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)