuff in the editor to choose from, that not every play that dls your map has in the end, also the amount of stuff in a usual gaming TC:E installation can to lead to nasty compiler problems.
Now it's time to create some nice shortcuts.
Crate a shortcut to the newly installed et.exe open it's properties and add
Code:
+set fs_game tcetest +set sv_official 0
to the end of the target field (you can adjust the icon to the TC:E icon if you want to 
)This is the basic shortcut for testing maps in pk3 form, it will start TC:E automatically and also prevents the "unofficial packs error"
now copy that shortcut and edit the new one again, this time add
Code:
+set sv_pure 0
to the end of the target field.sv_pure 0 has the effect that when you load a map the game will not only search through the pk3s but also through all files in the folder of the game.
when I'm working a lot on one project I also prefer to have the game autoload that that map, so I copy the shortcut again and add
Code:
+devmap MAPNAMEWITHOUT.BSP
Make sure you can run your new installation of TC:E without problems (don't join a server with custom pk3s though).
Editor
The next step is to install the map editor (gtk radiant that is).
While running the installer, the only important step is, that you adjust the path where it gets installed too.
In my case I did set that to D:\mapping\gtk radiant
You can deselect all the gamepacks except for the W:ET ones but that isn't necessary.
Now it's time to start the editor for the first time.
In the first prompt select Wolfenstein:Enemy Territory
Then you'll be prompted for the path to W:ET ("D:\mapping\Wolfenstein Enemy - Territory" if you followed the tutorial exactly)
Technically you could start to map away from here now, but there still is stuff todo.
Editor Settings
The settings of the radiant have to be adjusted, go to Edit -> Preferences
Under Interface -> Layout I prefer to use the 2nd from the right, but that is up to you.
Important though is, that you set the "Default Texture scale" under Settings -> Brush to 0.25 since nearly all TC:E textures should be scaled like that.
It's also a good idea to enable the "Clipper uses caulk" option under Settings -> Clipper
Last but not least under Settings -> Autosave, enable the "Save Snapshots" option, it creates a bit of crap on your harddrive, but you'll love it when you work on your map for some hours just to find out you screwed it 2 hours ago, because you have a backup then.
Now the radiant is nearly set up, hit the apply button, and restart the radiant if you adjusted the Layout.
The last thing in the radiant todo is to go to File -> Project Settings
In the popup select "Custom ET modification" and under fs_game type tcetest.
Now the editor is fully set up, but there is still stuff todo.
If you're running win7 or winvista, you might have noticed that the editor windows look a bit weird (there should be a grid normally), that is a problem with the desktop styling, to get rid of it you have to go to the radiant folder and edit the settings of the GtkRadiant.exe.
In the compability section select "Disable visual designs" and "Disable Desktop styles" after that the radiant should run fine.
File stuff
Now come the tiny important steps:
The common.pk3 from the beginning of the post should be placed in the tcetest folder (it mostly adds images for loads of shaders in common that are not shipped with et because the shaders are invisible ingame, but you still need them when mapping)
Now go to the tcetest folder, if you don't have a "scripts" folder in there create one.
Place the DDCustom.def from the DDCustom.zip into that folder, it will enable you to use some of the TC:E specific entities.
You might have wondered why you need a zip program, now we need it.
Open the pak2.pk3 with your zip tool and extract the shaderlist.txt and the custinfoparms.txt to the scripts folder. These 2 files are used by the compiler.
shaderlist.txt tells the compiler wich .shader files to load, and custinfoparms.txt tells it how the special surfaceparameters for stuff like bricks should be translated (without it you'll get maps where everything acts like concrete)
Also extract the complete models folder from the pk2.pk3 into the tcetest folder, you need this because the radiant can't load the models from the pk3 and therefore you wouldn't be able to place models without doing it.
Now the setup is completed but there is still one thing todo.
Compiling
When compiling a map the compiler (q3map2) converts the editorformat (.map) into a bsp file, putting various information there.
Technically the radiant has a menu to start the compiler, but I never liked the system of it so I use a pack of .bat files instead.
Code:
@set MAP_PATH="D:\mapping\Wolfenstein Enemy - Territory\tcetest\maps\MAPNAMEWITHOUT.MAP"
@set FS_PATH="D:\mapping\Wolfenstein Enemy - Territory"
@set Q3MAP2="D:\mapping\gtk radiant\q3map2.exe"
%Q3MAP2% -game et -fs_basepath %FS_PATH% -fs_game tcetest -samplesize 4 -meta -mv 1024 -mi 6144 -v -custinfoparms %MAP_PATH%
%Q3MAP2% -game et -fs_basepath %FS_PATH% -fs_game tcetest -vis -saveprt %MAP_PATH%
%Q3MAP2% -game et -fs_basepath %FS_PATH% -fs_game tcetest -light -fast -v -samplesize 4 -samples 2 -patchshadows -external -lightmapsize 256 -custinfoparms %MAP_PATH%
pause
@set FS_PATH="D:\mapping\Wolfenstein Enemy - Territory"
@set Q3MAP2="D:\mapping\gtk radiant\q3map2.exe"
%Q3MAP2% -game et -fs_basepath %FS_PATH% -fs_game tcetest -samplesize 4 -meta -mv 1024 -mi 6144 -v -custinfoparms %MAP_PATH%
%Q3MAP2% -game et -fs_basepath %FS_PATH% -fs_game tcetest -vis -saveprt %MAP_PATH%
%Q3MAP2% -game et -fs_basepath %FS_PATH% -fs_game tcetest -light -fast -v -samplesize 4 -samples 2 -patchshadows -external -lightmapsize 256 -custinfoparms %MAP_PATH%
pause
You can simply copy paste this into a text file and rename it to .bat
to compile a map with it adjust the paths in the first 3 lines, and you should be going fine
The bat compiles a map with light with average quality.
If you want to just do quick compiles without light, you can copy the bat and remove the line above "pause".
Also this is the light line I use for final compiles:
Code:
%Q3MAP2% -game et -fs_basepath %FS_PATH% -fs_game tcetest -light -fast -v -samplesize 4 -samples 3 -bounce 3 -bouncegrid -bouncescale 1.0 -patchshadows -external -lightmapsize 256 -custinfoparms %MAP_PATH%
Now you have a complete setup to start mapping
I just have a few more tips here:
You can find loads of other Tutorials and nice links here: http://www.truecombatelite.com/forums/v ... php?t=1384
Binding map_restart to a key in your testing install helps a lot, because you can bypass warmup by pressing it.
Also there is the unofficial "mapping development kit" from liquid, it's bascially a map file and a text file with some tips, but it helps a lot to get a feeling for scaling and/or how the bombspots work.
You can get it here: http://www.truecombatelite.com/files/ma ... ce_mdk.zip
Who knew someone would save and still use it.