Map file editing (errors in Zen's Europe)

[Foom]

I'm close to starting a multiplayer game on Zen's Europe map, downloaded from Arryn's site (thanks Arryn!)

I started a test game with the corrected map file from tinkthank, found on the same page. The strange thing is that the provinces "Eastern Mediterranean" (20) and "Gulf of Gabes" (9) are marked as plains types, but they look underwater to me.

Now I'm guessing I can just change the terrain types for those two provinces, e.g.

Code:

---

#landname 9 "Gulf of Gabes"

#terrain 9 0

---

.. becomes ..
Code:

---

#landname 9 "Gulf of Gabes"

#terrain 9 5

---

.. but I wanted to ask before we start a multi game that crashes around turn 50 because I screwed up the map file.

Also, is there a map making guide somewhere? Google and forum search didn't yield any results other than a map making guide for Dom1.

[Arryn]

Foom said:
I'm close to starting a multiplayer game on Zen's Europe map, downloaded from Arryn's site (thanks Arryn!)

You're welcome. I noticed this morning when I went to check my site's download stats that unknown persons had downloaded that map a whopping 60+ times since this past Sunday. Yet the error log showed no problems. Were you (and your friends) downloading multiple times or having problems my site's stat-tracker failed to log? Just curious.

BTW, once it's determined by consensus what the map fix(es) should be, I'll update the downloadable .map(s) so that they have the latest corrections.

[Foom]

I announced the game a couple of hours ago, so the multiple downloads probably aren't from us. Didn't have any download errors either.

I'll make sure to contact you if I make corrections to the *.map file.

[Foom]

There has got to be a mapper out there who can answer my question

[archaeolept]

oh, I don't know the specific numbers for terrain types, but I can't see anything wrong w/ what you propose. That seems fine. you might also wish to double check the map for any horrible starting locations that zen forget to set as #nostart, and for any contiguity problems. those, along w/ mislabled terrain types, are the most common problems in .map files.

btw, the .map file is only relevant for the server, so only the host actually needs the fixed file. players might want it though if they wish to try out the fixed map in SP though.

[Cainehill]

Here's the terrain types (had to use Google's Cache, since Shrapnel's search is busted - "terrain + 512" gives stuff that has no 512 anywhere in it, etc) :

nothing (defaults to plains) 0
small 1
large 2
sea 4
fresh water 8
mountain 16
swamp 32
waste 64
forest 128
farm 256
nostart 512 - for islands and special provinces
manysites 1024 - increased site frequency

Edit: So, I think you want to change terrain from 0 to 4, not 5, unless you want to make the province a small sea province (1 + 4). Medium would be 4, large would be 6.