Whats wrong with my map?
 

Last week I drew this map:
http://www.ozbird.net/Gallery/testmap.gif
(greatly reduced in size Version)

But I get errors loading it into the map editor. I have it saved as a 24 bit .tga file (I converted it to that with infanview), but after several hours of loading it just errors out with one of the (not so) helpful Swedish error Messages.

Do I have to follow domI rules? Like borders being specific colors/consistent colors? Did I convert it wrong and if so how should I do it right? Is there someway I can bypass the map thingy and write my own .map files and place the capitals/borders?

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

Looking at your map I believe your problem is that you have white frozen coasts (or borders).

White is reserved for capitals. Just make sure there are no white pixels except where you want a province center to be located.

If you're still having problems send it over and I'll take a look. kristoffer'at'illwinter.com

* Edit: white for capitals is the only color that is used in this way. Red nuances are detected in border-guessing, but this is not a necessary option. You can clear and place borders manually. *

[ December 15, 2003, 20:13: Message edited by: Kristoffer O ]

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

Wasnt there something about red helping neighbor recognizion? (not a rule but a suggestion)

[ December 15, 2003, 20:14: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

Phew, finally got it. More luck than anything else methinks, but thanks for the help!

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

Im also trying to do a map.I got this error while debugging the map editor (that crashed, of course):

LoadBigMap westeros3.tga ()
loading map ./maps/westeros3.tga
tga2rgba32 tgaadr200540192 dstadr204800032 tgalen4238309
w761 h1856
FindCapitals
44 capitals found
prov 1 and 1 are nbors (not unanimous)


What does it means? i have 2 capitals in the same province?

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

I think a capital has to be 1-pixel of total white (255/255/255 RGB)

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

I am getting comfortable now with it, just completed my second map (come on illwinter, post em up, I wanna see my name in lights http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

What I have been doing (works pretty smooth)

1- creating the map with my favorite paint program (macromedia fireworks). After it is drawn, but before placing capitals I edit the color range of the whole thing so that no color comes within 20-40 of pure white (255 255 255). Then I place the 1 pixel capitals. I have not really been worrying about borders, they are not so important.

2- opening them up with Gimp and maybe playing with the effects. Be sure to do this -before- you place the capitals. Gimp can then save them (right click on picture, File > Save As > blahblah.tga, using the RLE compression.

3- rename a map file (like aran.map to blahblah.map). Edit the map file to point to blahblah.tga. For the life of me I cant get that New Map thing to work, but this has no problems.
4- save the map file, then open it up again with the editor and clean it up (delete all current neighboors, add special stuff, etc. Then load it up again and manually set all the neighboors (click to create path, ctrl-click to remove).


Anyone want to play-test a couple maps? They should be bug free (been working for days on em) but you never know.

[ December 19, 2003, 18:30: Message edited by: Tiltowait ]

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

Can you place turn triggered events and such things in a map? Or Scenario making will have to wait until the patch is released? (with the mod tools)

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Turn triggers are beyond the game at this time. Kristoffer has said that he would like to see them in but it would take some involved re-write (the game now doesnt use the .map file once the game is started)

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

But there are such events in the scenarios (forces joining your army, new heroes, ...) or all are random? That would mean that random events (type, probability,..) can be added now?

And i suppose that is not possible to play a game with all the races being the same (lets say, 5 Ulm players).Maybe with the themes? (i still dont now what they are)

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">They appear randomly but do have factors. Some wont appear too soon in the game, some require certain terrains, some certain races. I havent heard any mention of modding events.

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Hmmmmm it could be done but would be alot of work. You would have to mod a race to completely replace everything with another races stuff. Interesting thought.

You could actually get started on that now if you wanted to. There are examples and some docs on the subject even if you would have to wait until the patch in order to test anything

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Maybe it should be a matter of {copy&paste}+modding details (banners, names,...).Imagine you want to mod something like the old 'defenders of the crown'.You
would need Ulm-like factions representing the powers of that historical period.
The game already has sieges, the championship event (chivalry competition)... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Where are such docs? The mods for 2.05 Version in illwinter site?


pd= by the way, thanks for all the help and info regarding this issues http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Maybe it should be a matter of {copy&paste}+modding details (banners, names,...)</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Cut & Paste, yes. But you would have to create one first. At the moment there really isnt anything to cut and paste from.

Create a text file with all the commands needed to create an "Ulm" just like the Ulm in the game. Then cut&paste it a bunch of times modifying each one for the unit numbers you would be replacing. Mans units numbers, then Abysias unit numbers etc etc.

As far as I know there is no simple #replace command to swap man units with ulm units. You would need to "create" the ulm units from scratch.

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Where are such docs? The mods for 2.05 Version in illwinter site?
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yes there were docs for modifying monsters in the game for dom1 but as far as I know it was never done by anyone. Download one of the completed MOD files from here and look at how it was done (its all .tga paint files or .dm text files)
http://www.illwinter.com/dom2/mods.html

When you see that then go to the monster edit doc file from the old dominions game to see what other commands you have available.
http://www.illwinter.com/dom/monedit.pdf

There are probably new ones added and no doc yet but you can always guess, and then its there for you to go back to when you get the new info. As I said, there is enough there that you can get started on it. Screen-capturing images you might need, making small changes to them such as maybe a slight color change, making notes and listing all the commands to change all the stats you will need.

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

Hmmmm since this is the latest map thread, I have a question.

When players are checking in to start a game. They must have the same map as the game is going to be played on, correct? What Im wondering is... they have to have the same TGA but do they have to have the same .map file? Isnt the .map file only used by the host, and only at the games initial creation?

This could create some very interesting situations. I can see both good and bad points.

Re: Whats wrong with my map?
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Isn't the .map also used to read information about terrain and neighbors, both of which affect movement options for units? If you had the wrong .map you could have invalid moves.

On the other hand, it might not be necessary for all the players to have access to the scripting part of the .map - commanders, units, etc. - which I suspect is what you really had in mind. (Multiplayer blind Random Madness!! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif )