How to make a new campaign map?

**Eltharon** · 01-02-2007, 00:59

As the title suggests. I know its possible, but a) how is it done? and b) what software do I need to do it?

**naut** · 01-02-2007, 05:39

It is possible. What exactly are you trying to do? If you just want to change the aesthetics its quite easy. But, a new map with different provinces is quite challenging.

**Eltharon** · 01-02-2007, 22:43

New map, different provinces; the whole deal.
Thanks

**naut** · 01-03-2007, 06:35

Ok software you need.

Wellington's LLM Creator

A graphics program, preferably one that can save and modify LBM and TGA file

**Sensei Warrior** · 01-03-2007, 07:37

And I should add a whole lotta reading. I'd start with all the guides, considering it sounds like your redoing everything. Man I wouldn't even know where to start.

**naut** · 01-03-2007, 12:05

I know how/where, but its late now so I'll post back tomorrow.

**Eltharon** · 01-03-2007, 22:43

thanks.
I downloaded LLM (the v4 beta in the dl section) and it doesnt come with the wshltwtnonmodaldialog.ocx GUI. The website it gives is expired, too.

And for editing .tga and .lbm files, do I need photoshop or something equivalent, or can i get away with something less powerful (and expensive)?

**naut** · 01-04-2007, 04:33

If you have photoshop use it, otherwise Ultimate Paint will do the job.

Link for wshltwtnonmodaldialog.ocx GUI.

**Eltharon** · 01-04-2007, 21:13

I have paint shop pro XI and ultimate paint. Thanks for the link. Is it much like editing in RTW?

I'm also looking at creating one or two new units, but alot of the links for some freeware in the guides are dead. I can't find Wellington's unitmaker 1.3 or the purpgrab.exe. Do you have any new links for those?

**Eltharon** · 01-08-2007, 05:39

Sorry to post again, but I'd like to get started on this and I need a little help. I think I've got some basics of mapping down, but I havent run it through LWW yet, so I'm not sure.

**naut** · 01-09-2007, 16:49

Ok, the LMM works by doing the scripting for you (aka the tedious bit).

Basically 255 colours, 4 are the same, one is transparent (255,0,255). Provinces are defined by these colours in pairings, as are seas. There is a hardcoded limit to the number of provinces so keep that in mind, same with the seas. Can't remember the exact value but anyway.

Enough background. To make the map open a blank Bitmap in your graphics program and draw, trace, sketch the borders of your desired provinces and seas in the colour 255,0,255 (pink). Castles are defined by a single pink (the same pink) dot/pixel inside a province. Ports are defined by turquoise (0,255,255) dot in a sea province (one and only one) and one inside the land province (preferably near the coast). Impassable areas should be filled with pink to make them impassable.

That is very sketchy I know, but I don't have much time. One thing I can advise you with is I believe v4 has documentation provided for most aspects of it as an editor, read them as they are of immense value.

Oh yes, and as a word of warning the process is very CPU strenuous and a map the size of the normal one can take more than 40 minutes.

The aesthetic map can look like anything at all, as it is just that, purely aesthetic. As long as it is saved as a TGA with one low res version and a high res version it should work.