How do you create copies of Maps

[Owen Wills]

I have been trying to create copies of maps so I don't screw up the existing ones, but unable to get the Map Editor to recognize them. I must be doing something wrong. It looks to me that the Map Editor has no ‘Save As’ feature; so what I have been doing is going into the Map Folder in ‘Windows Explorer’ and creating copies of the map files that way, but when I go back into the Map Editor to open and modify these new map files they are not shown in the drop-down list. So I was hoping that some one could tell me the correct way to produce new maps (in the sense of adding statics, trees, trenches, etc.) from the ones provided in the game?

It is my understanding that you need to create a new map for each scenario/mission you create unless you want the same (trees, trenches, statics, etc.) in the same locations for all the missions using this map. Or are you editing some other file associated with the map file that actual stores the information of the trees, trenches, statics and etc. per a particular mission?

[rofl]

Edit :mad:

[ November 04, 2007, 08:49 AM: Message edited by: rofl ]

[rofl]

You can only rework the defaultmap and save, because we dont have a "save as" feature

Now you play all missions wich plays on that map on your edited map, if you wanna play on the originalmap again you just cut it out from the mapfolder and save it on another place, you cant destroy the defaultmap.

[ November 04, 2007, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: rofl ]

[Owen Wills]

So you're saying 'rofl' that if you want to create a new mission you have to use a current map 'as is' otherwise none of the other missions associated with that map will be the same again if you do edit the map?

[Sneaksie]

For now, map builder just edits what map you opened and saves it to the location which overrides original map. This means that if you wnat to make new mission with this map and don't alter original map, you must make a duplicate map first (copy entire folder of this map with different name, for example Sandomierz_my instead of Sandomierz), but you can do this only if you unpack maps.sfs with Dr. Jones tool which of course is not officially supported.

Officially for now only altering existing maps is possible, but maps targau_u and Prokhorovka_m are not used in any stock missions and you can edit them as you want and then use them for your new mission.

Release of new map builder should make this more simple, in addition to landscape editing ability.

[Egon]

..really looking forward to that new map builder.

Does "landscape" include elevation / heightmaps ?

[Sneaksie]

Yes. Basically you can shape landscape as you want. Biggest challenge is not height map though, but 2048x2048 terrain texture itself. You still need graphic editing skills (i use GIMP) for editing it or creating new one.

[Egon]

Good to hear that Sneaksie, so I can begin compiling material from my archives for a historical map project. I have always enjoyed that, even to an extend, that it kept me from gaming. It´s nice contemplative work for long winter evenings (at least when doing it for fun and without a release schedule hanging over your head).

thx - Egon

[Sneaksie]

Aerial photos are best, just like for CC maps. Or even sattelite ones, if you find them with high enough resolution - 1 pixel = 1m:)

[Egon]

.. and that´s the problem, as hi-res image data is a sort of candy more for Generals than gamers these days. Experienced that, when trying to find decent satellite pics for a CM SF Iraq map. At some point I even felt, some administrative guys were getting interested in my hunt for these ..

a clear evidence, that gaming makes you paranoid, isn´t it

[Owen Wills]

Thanks All!!! I thought it was just me.