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Old 01-01-2004, 21:44   #1
DrAlimentado
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Default MapTweaker Utility Beta release

[edit 18/1/04 : version 0.9b added]
[edit 3/1/04 : updated readme]

Here is a beta version of my map tweaking app.

New version 0.9b:[img]icon_paperclip.gif[/img] MapTweaker0.9b.zip
197.87*KB



Old version: [img]icon_paperclip.gif[/img] MapTweaker0.8b.zip
171.39*KB



It needs this DLL (in the same folder as the exe) to function properley:

Download Attachment: [img]/forum/icon_paperclip.gif[/img] FreeImageDLL.zip



And you need the .NET 1.1b runtimes as well (get it from microwhore here

.NET 1.1b Runtimes


Here's the readme:
-----------------------------------------------



Overview:
-------------------
This is a 'very beta' release of my MapMaking tool. It is a MDI (multiple document interface) application that can load and display uncompressed bic/bix/biq files, perform various operations and save the changed data to a bic/bix/biq again. As it dosen't actually do real 'map-making' yet this beta version is more appropriately called MapTweaker.

Current features are copy and paste functionality, map resizing and nudging, resizeable minimap, painting terrain/resources, and analysis stats dialog.


What you need to run MapTweaker:
--------------------------------------------------------
This utility was made with .NET and as such requires the .NET 1.1 runtime. You can download it from microsoft at this url: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

In order to read pcx files (only used for resources.pcx in this current form) I have used a dll called FreeImage.dll, it is a 'free source' dll released under a GNU General Public Licence. The documentation for this can be found in it's zip. It needs to be placed in the same directory as the MapMaker.exe. At some point I will eliminate the need for a 600k dll by writing a couple of k of code to do the pcx reading manually... call me lazy for the moment. [Dianthus from CFC has kindly given me his C++ source for reading pcx files, I have a crack team converting it to vb.net... watch this space!]



Installation:
---------------------
Just unzip the MapMaker.exe and FreeImage.dll into your main Civilisation III folder. You can optionally unzip them into another folder anywhere you like and the first time you run the app you will be prompted to manually set the location of the Civilisation III folder.
MapMaker makes no registry entries on your computer and can be uninstalled by simply deleting the exe.



Limitations and workarounds:
-----------------------------------------------
The Map gfx are just a simple representation of the actual tiles, this keeps the loading and displaying of gfx fast. I may yet add an in-game gfx window that will display the map as it would be seen in civ3 when I get the directx sdk going... but I have a ton of other features I want to add first!

The utility in it's current state does little to nothing with the image data in each tile. This means that when you perform operations that move tiles around the map the edges of the changed areas will appear pretty screwy when you load the bix in civ3edit - however the underlying data is correct. To get the correct image data again reload the changed bix into civ3XEdit and paint (change) a tile where it is screwed up and civ3edit will readjust the image(s) appropriately. Eventually I'll get round to figuring out the patterns for this too.
It is important to reload a changed bix into civ3XEdit to allow it to readjust the resource and continent counts also.

You should only use basic maps with this version of MapTweaker - if you have cities or units placed on the map and change the tiles they are sitting on it will cause unpredictable behaviour. You can export and import the basic map data from civ3XEdit for this purpose.

The Selection Tool is a little clumsy around the edges of a selection, you can however modify the selection (or just toggle individual tiles to be selected) by holding down CTRL and clicking.

Note that for the moment MapTweaker can only load uncompressed bix files - To save an uncompressed bix file in civ3XEdit goto View-Options and uncheck the 'Compress BIC File' box. I'll add decompression functionality soon enough

Due to the way in which pcx files are currently read non-standard transparent colours will display incorrectly. This means that mods that use pcx files with transparent colours which are different from the colours in the standard pcx files will have problems displaying resources correctly. This will be fixed when I actually write some code to read the pcx files. Custom graphics that use the same transparent colours as the equivalent PTW file should load and display with no problems.

The continent data is not yet updated in anyway by MapMaker. As long as you load the changed bix into civ3XEdit all will be well but it means that the analysis tool will attribute resources to the wrong continents after moving tiles around the map. This will be fixed in a future version.



Known bugs:
----------------------
Start Locs added in maptweaker (including by copying a tile with a start loc) may crash the bix (drat!), a workaround is to remove the start loc in civ3XEdit before loading the bix in MapTweaker or after using MapTweaker in civ3XEdit remove it in tile properties, using the r-click -> Delete -> Start Loc will crash it though. I think I know what is causing this, a fix shouldn't be too hard. [still not fixed... for the moment I advise working on maps with no start positions, or at least not altering start locs in maptweaker.]


Bug Reports:
-----------------------
This is an early beta version and there are no doubt plenty of bugs I haven't caught yet! Every time the application runs it creates a debugLog.txt file, if you would like to make a bug report try and recreate the bug (with debug logging set to verbose preferably) then send a description of the error plus the debugLog.txt file and bix file generated during that operation to this email address:

MapTweakDebug@craven-griffiths.net.


You are welcome to send questions comments or ideas to this email address:

MapMaker@craven-griffiths.net


Alternatively just post your bugs and/or comments in the forum thread where you got this from




credits:
-------------
Gramphos and others for the incredibly helpful file format threads at Poly. No file format threads = no MapTweaker, nuff said.
ideas, encouragement (ie. listening to me ranting), alpha testing and web space: All the Civ3DuelZone.com MapMaking staff and Admins (and special mention to Melifluous for some early code )
Dianthus for providing his source code for pcx reading.
All who give feedback and bug reports in the various forums.





Version History
-------------------------

changes from 0.8b to 0.9b

Features and functionality:
- added C3C (BIQ) support. [Added new terrain types, note: Marsh and Volcano will be visible but unpickable in the brush picker when using non-C3C maps, if pasted from a C3C map into a non-C3C map they will revert to: marsh-> grassland ; volc-> mountains.]
- added change tile bonuses functionality to Tile properties dialog, changed the layout and interface of dialog.
- added selection tools and new menu; analyse selection, deselect tiles of type/terrain, select all/none
- made resources gfx slighlty oversized on map to enhance visibility, added resource gfx toggle in Options-Map gfx

Bug Fixes:
- fixed the reset code in the Resize and Nudge Dialogs so that they reset properly after applying the tool - should fix fatal errors after using the 'apply' button :O
- fixed error with pasting tiles containing modded resources into non-modded map - If you paste tiles with resources that don't exist in the target map (the resourceID number is > max No.of resources) the resource will now be deleted.
- fixed minimap scrolling 'sticking' with very small maps

Misc:
- added BIC Mode indicator in map properties dialog. Useful because C3C editor can save files with .bic/.bix extensions - but actually saves them in BIQ file format! MapTweaker will detect that these files are actually BIQ files and save them as such. Added a pop-up to notify user when such a map is loaded too.
- improved the paint terrain and paint resource functions to better detect whether they should paint or not.
- overhauled the InfoPanel code, messages outputted to user should be more meaningful... (removed some useless messages, added some useful ones, increased the default no of retained messages to 50, added a max no of messages and purge messages options to Options-General)



-----------------------------------------

All feedback welcome






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Old 01-01-2004, 22:00   #2
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neat, now if I understood anything about the [nerd] and [geek] talk above I'd probably try it out right now
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Old 01-01-2004, 22:11   #3
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Certainly will have some playtime tomorrow DrA!
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Old 01-01-2004, 22:52   #4
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Great! I'll try it on the killer - sky map
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Old 01-01-2004, 22:53   #5
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In short, you can use the app with bix files to do copy/paste between maps, resize maps, 'nudge' maps and so on. You need to reload a tweaked map with civ3XEdit to fix some tile-image and continent data issues... So it's a little rough round the edges but with a little care you should be able to get some very useful functionality out of it.

Apologies for making it in .NET and so requiring a chunky d/l from m$... but .NET rocks for developing, so err.. I'm not that sorry
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Old 03-01-2004, 10:53   #6
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My first impression:

I did the following with the map tweaker utility while creating the Killer - Skyfish map:

- I created a map in the PTW editor
- Tried to open the bix in the map tweaker utility but got a very clear error message
- Executed the action as described in that error message
- Opened the bix in the map tweaker utility
- Selected a number of tiles
- Copied the tiles them somewhere else on the map
- Saved this file

I like the presentation of the map very much. It made the only action that I did very easy It was also very easy to perform the copy/paste action.

I had to get used to the fact that the screen wouldn't scroll with the mouse, but when using the arrow keys on the keybord it all worked out perfectly well!

One thing I noticed though: there appears to be a problem with the starting location copy/paste. I copied one and it was clearly shown in the scenario editors of Conquests. However, I could NOT delete the starting location (the editor crashed!!) and it also wasn't noticed while setting up the game (in Conquests). It offered me a different starting location all the time, a couple of tiles from where it was supposed to be.
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Old 03-01-2004, 11:54   #7
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So you managed to create a BIQ file for a C3C game ???????
I thought that was impossible !
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Old 03-01-2004, 11:57   #8
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No, I created a bix file for PTW and loaded it into the C3C editor
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Old 03-01-2004, 12:04   #9
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Ok so i think thats why the Editor crashed when you were trying to perform an action in it.
Well done anyway ! Great simple idea !
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Old 03-01-2004, 15:36   #10
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Thx Aggie for the feedback

glad you like the error message that particular one will dissappear once I add a decompresssion routine (or anarres writes me one )

hmm... I think I know what is causing the start loc bug, I need to update the start loc section in the bix rather than relying on civ3XEdit to do it automatically. I hadn't spotted it because my testing consists of loading the tweaked bix in civ3XEdit, if it loads then it passes

Moved start loc updating to the top of my fix list for the moment I have added a note in the readme to warn people.


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