How to create Domination Maps

Every regular DM or DarkMatch map can become a DOM map without physical change to the map file. All it requires are entries into the "UnrealDomination.ini" file. The DOMINATION MUTATOR identifies maps by their filenames and dynamically spawns the Domination Points as configured if there are map entries in the ini file for the current map. A typical map contains between 2 and 4 Domination Points, should there be more than 10 you will get errors.

Let's get mapping

Start up your server, activate domination. Log in as admin and switch to the first map you want to make a DOM map. You will need to be admin all the time. If you are in the internet password your server so you are undisturbed. If you play/work in offline mode be aware that you may still formaly need to login as admin even if you are NOT having a real network connection (reminder: default admin password is boss). Also make sure that you have no timelimit (or plenty of time) and a high fraglimit (or none) so that you don't accidently end the game while you are still working!

DOM maps are created during play by an admin. For this purpose, the admin has a set of extra commands (NOT listed in the commands section). All Domination commands start with the word "dom" (use TAB or CONSOLE key).

Basic Workout

Basically, you walk to the place you want a DOM point, create it, adjust its settings, go to the next spot, repeat. Finally you save your work. Done.

Domination Commands

All commands start with the word "dom" so I will leave that off in the section.

IMPORTANT: Domination Points are NUMBERED, starting to count at ZERO. So if you have 3 Domination Points, the number of your first one is ZERO, the number of your LAST one is TWO!! Your HUD will always display them in ordered number, ZERO at the top on the HUD, the highest number (last) on the bottom.

All Domination Points have 3 editable attributes, Info1, Info2 and score. Info1 is the upper line displayed on your HUD per Domination Point, Info2 is the lower one. I recommend to use Info1 as NAME for the DOM Point, Info2 as location description. The default for "score" is "5", meaning one point every 5 seconds added to the team possessing it.

Wrongly typed commands usually yield NO reply, correct commands will either give a reply or a result you can see somewhere else immediately.

CommandEffect
[num] del Kills Domination Point [num] from your current map.
[num] set [value] [content] This command is used to set the values for the Domination Point, where [num] is the one you want to edit, [value] is WHAT you want to change, finally [content] is what you put in!

[VALUE] can be
  1. Info1 to set the first information line, [content] should be text
  2. Info2 to set the 2nd information line, [content] should be text
  3. score to set the time needed to add a point, [content] should be a float greater than zero.
[num] show Use this to show the current settings for Domination Point [num] - debug feature...
[num] swap [num2] Exchanges the numbers of Domination Points [num] and [num2]. The effect is, they swap places on your HUD!
delcfg [map] Deletes the configuration of the map [map]. If you leave [map] blank, your CURRENT configuration will be deleted.

NOTE: This removes the entry from UnrealDomination.ini - if you still have Domination Points on your map right at the moment, they will stay where they are!
loadcfg Forces a re-load of the current map's configuration. All changes you made between your last save and your current status will be lost.
new Creates a Domination Point right where you stand with default values. You can spawn them almost everywhere, but be aware that some hazards actually do destroy items and Domination Points.

For example if you try to spawn a Domination Point INSIDE of Lava, it will be destroyed again right away. Also, traps like the HealPod crusher are bad places to put a Domination Point, because it can be destroyed there. If you want to create a Domination Point over lave or some destructive trap, you will have to put them an inch BEFORE the hazard - for example, Ariza, ABOVE the fan, you can reach the Dom Point over the mountains, but the player will have to sacrifice his life to touch it...
savecfg Saves your work on the map you are on! NEVER FORGET THIS COMMAND AFTER SETTING YOUR MAP UP! If a configuration for the current map already exists, it will be replaced. Otherwise, a new one is added.

Err???

All right, since you likely understood NOTHING of what I just wrote, let's set up DMElsinore as an example Domination Map, ok? Start up your server, get on Elsinore, log in as admin and follow the orders written below.

All right, where could we put a DOM point on Elsinore? Hmm... I walk to the Razorjack and from there a little back, then I type:

dom new

Woohoo there it is... my first DOM point which is the "lower base" in my fantasy. Since I don't like the 2 default lines which my HUD tells me to change now, I type

dom 0 set Info1 LOWER BASE
dom 0 set Info2 (razorjack)

That's better, now the Info on my HUD makes sense as it says there is one Domination Point called "LOWER BASE" at the location (or NEAR) "razorjack".

Okay... where else could I put a DOM point? Ah... I know... I go to the room up top where the MINIGUN is in the back. But before I spoil anything I save my current work.

dom savecfg

YAY... it says config saved... WOW! Now let's make the new DOM point...

dom new

Ah shit... it's too far left and too close to the Minigun, don't like it there. I have 2 options to correct this, either I do

dom 1 del

That would just KILL the new DOM point (remember the second DOM point carries the number ONE because numbering starts at ZERO). I could also do this

dom loadcfg

This will destroy all DOM Points, and reload the configuration for the map - I saved the config before with ONE Domination Point at the Razorjack, so that one will be respawned. Anyway, both commands yield the same result, my crappy 2nd DOM point is gone and I can try on a different location.

dom new

Ah that's more like it! The new location looks good to me. Now let's give it some infos!

dom 1 set Info1 UPPER BASE
dom 1 set Info2 (minigun)

Yippie... but now I see something I don't like. My new "UPPER BASE" named Domination Point appears on the BOTTOM of my HUD listing, wouldn't it be more appropriate if the "UPPER BASE" would appear on TOP of the list and my "LOWER BASE" at the bottom?

dom 0 swap 1

Fixed... Time to save my work again...

dom savecfg

Now I'm thinking, Elsinore is a small map and 2 DOM points should be enough. Yet can't some extra spice be induced somewhere? YES!!! Let's create a tricky one, and one that makes detours worthwhile.

I go to the room with the SuperHealth... I know it's possible to reach the top area above the room by doing a very unhealthy rocket jump or by ordering a teammate to blow me up there (is friendly fire off umm...). I don't have a teammate, so I rocket-jump up!

dom new
dom 2 set Info1 TRICK BASE
dom 2 set Info2 (above 200)

All right, now we have a very difficult to reach extra Domination Point. But why should people actually bother going for it?

dom 2 set score 4

I think NOW that's a reason, because this Domination Point will yield a point every 4 seconds instead of every 5! Hmm... did that last command execute correctly?

dom 2 show

The screen readout looks like it set the scoring to 4 seconds... great! Let's save again

dom savecfg

DONE!!! After restarting the map, Elsinore is ready to play!