Custom Map Graphics

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Hi Merv0728,

I'm gonna play twenty questions with you, so please be patient?[:)]

What directory in graphics/map is indicated in MM?

[Merv0728]

Hi P of E, thanks for the quick reply.

The directory is as per your attachment, Graphics/Map/Paper4

[Prince of Eckmühl]

ORIGINAL: Merv0728

Hi P of E, thanks for the quick reply.

The directory is as per your attachment, Graphics/Map/Paper4

And, inside MM, you've named the map:



Not just done a SAVE AS, but given actually named it in Mapmaker?

[Prince of Eckmühl]

And while I've got you "on the line," have you selected the new or edited map in SM?

[Prince of Eckmühl]

@Anybody from the developer,

I just realized something. Unlike in previous versions, when the scenario selection screen opens, in-game, the scenario map doesn't display along with the scenario title.[X(]



@Merv0728,

Have you checked in the MAPS directory for the presence of both .COP and CACHE.COP map files that you intend to use with your scenario. I ask because I've saved them to the wrong directory, myself.[:(]

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Well, I'll be darned.

If I apply the "paper4" graphics to any map, the scenario crashes while it's loading.

I setup a test scenario on one of my maps, and the game crashes while the scenario is loading, regardless of which graphic is used.

Houston, I think that we have a problem here...[;)]

[Prince of Eckmühl]

ORIGINAL: Prince of Eckmühl

Well, I'll be darned.[:(]

If I apply the "paper4" graphics to any map, the scenario crashes while it's loading.

I setup a test scenario on one of my maps, and the game crashes while the scenario is loading, regardless of which graphic is used.

Houston, I think that we have a problem here...[;)]

Edit: To be clear, the failure that I describe above is in CmdOps.exe, and occurs while the scenario is loading.

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Okay, I've got my maps working with my BftB test scenario. I think that I may have a problem unit in my custom estab. I'll have to dig deeper into that situation.

One quick comment...

In the past, problems with scenario structure that would cause the load to fail generated an error message that contained clues as to what was causing the problem. No such message is being generated. Perhaps that's because I'm using Windows 7, I just dunno.

Should this thread be moved to tech support?[&:]

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Well, I think that I've got this one figured out.

The weather GUI allows you to select the ground type:



Since "paper4" doesn't have subdirectories for anything but NORMAL, the scenario wouldn't load.

As is so often the case, this is probably explained in the MM/SM documentation.

One of these days, PG is going to have to award me some sort of prize for publicly unearthing the vagaries of it's software.

An "Alien Drug Lords' t-shirt would more than suffice.

[wodin]

ORIGINAL: Tophat1812

ORIGINAL: wodin

Superb...anychance of a monte cassino scenario or two?

Operation Nordwind (6th SS Mountain Division and a few VG divisions where involved) is something I'm thinking about....this book is where I will try and get my info from....ignore the one star review he has no idea...its a fantastic book highly recommended.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0966 ... oteError=1

wodin,
Take a look at "When the odds were even" by Keith Bonn.Don't let the title fool you.

I have a feeling that book is mentioned in the book I mentioned...it's the same battle I think but from the Americans side...I will check it out.

PoE Yep I'm sure you will get an award...putting in some hardwork there...

[Merv0728]

Hi P of E

Sorry I haven't replied before,got caught up in other matters.
Anyway I have scapped what I had done & am starting again.

Another matter, I don't know if I have this correct but in the SM manual it states that to :-

Clone an Existing Scenario
To create a new scenario using an existing scenario:
Ħ Open the desired scenario
ƒ¶ Save the scenario under a new filename ¡V ie Save As .
Ħ Edit as required

This last statement appears not to be entirely true as no matter what I do with MM & Sm to change the map graphics the scenario doesn't reflect the change.

Also I notice that in all the default scenarios the top of the tree units have no superior only "Allies" or "Axis".But if you attempt to import a force list to the Allies or Axis you have to create a superior force first.Hope you grasp what I am talking about.

Alan

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Hi Alan,

ORIGINAL: Merv0728

Clone an Existing Scenario
To create a new scenario using an existing scenario:
Ħ Open the desired scenario
ƒ¶ Save the scenario under a new filename ¡V ie Save As .
Ħ Edit as required

This last statement appears not to be entirely true as no matter what I do with MM & Sm to change the map graphics the scenario doesn't reflect the change.

I believe that the point behind doing the SAVE AS is to preserve the original, stock scenario. That keeps us from having to reinstall the game to get it back. All of the stock scenarios have a weather state. When you "cloned" the scenario, you also duplicated the weather. Unless you change the weather state in your custom scenario to NORMAL, the game won't use the custom graphics that you pointed to in MM.

Also I notice that in all the default scenarios the top of the tree units have no superior only "Allies" or "Axis".But if you attempt to import a force list to the Allies or Axis you have to create a superior force first.Hope you grasp what I am talking about.

That is correct. What you have to remember in planning is that your supreme force must be hierarchically superior to all the units beneath it. You can't have a corps for a supreme force and arrange a bunch of corps beneath it. In that instance, you'd want the supreme force to be an Army. When you stop to think about it, all you are really doing is creating a HQ for your force.[/quote]

[Merv0728]

But the default scenarios only have "Allies" or "Axis" as the superior but we mortals have to add a force between them.Look at 'Losheim Gap",it has the 106th Inf.Div subordinate to "Allies",the 106th is commanded by itself.But to import a Force List you need to create a superior force.

As for the "Save As" ,why is the weather involved ? I'm trying to clone the scenario,weather & all.
There are several things that seem to have been done just to make things more complex to do.

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Hi Alan,

A lot of folks have never viewed a scenario through SM, so they're unfamiliar with how it appears or works. I'll post a JPG of the UNITS interface so that everyone understands.

The ALLIED and AXIS icons on GUI are an organizational tool. Until you create a SUPREME FORCE for each side, Allied and Axis, you can't go any further. You have to create a HQ and then a hierarchy of units beneath it, an important element of which are sub-HQ. In the JPG below, you see that this scenario, "Battered Bastards," I believe, uses a Corps-level command for the SUPREME FORCE for both sides. As I pointed out in my post above, you have to adhere to the conventions of military hierarchy, or things will get all jack-dawed on you. For instance, if the Allied OOB contained two Corps, the designer would have to make the SUPREME FORCE an Army, or the scenario wouldn't work.



The weather is related to the graphics files in that BftB has a different graphics folder for each weather type, only one of which is NORMAL. If you look in Battles from the Bulge/Graphics/Map/Default, you'll see that this is the case. So, if your scenario calls for a graphics set from a graphics directory, like PAPER4, that doesn't have those other graphics directories, its not going to work. You either have to change the Weather in your scenario to NORMAL, or duplicate the NORMAL folder in PAPER4, and rename it to the stock weather type, MUD, for instance. BTW, this wasn't true of previous games, like Conquest of the Aegean.

One other BTW, I do all caps, sometimes, for emphasis, not because I'm getting "testy."[;)]

[Merv0728]

Hi P of E

Yes I understand about the SUPREME FORCE & SUBORDINATES but as I said if you try to IMPORT A FORCE LIST to "ALLIES" or "AXIS" you first have to create a SUPREME FORCE & you then have
"Allies
VIII Corps HQ
106th Inf Div HQ
106th Inf Div Base"

NOT
"Allies
106th Inf Div HQ
106th Inf Div Base"
as in LOSHEIM GAP & several other scenarios that I have looked at.Perhaps I'm nit picking,it just puzzled me.

Regarding the WEATHER question, the PAPER4 that I have has 5 folders,ICE,MUD,NORMAL,QUAGMIRE & SNOW.

Ditto regarding CAPS.

Alan

[Prince of Eckmühl]

ORIGINAL: Merv0728

Hi P of E

Yes I understand about the SUPREME FORCE & SUBORDINATES but as I said if you try to IMPORT A FORCE LIST to "ALLIES" or "AXIS" you first have to create a SUPREME FORCE & you then have
"Allies
VIII Corps HQ
106th Inf Div HQ
106th Inf Div Base"

NOT
"Allies
106th Inf Div HQ
106th Inf Div Base"
as in LOSHEIM GAP & several other scenarios that I have looked at.Perhaps I'm nit picking,it just puzzled me.

Regarding the WEATHER question, the PAPER4 that I have has 5 folders,ICE,MUD,NORMAL,QUAGMIRE & SNOW.

Ditto regarding CAPS.

Alan

Is your only concern about the SUPREME FORCE GUI that you can't do a straight import of a particular force list? If so, there are two ways to get that unit data into your scenario.

1) Make an ARMY your SUPREME FORCE, and import the CORPS that you're interested in as one of its subordinates.

or

2) Build a yourself a CORPS HQ from the estabs. That's about 60 seconds worth of work, including the title of the unit and labeling the counter. Then import the CORPS force list as a subordinate of the CORPS that you created. Then move each subordinate from the imported CORPS HQ to the CORPS HQ that you created. That's a straight drag and drop. When you're finished moving all the subordinates, delete the CORPS HQ that you imported.

Do I really do stuff like that to get where I want to go with an OOB?

Absolutely.[:)]

On the map...

I'm not sure why you can't get the modded graphics to work with your copy of the game. I'm able to manipulate them, but I understand that you've been unsuccesful at doing so. Hopefully, someone with better a knowledge of MM than myself will come across this exchange and help you out. Good luck!

[Merv0728]

P of E

I think we have gone far enough with this,all I am trying to get at is that you can't do this

ALLIES
106th Div HQ

either by cloning or creating (at least I haven't). There are 6 of the default scenarios that have this, so how come ?

Anyway thanks again

Alan