22-12-2000 01:05									#1
	The oversized map and Wes' mod., Inflate your Upload Space

Now, that I'm (nearly) sure, that Wes has stopped modifying on his mod - I'm ready to try to invoke my modifications.

First, the oversized map.

I think I have it. Only a few map settings is still giving this annoying areas of small islands/lakes.

Now, I'm working with maps up to 120 x 240. And I'm rather sure, that the way I'm changing the map.txt now will work in even larger maps.

Next is movements - most the seaunits.

Next is which ages the units become not only obsolute, but disbanded - based on governments. No slic here (I don't know how to use it anyway).

Lastest will be introducing a few more governments to make above more usefull.

Pls "yell" if interested in more.

BASE WILL BE WES' LATEST MOD (4.11).

	22-12-2000 08:59									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

Hey this sounds really cool man!!!! I like the idea of more governments, and large maps keep us posted.

------------------
Gemini

	22-12-2000 11:12									#3
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

The map.txt will probably be finished today. I'm also working (is finished) on a new color00.txt file, where all 32 civs has different colors - but not so much, that the radarmap is screwed up.

By the way - the radarmap cannot be used for its intention when you are playing on superlarge maps. You cannot see a single unit anymore, therefore it's only purpose in my mod will be a kind of "Where am I now" map.

	29-04-2001 08:28									#5
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

TBM:

Hey, good to see you again

Sounds like I'm not the only one moving to the *next logical step*

I too am working from Med4 base--but on an Earth Map...and once again I have been plagued by the size restrictions. Sigh. There is no way to make a practical, realistic earth-type map smaller than 214 X 428, and that can tax the hell outta anything system less than a PII, with at least 64 of RAM. But then if you try playing with even 25 civs on such a map--some civs remain hidden for a large portion of the game, as it should be, but even after modifying units (mounted, mainly, as well as naval, air, and any unit with wheels, basically), it still took me forever to get anywhere (as the Russians) with other civs on the earth map. And then HUGE areas of the earth that *should* be settled, are not for the entire game (example: if the Austrailans are playing, the Indonesians have to play, otherwise even though they are part of the same AIP (SciMany) as USA, Canada, England, etc., they are so behind in every way, taking way too long to settle (starting in Sydney, at the bottom of) their continent...if the Polynesians don't play & neither does Indonesia, then Australia basically waits to be discovered, a bunch of primitives, really, and it cannot help out its allies in the Japanese/Russian/Chinese-controlled waters of the Pacific).
So, I dunno.
I thought of doubling the settler unit's movement--that would accerlate the AI's city-placing, but in really tight areas on the map, I'm not sure who it would affect things; it helps out Japan and England, for sure, but as for Europe, w/ Spain, France, Italy, Germany, etc., all crammed in there...hmmm, maybe I'll test it a bit later, see how it affects gameplay.
Anyway, I've found that 31 or 32 civs is the best, because then there's adequate populations on the continents...and inevitably some civs get killed off, there's still lots of room around.

quote: Next is which ages the units become not only obsolute, but disbanded - based on governments. No slic here (I don't know how to use it anyway).

I had a similar idea before about this--but due to my lack of Slic know-how, I never did anything about it.
Would be nice to see.

quote: By the way - the radarmap cannot be used for its intention when you are playing on superlarge maps. You cannot see a single unit anymore, therefore it's only purpose in my mod will be a kind of "Where am I now" map.

Yup, basically. You can, however, see where enemy civs are located (depending on color scheme), but not all if you have a lot of civs in the game.


Martin:

Yeah--the map.txt will work between CtP1 & 2, so will the colors file.


[This message has been edited by Nordicus (edited April 28, 2001).]

	29-04-2001 14:50									#6
	Increase Your PM Length

I think that the CTP1 Colors00.txt won't work in CTP2, because the CTP2 Colors00.txt contains more colors than the CTP1 Colors00.txt. But I modified the CTP2 Colors00.txt in the same way like the CTP1 Colors00.txt. And it works.

But my question was how to modify the map.txt to get rid of the this annoying areas of small islands/lakes. The map.txt will work between CTP1 & 2, but the values there are different.

Here the first part of the CTP1 map.txt:

code:


### Small map

MAP_SIZE 24 48 {
    {
		MAP_NUM_CONTINENTS      120
		MAP_MIN_WIDTH           3
		MAP_MIN_HEIGHT          3
		MAP_MAX_WIDTH           4
		MAP_MAX_HEIGHT          8
		MAP_BUMP_SIZE           12
		MAP_MIN_SUBCONTINENTS   2
		MAP_MAX_SUBCONTINENTS   4
		MAP_SUBCONTINENT_SIZE   0.6
		MAP_SUBCONTINENT_HEIGHT 0.5
		MAP_BORDER_SIZE         15
		MAP_FAULT_LINES         0
		MAP_FAULT_LENGTH        1.0
		MAP_NS_BORDER_SIZE      5
    }

code:


### Small map

MAP_SIZE 24 48 {
    # Small(Small) Map - 0% Continents/Islands
    {
		MAP_NUM_CONTINENTS      50
		MAP_MIN_WIDTH           3
		MAP_MIN_HEIGHT          3
		MAP_MAX_WIDTH           4
		MAP_MAX_HEIGHT          6
		MAP_BUMP_SIZE           24
		MAP_MIN_SUBCONTINENTS   6
		MAP_MAX_SUBCONTINENTS   12
		MAP_SUBCONTINENT_SIZE   0.6
		MAP_SUBCONTINENT_HEIGHT 0.4
		MAP_BORDER_SIZE         15
		MAP_FAULT_LINES         0
		MAP_FAULT_LENGTH        1.0
		MAP_NS_BORDER_SIZE      5
    }

	30-04-2001 05:35									#7
	Inflate your Upload Space

I'm really not sure, Martin...
I went thru all that when I first began modding and soon gave up in favor of an earth map over a random one, because even though messing around Const.txt and map.txt I was able to come up with a sort of half decent map, I would always have to adjust the terrain when I started anyways.
Wes got into this too, and Don (skorpion59) got into this a great deal--more than anyone, I think...and there's not a lot that can be done...

So, I dunno what to suggest--except start modifying and testing and do it the slow and painful way--> trial-and-error. Or do a search to find some old threads on the topic while Don was working on it.
Personally, I don't think it's worth the hassle cuz the results are (IMO) always disappointing.

Oh--I think the two color files for CtP1 and 2 have the same *number* of colors (unless I'm drunk or something, there should be 58 at the top of both files); they altered the radar map colors and included (out-commented) the CtP1 colors for comparison...so the CtP2 color file *is* bigger due to this.

The problem with the file is that it's setup for only 16 players...if you play with more, the civs (17 and onward) begin using the next colors in the list--begining with the color for Forest...so player17 will be the radar map's color for Forest (if player17 is yellow, then on the radar map all Forest terrain will be the same color) and so forth. I inputted new colors a while ago, adding colors (81 instead of 58) for playing with more than 16 civs.

Thomas.
[This message has been edited by Nordicus (edited April 29, 2001).]

	30-04-2001 20:04									#8
	Full PM-box? Change here!

Oh my boy - I thought this thread was dead....

Now I have to decide, either ask MarkG to place my files in the downloadsection (need to make a "readme.txt" file first, explaining what I had done) - or just mail the files to you

	01-05-2001 09:12									#9
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

I think the file itsself will help me. After two hours online I wasn't able to find the correct threat in the forums or in the archives. I only know that there is the theard already here that contains the information how to change the map.txt. Thanks for your help TheBirdMan. But the information about the map.txt could also be useful for other modmakers.

-Martin