Making my own campaigns

[scoang6777]

I still dont know what programs i need to put pictures or maps into my own missions.I love to create my own stuff and hopefully i can share them.its a hobby to me.Ive started another campaign about strictly airborne unit operations during and days after d-day.still learning about reinforcments and triggers.If i can learn all this stuff,i will be uploading a lot of campaigns.The campaign i am working on is called "Airborne Operations"I also dont know how to put things into the briefing areas.Any input would really help.

[Gnasher]

Firstly a small warning, it takes ages & ages to make your own missions on your own maps due to the amount of work you need to do.

I'll describe these in the order in which IMO they should be performed:-

Maps

You will need a graphics/picture editor such as Photoshop or PSP (I use this) to generate the 'tex' files. I've used these to process images taken from google maps to great effect. TOW maps use 2 graphics files both saved in Truevision Targa format, these are:-

maintex.tga - this is the 2km x 2km hi res centre part of the map. 1 pixel = approx 1m. It must be saved as a 2048x2048 pixel tga.

farmaintex.tga - this is a 4km x 4km image & represents a 1km strip around the maintex. It is mirrored to infinity. It must be save as a 1024x1024 pixel tga.

Once you've got these 2 files copy one of the clear map folders to MYMAPNAME. copy in your maintex & farmaintex files & then open in the map editor.

A trick I've found to get smooth transitions when using satellite photos as the source is to use the maintex brush to mark the edges of the maintex when overlaid onto the farmaintex. I then go back to PSP & edit the farmaintex & overlay a resized (512x512) maintex onto the farmaintex. You can then smudge/brush smooth transitions between the 2 so it looks alot better in the game.

Go back to the editor & do your thang with the landscape brushes, create hills, rivers etc

Add roads

Remove grass textures from roads

Add statics (Houses walls trenches etc)

Remove grass textures as required / add wheat / cultivation to fields

Add fartrees to the farmaintex part of the map

Lastly add trees

Test in game / edit as required

Here's a veiw of a new map I've just finished for the next Bulldogs release:-

Missions

Just some general advice:-

Ensure that your total unit count (Enemy + Player) never exceeds 250 at any one time, write triggers to reinforce when units are depleted/destroyed.

Take a look at stock & custom missions to get ideas about how to code your triggers. Consider modifying battlegenerator missions maybe add some extra triggers. These are good & stable I've found.

HTH

[scoang6777]

Thanx.I will probably use maps already made till i get the hang of it.How do you stick your own pictures and words into briefing,i am just trying to figure out triggers.that seems to be a tough area to learn.

[Arzok]

In the subdirectory of your mission, you have a file, briefing.dat.

you can open it with notepad.

In this file :

-----------

[ClassInfo]

ClassName TMaterial

[Layer0]

TextureName briefing.tga

tfModulate 1

tfNoWriteZ 1

tfMinLinear 1

tfMagLinear 1

tfBlend 1

tfNoDegradation 1

-------

briefing.tga is the name of the image.

Must be in TGA format, and the size must be 512x512

For the text, you have the file texts.utf8.

You can use notepad to edit.

For exemple :

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

[submission_01.Objectives]

Combat Group A

Objective: St.Aignan

[submission_01.Description]

Combat group A will lead the Southern flank attack on Gavrus. In order to obtain the final objective you must push back the Germans from the small farms of St. Aignan.

You have two headquarters in which you can call in reinforcements.

1. If you want to request armor (tank) support, send your English colonel to the U.S. captain near the Stuart.

2. If you want to request paratrooper support, send your English colonel to the English captain near the truck. Paratroppers will be dropped right on the city of St Aignan.

[submission_01.Success]

Excellent!! You have pushed back the Germans in this area. This will allow us a strategic attack point for our final mission on Gavrus.

[submission_01.Failed]

You failed to push the Germans from St. Aignan!!

Combat groups B and C will have to secure their objectives if the attack on Gavrus is to be a success.

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

[Gnasher]

Here's a bit of trgger code to do random opposition. I've created 5 groups in Army 2 to add to the main force to add variation when playing the mission. Each group is set to sleep & depending on the outcome of the RND (RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR 0-99) gives one of six variations, the 6th being >85 & the enemy get no additional forces:-

SetWorkArmy ( ARMY , 2 )

set @opt = ( RND )

if ( @opt <= 15 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option1" )

endif

if ( @opt <= 30 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option2" )

endif

if ( @opt <= 45 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option3" )

endif

if ( @opt <= 60 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option4" )

endif

if ( @opt <= 85 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option5" )

endif

Halt

[Arzok]

I think that if the number is less than 15, it will wake up all the 65 groups ?

[scoang6777]

Its all going to take a little while.I have been doing a lot of reading and a lot of mistakes but that is how you learn.I believe once i get the hang of it it will be fun to create new missions and campaigns.Its becoming a full time thing to learn.but in the end it will be worth it.I will upload as i make progress so i can find out my mistakes firsthand,and i will make them.I still enjoy TOW 1 the best.Seems to be a lot more to work with.

[Gnasher]

I think that if the number is less than 15, it will wake up all the 65 groups ?

Well spotted mate, I guess I shouldn't have cut down the real trigger. You would need a HALT statement before the ENDIF for this code to work correctly:-

SetWorkArmy ( ARMY , 2 )

set @opt = ( RND )

if ( @opt <= 15 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option1" )

Halt

endif

if ( @opt <= 30 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option2" )

Halt

endif

if ( @opt <= 45 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option3" )

Halt

endif

if ( @opt <= 60 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option4" )

Halt

endif

if ( @opt <= 85 ) then

ReinforcementLand ( Group , "Option5" )

Halt

endif

Halt

[alan123]

Did Gnasher say next Bulldog release? When when when...I am just busting to play it.

AL

[Gnasher]

Yes with at least 1 new map South Cheux & a few more missions. Just work on briefings & campaign structure to fininish & test.

Not long