Map Maker Beta ...

[Stridor]

benpark check your pm

[Stridor]

Just another note / tip from some of the SS I see: GIGO.

Please use valid heightmap and ai map files during map generation otherwise nothing will work obviously. (you will get no trees, cows, etc, etc) If you can't make these or want to play around with map generation without making them you can load the following:

Media/kharkov_L1A/heightX.bmp (as the heightmap) and Media/kharkov_L1A/map.bmp (as the ai map)

And essentially recreate that in game map (under another name please [:D]). Play around with the settings to see how things work.

When you load up your new scenefile.xml into scenedit to check it out it normally takes SE a few seconds for it to load. If the screen goes light blue there is a problem. Have a look at the games latest log entry to see what it is and get back to me.

Also remember you need to add at least one other mask layer for your terrain to show up, otherwise it will be transparent (this is a due to a bug/feature?? in PCK, so I have no control over it). Given that for any type of serious map you would need to do that anyway I don't see that as a big issue.

S.

[Stridor]

ORIGINAL: Mad Russian

Obviously that question didn't come out right. I meant is it to be a mod or to be loaded right into the game file...hence the reference to being run in the code.

MR,

I still don't quite follow you?

The map maker is an external to the game editor (much like all my other editors) which allows you to make map files which the other editors can then use (eg like the scenario editor) to make very specific scenarios which the game then allows you to play.

I hope that helps

S.

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: Stridor

ORIGINAL: RyanCrierie

I get this error, what does it mean



And when I load my map in Scene.edit, I get nothing but a blank light blue screen [&:]

In terms of this error???

Is anyone else seeing this?

Not I - I was able to get the map into scene edit -

Rick

[RyanCrierie]

If you can't make these or want to play around with map generation without making them you can load the following:

Media/kharkov_L1A/heightX.bmp (as the heightmap) and Media/kharkov_L1A/map.bmp (as the ai map)

Used those, still get a blank light blue screen.

and the game log file says

6/14/2008 7:19:33 PM: File does not exist: path = 'c:\panzer command\kharkov\Media/../Editor/transparent.dds'
6/14/2008 7:19:33 PM: Error loading c:\panzer command\kharkov\Media/../Editor/transparent.dds
6/14/2008 7:19:33 PM: Unable to load file: c:\panzer command\kharkov\Media/../Editor/transparent.dds
6/14/2008 7:19:33 PM: Current Number of textureTable:5
6/14/2008 7:19:34 PM: System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not find file "c:\panzer command\kharkov\Editor\transparent.dds".
File name: "c:\panzer command\kharkov\Editor\transparent.dds"
at Lib.Rasterizer.TextureCollection.AddTexture(String path)
at Lib.Data.Scene.SceneData.BuildTextureMapDataFromDo(TextureDo textureDo)
at Lib.Data.Scene.SceneData.BuildXFileNodeFromDo(XFileNodeDo xfileDo)
at Lib.Data.DataReader.LoadScene(Stream sceneStream, SceneData& sceneData)
at SceneEditor.Form1.openMenuItem_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

EDIT: Wait....I've been using the map editor in it's own folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\Ryan Crierie\Desktop\Mods\Panzer Command Kharkov\Map Maker

not in the PZK folder...moving to it and seeing what happens.

[rickier65]

I see that MapMaker program window isn't resizable, (it's fixed at the size it open at).
Hitting full screen doesnt enlarge it and dragging corners snaps back to original size.

Was this by design? And any chance to change it?

Thanks,
Rick

[rickier65]

Ryan,

It also looks like it adds files to couple of oither folders in PCK as well, so I think you'll need to unzip it into the PCK folder.

(I did the same thing as you when I first installed ie put everything into it's own working directory).

Rick

[Blond_Knight]

Can I play too?

[Stridor]

Yes please just unzip into the main PCK directory, it puts stuff all over the place and needs those files. That was your problem Ryan [:D]

Rick, why do you want to resize? It is by design. Would like to see a SS of some of your creations to see that at least one person can make it work.

Blond_Knight, sure.

[RyanCrierie]

First successful map. However, there are some bugs which need to be worked out.

While map calculation is (relatively) fast, when it gets to actually placing stuff onto the map, the program slows down horribly.

(PS, I've upgraded to IE7 to see if that would speed things up, no dice)

[Stridor]

Ryan what bugs are you talking about?

The map placeables does take some time but it is a one off cost. For me 2.5 minutes is not the end of the world for a quality map! Think about how long it would take to place 2000 trees 50 cows and 250 craters by hand and without error!

I will add an option to do a hemi-build so that if all you want to do is change some of the placeables you don't need to regen the whole map, that should save some time.

[Stridor]

For anyone with formating errors (windows classic) or missing the eyedropper this hotfix should fix it for you.

[RyanCrierie]

Took me about 10 minutes to make this map; with only

10 Trees Exported
0 Cows Exported
0 Craters Exported

[RyanCrierie]

Settings used in generation

[Stridor]

I have been working on some optimizations which I will post shortly.

This used to take 2:38 on my rig with the old code, it now takes ...

[Stridor]

Check it out now [:D]

[RyanCrierie]

[&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][X(]

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: Stridor

I have been working on some optimizations which I will post shortly.

This used to take 2:38 on my rig with the old code, it now takes ...

I'm still working through this. When I first started just clicking buttons - I was able to generate a map - of course the surface was all below the level of the walls, and texture was all the same - because I hadn't really paid any attention.

I've gone back in and printed out the instructions from the the other thread ( tm.asp?m=1821437 ), and decided to try and recreate the kharkov L1A Map since then I could compare and see if I was doing it right.

Unfortunately, going through the steps this time results in Im not being able to load the map into scenedit. I Just get the blue screen. I notice the heightX map is 64X64 rather than 65X65. I think the previous height map I was working with was 65 X 65. could this be causing me a problem?

Also, what is or should be the skymat? when I click on it it shows same textrue as terrain, but browsing in the texture folder in mapmaker, I dont see anything relating to sky.

Sorry for the dumb questions. Some of us (well, me) are pretty old and slow witted.

Oh - and time to create - I retimed and it looks like about 6 mintues to generate. This is way faster than I could do using any other tools.

Sorry to be so dense with this but I'm sure I'll sort it out.

Thanks,
Rick

[Stridor]

Ok this is release 0.2b [;)]

Fixed bug with dead cows
Fixed bug with reloading a saved map
Optimized file save sizes so maps are smaller but at the expensive of human readability (who needs that anyway)
Added a build timer
Oh yeah, slashed processing time by 1000%!

Please unzip into your PCK directory as per normal.

[Stridor]

ORIGINAL: Rick

I'm still working through this. When I first started just clicking buttons - I was able to generate a map - of course the surface was all below the level of the walls, and texture was all the same - because I hadn't really paid any attention.

That is almost certainly due to the fact that you hadn't added at least *one* texture/mask layer. If you don't your map will be transparent. This is a PCK bug/feature.

Unfortunately, going through the steps this time results in Im not being able to load the map into scenedit. I Just get the blue screen. I notice the heightX map is 64X64 rather than 65X65. I think the previous height map I was working with was 65 X 65. could this be causing me a problem?

No. it doesn't mater what the size of the heightmap is the mapmaker will scale it to 65x65 anyway. However for maximum accuracy you should have a 65x65 heightmap if what you edit you want to see.

Also, what is or should be the skymat? when I click on it it shows same textrue as terrain, but browsing in the texture folder in mapmaker, I dont see anything relating to sky.

The skymat is the "ground" cover outisde the limits of your map. You want some grassy type texture for summer a snowy one for winter. Scenedit doesn't show you the skymat it is only visible in the game. The true "sky" is the skybox and that is found under skyboxes

Oh - and time to create - I retimed and it looks like about 6 mintues to generate. This is way faster than I could do using any other tools.

I think you will get a surprise with the new build [:D]


Rick just do exactly this to make a map.

1. Run the map maker
2. Click on the H/Map Browse button. Load up the "Media/kharkov_L1A/heightX.bmp".
3. Click the AI/Map Browse button. Load up the "Media/kharkov_L1A/map.bmp".
4. Type the name "Road" into the Name: box for masks + textures. The press the browse button and load "Map Maker/Textures/kharkov_road01.bmp". Now press the tick button to load the texture into the box. As an aside whilst browing for textures etc I put explorer into show as large icons mode so that I can graphically see what it is that I am working with, this is easier than just loading a filename.
5. Ignore trees for the moment
6. Click the Skybox Browse button. Load "Map Maker/Skyboxes/kharkov_skybox1.bmp".
7. Leave the lighting stuff and set cows and craters to zero.
8. Type in the name "MyTest" into the map name box and then press the build button.
9. Wait ~ 30 seconds and you will have a new map generated (for simplicity sake there will be no trees, cows, craters or water)
10. Now go into scenedit and load up "Media/MyTestScene.xml"

Enjoy your new map.

You can now go back into map maker, type the name "MyTest" into the name box and press load. Now all your settings from last time will be loaded into the program. Try experimenting with trees, cows, masks, etc and then build again.