I really need some HELP for Modding a BRAND NEW cammap!!

[muramura]

Hi Guys,

First, I AM noobwie ( really a serious BRAND new ONE ) and have never thought to mod a game or what so ever in my life.. But after reading you guys great endeavers of modding tutorials, I must say, Modding is something I am living for now.
it really gots me into modding..
salute to you all..

But now there is still a tiny tiny problem. After I have gone thru all the tutorial of mapping like:
How to: make a new campaign
How to: make a new province
How to: create your own campaign map from a small part of the larger one
etc...
I also have downloaded TiME 0.6..( cool tool btw..)

...It might sound stupid but, I really havn't seen anyone has brought up a very important issue ( it not might be ),,and that will be: how can I DRAW a brand new map?
When everyone is chatting about editing txt files and changing proportional scales of map_hight etc...I really don't know by what TOOLS it can be done?
I mean don't we have re sketch every single details that appear on 3D cammap?
Can I do that on drawing tools like Photoshop or else?
Please!! Someone Shed some light into this important matter..

One more question: what will you guys suggest if starting a new mod, what is the piority that need to be taken care first? Map or Unit or Building?

Thanks you and SALuTE

Muramura

[Makanyane]

Hi muramura, it is good to see you have already looked at the main tutorials

One you haven't mentioned that might help if you are doing a real world type map is: https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=57828
which shows how to download satellite imagery to make the map_heights.tga
that method will also give you a coastline on map_heights that you can transfer to the other maps.

As far as 'drawing' the maps you just need a graphics editing program that will edit tga's. Photoshop which you mentioned, PaintShopPro or GIMP (which is free) will all do that. Those all also allow things to be copied in as layers - which is very useful for comparing coast outlines, region, river postions etc as you get into more involved work.

The best thing to start from normally is a very stripped down descr_strat file and basic map_regions with say 6 / 12 regions on depending on size. And with other largely blank tga files to minimise any complications. Get something like that loading just with square blocks for regions then start getting your heights and coastline as you want them.

(somewhere I have basic starting maps for BI and RTW but can't find them at moment - and won't have time to do any more on this till after weekend)

If you can be more specific about bits you don't know how to approach I'll try and come back to you in the week..
Mak.

[Ossie The Great]

Hi
i also want to draw a completly new campaing map for my Narnia Total War , i have painshop so can u explain in more detail how it is done, for if i drew somthing in tga how do i then make it into a campaing map and things

but of course u dont have to if u dont want to

[muramura]

Makanyane,

Thank you for the great help...Now the intension for working on a campmap is no longer in vain...THANKS AGAIN

the link you provided below has contained a very usefool tool of BHD ..thx and Salute to you both..

after reading your post, I think what I really need at this stage is something like HOW TO DRAW A CAMPMAP yourself at home, a completed A-Z hand in hand guide for dummie..

I have seen a great deal of Professor420's video tutorials.. I mean all the troubles is been immediate solved after watching his tutorial...I know this is really a great deal of spending time for something like that..but it's definitely worthwhile for prevending noowbies like me keep asking the same deal of questions. It is like one shoot to kill all the annoying flies.

You hv mentioned that you already hv the how to start map for BI and RTW..
Can you please find this and post it here when you have time to do so?
...I will then be most gratefull for this...

I will never give up for making a map.. I think its the only way to show my gratitude for all the great effors you guys hv put in this great forum.
what you have done for people like me in this cmmunity is just a true virtue.

salute and thx

Mura

Hi muramura, it is good to see you have already looked at the main tutorials

One you haven't mentioned that might help if you are doing a real world type map is: https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=57828
which shows how to download satellite imagery to make the map_heights.tga
that method will also give you a coastline on map_heights that you can transfer to the other maps.

As far as 'drawing' the maps you just need a graphics editing program that will edit tga's. Photoshop which you mentioned, PaintShopPro or GIMP (which is free) will all do that. Those all also allow things to be copied in as layers - which is very useful for comparing coast outlines, region, river postions etc as you get into more involved work.

The best thing to start from normally is a very stripped down descr_strat file and basic map_regions with say 6 / 12 regions on depending on size. And with other largely blank tga files to minimise any complications. Get something like that loading just with square blocks for regions then start getting your heights and coastline as you want them.

(somewhere I have basic starting maps for BI and RTW but can't find them at moment - and won't have time to do any more on this till after weekend)

If you can be more specific about bits you don't know how to approach I'll try and come back to you in the week..
Mak.

[Makanyane]

muramura, you sound as though you have got further than needing this but for anyone else:

Basic, about as minimal as you can get provincial campaign maps for rtw 1.5 and bi 1.6. One faction plus slave in descr_strat.txt. 200 pixels square map_regions.tga with a dozen regions, no ports so you don't need to worry about aligning coasts. Plain files for all other tga's:

http://uploaded.to/?id=kehwgm

No read me included if I have to describe where you put the files you're never going to be able to make map, so give up now!

To use this as base install and check it loads before modifying anything (they'll be under provincial campaigns as bi_base_map and rtw_base_map respectively).

Then re-size all the maps to the size you need following the sizes specified in Myrddraal's tutorial, also change the size listed in descr_terrain.txt to the size of your new map_regions.tga

When you re-size or alter the map_regions.tga make a copy of the little block of regions in the left hand corner first, blank out the area with one of the region colours, do your re-sizing / alteration and then paste the copy of the region block in somewhere you know it will be over land. Make sure any re-size option you use doesn't blend colours at edges of regions; 'nearest neighbour' and 'pixel re-size' work OK.

Once you are at correct size delete map.rwm and check it loads again.

Then start working on your map_heights.tga to define the coastline. Either just draw it in the blue and 'black' colours already used, or download satellite data etc. If you haven't put sea in corner where cities are you don't have to alter any other file to check that loads. If you have sea in corner copy and paste the block of regions so they are over land (and move army co-ordinates). Then delete map.rwm and check it loads again. If you get instant CTD with no map.rwm generated you may have too much sea...

Deal with map_heights first, then get regions neatened up / more regions added, before going on to worry about anything in map_ground_types, climates or features.

[Kuni]

lol @ muramura. You definitely are not an annoying fly. It's not a hassle to help people who are ready, able and willing to help themselves. Some people are so clueless it seems like they endeavor to stay that way. You are not so, and you recognize that replying to questions is a favor! So give yourself more credit. :p

For starting a new mod by yourself, you can always start with what you know. You can always leave maps until later or leave units until later, but I'll tell you one thing for sure, the public likes seeing screenshots of beautifully made units. :D

There is no substitute, though, in generating interest in a mod through superb work quality, great ideas and/or creative implementation. Good luck!

[Ossie The Great]

Hi
there link here http://uploaded.to/?id=kehwgm just leads me to a party poker web-site could someone upload it some where else please

and a quick message to muramura : i honestly wish u the best of luck with your mod, what i would sugest doing is building up a units list and a faction list and that will bring more intrest and also like kuni said if u do some screen shots of some beatfully made models that would raise attenchion alot

[Makanyane]

@oscarreeve, hmm it works for me anyway try:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VNOZYJ00
(that is the site that normally gives you party poker but you should get file download page first)

Oh and sorry muramura, I should have said before that you are definitely not an annoying fly!

[Ossie The Great]

Hi
it is still not working, how about file front

[Makanyane]

http://files.filefront.com/basic_map.../fileinfo.html
if that doesn't work there is something seriously up with your computer.....

[Ossie The Great]

thank you. ( it does work )

[muramura]

Hi Guys,

I am planning to make a Japanese invade Korean mod.. Not sure yet, need to hv more time to do this...

below links can lead you to my tiny work of very begin phase of mapping. Please have a look and feel free to fire me any commends or advice you have..

http://gallery.filefront.com/muramura//548727/
http://gallery.filefront.com/muramura//548723/

one is ground types and other is Height...

Can anyone give me some advice if the map is in good proportion for land and water? I kind of affraid the water is too much and the land to little...
And is this height map good enough for further proceeding?

Thanks a lot for your advices

Mura

[Ossie The Great]

Yes, i would say that there is to much water , that is the main reason why the mod ran no jadai did not include all of Japan

[Makanyane]

I'd agree on too much water, though it only looks like a vanilla sized map so that's not as bad as trying to do it on a larger map - still somewhat unlikely to work though!

See discussion on landmass problem here
and me attempting to summarise it here.

Have you actually tried to get it to load yet?

What I was trying to suggest with the base maps I did was that you start with something you know loads, make map right size but basically still land, then put your proposed map_heights.tga coastline in and check it still loads (assuming you haven't parked your cities in the sea) that will tell you if you have a landmass problem or not.

[muramura]

Thanks for the swift reply!

Luckily I do the checking with you before going further...My wrist almost kills me..
I think I will re make the map with less water {more land} in coming few days

Makanyane,

Regarding the test load, I got a question to ask.
When you say that I can do the test run, Do you mean that I can just make a only lands map in right size{ like the one you enclosed in the basic map folder }, and put it into my_campaign folder... put the Japanese map_Heights I just made in the folder as well. then fire up the game?
But, Don't we need to make the TXT and the other TGA as well for running up the game?

BTW, I haven't got time to read the link you provided, So I apologize if I shoot you the apologize twice..

thx and Salute..

Mura

[muramura]

a typo correction:

What I want to say is this:BTW, I haven't got time to read the link you provided, So I apologize if I shoot you the question twice..

cheers,

mura

[Makanyane]

When you say that I can do the test run, Do you mean that I can just make a only lands map in right size{ like the one you enclosed in the basic map folder }, and put it into my_campaign folder... put the Japanese map_Heights I just made in the folder as well. then fire up the game?
But, Don't we need to make the TXT and the other TGA as well for running up the game?

You do need text files and other tga's as well. My basic map folder is an example of the minimum file content you need.

You can either resize those tga's to the sizes required for your map, or make your own 'blank' ones using the same colours. The only two tga's you need any content on apart from the 'blank' colour are the map_regions.tga and the map_heights.tga.

If you resize my map_regions.tga to the size required for your map, you can use my descr_regions.txt, descr_strat.txt, ....regions_and_settlement_names.txt etc. Just make sure you position the block of cities which are currently in the bottom left corner over an area that will be land. Also make sure you remember to check that the height and width in descr_terrain.txt are correct for your map_regions.tga size.

If resizing the map_regions.tga remember to use method that does not blur colours - and check that each region has a 1pixel black dot for its city after resizing.

[muramura]

Thanks for your detailed explaination Makanyane.
I think I begin to get more picture of it..
will try it out ASAP...

CHeers and Salute

Mura

You do need text files and other tga's as well. My basic map folder is an example of the minimum file content you need.

You can either resize those tga's to the sizes required for your map, or make your own 'blank' ones using the same colours. The only two tga's you need any content on apart from the 'blank' colour are the map_regions.tga and the map_heights.tga.

If you resize my map_regions.tga to the size required for your map, you can use my descr_regions.txt, descr_strat.txt, ....regions_and_settlement_names.txt etc. Just make sure you position the block of cities which are currently in the bottom left corner over an area that will be land. Also make sure you remember to check that the height and width in descr_terrain.txt are correct for your map_regions.tga size.

If resizing the map_regions.tga remember to use method that does not blur colours - and check that each region has a 1pixel black dot for its city after resizing.