Earendil Finarfin
07-13-2003, 04:00
Thanks very much GilJay for your help and Martyr for your invitation.
I hope I'm not covering old ground. Well here goes
I'm pleased to say that I've managed to solve the problem of using special castle maps for campaigns and now 'custom castle maps', made in map editor, can be used for siege battles in a campaign, not just a custom battles
I hope that this will help, especially the LOTR modders (if it's not old hat to you; I haven't managed to find this info' in threads so far).
Can you imagine a Middle Earth Total War campaign with custom castle maps for as many regions as you wish; Helm's Deep fortress, Orthanc, Baradur and Lothlorien? Well here's how.
How to use custom castle maps for castle siege battles in a campaign.
Normally castle maps for siege battles are chosen at random from the castle maps found in the 'Battle\maps' folder, according to the size of the castle in the particular region. But the 'startpos' file
has a map-group number specifier in 'setattributes', and any number set other than -1, will result in a specific group of maps used for selection purposes. (The number -1 will result in a random selection from all castle map groups).
Studying the numbering of the castle maps found in Battle\maps by experiment shows the following;
The general form of name and numbering of castle maps and their info files is castleterraintype0X_Y_Z.inf/jjm.
Where terrain is that specified in setattributes for the region's terrain.
Where 0X turns out to be the castlemapgroup number that is specified in 'setattributes' (startpos file).
And Y is the technology level (1 to 5).
And Z is the castle type within that technology level (0 for the base. 1 and 2 for upgrades).
For example a castle of the 'citadel type' in a hilly region with a Barbican upgrade in castle map group 2 would be specified as castlehilly02_4_1.info/jjm. (speech marks not included).
In the maps folder there are castle maps for mapgroups 1 to 5. However it is possible to specify map group numbers from 0 to 99 and all work
So you want, say, to use, for example, your fantastic custom castle maps made with the editor for Rohan (Helm's Deep) in your campaign mod?
Simply give your region (Rohan) a castle map group number from 0 to 99, but other than 1 to 5 (already used) or -1(random selector switch), and specify this number in region 'setattributes' (startpos file).
Then place your custom maps in the Battle\mapsfolder named and numbered correctly for the regions terrain and castle map group number. And you Uruk-Hai better watch out if you're planning to assault Rohan, because it's now got one hell of a mountain fortress to fall back to
If you want a different castle map for each upgrade you can have them all and they will occupy a complete castle map group ie. 15 maps numbered 0x_1_0 to 0x_5_2.
But there is nothing to stop you from having one great Fortress map for all the castle upgrade maps (just give 15 copies the required numbers). This is ideal for Helm's Deep with an existing fortress. Then any upgrades you make, and they will still be worthwhile, will add to the number of troops garrisonable there.
Have fun modders ................. I dearly want Sauron defeated beautifully upon the battlefields of the Org's LOTR mods. Hope this helps.
Your's faithfully upon the great battlements of Helm's Deep..
... your servant Earendil Finarfin of The Noldor.
(Please pass this on to the LOTR modders). http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif
Edit: fixed bold and underlining...I think. - Gregoshi
I hope I'm not covering old ground. Well here goes
I'm pleased to say that I've managed to solve the problem of using special castle maps for campaigns and now 'custom castle maps', made in map editor, can be used for siege battles in a campaign, not just a custom battles
I hope that this will help, especially the LOTR modders (if it's not old hat to you; I haven't managed to find this info' in threads so far).
Can you imagine a Middle Earth Total War campaign with custom castle maps for as many regions as you wish; Helm's Deep fortress, Orthanc, Baradur and Lothlorien? Well here's how.
How to use custom castle maps for castle siege battles in a campaign.
Normally castle maps for siege battles are chosen at random from the castle maps found in the 'Battle\maps' folder, according to the size of the castle in the particular region. But the 'startpos' file
has a map-group number specifier in 'setattributes', and any number set other than -1, will result in a specific group of maps used for selection purposes. (The number -1 will result in a random selection from all castle map groups).
Studying the numbering of the castle maps found in Battle\maps by experiment shows the following;
The general form of name and numbering of castle maps and their info files is castleterraintype0X_Y_Z.inf/jjm.
Where terrain is that specified in setattributes for the region's terrain.
Where 0X turns out to be the castlemapgroup number that is specified in 'setattributes' (startpos file).
And Y is the technology level (1 to 5).
And Z is the castle type within that technology level (0 for the base. 1 and 2 for upgrades).
For example a castle of the 'citadel type' in a hilly region with a Barbican upgrade in castle map group 2 would be specified as castlehilly02_4_1.info/jjm. (speech marks not included).
In the maps folder there are castle maps for mapgroups 1 to 5. However it is possible to specify map group numbers from 0 to 99 and all work
So you want, say, to use, for example, your fantastic custom castle maps made with the editor for Rohan (Helm's Deep) in your campaign mod?
Simply give your region (Rohan) a castle map group number from 0 to 99, but other than 1 to 5 (already used) or -1(random selector switch), and specify this number in region 'setattributes' (startpos file).
Then place your custom maps in the Battle\mapsfolder named and numbered correctly for the regions terrain and castle map group number. And you Uruk-Hai better watch out if you're planning to assault Rohan, because it's now got one hell of a mountain fortress to fall back to
If you want a different castle map for each upgrade you can have them all and they will occupy a complete castle map group ie. 15 maps numbered 0x_1_0 to 0x_5_2.
But there is nothing to stop you from having one great Fortress map for all the castle upgrade maps (just give 15 copies the required numbers). This is ideal for Helm's Deep with an existing fortress. Then any upgrades you make, and they will still be worthwhile, will add to the number of troops garrisonable there.
Have fun modders ................. I dearly want Sauron defeated beautifully upon the battlefields of the Org's LOTR mods. Hope this helps.
Your's faithfully upon the great battlements of Helm's Deep..
... your servant Earendil Finarfin of The Noldor.
(Please pass this on to the LOTR modders). http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif
Edit: fixed bold and underlining...I think. - Gregoshi