Campaign Map Not Loading....

[Makanyane]

OK this isn't actually a question - but it's not a tutorial either and I wanted to get it into the answers database..... The post is based on this original article - please excuse the lecture but hopefully it's useful - if not jump to Common Causes of Problems

Why Doesn't my Campaign Map Load?
One of most frequently asked questions by new modders is "Why doesn't my campaign map load?"
below is some self-help advice; on how to mod efficiently; and for when it goes wrong, what to check and how to ask question on forums so other people can actually help you.

General Modding Advice

• Always use -show_err on your shortcut. If campaign loads but you get a message when you exit, fix what it is complaining about or you might not get new message when you have more serious error.
• Remember to delete the map.rwm file every time you make a change. Deletion is not strictly needed for some aspects like moving armies around but it is much better to get in habit of doing it each time then forget when it is relevant.
• Do one thing at a time - e.g. do not try to create entire map complete with rivers, forests, 10 factions and resources before checking that stripped down map loads. If re-assigning settlements or adding regions do one or two at a time.
• Keep back ups - make sure you have a back up of all vanilla files before you start. Each time you make a change and it works in game make a back up copy of all the files involved in that as well. If you get to point that does not work revert to your back up copy (making sure you copy it again first) and try making same changes again, in case problem was just down to mistyping etc.
• Read Tutorials - yes I know it is boring to read the instructions but it really does help! For most things mapping make sure you have read this tutorial.
• Map Editors - If using a map editor do not forget that all the above rules still apply, you need to understand which files are being altered and still do things one step at a time.

When Stuck
Well you know what you did last (''don't you?'') check all the changes you just made for; typo's, wrong colours etc. Some files including descr_strat.txt are quite sensitive to wrong formating, missing tabs, spaces or line breaks etc. Most things in RTW/BI text files are also case sensitive so check capital letters are used in correct places. Make sure you remembered to delete the map.rwm file.

If you can't find anything obvious revert to a new copy of your back-up files prior to the change you just made and re-do your changes again. Still not working? See next section...

When Really, Really, Stuck
Now is time to ask a question on the forums or ask another modder for help.
To ask questions on RTW/BI game post a thread in Modding Questions or post a reply at the end of this thread.

To avoid your question just being met with more questions you should supply the following information in your post:

• What game are you modding? (RTW or BI) Which patch version? (eg 1.2 or 1.5)
• Are you modding a released mod that you have downloaded? If so please state which.
• Explain what you did last, eg. added region, removed faction, made complete new map etc.
• Confirm that you have -show_err on your shortcut and state if it is giving a message or not.
• If you are getting a message please quote it.

Also explain in detail the nature of your crash / problem. For campaign map problems that can be;

• KTM = Kick-Back to Menu, you try and load campaign but get sent back to previous menu instead.
• CTD = Crash to Desktop, if that is what you get please state what screen / stage of loading bar you where in when it crashed.
• Other = loads map but with distorted graphics, loads map but crashes on scrolling.

[Makanyane]

Common Causes of Problems
The same sort of error will normally produce the same crash / message at the same point in the loading process. Where problem occurs in loading process is therefore important to bug hunting. Common problems are listed below in order of 'crash' occurrence.
Where error messages are mentioned they are only obtained if you have -show_err enabled.
NOTES: This list is very unlikely to cover everything please note any more you find in replies. The initial tests for this were conducted under BI. There may be variations with RTW if found please advise. Most of these error messages also occur in M2TW but they will be found in the error log file and not via. the -show_err system.

Please also refer to a Modders Guide to CTD's
This section is based on wiki page here which may/may not be more up-to-date.

Symptom: Game CTD's with no message when arrow is clicked to start campaign - no map.rwm generated.

• Landmass Crash - actually caused by having too large an individual sea area.
• Too large an area of impassable terrain - actually same bug as above (if area doesn't work as sea it won't work as mountain or dense forest either).
• Rivers incorrectly drawn in map_features.tga. Possibly also river without ford completely dividing a region.
• Incorrect height or width listed in descr_terrain.txt - dimensions must match map_regions.tga
• More than 200 total 'regions' - note regions include different colours used for individual seas, so you can have 199 land regions and 1 sea, or 198 land regions and 2 different coloured seas in map_regions.tga etc...

Symptom: Game Freezes after arrow is clicked to start campaign - new map.rwm is generated but loading bar is not reached.

• Problems with large areas of impassable ground type in conjunction with lack of land area on a large complex map (map.rwm size approx 13MB) see here.

Symptom: Game CTD's with no message shortly after arrow is clicked to start campaign - new map.rwm is generated.

• Width or height of map exceeds maximum. (Maximum = 510pixels map_regions, 1021pixels map_heights size.
• Misspelt character name in descr_strat.txt, or use of name which doesn't belong to faction you have assigned it to - check in data/descr_names.txt for faction specific names.
• An elephant or chariot unit which is included in the descr_strat.txt file has an 'officer' assigned to it in export_descr_units.txt. Those types of units cannot have an officer and unlike other unit related bugs this one causes CTD on trying to load campaign.
• Having the Romans able to horde "and" have the senate as their super-faction. (under BI.exe)

Symptom: Game CTD's with no message about 3/4's way through campaign loading bar.

• Having a radar_map1.tga which is too large, the radar_maps should be in same proportions as map_regions.tga to avoid a stretched effect, but making them same size as the map_regions.tga for a larger map causes crash.

Symptom: Game CTD's with no message at the end of the campaign loading bar.

• Using a rebel type in descr_regions.txt that does not have proper entries in data/descr_rebel_factions.txt and data/text/rebel_faction_descr.txt

Symptom: KTM's with message on exit: 'Script error in .../descr_strat.txt, at line xxx, column x. Expected faction - must add at least two factions to the world

• Most varieties of typing error above the level of the second faction in descr_strat.txt - the game stops reading the descr_strat file when it meets an error so doesn't get as far as reading second faction. If error message gives line number look it up using 'edit' 'go to' function in Notepad.
• Having the win_conditions section from a v 1.2 descr_strat file at the top of a descr_strat.txt file you are trying to run under v 1.5 also gives this error.

Symptom: KTM's with message on exit: 'Script error in .../descr_strat.txt, at line xxx, column x. could not create settlement at script line xxx

• Mis-match between colour on map_regions.tga and colour listed in descr_regions.txt for affected settlement.
• Using identical colour for two different regions.

Symptom: KTM's with message on exit: 'Script error in .../descr_strat.txt, at line xxx, column x. You have chosen an invalid tile(0,0)for the settlement of
If line xxx is the bottom of the descr_strat file and the settlement name is not specified.

• Pixels on map_regions.tga of a colour that do not belong to any region colour specified in descr_regions.txt - watch out for merged colours when editing map_regions.tga as that is usual cause.

If settlement is named and line xxx is it's listing in descr_strat.txt

• Settlement is actually placed on invalid terrain. This may include being over river location, over impassable forest, or mountain ground types, or being over area marked as sea in map_heights.tga. The last includes areas of 'land' which are true black RGB 0,0,0 as the game takes them as sea unless a map_heights.hgt is created.

Symptom: KTM's with message on exit: 'Script error in .../descr_strat.txt, at line xxx, column x. You are trying to place zzzz in this region(yyyy), but it already has a settlement(zzzz).

• Using an almost black pixel for the effected cities location on the map_regions.tga - the pixel must be RGB 0,0,0

It Loads But...
So you saw the map come up and thought all your problems were over? Not quite:

Symptom: Strange overlay effect when viewing parts of campaign map, often including diagonal lines across map.

• Too few regions on a large map, or excessively large single regions can cause this. Some graphics cards tolerate the problem and display it, on other computers it can cause CTD at end of loading bar. May only occur in one area of map - so may explain CTD when loading with faction centred in the effected area.

Symptom: Bright pink / purple areas on map

• Using invalid colour in map_ground_types.tga
• Misnaming or pathing of texture files referenced in descr_aerial_map_ground_types.txt so texture is not found.

Symptom: CTD without message immediately after pressing end turn button for first time.

• Having a faction included in descr_strat.txt which has 'shadowed' line in descr_sm_factions.txt and not also including the corresponding shadowing faction.
• Setting too high a starting number of movement points (eg 300) in descr_character.txt
• Having a faction as faction-creator in descr_regions and not having it in descr_strat. (if it lets you get that far - this can give a KTM with message instead)
• Bad character name file. To check for this, try Saving before End Turn. If it crashes then it is the bad name file as it creates an error during creation of a saved game and End Turn is (on default) auto-saved.

[Myrddraal]

Thanks a lot Mak. I think this deserves a sticky.

[Red Spot]

been able to pin this down a bit better, perhaps you might want it said over here as well ..

when your map.rwm is in the 12-13mb range be very carefull!!
your heading towards some form of the landmass-bug

if your game generates a map.rwm but than CTD's but loads just fine the next time, go back!!
your already in the area of some form of landmass-bug

if your game generates a map.rwm but whatever you do the loadingscreen never appears as your game freezes when it should start showing it, your in trouble!!
remove some mountains in map_groundtypes and/or add more land in map_heights, though editing map_groundtypes might only be a temp. solution as at any given time it could start again, but adding more land(heights) and no new rocks(groundtypes) always seems to work ..

anyway the relation between the map_heights and map_groundtypes is what causes these issues, I never had it happen after an edit in map_heights, but an edit in map_heights generally does solve it ...
it does however ony happen if your map_heights is already "very very very" close to triggering the landmass-bug


G

[Makanyane]

Thanks Red Spot, umm I was sort of ignoring your freeze problem as I didn't understand it enough to summarise it!

Hadn't realised before you meant that freeze was before you got to loading bar? So you click arrow after faction selection, get map.rwm generated and then never go any further, is that right? I thought initially you meant you got into map and then hung...

I think the map.rwm file size is only indirectly relevent (as it means you have larger map), a map with 1021 map_heights.tga will normally generate a 13mb map.rwm, but I've had quite a few maps based on that before without meeting your freeze problem. (reminds me need to put in max map size) I assume your problem is more to do with really pushing the limits for the amount / arrangement of water you can get in and hence, as you say, being very close to triggering landmass bug problem.... If you had only a small amount of water on same sized map I don't think you'd have issue.

[Red Spot]

Originally Posted by Makanyane

Hadn't realised before you meant that freeze was before you got to loading bar? So you click arrow after faction selection, get map.rwm generated and then never go any further, is that right?

yep, thats it
push it a little further and you get a map.rwm generated and than a CTD before the loading screen pops up, push it even further and your at the landmass bug ...

also I dont have a good idea whats up with the map.rwm file but it surelly isnt directly tied to map size, my map at start always generated 3mb size files at start, as I added more variaty to map_groundtypes it started to sometimes generate a 12/13mb file, as I added more to the groundtypes file the map.rwm become generally at a 12mb size and only very randomly give me a 3mb size file, now that my groundtypes file is done I cant anything less than 12mb-ish size
I can directly influence the file a bit, but its more a "it works most of the time" method, wich is by reducing sea in map_heights
(I know it all doesnt add up or make any sence, all I do know its flucuation in size is direct relation with map_heights and map_groundtypes)


Edit;
a few more things I've experienced ..

for under;CTD without message immediately after pressing end turn button for first time.

• Having a faction as faction-creator in descr_regions and not having it in descr_strat.

(perhaps) under; Strange overlay effect when viewing parts of campaign map, often including diagonal lines across map.

• Incorrect color use in map_groundtypes can cause "purple spots".

/edit


G

[wlesmana]

Another cause of CTD during first time End Turn button:
- Bad character name file. To check, try Saving before End Turn. If it crashed then, then it is the bad name file as it creates an error during creation of a saved game and End Turn is (on default) auto-saved.

[Dol Guldur]

I believe this is one of the reasons devs usually disable the save-game preference. It's still disabled in the release of Fourth Age :)

[Makanyane]

Thanks chaps, updated 2nd post.

Originally Posted by Red Spot

for under;CTD without message immediately after pressing end turn button for first time.

* Having a faction as faction-creator in descr_regions and not having it in descr_strat.

I put that in but with a note, I'm sure that's meant to give you a KTM with a message rather than let you in to campaign. It does for me but that might be a difference between BI and RTW, will check if that is case when I get time.
(if it's not the difference between the games then you've just taken over from me for habit of getting weird errors! )

[Ramashan]

Great resource for mapping problems. This will become my go to trouble shooting reference.

One thing that has bit me several times when resizing map_regions, simply because I am making changes and testing too quickly, is forgetting to change 'bicubic' to 'nearestneighbor' in the image resize tool.

This will cause a CTD and not create a rwm file.

[Makanyane]

Ramashan, good point will try and add something to top post about that. I've also accidentally done that to map_regions in PaintShopPro, that one needs Pixel Resize instead of Smart Size.

I was trying to work out why that CTD'd without message whereas having pixels of extra colours (which is effectively what you get) in small area gives you a KTM with message. Just realised it is probably because you've got so many extra colours that it is reading as being over the 200 region limit....

Using the wrong re-size method also messes up the other files though normally with odd graphic effects rather than CTD - for ground_types you'll get lots of pink areas where colour is invalid, for climates you'll have default climate appearing where you have the unknown colour, map_heights you get odd 'mountains' around coast where you've merged land and sea.

[Makanyane]

hmmmpf - will test a bit more to define at some stage and add but -
CTD 2/3rds way along campaign loading bar
- caused by large mismatch between regions in descr_regions and
the ones listed in data/text/campaign_name_regions_and_settlements.txt (I think if you're only one region out you get an error message but will check that)

this can be caused, for instance, by using an old regions and settlements.txt file by mistake - making this mistake simultaneously with trying to move mod to new mod-folder can result in spending whole afternoon trying to work out why campaign won't load anymore......

[Warluster]

I don't know if you have this listed but:

WHen all the game runs perfectly (it loads,etc)

Then you go into the Imperial Campaign Menu, and press a faction, then press thje arrow, and it goes back to the Main Menu?

THat happens when you've modded/edited with one of the Data/World files, or when you've downloaded a mod which does.

This applies to RTW and M2TW

[Makanyane]

Warluster, what you are describing is a KTM (Kick back To Menu) there are a few possible ones in the list look for the ones starting:
Symptom: KTM's with message on exit

You should get message when you quit the game if you are using -show_err on your shortcut. There is at least one cause where you don't get message (unfortunately I can't remember what it is and haven't come across it recently).

[Kurulham]

Morning all,

I've been getting a problem that's not a CTD, nor really a KTM; rather, it's a failure for the campaign map to even BEGIN loading.

The problem comes when I try to add support for night battles; from everything I've read, I just change the descr_strat to include the options bi and night_battles_enabled tags (and use the BI exe, of course).

Problem is, when I do this, descr_strat no longer parses properly. If I try to load the campaign I get a "Please select an item from the menu" message. The starting time always shows up as 1 AD, and when I close RTW again, I get a descr_strat error that it couldn't find the campaign start date (which is very definitely still there).

Removing the options bi tag and just leaving in the night_battles_enabled tag causes a CTD; removing both tags causes night battles to not work.

Any thoughts/ideas?

[Makanyane]

could you copy and paste the top of the file in a reply here, from top to part that includes those lines - it sounds like you have the wording or placement slightly wrong, it does indeed stop parsing file if it hits something it doesn't recognise (might be the order you've put them in if not spelling etc)

[Squid]

Also you don't need the BI exe to have nightbattles. If you're using the BI exe the changes you're making for nightbattles are unnecessary.

[Red Spot]

Originally Posted by Squid

Also you don't need the BI exe to have nightbattles. If you're using the BI exe the changes you're making for nightbattles are unnecessary.

you may not need to run it to be able to trigger them, but I've been unable to get the AI to trigger a nightbattle using the Rome .exe
so afaik you do need it if you want the AI to trigger them as well (cant say I've seen them do it in BI but I havent tested that ...)


G

[Makanyane]

SSJVegetaTrunks seemed to have got night battles working in RTW see: http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=89367
did you mean you couldn't get them at all or just that AI didn't opt for them? And are you sure their generals have the required trait? Relevant trait/attribute is definitely needed in all versions.

Vanilla BI has

campaign barbarian_invasion
options bi
playable
huns
........

......
slave
end


start_date 363 summer
end_date 476 summer


marian_reforms_disabled
rebelling_characters_active
gladiator_uprising_disabled
night_battles_enabled
brigand_spawn_value 10
pirate_spawn_value 12

not sure if it is strictly necessary or not but it doesn't seem to hurt...

[Kurulham]

Okay, I'm a moron. *headdesk*

Forgot that my copy of RTW Gold is one of the ones that lacks the 1.6 patch when I reinstalled it.

Patched to 1.6 and working like a charm now with options bi and night_battles_enabled. Plus the all the ancillary whoozis (traits, lighting, whatnot, but already had that).

[Red Spot]

Makanyane ..

to get nightbattles in RTW isnt an issue, its easy, but I've been unable to get the AI to trigger one
they have the traits (both nightbattlecapable and nocto-something ...) and they attack me, never have I fought a nightbattle that was triggered by the AI (also have set "options BI" and "nightbattle enabled" in descr_strat)

not saying it isnt possible, just that at least I cant get them to show up as an AI-feature

btw I've read the topic you linked but besides that he makes the statement that he has nightbattles in RTW, he doesnt state that the AI actually triggers them ...



G

[Red Spot]

for under;

Symptom: Game CTD's with no message shortly after arrow is clicked to start campaign - new map.rwm is generated.

• Having the Romans able to horde "and" have the senate as their super-faction.

The game kept crashing as if I didnt have some names set in the apropriate files, in the end turned out that the ability of the romans to horde didnt work to well with them also belonging to the senate

***note; this was running Rome with the BI-exe***


G

[Makanyane]

thanks RedSpot, added.

will nominate you "Deputy Finder of Little Oddities"

EDIT; actually I nominate you "Superior Finder of Little Oddities" just realised you probably explained why I could never get superfaction function to work in my mod !

[Seth Krn3ll]

Originally Posted by Makanyane

Common Causes of Problems

Symptom: Game CTD's with no message when arrow is clicked to start campaign - no map.rwm generated.

• Landmass Crash - actually caused by having too large an individual sea area.
• Too large an area of impassable terrain - actually same bug as above (if area doesn't work as sea it won't work as mountain or dense forest either).
• Rivers incorrectly drawn in map_features.tga. Possibly also river without ford completely dividing a region.
• Incorrect height or width listed in descr_terrain.txt - dimensions must match map_regions.tga
• More than 200 total 'regions' - note regions include different colours used for individual seas, so you can have 199 land regions and 1 sea, or 198 land regions and 2 different coloured seas in map_regions.tga etc...

Wonderful guide, Makanyane, it helped my a lot adding the first two regions to the map, but now at the third region I'm stuck and can't find what's wrong.

Symptom: Game CTD's with no message when arrow is clicked to start campaign - no map.rwm generated.

But: [*]Landmass Crash - actually caused by having too large an individual sea area.
- I did not touch sea areas adding the last region[*] Too large an area of impassable terrain - actually same bug as above (if area doesn't work as sea it won't work as mountain or dense forest either).
- I did not add any impassable terrain[*] Rivers incorrectly drawn in map_features.tga. Possibly also river without ford completely dividing a region.
- I did not modify map_features. rivers are not completely dividing the neew region, nor they touch the settlement[*] Incorrect height or width listed in descr_terrain.txt - dimensions must match map_regions.tga
- I didn't touch descr_terrain.txt[*] More than 200 total 'regions' - note regions include different colours used for individual seas, so you can have 199 land regions and 1 sea, or 198 land regions and 2 different coloured seas in map_regions.tga etc...
- number of actual regions is 48, the new one wich causes the crash is number 49.

If i remove the new region from the map_regions.tga and its refs from:
- descr_strat.txt, descr_regions.txt
-**regions_and_settlement_names.txt
-**regions_and_settlement_names_lookup.txt
It all works fine, so its really just the new region making a problem. But again. I already added two of them and they give no troubles.. just this one!

My tries:
- i re-checked all regions in the map to have their precise colors (tolerance0)
- checked the map_heigths.tga : no areas in black (RGB 0,0,0)
- i moved the settlement to different locations, checking each time was not touching the border of the region, not occupied by mountains, rivers, sea, lakes or other map objects, same CTD
- i changed color of the new region ten times, same CTD
- i moved the region to another totally different area of the map, same CTD

So I'm stuck here: any idea what else to try?

[Seth Krn3ll]

Another try I made with no effect:
- i changed shape of the new region three times, same CTD

Guess I need some help here :(

[Seth Krn3ll]

Ok i find a clue, not sure if it may help YOU to understand what's wrong here, sure its not helping ME :(

I changed once more the color of the new region, but i forget to add the right RGB colors in descr_regions.txt.

So I had this symptom: KTM's with message on exit: 'Script error in .../descr_strat.txt, at line xxx, column x. could not create settlement at script line xxx

And it makes sense.
If I add the right RGB values, I get again the same old CTD with no map.rvm generation.

The hint is, the error causing my CTD is something the program reads AFTER checking descr_regions.txt

Can't go much far

[Makanyane]

Nothing obvious is coming to mind on your problem. Not getting a map.rwm when you were before and all you've done is add region is rather strange. Have you done anything different on the 3rd region in terms of the faction or rebel type it uses in descr_regions, or for the faction creator in descr_strat??

It sounds like you've investigated most possible causes, if all else fails zip the campaign folder together with the ..._regions_and_settlements.txt file from data/text and upload it somewhere so other people can see if they can spot problem.

[Seth Krn3ll]

Originally Posted by Makanyane

Nothing obvious is coming to mind on your problem. Not getting a map.rwm when you were before and all you've done is add region is rather strange. Have you done anything different on the 3rd region in terms of the faction or rebel type it uses in descr_regions, or for the faction creator in descr_strat??

It sounds like you've investigated most possible causes, if all else fails zip the campaign folder together with the ..._regions_and_settlements.txt file from data/text and upload it somewhere so other people can see if they can spot problem.

What sounds MORE wierd to me is that if i write the wrong RGB values for the last region in descr_regions, then the map.rvm IS generated! But if I put the correct values, then is NOT. I mean, I supposed the map was generated AFTER reading a funcional descr_regions file! Guess I was wrong then.

On the 3rd region:

- faction or rebel type modded, exactly like the ones for the other two new (working) regions (I add the descr_rebel_factions file in the zip to see)
- faction creator in descr_strat same as the other two new (working) regions

Here's the zip file:
http://digilander.libero.it/krnell/lotrmod/campaign.zip

Inside there are:
- the whole modded campaign middle_earth folder (only modded campaign inside, removed all others)
- descr_rebel_factions.txt
- middle_earth_regions_and_settlement_names.txt

Just consider that its part of a serverely modded version of RTW v1.1, so you will not be able to just put it in campaign folder and play it. If you think it will help I could zip the whole data directory.

I'm out of ideas here, hope in some good hints :(

[Seth Krn3ll]

BTW:

the 3d region giving the error is METW_Region_49 named Minhiriat, with its settlement {METW_Settlement_49} named Tharbad

In the zip files you'll find a commented METW_Region_50 named Quazzurlia, with its settlement {METW_Settlement_50} named Quazzotown but I've never activated them, they were a try to see if was just the names causing the CTD.

Just ignore them or remove them, in map_regions.tga they are not present.

[Makanyane]

well I looked and I can't spot anything - am hoping someone else might have a go - as I haven't got a working version that's at 1.1 or the METW data, I'd need to unravel a lot to give it any chance to load, then wouldn't know if it was those changes or something else!

Don't know - I'd opt for superstitious approach - go back to last working version and add completely different region... you've got some un-used region names in the text file like
{METW_Region_09}
you could try adding that into descr_regions and see if that works. You seem to be heading beyond anything there is logical explanation for (at least that I can see) so you might as well try something different!