Campaign maps

[Burns]

Very nice. Alright so I will restart work on my map since something is not making it work properly. I need advice on some points:

To start a new campaign map, its best to strip down descr_strat to most basic form?
- So, have only 2 factions and only 2 provinces to see if it will work?
- Remove resources?
- Remove all campaign scripts?

In terms of the map itself: Lets say like with my map I start work on a map that is 513 and 601 (as my map was). So I get it all nicely laid out. I started with heights.tga. I then used that file to create a basic ground_types.tga map. The main problems arise out of the coherence (maybe?) between these maps and regions.tga and features.tga?

What about the minimap files?

[wilddog]

serenius4tsd
Yes as a start point I use the BDH method to get a basic map and basic heights. Then you need to stretch tilt etc to get perspective and dimensions right then you need to edit it to for playability.

Burns
Yes first thing is strip down strat file. Get done to one or two factions. I actually went down to one to begin with plus the rebels who you don't need to place. Note its best to leave the general and a heir in or you will keep getting crashes. Just watch the family tree set up or leave all the named characters in if you are unsure. For other factions simply change them so they emerge later.

Make sure you also change the Win conditions ie if it say 45 + Jerusalem - you need to make sure you don't own 45 and need to make sure Jerusalem is left in or taken out ie best to replace with a city that is going to be your capital. Also if removing provinces you need to take them out of the mercenaries file.

Next set up basic heights and just use that to create the other maps. Watch out for how you generate the regions map. The Photoshop resize with nearest neighbor works correctly but I used to use an old paintshop pro with its equivalent option and I didn't get the right map conversion of sea and land.

Minimaps aren't an issue you just make them later.

[serenius4tsd]

Okay, some stuff Ive gathered:

-Seems the game works with a map that has 90% sea and only 10% (or less, Im not sure). Maybe land to sea ratio crash is completely gone?

-I have managed to make the map size 584 x 234. Map will not extend past 784 pixels.(may be even less than that that it CTD)

[irishron2004]

For the map_ground_types.tga a list for the different colors, eg. forest, fertile, barren, types, etc.?

[wisefather]

Wow!

I still cant figure out how to add cities to the vannila map , you should write a tutorial wilddog

[wilddog]

wisefather - There are tutorials out there on this. Have a look also at RTW as there isn't really a lot of difference.

The only issue people seem to have had real difficulty with is just getting to the Text file containing the names as that isn't extracted from the unpacker.

[rc_848]

Great map wilddog. How did you create it? BDH method?

What's the BDH method?

[wilddog]

See here

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=39035

[rc_848]

Thanks for the link wilddog although I already know the method, it's just that I've never heard the term BDH. But now I know what it stands for.

[nikolai1962]

Why is all of America a cliff though?

If you surround an island or archipelago with cliffs it stops brigands spawning.

[alpaca]

If you surround an island or archipelago with cliffs it stops brigands spawning.

It does?
Well you can do the same with those hidden resources at any rate, and it's easier.

[nikolai1962]

It does?
Well you can do the same with those hidden resources at any rate, and it's easier.

Yup. I guess they added the HR way as having america blocked by cliffs wouldn't work too well. They used the cliff thing in rtw and BI i think, scandinavia was one example IIRC.

[Red Spot]

about the generation of map_regions, or better said the lack of it ..

who of you owns RTW (or is able to pick it up for 6-ish euro)?
you are all able to generate a map_regions, you just need to load your map in RTW once when you're ready with map_heights and use the generated map_regions for the outline (than again Photoshop resizes map_heights just fine if the nearest neigbour option is set)


G

[methoz]

any mapmaker? i have mod idea....
or map tools??