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07-16-2001, 21:29
hey all you guys who made/make the maps,

just wondering if you could write up descriptions for your maps as well, or at least some/most of them?

we could then distribute the updated .txt file with the mappacks that Daimyo is putting together. we are aware that not many people actually read them but it wouldn't hurt anyone either to have it. (something about professionalism http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif )

or perhaps we could find some volunteers?
(writing 100 map descriptions at once is really a bit too much for 1-2 ppl)

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I'm a man... I can change... If I have to...
...I guess...

Kraellin
07-17-2001, 09:07
yup. excellent idea, jaydee. i had the samee thought a while back and went....umm, maybe later.

as you prolly already know your suggestion is just about the only way to do it, since they didnt include the txt descrip as part of the map itself, but opted to put it all in one file on everyone's computer.

i hadnt even thought of doing it thru the map packs, however. good idea. feel free to write mine up if ya want, just dont tell em about all the coloring outside the lines i did. if i dont like em, i'll write red green and sic him on ya.

K.

The Daimyo
07-18-2001, 17:24
Lol! Well, Kikujiro is going to do his own map descriptions, but it appears that we'll have to find some more people around to do up the rest for your many many many maps. :\

We'll see if it can be done by Friday... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/tongue.gif



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The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

07-19-2001, 05:11
Quote feel free to write mine up if ya want[/QUOTE]

ahem- my whole point was to avoid that... go read again http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif unfortunately i don't have the time even if i really wanted to do it

Quote just dont tell em about all the coloring outside the lines i did. if i dont like em, i'll write red green and sic him on ya.[/QUOTE]

and not only that, you come here threatening me ! geez, mods, admins! ban this monster http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif

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I'm a man... I can change... If I have to...
...I guess...

NinjaKilla
07-20-2001, 02:43
That'd be wicked guys. There are so many maps to choose from: it would be a good way to review a map without having to test a game on it.

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- Our girls fall for samurai and they'll go chasing after them.
- If the bandits come they'll cut our heads off. We'll worry about the girls later.

From: Seven Samurai

The Daimyo
07-20-2001, 07:22
Well, I'm hoping that everyone will start including the map descriptions with their maps so that we can add them in with each Map Pack that we put out. I don't advise making a new Map.txt file for every map though, that wouldn't work very well.

Perhaps we'll be able to get all the maps described by the next release, which I expect won't be until mid August.

We've still got another month to wait for the Official Map Editor, at least. Until then, the old ways for the lot of us. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif


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The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

07-20-2001, 16:08
wow... that was an overwhelming response

for some reason i had the idea you guys SHOULD want to write your own descriptions...

(careful now, i'm getting some really evil ideas...)

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I'm a man... I can change... If I have to...
...I guess...

The Daimyo
07-26-2001, 05:44
Well, I'm half way done with the Map Descriptions, so far around 45 or so done. I'm going to try and have them ready by later tonight.
It's actually kinda fun to do. I make sure to play the map at least once through against the A.I., which is o so stimulating, but it's actually semi-educational. The A.I. does some surprising things on some of the maps.
I'll report back here, and everywhere else as soon as this project is done.

http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif


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The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

candidgamera
07-26-2001, 23:19
Just an idea but:
What would be useful also would be a "viewer" utility to just load the map to "fly through" it and see what its about. My current practice is the somewhat cumbersome "fix an army, boot a custom game, fly, and exit" method. Maybe something EA/DT/CA to consider for the future.

Daimyo: many thanks sounds like a lot of work.

Kraellin
07-27-2001, 02:17
well, the problem is that ca did the map descriptions as a completely separate file where ALL the map descrips are in one file. they are NOT part of the map files. that means that map makers could write up text descrips for their own maps but they would be the only ones to see it since yer not updating everyone else's files unless they can download that updated text file.

the normal way that developers do this is to append the text file to the map file or to make it part of the map file. ca chose not to do it this way for whatever reason.

thus, map makers dont even bother writing up the text descrips. it pretty much has to be done like the daimyo is doing it. you have to update the descrip file and get folks to download it as a separate file and then get them to install it.

a viewer might work, but how would you use it in multiplayer unless you included the viewer as part of the main program and had a way to access it in the foyer.

and yes, thank you the daimyo. perhaps we as map makers could write up a text file with each map and just include it as part of the .zip. it wouldnt update the text descrip file but at least it would be there for when you did new map packs. you could just cut and paste it into an updated descrip file. i'll try and remember to do those for my maps from now on. if you'd like it a different way, why, let us know, but like you say, it's impracticle to try and update everyone's descrip file with each new map.

K.


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I'm sorry, but i never apologize.

The Daimyo
07-27-2001, 06:35
Yup, what Kraellin says is the situation as we know it. Perhaps in the next games, the developers will take notice of our need to mess with things and then include things like what you described, and also the many other little goodies that would make the game experience perfect. (Record battle movies, unit mods, campaign editors, etc...)

What is actually kinda cool, the way things are, you can actually edit and apply your own descriptions for each map. This lets you put things in like what army works best on a certain map, you can grade the maps yourself, put in notes on things to remember, etc....

The great thing about that is that ONLY YOU can see this information, or you can pass it around to your clan mates, for a sort of team briefing, or game plan based on the maps you are playing.

I bet nobody thought of that yet.

http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif


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The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

[This message has been edited by The Daimyo (edited 07-27-2001).]

theforce
07-28-2001, 01:29
A txt file for each map would be bad for the size of the map-pack. With time maps are getting more and more. How about an online description?

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Don't use only honour, use theforce, too.
http://lod.fateback.com

Catiline
07-28-2001, 02:36
IIRC i did provide some sort of description in my map

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Unless the Persians fly away like birds, hide in the earth like mice, or leap into a lake like frogs, they will never see their homes again, but will die under our arrows

TosaInu
07-28-2001, 03:29
The map descriptions go into one file: maps.txt. If every mapmaker makes a description in his readme, the maps.txt can be updated with these text (by simple and quick copy & past) for every new mappack, or you could paste it yourself once a new map is released.

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Ja mata
Toda MizuTosaInu
Daimyo Takiyama Shi

http://www.takiyama.cjb.com

Kraellin
07-28-2001, 04:41
Cat,

what the heck does 'IIRC' mean?

K.


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I'm sorry, but i never apologize.

Catiline
07-28-2001, 05:47
IIRC IIRC means If I Remember Correctly

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Unless the Persians fly away like birds, hide in the earth like mice, or leap into a lake like frogs, they will never see their homes again, but will die under our arrows

Kraellin
07-28-2001, 11:22
ah. thanks :)

K.


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I'm sorry, but i never apologize.