Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: delta07d

...I was thinking about getting the map file from a vassal module, but that's probably wrong to do that.

No that's a good idea. But as i know, there is no vassal module with the Noville map.

Do you have one ?

That's the same thing with Forgoten Heroes of Vietnam and Anzac Attack... That's why theses map are on low resolution on my mod : I have the first edition and the map are very ugly compared to the second edition.

Sent you a PM

I'm no more able to save a mpp files.When i have done, from a bmp, the map with the terrain and polygons i try to save it as mpp file writing the name and the extension mpp but the file remain always a map file so is not useful for a later work.The only change from the past, is a new PC with Windows 7 instead of XP.[&:]

Just remove the .map from your file name... and you have a perfectly fonctional .mpp file [;)]

The problem is that there is no map fila name,there is mpp but for the game is again map.Probably is a problem of Windows 7.

In the picture you can see what i mean.Look at 31alli and 32alli

You did not activate the display of suffixes in windows. your BMPs have no suffixe. So, your 32ali.mpp is in fact a 32ali.mpp.map but you can't see the .map suffixe...
you have to deactivate the "hide suffixe from known files" fonction from your windows.

Was my suspect!Is not understandable why the other mpp have the suffixe,antway thank you.

ORIGINAL: acropora

Is not understandable why the other mpp have the suffixe,antway thank you.

Because .mpp is not a known file format, and .map yes.
So your Windows system shows you the real .mpp files suffixe and not the .map files suffixe EVEN if the name of your map file is XXXX.mpp.map, so you could believe that .mpp is a suffixe... but no... it's just a part of the name of the file.

I tried to make some maps (from ASL scans) with editor as you teach it. After all work is done (polygons are the big thing !), i saved them individually as .bmp files in the LnL/art/maps folder then in a .mpp file in the LnL/map folder. I quit the editor and when i try to use them to design a scenario they appear as "empty" maps whereas hexes contents texts and polygons are still present (visible under F1 and F4 modes) but not the image of the map itself (the .bmp file). Also i tried to save the map after the hexes contents work and before the polygons thing : it works perfectly. Map image and terrain features texts appear, even the "polygons" automaticaly generated by the engine (inherent terrain) like Full Forest or Brush even when i use only map info to load the map (no need to use raw map info to load which i had to use when polygons are hand-made). The polygons work seems to ruin it all !
What did i do wrong ? I'm a little desperate because it's a lot of work made in vain...

Hello

I stumbled on this forum as I was looking for graphics in order to make maps for Squad Leader. I had started making a map from Lock N' Load maps, manually in Photoshop but it takes a lot of time and am missing graphics. Then I found this place and digging in forums I can see there is some ASL mod and homemade stuff (mods). I don't own a PC, only a Mac and unfortunately can't play the game yet, but I guess I could borrow my daughter's PC. My question is : how do you make custom maps with such nice graphics ? Where do they come from ? Does the game include a Map Editor ?
Thanks for your help.

ORIGINAL: JackMunchkin

Hello

I stumbled on this forum as I was looking for graphics in order to make maps for Squad Leader. I had started making a map from Lock N' Load maps, manually in Photoshop but it takes a lot of time and am missing graphics. Then I found this place and digging in forums I can see there is some ASL mod and homemade stuff (mods). I don't own a PC, only a Mac and unfortunately can't play the game yet, but I guess I could borrow my daughter's PC. My question is : how do you make custom maps with such nice graphics ? Where do they come from ? Does the game include a Map Editor ?
Thanks for your help.

Hello JackMunchkin,

Welcome to the forum. Here are many friends who know Squad Leader (SL) and also Advanced Squad Leader (ASL). I am one of them.

I am going to transmit to you the experience that I have obtained doing "Heroes and Leaders mod."

Lock N 'Load (LnL) maps for Squad Leader:

You have to keep in mind that each map of LnL has 8 height hexes and 15 horizontal hexes. That is, you can not literally copy the SL/ASL maps. However, 1 hex of LnL is 50 real meters and 1 hex of SL/ASL is 40 real meters, so that, finally, the boards of both games represent the same proportion of real terrain.
When I started doing the "Historical Module Barrikady" I wanted to maintain the scale of Historical Module "Red Barricades" of Avalon Hill Company (I guess you know it), but I understood that I could not easily maintain the scale between both games. You always have to sacrifice something to get a minimum of "playability".

How do you make custom maps:

You will not believe it, but all the "Heroes and Leaders mod" boards have been made using Paint and Paint.net. Of course, Photoshop can also be useful, but it is not necessary. I assure.
There are a lot of material available on the internet (textures, models, etc.). Also there is a lot of work done in this forum and in others. You can also build individual models (houses, bridges, roads, trees, etc). Little by little you get a library that makes work much easier.
You do not need to be a graphic expert to do an acceptable job.

Map Editor:

Effectively, the game includes a map editor. The game editor allows defining the characteristics of each graphic element. But you have to make the graphic map first. Then, the editor gives you the characteristics that you want to define. For example, you will have drawn a house in Photoshop, but also you have to tell the editor. Not only do you have to tell him that there is a house in that hex, but you also have to trace his perimeter. Is not difficult.
The editor is a fantastic tool. Thanks to the Editor it is possible to introduce new properties in the game. Doing this is what I enjoy the most.
Something similar happened with the units. You can draw your own units and endow them with their own and individual characteristics.

Hello

Many thanks for your reply. Ok that replies to my questions. I asked the same questions to Maitre Bongo, as I thought graphical elements were available somewhere but indeed Paint, Photoshop of some other software can provide valuables sources. I am not into digital gaming, only board and miniatures but I will continue my work to make my maps and get as close as possible to such awesome results as you achieve here.

ORIGINAL: JackMunchkin

Hello

Many thanks for your reply. Ok that replies to my questions. I asked the same questions to Maitre Bongo, as I thought graphical elements were available somewhere but indeed Paint, Photoshop of some other software can provide valuables sources. I am not into digital gaming, only board and miniatures but I will continue my work to make my maps and get as close as possible to such awesome results as you achieve here.

JackMunchkin,

Hello JackMunchkin,

Allow me to propose that when you have finished a map, share it in the forum. I'm sure many friends would like to enjoy your work. Surely it will be very appreciated.

The same thing I say about making a scenario, even if it is simple (few units and short). Since you have your daughter's PC, take the opportunity.

By the way, I'm also a fan of models, miniatures, and board games (ASL, SL, ...)

Sure, I will, thanks !

ORIGINAL: JackMunchkin

Sure, I will, thanks !

And we will thank you ...

Many people here continue to play this great game and there will always be someone to turn your graphic work into a computer playable map.

I'm really sad not to be allowed to distribute mods for this game but it does not prevent me from playing it ...

ORIGINAL: maitrebongo

ORIGINAL: JackMunchkin

Sure, I will, thanks !

And we will thank you ...

Many people here continue to play this great game and there will always be someone to turn your graphic work into a computer playable map.

I'm really sad not to be allowed to distribute mods for this game but it does not prevent me from playing it ...

Hello Maitrebongo,

You can explain why you "can not be allowed to distribute mods for this game."

ORIGINAL: asl3d


Hello Maitrebongo,

You can explain why you "can not be allowed to distribute mods for this game."

I was contacted by the owners of the rights of this game (it is not Matrixgames) who asked me to stop doing mods (the way I did it), explained to me why (arguments with whom I was perfectly in agreement).

I thought that this game had been abandoned by its creators after years without news and that the work (volunteer) that we do as modders is a win / win relationship with developers and publishers ... But this is not not necessarily the case.

As I have a lot of respect for the people who created this kind of game, I do not want to interfere with future projects that could emerge in this tiny niche market.

Hi Maitrebongo, that's a real shame; was you asked to stop the great work you had been doing on Conflict of Heroes as well?

So, it's more nuanced than that.

I was asked (and not required) to stop sharing my mods on Heroes of Stalingrad so as not to interfere with the development of a future game (a version 2.0 if you want).
As I said before, if I started to develop mods for this kind of game, it's because I thought the development had been abandoned by its creators and the only way to keep it alive was to make it live through the community of passionate people and to do the job by myself.

From the moment professionals take over the destiny of this game, I prefer that they do a professional job and buy the result of their work. My only regret is that they take too much time to develop this suite by starting from scratch as a simple improvement of the basic software would have been sufficient and would have been done in much less time.

It even mattered that I help them during the development phases, but apparently things do not evolve very quickly or they forgot me (it does not matter).
What is a pity is that by working together (win / win relationship) I could have improved the game and make it live during the few years they will put to develop the new version to satisfy the fans who there are playing. I think when you sell a video game (whether it's a wargame or something else) it's important to take care of tracking it and making improvements and updates whenever possible. To abandon a game with such potential for years is to saw the branch on which one sits.

I do not have rancor ... I just moved on. In this case Conflict of Heroes which is a very similar game, with a real potential for development and extentions. Alas, it has been abandoned by its designers and without their help to change the source code of the program, all possible addons will always be DIY and I found that the community is very reluctant to accept mods that are a little too much tinkering.

Once again; a collaborative working relationship between game creators and volunteer modders is in my opinion the key to the sustainability of this type of product in this tiny market. Associated with a creative marketing policy (free to play and DLCs at a reasonable price - see the example of Wars Across The World) there is potentially a commercial future for this kind of game.
I sincerely hope so.