Map Maker Beta ...

[Stridor]

And here is what the above map looks like in the 3D view (autogen trees removed for clarity)

(Please see the last SS on page 8 to compare)

[benpark]

It keeps getting better and better.

I'll shoot you over some models this week when I get a sec. I've got some German frame houses done that are pretty basic. I also have the 3 story urban building done (that Biffa did textures for), but I want to add another texture or two to have some variety. I also have some things like a modular factory, chimney ruins and other odds and ends that aren't textured or coded yet. Those will have to wait a bit longer.

[Mraah]

Stridor,

Looking forward to your next update!

I have another request ...

Bog or Marsh Vegetation

Currently, MM doesn't support the bog/marsh color (255,128,255) for AutoGen.
I have to use the woods color and then go back and fill in that area with the bog/marsh color.

Do you think it would be useful to include the bog/marsh color for the AutoGen?

Thanks,

Rob

[Stridor]

Funny you should mention that ...

Just this morning I have been working on a complete autogen overhaul.

The new system will be immensely more flexible than before, it will allow you to tag any autogen model with a map color (even non legal map colors) a density an alpha, etc.

This will allow total control of the autogen process for (brushes, trees, cows, water lilies, craters, etc etc). It will also help unify the UI so that it works in a similar way to the Structures and Textures subsystems.

Big job though ... may take some time ...

Watch this space ...

Regards

S.

P.S. Ben is right re: 1 hour map build. You can get a really nice looking, realistic (non tiled) map in less than that time using MS paint (which is ideal for the AI map btw) and the MM. Of course if you want to obsess about the exact location of every dirt pile, crate and barrel, well then ...

EDIT: The autogen will not just be confined to plants either, you will be able to auto-place nick nacks and bling (crates, barrels, rubbish etc) without much effort as well [:D] Perhaps even entire villages (although that would require some post build SE work to clean up I imagine).

[Stridor]

A thought which has just occurred to me and which I think is pretty cool, is that in many ways the MM behaves much like a program compiler.

You enter in a source HM (which can be internally sculpted), a source AI map (from MS paint), and then essentially define "rules" about how the map should look by using the graphical UI of the texture, autogen and lighting controls. Then you simply compile (build) the map and there you go.

Now the really cool thing is that the map "rules" which can be really quite complex, are essentially saved externally to the HM and AI maps. What this means is that if you have put loads of work into getting your map just right for a particular season/geography or whatever (eg tree and brush compositions, house densities, marsh/road/forest textures, etc, etc) then you can simply apply those rules to future AI or HM maps so that they all get a consistent "Look" without having to redo the whole lot each time like most other map makers. This will really help to speed up the creation of linked campaign maps!

Regards

S.

[Mraah]

Interesting ...

What do think about the "tiles" concept that's be floating around?

Could it possible to build an AI map with rules using a 20x20 meter tile, ie I want 5 structure "tiles" with a certain structure on it. You can plop the structure down and it will automatically "draw" this on the AI map, ie the red obstruction color. Basically, you're modifying the AI map.

Also, if you plop a structure "tile" down it will automatically change the HM pixels to a level surface.

Just an idea ... You know, not something that you can snap your fingers and have out for your final version of MM. As you can see, I'm thinking of random map making using rules to build it ... expanding the AutoGen to include structures using tiles.

Rob

[Mraah]

Stridor,

Allow me to take your current idea of rules and apply this to an AutoMap creation tool, using "layers" instead of tiles.

As you know, MM needs two parts to basically build the map ... an HM and an AI Map.

What if we took the AI Map and divided it into several AI Maps :

1) Road bmp
2) Lt woods bmp
3) Woods bmp
4) Structures bmp - x/y location can be in an XML file so it references the bmp to the structure x/z coordinates and structure type for the build.
5) etc

Now, if I was to make 10 bmp's for each of the items above (1-4), then MM can randomly select one of those and load it.
Then, after it loads the 4 bmp's it can "merge" them to produce one AI map. The merging process is done during the build process.
Would I be correct that this would produce 400 different maps?

Also, you have it load a random HM map from a collection of 10 pre-built's. This could bump it up to 500 different maps?

Ok ... the only trouble we get into is the structures again and how they will look with a different HM below it. Since the HM is overlayed with the AI map it can reference the structure location and automatically change (or level) the pixels it overlaps.

Of course, river's and bridges would be yet another problem ... for later.

It wouldn't be a totally randomized map ... the more bmp's it has to choose from the better.

Just an idea ... again.

Rob

[Mraah]

Let me babble on some more ...

Templates -

Each bmp will have an associated template, ie roadbmp1 will have a roadbmp1.xml template. These template's can be built using the current scenario editor so if anyone wanted more road bmp's they can simply make a new template. All of the templates for the bmp's can be merged to one final template for use in the game.

Rivers / Bridges -

You would need to have an HM associated with a riverbmp. This will assure it fits and no extra sculpting required. Same goes for bridges ... the riverbmp will have an XML file (like the structures) telling it what bridge to use and where it should be located.

Rob

[Mraah]

Stridor,

Something interesting ... the Heighmap BMP that's saved in the map directory doesn't reflect any changes to the orignal heightmap used.

So, if you edit the HM, you'll lose the new data if you close MM.

Rob

[Stridor]

ORIGINAL: Mraah


Stridor,

Something interesting ... the Heighmap BMP that's saved in the map directory doesn't reflect any changes to the orignal heightmap used.

So, if you edit the HM, you'll lose the new data if you close MM.

Rob

Yes this is by design. The changes you make in the MM are non-destructive to the base HM even across saves and reloads. The entire HM is stored in the save file at any rate.

Once you learn the art of HM sculpting, the tools the MM provides are superior to just about anything else out there, so there really is no need to import your HM from another source. The option is there of course, but it is now not really necessary. The other advantage of editing your HM insitu is that you can see your changes very rapidly with each new build, as well as edit your HM changes around your structures.

Regards

S.

[Mraah]

ORIGINAL: Stridor
Yes this is by design. The changes you make in the MM are non-destructive to the base HM even across saves and reloads. The entire HM is stored in the save file at any rate.

Where is the entire "new" HM located? Is this the one that reflects the changes? Or are you telling me there will never be an HM map built that reflects the changes?

For instance, use the LoRes_HM you provided us in the Pck main directory ... load it up, make changes and build the map ... goto the new map folder and open up the heightmap BMP .... no changes.

Rob

[Stridor]

ORIGINAL: Mraah

ORIGINAL: Stridor
Yes this is by design. The changes you make in the MM are non-destructive to the base HM even across saves and reloads. The entire HM is stored in the save file at any rate.

Where is the entire "new" HM located? Is this the one that reflects the changes? Or are you telling me there will never be an HM map built that reflects the changes?

For instance, use the LoRes_HM you provided us in the Pck main directory ... load it up, make changes and build the map ... goto the new map folder and open up the heightmap BMP .... no changes.

Rob

Correct. The original HM gets copied to the map destination directory as a reference, but otherwise the changes are kept in the mapmaker.xml save file.

Regards

S.

[Stridor]

Here is a view with the new autogen functionality which is almost finished.

Note how the UI is now more streamlined, The 3D model view larger. Autogen is now a subsection of Structures. Anything can be autogened anywhere now. On the map you will be able to see an autogen icon becuase it will have a dashed border. This means that whilst it appears to be placed on the map, it is really symbolic of a whole autogen # of that model depending on the density setting.

[benpark]

Is the autogen able to be set for multiple instances of a model or billboard within that specific area, or is it ALL areas of the similar AI color? I see (aens999) a region for a number setting. Is that the number for that region?

[Stridor]

ORIGINAL: benpark

Is the autogen able to be set for multiple instances of a model or billboard within that specific area, or is it ALL areas of the similar AI color? I see (aens999) a region for a number setting. Is that the number for that region?

Ben,

Multiple instances by design.

Example take a tree you want to use as an autogen for woods. Add it. Set its link color (woods green) and then set what density you want for woods. That basically sets up an autogen rule for that model. Let us say that you now want a different tree in both woods and very lightly scattered about in fields. Well you need to add the new tree twice. Once to define the denisty rule for woods and the next time to define the rule for fields, etc.

[Mraah]

Stridor,

To add SAF_Biffa's models I understand I need a reference.xml file located in the media\mods\my name folder right?

I see there is mapmaker.xml in the main mods folder ... not the one right?

Also, it needs to be called reference.xml not resources.xml ... right?

And the rest of it is understood, texture and/or msz file in the structures folder.

Thanks,

Rob

[Stridor]

The game needs any model or texture which you use on your map (including the textures mapped to the models themselves) to be defined to it before they can be loaded and used.

Now the default models which come with the game are all defined inside the dlls of the game itself. Not very helpful.

There is a way to define new models and textures that you add by having a media.xml file which resides in the map root dir and provides the links for the game.

The problem is that you would have to build that every time you wanted to do a new map, and you would have to know beforehand what non stock models you wanted to include, etc. What a nightmare!

So the MM does all this work for you provided you set it up right.

Ok here goes:

Any new map model or texture etc should reside in the Media/Mods directory. Have a look in that directory now. See how there are subdirs for each modders work. I did this so that the root dir wouldn't become overloaded and that there wouldn't be model name clashes.

So put your new X model and texture(s).dds in your own dir under Media/Mods.

Next you need to define a link to the model for the game to use. These are .xml files. Now it is a good idea to call the file "resources.xml" but really any .xml file extension will be parsed by the MM when it searches the Mods directory during start-up. The MM essentially builds a monster media.xml file out of all the mod .xml link files. The MM also copies this monster media.xml to each new map you make. This ensures that any mods you have in the Media/Mods directory can be accessed in SE and in the game.

Now you don't need to understand any of that, just know that when you add a new mod under Media/Mods ensure that you have an xml link file. See the example xmls already provided.

Ok now the game knows about your mods, but now we need to add thumbnails of your work so that they can be easily manipulated by users of the MM. These are 256x256 pixel bmps. Their filename is the same as the media name which you used in your resource xml file. These thumbnails are placed in the appropriate subdir of the Map Maker directory. If you want to add a mini 3D model to go along with your thumbnail, you can also add a ".msz" file via MS3D the details of which Rob knows right now and I will go into if more detail is needed. The 3D model is for MM display purposes only and is strictly *optional*.

Regards

S.

[Mraah]

Stridor,

Thanks!

I went ahead and tried to bring my wheat texture out of mothballs ... worked beutifully.

I'm curiuos about making a billboard wheat stalk or brush ... perhaps SAF_Biffa can works his magic. It would be interesting in future expansions of Pck if objects (models) could be coded to fall down creating a nice little path through the field like SAF_Biffa posted earlier ... hmm, I might have to bend Erik's ear again with another crazy wish.

Rob

[Mraah]

Speaking of the wheat texture ... this reminds me.

You said your next build is capable of assigning masks to more colors than the AI map.

Do you remember my original Singling map where I made photo realistic masks from the sat photo?

Interesting idea if you could convert a photo into a mask.

When i made the mask I converted the original photo into a 256 greyscale, then cut the bits out for each mask.

So, if you're looking for more things to add to MM then perhaps another image could be loaded (256 grey scale) and with a "cutting" tool or freehand selection tool we can select an area to mask for that particular texture ... the grey scale would determine the alpha level when it comes to color intensity automatically through IM. In other words, the unselected part would be tranparent (no data) and IM will only consider the selection area valid for masking.

I know it's reinventing the wheel ... but hey ... you know I'll always have ideas.

EDIT NOTE : The other way to do it is all manual ... I would have to cut the image out of the photo, then paste it into the AI map, then assign texture to each color variant in the photo ... which will make about a million masks! Better to have one mask, of course.

Rob

[Stridor]

Here is an example shot of an auto generated debris field. The new autogen system should be able to make maps with better ambience then previous versions.

The SS also demonstrates the new grid overlay system. It is now possible to set a grid to overlay the terrain (you can select from line color, width, grid size, etc) all without needing to mod any of the textures. You can also turn it off if you don't like grids.

Enjoy

S.