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-   -   RFC: Map Editing Manual (http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=39526)

Edi July 2nd, 2008 07:28 AM

RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
All those who have had trouble with the instructions in the mapedit.pdf, please let me know what the most problematic commands are, what information is missing and what could use clarification.

I figured that as long as we're getting a new modding manual, we might as well go for broke and toss in a new Mapmaking manual too. I have a fairly complete draft version ready and the following things have already been somewhat addressed and clarified, but if you feel like commenting on them wrt the original mapedit.pdf, please feel free.
  • Map file parsing vs game setup, what happens where
  • #terrain command and terrain masks explained in significant detail
  • Poptype command and how it works wrt independent province defenders, including how to set NI poptypes.
  • #feature & #knownfeature and how they work wrt unique sites and how #knownfeature works wrt "on discovery" properties of sites
  • Clarification of formatting and where number information can be used
  • Whole document reorganized for easier readability
  • Some clarification on god commands, but I'd like feedback on just what information exactly is missing and how they work, limitations etc.
  • All tables updated to contain complete information. No need to refer to mod manual for nation numbers.
That's the main highlights. Now, sing out. This is your chance to give feedback and affect things.

Edi July 2nd, 2008 07:52 AM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Hmm... Things to add:
  • <font color="darkgreen">Mention of white pixels and how provinces are determined</font>
  • <font color="darkgreen">Some more clarification on map image editing</font>
  • <font color="darkgreen">Red borders &amp; automatic neighbor determination</font>
  • Section on Random Map Generator

Ballbarian July 2nd, 2008 10:26 AM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Great idea Edi! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I was going to mention the confusion with map images, white pixels and borders, but it looks like you have that covered. I wish something like this would have been available when I started fiddling with maps.

Edratman July 2nd, 2008 10:33 AM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Good idea.

I think the section detailing actual map making should be the last section of the guide. From my experiences map editing, I am not making a map and do not possess the skills to comtemplate making a map, but I am editing existing maps. I think many more are like me.

Maybe include a example map edit, with a pretender given some items would be a good idea. I really learned how to edit from some examples Gandalf posted way back when. The guide makes sense now that I know how to edit, but seemed pretty confusing initially.

Sombre July 2nd, 2008 10:53 AM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
I think the manual should contain a suggestion of the kind of size the graphic should be in relation to the number of provinces. I mention this because I recently resized a 50 meg map to 10 meg and it's almost impossible to tell the difference, because of proper use of the default map zoom.

Edi July 2nd, 2008 10:58 AM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Can you give me any hard numbers on that particular example, Sombre? It'd be helpful. Such as what the map dimensions were initially, what they were after and what you changed the defaultmapzoom to.

Sombre July 2nd, 2008 12:39 PM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Well I'm not really the right guy to ask about maps because I don't do map graphics. I resized the image to 50% and the defaultmapzoom is currently on 1.00, but I don't remember what it was originally.

I think some of the mappers here will be able to give guidelines though.

Edi July 2nd, 2008 12:47 PM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
If you resized to 50% of original, just double the pixel count on dimensions, e.g. 800x600 &gt;&gt; 1600x1200. With targa files, pixel dimension size correlates directly to file size, obviously. I've played around with defaultmapzoom myself, so I'm familiar with it.

Sombre July 2nd, 2008 01:09 PM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Yeah I know the pixel size (2000x1700 from 4000x3400), I'm saying I don't know the original defaultmapzoom.

Anyway 2000x1700 for 180 provinces on mapzoom 1.00 and it looks pretty good.

Edi July 4th, 2008 09:17 AM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Update/changelog:
  • Section on obsolete commands and their limited functionality in some cases
  • Missing #defaultmapzoom entry added
  • Start location commands have detailed explanations
  • God commands thoroughly tested and corrected accordingly

NTJedi July 5th, 2008 08:09 PM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
What other discoveries and details were found regarding the God command(s)?

Gandalf Parker July 5th, 2008 08:31 PM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
The dependencies I think.
There arent as many as there appeared to be in the original draft.

I also recommended some changes to wording to be not quite so absolute (must have xxxx for this command to work) where it was more of a suggestion for the most common purposes. Id rather leave some of the options open in the mind of mappers so that they can come up with uses for some of the quirky results you can get.

Edi July 6th, 2008 03:24 AM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Yes, the dependencies and what is required where and what is not. In addition, the various combinations on how and when cheat detection is triggered and when the #god command causes the game to crash. The wordings in several places as well, as per Gandalf's suggestion.

I've made some more tweaks to a couple of things and asked about the victory condition table and when I hear back from Johan next, then we will know if the core document is final.

Gandalf Parker July 7th, 2008 04:35 PM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Interesting. In testing some of these commands Im finding some really quirky results. Some would call them bugs but the hacker in me has me trying to figure out how to use them surprisingly in a scenario. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Herode July 13th, 2008 09:23 AM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
Hi guys ! I am looking for the new nations/units numbers since my mapedit.pdf is not up to date. Do you know where I can find them ?

Edi July 14th, 2008 07:35 AM

Re: RFC: Map Editing Manual
 
See the UORMM mod manual and the Dom3 DB (links in my sig)


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