How to edit the strategic map

**ChaosLord** · 10-12-2004, 21:04

Thats awesome, from the sounds of it things are easier to edit then the old map was in MTW. Great work MonocerosDragon and Midnight.

**BassV2** · 10-13-2004, 01:00

so basically we just have to change how the image looks like and we'll see the effects? (they look yuseless...) but that means we can finnd these maps for certain regions say asia, find a real picture, put it in, and it will be on the real map ?

**Midnight** · 10-13-2004, 07:48

Not quite. In order to change the strat map completely (something I'm trying to do myself), you need to edit all of the files. You can't just take a map of somewhere and throw it in.

btw, can a Mod please move this to the Dungeon?

**Duke John** · 10-13-2004, 07:53

Oh just **** off! You can't be serious! That easy!? Oh my god! ....

I will try this at once.

Give your friend a six-pack!

Edit: ok, in the Sons of Mars folder I tried deleting map_heights.hgt and map.rwm since these are the only files that cannot be edited. The campaign started without a CTD! This means that we are able to edit the campaign map, such wonderfull news! Who needs CA when we've got our own masterminds! I'll get back as soon as I have added a simple island.

**Duke John** · 10-13-2004, 08:34

Yep, it's possible. Please post all your discoveries in this thread

Cheers, DJ

Since when can moderators only post one message in every 30 seconds?

Edit: and a picture to prove the theory and how I feel right now:

**HicRic** · 10-13-2004, 08:37

CA mentioned this would be a very moddable game. I think some rather clever chaps here have just gone and proved it!

Great news for the modding community!

**Darkmoor_Dragon** · 10-14-2004, 02:37

Well afaict to add a new province all you need to do is:

edit the map_regions.tga using a unique RGB value for th new province, then add a black and white dot for town and port.

You then reference the rgb value in the descr_regions.txt

You have to then update all referencing files for the new province - and i think this is where i am stuck atm.

Ive added it to *campaignname*_campaign_regions_and_names_lookup.txt in data/test folder

and then also to descr_strat.txt
descr_regions_and_settlment_name_lookup.txt
descr_mercenaries.txt

but althoughit creates a new map.rvm the cmapaign wont load and it just returns you to the provincial campaign selection screen.. if you try to run it again you CTD (map.rvm is already there i guess causes this).

I must be missing something

So - atm - stuck

**MonocerosDragon** · 10-15-2004, 00:37

Darkmoor Dragon,

Sounds like you've changed all the neccesary places - without knowing more details as to exactly what you've changed it's difficult to try and guess why it's not working.

For some reason best known only to the programmers RTW seems to CTD if you so much as breathe on the campaign map the wrong way - any little error / inconsistancy in a change can cause it to crash - very annoying. Sometimes, even if it manages to apparently load correctly the fun doesn't stop there - certain changes can cause the game to crash when scrolling over the capaign map - i.e. if I try to obliterate a faction by making all their cities rebel - the campaign appears to load correctly but will the CTD when you scroll the map over that region.

Although I've now managed to do a number of things with the map, including increasing it's size, adding new land masses and new provinces I still haven't fiigured out why some changes which would seem to be fine don't work and cause the game to CTD. I also as of yet can't get a totally new map to load correct. I'm still trying to figure out the minimum requirements for a new map and procedures to make modifications that won't end up causing the game to CTD. As and when I do I'll post details.