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Meneldil
08-15-2005, 18:34
Modding Resource Header

Title: How to make real rivers (navigable by ships)

Posted by: Meneldil

Modding area: Maps (geography)
Required programmes: an image editor capable of editing .TGA files (such as Photoshop or Paintshop Pro)
Related links: Making a new campaign map (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=50437)
Summary: This shows you how you can make rivers wide enough to allow ships to travel up them, while still allowing troops to cross them

The rivers in RTW aren't really great, mainly because they aren't compatible with fleets and naval trade.

Hopefully, Duke John found a way to create more realist rivers that can be crossed by armies, and I'll try to explain you how to do so :

First, draw the river on your map_heights.tga and map_ground_types.tga files.

Basically, it should look like that :
Map_heights :
https://img354.imageshack.us/img354/5866/exemple2vt.jpg

Mag_ground_types :
https://img358.imageshack.us/img358/5858/exemple19lh.jpg

Once that's done, draw the same river on the map_region.tga, so it looks like this :
https://img129.imageshack.us/img129/8909/exemple25oq.jpg

Now, you have to add one pixel that will allow any army to cross this river. The crossing should not be longer than one pixel, and your map_regions river must fit perfectly with the map_heights and map_ground_types rivers, or it will not work :
https://img129.imageshack.us/img129/1309/exemple32ye.jpg

In game screenshots :

https://img310.imageshack.us/img310/7389/ex44ds.jpg

https://img310.imageshack.us/img310/8042/ex54dd.jpg

As you can see, both armies and fleets may use this kind of river, which is much better than the map_features rivers (and it probably allows naval trade aswell).

I did not know where to put this How to.
Sorry for my bad english :bow:
Meneldil
08-16-2005, 09:00
It seems that roads don't cross the rivers, but naval trade (with ports) works perfectly.
Aramis
08-16-2005, 18:53
I have done as you have said. but not work.about map heights , how much pixel has to be the river? I have used the corrent regions as map regions I have added the pixel but not go?what I have mistake ?excuse for the language :help: :help:
Aramis
08-16-2005, 23:08
can you send me your maps? where you have put the rivers that I am seen in the images , because I am trying but to me this system doesn't work.excuse for the language. The my a-mail is arch.meola@libero.it
Epistolary Richard
08-17-2005, 14:51
Longboats going up rivers? An excellent addition for Vikings & Fanatics mod, Menedil! :thumbsup:
Aramis
08-18-2005, 00:44
all ok.good idea. you are great hi ~:cheers:
Meneldil
08-18-2005, 06:51
It works now Aramis ?
The rivers must fit perfectly on map_heights, ground_types and regions. If it doesn't worki, there must be a problem on one of these maps.

And roads may cross the rivers. Sometimes they do, sometimes not. I still have to find why.
Aramis
08-18-2005, 10:36
yes. now is everything ok.I have noticed that when the roads cross the rivers, the boat nn it passes more.is it so or am I wrong me?hi ~:cheers:
Bigwig
08-19-2005, 06:14
That's awesome, I want to try it now. Is there a way to fix those ugly looking triangles that stick out into the water?
Meneldil
08-19-2005, 09:18
Yeah, you just have to edit map heights.
Burns
08-21-2005, 15:16
Interesting stuff. Im going to definately try this out. But one question. What happens when armies meet on rivers? Surely that must cause some issues?
Meneldil
08-21-2005, 15:20
I don't have the time to explain in details, but here's basically how it works :

http://upl.silentwhisper.net/uplfolders/upload2/sj_landbridge.jpg

http://upl.silentwhisper.net/uplfolders/upload6/sj_landbridge_battle.jpg
Atheist_Peace
08-21-2005, 16:02
Thats a very good discovery Meneldil, it creates new possibilities like more complex naval trade, its a bit unpolished with the battle maps and roads not working, but still a nice little tool.
Burns
08-22-2005, 17:17
Can rivers perhaps be interlinked, so that some are the features and some are the terrain?
Meneldil
08-22-2005, 17:36
Never tried to, but I'm fairly sure it's possible.
edyzmedieval
08-22-2005, 20:46
Good job Meneldil.

But, on the battlefield, how are the armies going to fight?!
Burns
08-22-2005, 20:49
Good job Meneldil.

But, on the battlefield, how are the armies going to fight?!

Look at his screenie.
SirRethcir
09-16-2005, 10:34
:book:
To clear things up:
There is no need to even touch the map_region.tga, cause it as nothing to do with it.

The following picture explains why crossings over totally straight rivers are impossible. (a hard lesson I had to learn ~D )

http://home.arcor.de/oivlisr/rome/explanation_real_river.jpg
Meneldil
09-16-2005, 13:17
Great infos. I was having troubles with that. ~:cheers:
TheBigJon
09-28-2005, 01:27
Hey mate that sounds like a Mod right up my alley, got a link to that?
TheBigJon
09-28-2005, 02:02
Dammit, no edit option... to clarify the Vikings & Fanatics MOD mentioned by Epistolary Richard, was what i was referring to.
caesar44
09-28-2005, 10:43
Great idea and great job , it can make mods far more accurate . Sending troops by rivers , so simple (as an idea) and so true .
Meneldil
09-28-2005, 18:04
Hey mate that sounds like a Mod right up my alley, got a link to that?

Yeah, we even have our own forum in the hosted mod section