How to make stuff appear on map :)

**eadingas** · 01-18-2005, 21:14

Some of you might've seen this thread before it was fully researched... anyway, here it is officialy. I suck at making how-to's, so I just post all I have and let you find out the rest.

To make various things appear on the campaign map, you have to:

a) have a 3d CAS model of what you want to have. Copy it to 'Data\terrain\aerial_map\tree_models\' (and textures to the 'textures' folder therein).

and

b) edit some files.
The files are:
descr_climates.txt

In there, you create a new climate (this is a free extra tip on making new climate types, BTW :)
by copying one of the existing climates (make sure you have one with winter in it or without it, depending on where you're going to put the stuff), and in the lines:

strategy summer sparse_tree tree_model_name.cas 1
strategy winter sparse_tree tree_model_name.cas 1

You change tree_model_name with the name of your model.

Next, you open map_climates.tga and map_ground_types.tga, and very carefully, place pixels of your new made climate where ever you want your object to appear - and then exactly in the same place, you put pixels of sparse_forest ground type.

The result will be something like this:

To the right you see the effect of using dense_forest instead of sparse_forest: a cluster of objects. It may be useful if you need a cluster of something to appear on the map.

For all gaming purposes, these objects act like forest: you can stage an ambush in it, and on battlefield it will appear as a bunch of trees, however, I believe it can be changed into something more useful.

The only drawback is that sparse_forest applies 'tree-like objects' a bit randomly, but I think it can be worked on...

**Monkwarrior** · 01-19-2005, 01:08

That's great!!
So, is it an alternative for the more-than-one-settlement idea?
At least the aspect in the campaign map is that.

One question: Has this change any consequence in the battle maps?
Can any link be stablished between this new stuff and the map of a settlement? In this way the battles would take place in the streets, although without effect on the region owner.

In any case this finding gives more variety to the campaign map.
Thanks!

**SwordsMaster** · 01-19-2005, 01:55

Thought about that, but that would mean, a "standard" city map is needed. Take into account that the city won´t be upgraded nor it will produce anything, so the buildings that would appear on the map are just for the show.

I.e. If it is possible to place buildings without any repercussions on other aspects of the game, thats great, otherwise we are back at the beginning.

**eadingas** · 01-19-2005, 09:19

Whole cities - I don't think so. But there are battlefield generation scripts based on climate and ground type, so if somebody would take a look at them - I'm not THAT good of a modder, these codes make my wee head hurt :) - he could probably get to appear more farms or houses etc. on the battlefield where these objects are.

BTW, the other tip means the walls are now burnable :) So if you don't want that, leave the 'stone_inflammable' entries unchanged :)

**Dead Moroz** · 01-19-2005, 09:24

Eadingas, I'm afraid it's very simplified point of view. You'll have to edit many files related to battle map to have no any problems (glitches, ctd) with new climate in battle.

Btw, another trick for campaign map (maybe it's well known, but I just noticed it yesterday

): you can have multiple copies of the same wonder on map.

**dclare4** · 01-20-2005, 10:01

"you can have multiple copies of the same wonder on map."

Really? Hey cool, didn't know that hehe! Does it work for all wonders? Whats the effect though for lets say the Pyramids w/c give the owning player 40% loyalty of Egyptians? What if you have like three Pyramids? How do they divide that I wonder?

Neat find!
Clare

**eadingas** · 01-20-2005, 10:17

Originally Posted by Dead Moroz

Eadingas, I'm afraid it's very simplified point of view. You'll have to edit many files related to battle map to have no any problems (glitches, ctd) with new climate in battle.

I don't see why. For all purposes, if you _copy_ an existing climate, it will behave just like that climate, except having a different symbol on the campaign map. So if you copy a temperate climate, and then put those symbols where temperate climate was, nothing will change.
The battlefield generation is in second section of climate definition, and we're not changing anything there.

Btw, another trick for campaign map (maybe it's well known, but I just noticed it yesterday

): you can have multiple copies of the same wonder on map.

Neat. I too wonder about the effects of that...

**Myrddraal** · 03-18-2005, 20:19

Question: How did you get the new climate to work?

**eadingas** · 03-18-2005, 22:36

Depends on what you mean "work". It appears on the map, but I don't think it has any other effect on game rather than esthetic.
I suppose it doesn't "work", really. Since I posted it (note the date :) I found it was much harder to create a real, working climate than expected. An editor of climates of some sort would be handy, that would edit all those files that are needed for climate to really work...
(I think if you don't edit all these files, the climate just defaults to 'default' - there appears something called default climate in the files - where nothing's changed)

**Spoonfrog** · 03-18-2005, 23:07

Any way to change the campaign map's models of cities?

**eadingas** · 03-18-2005, 23:16

Of course, they're just 3D models like everything else. Look in data/models_strat/residences.

**Spoonfrog** · 03-19-2005, 12:50

cool! Thanks Eadingas.

**Cheater** · 06-25-2005, 14:48

This game has so much moddability it makes me wonder just what CAN'T you do with it!!!! :) :) :) :)

**Lonely Soldier** · 08-25-2005, 06:31

This is very interesting indeed! My authentic settlements mod (see sig.) would possibly have used something like this to make the cities the appropriate shape (within certain limits obviously) on the campaign map (and therefore on the battlemap).

Once again, very interesting!