CMFI Map Question

[GhostRider3/3]

Hello Battlefront Community.

Say, I have been working on an Italian map for over a month for a scenario that I hope will be out by mid October.  I was thinking since the map is so detailed and great for H2H play, is there a way I can save just the map for H2H play?  So players can play on HUGE detailed map.  Seriously I spent over a month detailing this map and want others to be able to play it on a H2H level and also when finished enjoy the scenario.  I know the Scenarios are .btt files but never saved a map to also be played H2H.  I took about a year off so a bit rusty.

Thanks,

 

James.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Sure just save it to your Quick Battle Maps folder...But beware that it might be selected for random single player battles and will have no AI plans (& thus not work).

I also make a copy of my own maps in my Master Maps folder (if you don't have one, just create it in the same directory as Scenarios & Quick Battle Maps)...I tend to stick the prefix [Map] on my maps to make it obvious that they are not a fully fledged QB Map or Scenario.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Sgt.Squarehead

[GhostRider3/3]

40 minutes ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Sure just save it to your Quick Battle Maps folder...But beware that it might be selected for random single player battles and will have no AI plans (& thus not work).

I also make a copy of my own maps in my Master Maps folder (if you don't have one, just create it in the same directory as Scenarios & Quick Battle Maps)...I tend to stick the prefix [Map] on my maps to make it obvious that they are not a fully fledged QB Map or Scenario.

Thank you Sgt. Squarehead,  so basically if I have an AI plan for both sides it should work in the random single player?  If I get what your saying you can save the .btt file and send it to the directory.. save it as"Map.scenarioname" or the Scenarioname.Map?  

[Sgt.Squarehead]

The file should always have .btt at the end whether it's a map or a scenario.

I just use the word 'Map' as part of a naming convention on my blank maps so that I and anyone who downloads them knows what they are opening.....If I ever get a Quick Battle Map finished (ie: a map with AI plans, just as you describe above), I'd probably add 'QBM' or similar instead.

 

 

[GhostRider3/3]

Ok sounds good, will do.  Thanks again its been awhile. 

Cheers,

 

James.

[Ultradave]

Also, make sure you save a copy of it somewhere safe, like a working folder in your Documents, so that if you ever have to reinstall FI for any reason, you won't lose it in an overwrite. Then after the reinstall you can *copy* your map back into the game (copy not move, so you retain the saved one).

Dave

[GhostRider3/3]

Copy that, I have most of it on a thumb drive now.  Good tip on the "Copy" vs move aspect.  I just finished the map.  If anyone wants a copy of the Master Map let me know.  It is a HIGHLY DETAILED 3632x1296m map you can use Head to Head, or for whatever.  Took me about a month of creation.  Just PM. its like 915kb.  Just the map.  The Scenario itself with AI on both sides hopefully will be done in the next month.

 

Cheers.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

8 hours ago, GhostRider3/3 said:

If anyone wants a copy of the Master Map let me know.  It is a HIGHLY DETAILED 3632x1296m map you can use Head to Head, or for whatever.

PM Inbound.....I'm guessing you were already expecting one! 

[GhostRider3/3]

Let me know what you all think, if you want to post pics that would be cool as well.    Working more on the TOE, and AI for the next couple weeks.

 

James.

[Combatintman]

@GhostRider3/3 as @Sgt.Squareheadsaid the easiest way is to make it clear in the scenario description box - along the lines of 'Map only' or 'playable as H2H only.'  Players can then see straight away when they scroll down scenarios in the battle selection screen what they're getting.

[GhostRider3/3]

10 minutes ago, Combatintman said:

@GhostRider3/3 as @Sgt.Squareheadsaid the easiest way is to make it clear in the scenario description box - along the lines of 'Map only' or 'playable as H2H only.'  Players can then see straight away when they scroll down scenarios in the battle selection screen what they're getting.

That sounds great, will do Combatintman.  I may upload one for Map only, and another with the Scenario for play and H2H then.  Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

 

James.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

For practical map making advice @Combatintman is my 'go to guy'.....He's been helping me out with stuff while we were chatting. 

PS - Just checking out the updated version.....This map is crying out to be made into a QBM.  Not 100% sure what the scripting requirements are for such a thing, as opposed to a regular scenario, but I seem to recall there being a recent thread on the subject.

Edited September 22, 2021 by Sgt.Squarehead

[GhostRider3/3]

29 minutes ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

For practical map making advice @Combatintman is my 'go to guy'.....He's been helping me out with stuff while we were chatting. 

PS - Just checking out the updated version.....This map is crying out to be made into a QBM.  Not 100% sure what the scripting requirements are for such a thing, as opposed to a regular scenario, but I seem to recall there being a recent thread on the subject.

I have decided to make 2 versions of this map.  1. will be the scenario which will be titled as such.  Best played as Allied Player vs AI or Axis vs AI for example.  The second map version will be H2H only where I will have the setup zone completely different from the player vs AI scenario.  I believe in QB map the Players choose the equipment and plop them on the map... If I am not mistaken.. I guess Combatintman would know more.. LOL  Thanks  for such kind words on the map, its much appreciated after many days of development.  

 

James.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Thought I might post some of your eye candy:

It's a picturesque spot right enough.....But nothing that can't be fixed with sufficiently dedicated application of high explosives! 

 

[GhostRider3/3]

Awesome stuff.  I think I should be able to upload the H2H Map this week.  Although I had issues with there system last time I tried, will make sure it gets to the right spot.  My only question is that all I really need to do is create the areas where they deploy initially on the map correct?  The H2H players purchase their own units?

[Combatintman]

Pretty much - yes.  Some H2H maps have forces already picked and placed in deployment zones with orders, associated orders graphics and objectives.  You just need to be clear what you're offering.  If it is a map with deployment zones and nothing else, just say so - it's all about managing expectations and avoiding some comedian starting a thread titled 'Recce in Force is nerfed - no units' or similar.

From the images posted on Sgt S's screenshots it looks like a decent map.  Nice to see someone using Flavour Objects properly, rather than just littering them randomly.  Having just spent the equivalent of about eight hours doing the same on a 2x2km map with over 800 buildings on it (and no its not an urban map) I can appreciate the effort that went into this.

[GhostRider3/3]

Thank you Combatintman, I have already renamed a separate map for just this type of play.  I think would be cool to offer a blank large map that 2 opponents can pick their brains on, and then at the same time have another map that will have units in place with AI for both sides (this will take obviously some time and playtesting) with the option that again 2 opponents can play H2H if they want with units already on the board.  So there will be two maps for two different opportunities.

I will try and upload the H2H map later this evening after work and then respond here with the title so you know where its at.  Or I can just email it to you all, as I know there might be a delay of when it actually is posted on the site.. just in case if you all would like.

 

Semper Fi.

 

James.

[GhostRider3/3]

14 hours ago, Combatintman said:

Pretty much - yes.  Some H2H maps have forces already picked and placed in deployment zones with orders, associated orders graphics and objectives.  You just need to be clear what you're offering.  If it is a map with deployment zones and nothing else, just say so - it's all about managing expectations and avoiding some comedian starting a thread titled 'Recce in Force is nerfed - no units' or similar.

From the images posted on Sgt S's screenshots it looks like a decent map.  Nice to see someone using Flavour Objects properly, rather than just littering them randomly.  Having just spent the equivalent of about eight hours doing the same on a 2x2km map with over 800 buildings on it (and no its not an urban map) I can appreciate the effort that went into this.

Hello Combatintman,  I finished the QB map (looked at many others for descript and Mission Objectives)  My only problem now is that I spent 2 hours trying to figure out why I cant find the map I just made in the QB section.  The file is in there, its pretty simple no real massive astrophysics required.. but for some reason when I try and play a QB and try and locate that specific map it is nowhere.  I made sure it meets the required search, Large-Huge, Meeting engagement... but nada.

Any assistance would be cool

 

James.

[Combatintman]

I know this might seem like a dumb question but have you saved it in the Quick Battle Maps folder in your Game Files directory?

[GhostRider3/3]

Yes it is in there, I see the file... sooo I have no idea.. LOL

[Combatintman]

Ok in which case neither do I.  I'll be honest I don't know much about QBs but I went through all of the QB maps for the CMCW title and there was stuff in the original cut QB map folder that didn't have AI plans that I could find and open in the editor and subsequently got culled.  Admittedly I didn't try to open them in the QB dialogue so the absence of AI plans for both sides might be an issue.  The manual isn't clear in this aspect although it does say that QB maps must have plans so perhaps the wording in the manual implies that the game discards maps without AI plans in the QB selection dialogue.  Maybe just paint one AI order for each side on your map as a means of establishing whether this is the case.  Otherwise mate, I'm out of solutions for this short of offering your creation as 'map only' - heaps of people do this on the scenario depot.

[domfluff]

I've made QB maps in CMCW out of the master maps, which was my first time doing that (since the QB maps are all far too small).

Despite what the manual says, you don't need AI plans to make a valid QB map.

To make a QB map you need to have some objectives (which will all become occupy objectives), and setup zones for both sides, but that's it. I assume they need to be given VP values, but the whole process is set up to be as braindead as possible - you can basically make any map into a QB map and it will sort-of work.


What I suspect is happening is the map data. Under the data tab you need to specify whether this is a Meeting Engagement, Attack, etc., and then this will appear in the list of possible maps when you start a QB of that type. If you have it listed as an "attack" and you start a meeting engagement, you won't see it. I think this is the problem.


Other things worth knowing for Quick Battles:
 

Attacker Force Ratios

Meeting Engagement: 1 : 1
Probe: 1.5 : 1
Attack: 1.65 : 1
Assault: 1.8 : 1

Terrain/Casualties VP

Meeting Engagement: 400/600
Probe: 500/500
Attack: 650/350
Assault: 750/250

The map will assign VP based on relative points on offer. If you set up a map with two objectives, and gave them values of 2 VP and 3 VP, they would be worth 200 VP and 300 VP in a Probe Quick Battle. The same thing would apply if they were 400 VP and 600 VP, they would still be worth 200 and 300 respectively.

[chuckdyke]

4 minutes ago, domfluff said:

Despite what the manual says, you don't need AI plans to make a valid QB map

You need an AI plan if you want to publish it for other people to use. At least that is my understanding. For personal use which is in my case H&H on Hot seat I can't see the point of AI triggers. The worth Valid applies, I think is the map CM needs to publish. 

[GhostRider3/3]

So the only thing I had not done was casualty % and such.  I figured that a H2H with VP really did not need any other ratios.  Everything else is complete.  Setup, VP Objectives with occupy etc.  I also looked at most of the QB in the folder.  They were just maps with VP objectives and Setup Zones.. thats it.  Some were different, but what I had done seemed to be enough.  I will look it over again after work, try plan B.  

Thanks for all the input, it really does help even though I have made over 10 scenarios and they all work, so its odd a simple QB setup is being difficult... LOL

 

 

[GhostRider3/3]

5 hours ago, Combatintman said:

Ok in which case neither do I.  I'll be honest I don't know much about QBs but I went through all of the QB maps for the CMCW title and there was stuff in the original cut QB map folder that didn't have AI plans that I could find and open in the editor and subsequently got culled.  Admittedly I didn't try to open them in the QB dialogue so the absence of AI plans for both sides might be an issue.  The manual isn't clear in this aspect although it does say that QB maps must have plans so perhaps the wording in the manual implies that the game discards maps without AI plans in the QB selection dialogue.  Maybe just paint one AI order for each side on your map as a means of establishing whether this is the case.  Otherwise mate, I'm out of solutions for this short of offering your creation as 'map only' - heaps of people do this on the scenario depot.

I fixed it.... Maybe it was the beer.  Not sure what happened, when I had retitled the QB Scenario it defaulted back to Attack instead of what I had previously saved it as, which was a Meeting engagement.  Problem solved, I never even thought that was the issue... LOL anyways easy fix but dang, I feel I should hire a HR person to check my work..

 

James.