"Could not create settlement" error

[Ilsamir Lord]

Hi everyone, I'm just after some advice:

When using Big Map Labyrinth (which I must say is excellent) as a base for my own map I get this error:

09:37:48.203 [script.err] [error] Script Error in BigMapLabyrinth/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/descr_strat.txt, at line 69, column 12
could not create settlement at script line 69.

Just to clarify, I haven't had any problems or errors running an unmodified version of BML, so this error must be of my own making.

Because my mod has an Aztec-like culture, the Ocean Tribes, I copied the entry for Tenochtitlan from vanilla, changed the region name to "Foinil_Island" and made all the appropriate changes to the other files so this name would be recognised, and indeed I now get no "could not find name in string-table" errors. Instead I get the error above.

This is the settlement entry which seems to be causing the problem:

; >>>> start of factions section <<<<


faction aztecs, balanced smith
ai_label default
denari 50000
denari_kings_purse 10000
settlement
{
level city
region Foinil_Island

year_founded 0
population 9000
plan_set default_set
faction_creator aztecs
building
{
type core_building stone_wall
}
building
{
type temple_pagan high_temple
}
}

To further clarify, I'm not wanting to play as the Aztecs, but as the Russians, for whom I've added other settlements down the list, which will no doubt also have this error, but if I can fix this one I can fix the others. I've added the three settlements I've done so far in the same order in which they appear in the descr_regions.txt and in the same format (number of lines between entries etc.) as in the vanilla descr_strat.

I suspect I will need to add all the new regions I've made to descr_strat, but if I can get past this error (like I nutted out the "could not find settlement name in string-table" one) then I'll be right as rain.

If any more details are needed for a diagnosis, I'll provide them immediately.

[Ilsamir Lord]

Well, its getting better. Having replaced my maps with some corrected ones (my region map had some cities which were in questionable positions) I have now progressed beyond the "could not create settlement at line 69 column 12" error to an unspecified error! Woohoo!

Anyway, after that jubilation, would anyone be willing to look over my map files and tell me where I've gone wrong? I know that it is probably not the most enjoyable of work, but perhaps I have made a simple mistake which would be obvious to someone with more experience.

[Ilsamir Lord]

Has no-one else encountered such an error before?

[Ilsamir Lord]

I'm still stuck with that error. I suppose I'll keep stabbing at it blindly until something works, though it's a shame to have to with such a knowledgeable community out there which has already produced many excellent maps and modifications of the original map.

Oh well, on we go.

PS - HELP!

[curiousepic]

I feel your pain, and I'm in the exact same boat with the same error. Obviously the cause is not the same as my files are completely different from yours, so I'm guessing there are a number of possible causes for this error, and it's hard for anyone to come up with decisive suggestions. Take a look at my "map error help" thread...

[Ilsamir Lord]

I just thought I'd put in some images of my map and ask a few final questions. I'm posting only those maps which I would consider liable to cause the error.

Here is my height map (incomplete - no height data as yet):


Ground-Types (incomplete - I assume black will be fine as a place-holder value):


Regions (complete and edited to more accurately represent the finalised lakes of the hgt map):


Features (incomplete, but gives rivers and some cliffs):


And finally trade-routes (complete, but not necessarily correct/ed):


Now, my questions:

1. Is there a set water:land ratio in Medieval II, as I understand there was in Rome?

2. Should I be basing my height map on my region map for best results (I first made a template for my large files then shrunk it down and edited it to make my smaller files)?
2a. Are my cities (especially on the islands) likely not to work with the placements as they are now?

3. Will ground-types data interfere with settlement/port placement (if I place "high-mountains" - 196, 128, 127 - /dense forest etc. where I've placed a settlement on my regions map will it cause an error)?

4. Are the comparative proportions of the maps uniform? e.g. are all small files (regions, features, trade-routes etc.) one size and all large files twice that size + 1 pixel on each axis?

Thanks a bunch,
Ilsamir Lord

[Ilsamir Lord]

Hi everyone, me again :P . I've now referenced all my settlements, made some final adjustments to my settlement and feature placements and booted up the game again, making sure to delete my rwm. Guess what? Now not only does the game crash, it doesn't generate a new rwm. This is deeply, deeply confusing and frustrating, but I'm still plugging away. Has anyone experienced a similar problem?

[Ilsamir Lord]

Well, thank the maker, I'm back to where I started, but perhaps even slightly better off!

15:49:29.234 [system.rpt] [always] CPU: SSE2
15:49:29.234 [system.rpt] [always] ==== system log start, build date: Dec  5 2006 version development ===
15:49:29.343 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_0.pack
15:49:29.406 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_1.pack
15:49:29.484 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_2.pack
15:49:29.593 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_3.pack
15:49:29.671 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_4.pack
15:49:29.687 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/localized.pack
15:50:03.375 [script.err] [error] Script Error in BigMapLabyrinth/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign/descr_strat.txt, at line 67, column 12
could not create settlement at script line 67.

Now, if I can just get past this I'll be done and dusted (that's foundationless optimism for you!).

[Ilsamir Lord]

Well, thanks to oscotty, the Tsar and Goatbuster3000 (of the TWC) my map is now in-game, albeit in a single settlement form.

To prove it, here's a screenshot. I stress that this is a WIP, but it did turn out better than I thought it would, considering its the first bit of height data I've ever made.

The brightening is caused by windows picture viewers auto-correct function. The region in game was beneath the fog of war.

The image is of the mountain range called the Final Wall, Ar Hlan Kires in the language of the Hoir Lechan (the Northern Kingdom, literally True God's People), and the Dwindling Forest, Or Thenor Firige in the Ilsamiren language as spoken by the people of the Western Kingdom (Heirua Domer). The lake behind the range is the Icy Lake (Ar Todh Licher). There will be two cities in this shot when it is finished, Varas Thenor and Enuth Licher (Forest Gate and the Icy City).