Mapping AAR

[Tiltowait]

"one graphic file (TGA) and one text-code file (MAP). So I’ll need “_flat” Versions of both files."

Not unless you plan on editing the .tga. 2 map files can contain different rulesets for one .tga with no problems.

"The editor won’t let me connect into some of the partial provinces."

Yes, it just looks at the white dots and their general vincinity. Just click on the flags (and keep your eye out for fatter flags, having 2 white pixels side by side is annoying but occassionally happens if you're clumsy like me).

BTW The random province name generator has different names for forests/seas/mountains. So if you make a map and want to name a couple of your provinces (but not all), 1)manually assign terrain types 2)click randomize names (now that you have assigned terrain types, your seas will be called seas etc. 3)name your special provinces. I like to leave some/all provinces with no names at all, which causes them to be generated randomly (based on terrain) at the start of a game.

and ditto for Arralen's advice

Oh, what's your goal anyways? Maybe we could give you more specific advice

[RedRover]

Arralen:
This AAR is simply a record of my experiences in working with the map editor feature, in the same way that a game AAR is a player's record of an approach to a nation, god, or theme. No rant intended. It's a learning experience for me, and may be a reference for others who might be thinking about trying out this feature.

I can see from your comments that I wasn't using the "hover" feature enough in trying to figure out how to use the editing buttons. Thanks for the reminder.

In particular, thanks very much for the tip about ctrl-left-click to erase a province connection. That issue had been giving me a bit of trouble.

One reason I stopped the AAR where I did was that I hoped someone would mention the "undo" for province connections. (I'd really like to see the basic keystroke commands covered in the PDF. Maybe these map AAR projects will eventually end up as a kind of "walk-though" for map-making.)

Also thanks for the note about the checkboxes affecting only the currently active province. I expect this information will be very handy when I progress to the point of making an original map.

Tiltowait:
Thanks for the note on TGA vs. MAP files. For the current project (which is only to render the Desert Eye map nonwrapping), it's nice to know I don't have to change anything in the TGA file. Thanks for correcting a wrong assumption on my part.

Hmmm...Fat flags = two close white pixels? I'll keep it in mind.

I agree that it is more fun to have shifting names, particularly if the map is going to be used a lot. Thanks for your explanation of how the feature worked (I did notice that on the Aran demo map, Dragons Head has always been Dragons Head in my games, while the other names would shift around).

As I learn to use the editor, I may try to deconstruct and rebuild the Aran demo map as another project. There seems to be some demand for maps of that size, and it would be a good intermediate project before trying to create an entirely original map from scratch.

My general goal is to learn how to use the map editor efficiently. My first project is just to remove the wraparound feature of the Desert Eye map so it's a flat map.

For example, before I'm done with that project, I expect to check (and possibly modify) the starting positions (for example, if I find that removing the wraparound feature puts one or more of the set starting positions at too much of a disadvantage).

FYI, I downloaded the free GIMP program this Last weekend. I haven't had any time to play around with it, though--I also have access to the Campaign Cartographer program, though I haven't done a lot with that yet, either.

Eventually I expect to get around to fully original maps, but for now I've decided to concentrate on learning how to mod the MAP files.

I just downloaded the 2.08 patch today, so we'll see if that changes anything.

This thread may have given me enough information to complete the first project now, though it will probably be this weekend before I can get back to finishing the busy-work part of the project.

Further comments will be most appreciated, and anyone who sees me heading in the wrong direction or missing anything obvious is invited to drop a comment or two my way. Or maybe share your own experiences about working with maps.

Final Note: Out of curiosity, I did go back and open the MAP file, look at its innards, then hit the "Remove Neighbor" button and reopened it, just to see what happened. Before hitting the command, roughly the Last half of the MAP file was "Neighbor" pairings. The "Remove Neighbor" button did erase all the "Neighbor" command lines in the MAP file automatically.

[Tiltowait]

"downloaded the free GIMP program this Last weekend."

I am a gimp newbie, but here is what I have gleaned.
1- The 2.0 developers Version is nice... The original is buggy too so I can see no reason not to get this one.
2- Save often, it crashes.
3- Open a file (a hassle by itself), everything else can be done as a right-click command.
3a) Right-click on picture, select File > Save As, change save file name to whatever.tga and click save. A little pop-up window will ask you about RLE compression and source lower left, just make sure both are checked and presto!
4- Use layers, at least 1 for the capitals, 1 for the borders and 1 for the picture. Makes it way easier to go back and correct stuff (I just learned this
-
Misc tips
When making a map from scratch, complete everything but the capitals. In gimp, select everything and right click Tools > Color tools > Levels. Set output levels to 0 - 254 (0-255 is default). This will completely clear your map of 'false' capitals, but allow you to have pretty-close to white features.

The filters in gimp are loads of fun. Illwinter uses this one for a bunch of their maps: Filters > Artistic > Apply canvas.
(I usually do most of my map work with macromedia fireworks, cause I like their filters too, but I am getting more into gimp as I use it more.)

And thanks for sharing your experiences, I think we are going to see more people making maps who will benefit from it.

[Gandalf Parker]

As a starting point try
Xtns->Script-Fu->patterns->
then play with Flat Land, Land, or Render Map.

Then apply canvas to that.

[PhilD]

Originally posted by Tiltowait:
"downloaded the free GIMP program this Last weekend."

I am a gimp newbie, but here is what I have gleaned.
1- The 2.0 developers Version is nice... The original is buggy too so I can see no reason not to get this one.
2- Save often, it crashes.

I have Version 1.2.3 (on a Linux machine), and I have NEVER seen the Gimp crash. Are you using a Windows Version? Maybe it's less reliable?

[Xom]

I have Version 1.2.3 (on a Linux machine), and I have NEVER seen the Gimp crash. Are you using a Windows Version? Maybe it's less reliable?

It is. Crashed several times on my WinXP.
Also it is very slow when working on big pictures
(comparing to Paint Shop Pro).

[Tiltowait]

Yep, windows 2000 here.

Thanks for that tip Gandalf, I'll try it right now!