How to make real rivers (or Land Bridges)

[Meneldil]

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
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 :


Mag_ground_types :


Once that's done, draw the same river on the map_region.tga, so it looks like this :


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 :


In game screenshots :





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

[Meneldil]

It seems that roads don't cross the rivers, but naval trade (with ports) works perfectly.

[Aramis]

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

[Aramis]

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]

Longboats going up rivers? An excellent addition for Vikings & Fanatics mod, Menedil!

[Aramis]

all ok.good idea. you are great hi

[Meneldil]

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]

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

[Bigwig]

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]

Yeah, you just have to edit map heights.

[Burns]

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]

I don't have the time to explain in details, but here's basically how it works :

[Atheist_Peace]

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]

Can rivers perhaps be interlinked, so that some are the features and some are the terrain?

[Meneldil]

Never tried to, but I'm fairly sure it's possible.

[edyzmedieval]

Good job Meneldil.

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

[Burns]

Good job Meneldil.

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

Look at his screenie.

[SirRethcir]

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 )

[Meneldil]

Great infos. I was having troubles with that.

[TheBigJon]

Hey mate that sounds like a Mod right up my alley, got a link to that?

[TheBigJon]

Dammit, no edit option... to clarify the Vikings & Fanatics MOD mentioned by Epistolary Richard, was what i was referring to.

[caesar44]

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]

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