Convert map CMFB to CMRT?

[Aragorn2002]

Is it possible to convert a map from CMFB to CMRT?

[Freyberg]

I believe it can be done - but you have to edit the map to remove all incompatible tiles, flavour objects and so on, then edit part of the binary header (there's a reference to the game-specific marker sequence in map buried somewhere in the forum).

I tried it and found it a huge hassle - it's more fun and probably quicker just to make a new map

[Aragorn2002]

1 hour ago, Freyberg said:

I believe it can be done - but you have to edit the map to remove all incompatible tiles, flavour objects and so on, then edit part of the binary header (there's a reference to the game-specific marker sequence in map buried somewhere in the forum).

I tried it and found it a huge hassle - it's more fun and probably quicker just to make a new map

Thanks. Sounds indeed like a huge hassle. I asked it because I found this map at the Fewgoodmen. It looks very interesting, but it was made for CMFB, because the map maker, BornGinger, doesn't own CMRT. It is a map about the Battle of the Blue Hills. That was a battle in north-east Estonia between German forces and the Red Army during the summer and autumn of 1944.

Lots of great pictures, maps and other information is included in the download. Really superb work by BornGinger.

https://www.thefewgoodmen.com/tsd3/cm-final-blitzkrieg/cm-final-blitzkrieg-scenarios/the-blue-hills/

[MOS:96B2P]

4 hours ago, Aragorn2002 said:

Is it possible to convert a map from CMFB to CMRT?

There are a few forum members who know how to make the map conversions.  @sbobovyc and @DougPhresh  are two that come to mind and could probably provide guidance.   Below is a link to a thread discussing map conversion and I think it provides instructions and tools.  

 

 

[Aragorn2002]

2 hours ago, MOS:96B2P said:

There are a few forum members who know how to make the map conversions.  @sbobovyc and @DougPhresh  are two that come to mind and could probably provide guidance.   Below is a link to a thread discussing map conversion and I think it provides instructions and tools.  

 

 

Thank you! I will look into it. But if I'm going to try this I will of course first ask BornGinger for permission to convert his map.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

I'm absolutely sure it can be done, I'm using CM:FB maps in CM:BS for my 'Balkanistan' (formerly 'Fragmentistan') experiments:

However you may need to pick out a few flavour objects and modify quite a few buildings to restore the map to full functionality.

Edited January 8, 2020 by Sgt.Squarehead

[DougPhresh]

Yes it can be done! You need a hex editor, and there can't be objects on the map that don't appear in the title you are converting to (BN hedgerows, MG bridges, BS buildings).

 

[Zveroboy1]

On 1/8/2020 at 11:44 AM, Freyberg said:

I tried it and found it a huge hassle - it's more fun and probably quicker just to make a new map

There is no way in hell it is quicker to make a new map.

A large map can take weeks if not months depending on the level of detail.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

7 minutes ago, Zveroboy1 said:

There is no way in hell it is quicker to make a new map.

Damn right.

7 minutes ago, Zveroboy1 said:

A large map can take weeks if not months depending on the level of detail.

Easily.

Even converting or adapting a ported map can be very time consuming, as you say, depending on the level of detail.

Edited January 10, 2020 by Sgt.Squarehead

[Freyberg]

How sweet.

Personally I find the map editor a great pleasure to work with; and it bewilders me that some would rather fuss around with the immensely frustrating job of a file conversion - in which virtually every square of the original must be carefully checked in case it contains an element that will cause the game to crash, in order to produce a map that is usually rather flakey and may well cause the game to crash anyway - rather than engage with one of the funnest parts of the game.

But 'damn' and 'hell' chaps, if that's how you feel, then I wish you all the best.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Ummm.....We do both make maps you know. 

[Aragorn2002]

16 hours ago, DougPhresh said:

Yes it can be done! You need a hex editor, and there can't be objects on the map that don't appear in the title you are converting to (BN hedgerows, MG bridges, BS buildings).

 

Great! Right now I'm too busy, but I intend to divert the  H2H Blue Hills map, after asking permission of the talented map maker.

[com-intern]

I've done this several times and Freyberg is overestimating the amount of work it is.

Flavor objects: Are not something you generally need to worry about. Each game has them 0-indexed so the most common issue is the flavor object changing type. Its not usually an issue because they tend to be relatively similar between games. I've yet to run into an out of range error.

Unique Buildings: These need to be removed. On most maps it will take less than five minutes to index these buildings and then remove them.

Unique Terrain: This can be significantly more time consuming and is the only real stopper. But primarily occurs when dealing with games that are very far apart. E.G. CM:SF and CM:RT or CM:BN and CM:RT.

But again you can usually fix maps up within an hour if they have unique terrain problems. If nothing else you could easily export the map as a height map with residential areas and forests intact which will save you significant time.