Here is the BMP to WBS Converter.
With this simple tool written in Python, you can make maps and scenarios just with some bitmaps and storing scenario data info the scenario file.

The zip contains the tutorial Mapmaking And Scenario Design.pdf, which contains installation instructions and that will explain step-by-step how to make a simple scenario, and the sample bitmaps and scenario files produced in the tutorial.

http://rhye.civfanatics.net/civ4/files/BMPC186_withTutorial.zip
(Tutorial updated to v1.1)


Authors: Jon Shafer, Rhye, Jesse Smith, Locutus




EDIT: here's an expanded version of the converter by Door. He added the possibility of putting improvements, routes and starting locations with the bitmaps:

(see attachment)


EDIT2:
Another modified version, with the same new features as the one above, but with many bugfixes and a reorganization of the code:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=4441600&postcount=117



.

Brilliant! Thank you very much! I think this is exactly what I need to get off and running. :D

This looks really interesting and cool. But where can I get the pyPIL. The link that appears in the PDF file in the Zip doesn't work

http://www.pythonware.com/products/pil/#pil115

Thanks a lot. Just what I needed. :)

I have made a number of maps with the original version of the utility I wrote before Rhye, Locutus and Jesse enhanced it (and gave it a pretty GUI ;)). They should be released before too long.

It's quite powerful for what started as one of my side projects and is very good at giving maps that look like real life if you put some time into it. Rhye's philosophy is somewhat different and prefers to mod things on a pixel-by-pixel basis as a WorldBuilder replacement.

It's quite powerful for what started as one of my side projects and is very good at giving maps that look like real life if you put some time into it. Rhye's philosophy is somewhat different and prefers to mod things on a pixel-by-pixel basis as a WorldBuilder replacement.

You should be able to do both ways.
In fact I written in the tutorial that one can just use the first 3 bitmaps and continue working in the world builder, or go to phase 2 and place resources and rivers by pixel.

Not sure if this is the right thread for this problem. Well however ...
To run the application, you just have to double click on the .py file corresponding to your scenario, and it will automatically launch the actual converter.


...

When you launch EmptyScenario.py, two windows open: No, thats not true for me. When I double click on the .py file, then there will open small black window for half a second or such but it is closed and nothing happens. Whats wrong?

you edited it right? It probably contains an error somewhere.

No, I only wanted to edit something, but I didn't for now. I just double click on the EmptyScenario.py. And nothing happens.

[edit: Now I know, whats going wrong: Additionaly to python and pyPIL, we need wxPython. Additional 17 MB...]

I have the same problem as Arne. Do you need Civ 4 installed for it to work?

EDIT: Ah nevermind. I installed wxPython as Arne suggested and it works now. Get it from here http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/wxpython/wxPython2.6-win32-ansi-2.6.1.0-py24.exe

Also what freeware program would you recommend for colouring the BMPs (since MSPaint isn't a great option)?

I know of GIMP but I really didn't like the look of that one.

Thought I'd take a look at this and see. I did notice, though, that Python and PyPIL have been upgraded a version number from what's said in the PDF. Will updating to the modern versions effect it at all? (I remember a while back I was trying to get something Python to work and it ended up needing an older version.)

I'm having a bit of trouble, I've followed you're little example exactly and everything came out fine, right down to the river placement. I spent quite a while on this. :king:

but my problem is... I can't make any new maps at all. strangely enough I can only make the default one and the empty one. I've got the exact color codes for all colors too.

the closest I've come is to getting in game but being defeated instantly and the whole map was just mountains.

any thoughts as to what's going wrong?

the whole map was just mountains

Same thing that happened to me... And also my map didn´t go round, earth like, in the world view...

Strange I've successfully created a map just fine following these instructions.

Though it did have a few anomalous mountains here and there...

I haven't recieved Civ IV yet, but thanks to your wonderful utility I've started making maps. It's great. Thanks.

I have a couple of questions about the nature of the files the program creates... I know that python can be used to create map scripts. Several custom map scripts are included with the game... my first question is, is the .py file created by your utility a map script? Rather than creating a WB Save file, can I treat the .py file as a custom map script.

The reason I ask this, is that I want to create a scenario map with some random characteristics... I believe the WB Save file is fixed once it is created, so random generation of resources or starting locations, etc. is not possibile. I'm guessing this has to be done when the save file is generated. Map scripts allow this randomness... that's why I'm asking whether the generated py file is a script.

What I really want to do in my scenario is pre-place certain "cultural" resources, but otherwise randomize resource placement. Your program allows me to input coordinates to place resources... however, I'd like to introduce some of the random placement algorithms that I suppose the map scripts have... is this at all possible? If it is, I hope a simple cut and paste into the .py file would do it... again, this all depends if your program generates a map script.

I'm not a programmer, and my skills are limited in this area. Are the above suppositions about the files correct? Or should I just give up these ideas now...

and this is likely asking too much... but if its a really simple matter of cut and paste, could you add a randomresourse.py to your download... that is if my ideas are not out to lunch and you think it might be a useful addition to the utility.:blush:

Thank you for the utility, once again.

map with some random characteristics... I believe the WB Save file is fixed once it is created, so random generation of resources or starting locations, etc. is not possibile. I'm guessing this has to be done when the save file is generated. Map scripts allow this randomness... that's why I'm asking whether the generated py file is a script.

What I really want to do in my scenario is pre-place certain "cultural" resources, but otherwise randomize resource placement. Your program allows me to input coordinates to place resources... however, I'd like to introduce some of the random placement algorithms that I suppose the map scripts have... is this at all possible? If it is, I hope a simple cut and paste into the .py file would do it... again, this all depends if your program generates a map script.


i think you'd have to edit the converter itself.
it's open source, after all...

You could try leaving the resource info when using the converter blank. Then when you load the map in civ4 use the world builder to manually place all of the resources.

By the way, I'm still having trouble creating a custom map, any thoughts or tips from anyone would greatly be appreciated. The game either quites outright, or loads a map with nothing but mountains.

Make sure you the only colours you have in the bitmaps are the ones from the manual. And I would suggest you resize your BMPs so that one pixel in BMP = one tile in WBS. This has worked for me a few times now.

So resize your BMPs to 128 x 80 (or whatever size you want), colour it the way you want (you'll need to zoom i real close and colour the pixels seperately where necessary).

Then when you set the BMP Converter Options in the app that you input the same numbers for the X and Y fields as the pixels in the BMP.

Hope that helps.

Yeah, that's actually what I've been doing from the start.

odd though, I guess I'll just have to keep trying.

Maybe I'll reinstall all the python stuff before I give it another shot.

Question.

In the .pdf it explains how to do a river layer BMP. I'm working on trying this now. However it doesn't say whether the background of the river BMP needs to be painted green or not.

The picture example in the .pdf shows the rivers painted directly onto the height BMP. Is that how it should be done or should we paint the whole backround green, like in the terrain and feature BMPs?

This is cool, thanks for making it. :)

Feet:

I start with a green base for everything - makes it easier. Unless you use the colors recognized by the program it doesn't really matter though. Unless Rhye changed it I don't think the river map cares about green. It's just easier to start with the same base image for all of the final output.

Ahhhh, just read the instructions properly. They get put on the height map.

Doh! Must. Read. Properly.

EDIT: Ah ok. Yes it's easiest to use the height BMP as your base for all the other BMPs. :P

Erm. Is there an easy way to reverse the flow of rivers. I may have accidentally plotted then from the coast inwards, instead of the other way around, in my BMP.

*smacks self for being silly, again*

:(

Hey, I made a map with this, but when I tried to build my first city (in the game), the game crashed. What's up with that?

Bah it accepts my bitmap and runs to completion and creates a map that is all grass :( . Loading this causes the "you have been defeated" issue when you go to load it.

I have been having the mountain problem too.

When I open the file in notepad, it tells me that I have grasslands in there but then when I open it with Civ IV all the land is mountain.

thx much~~~~~

It's a good MOD tool~

Use it,we can create a beatiful civ world~~~~~~~~~`

thanks so much~

When I try and run any of the .py files, only one plain black window comes up and nothing else happens. I don't think its a mistake as it does the same with the two unedited scenario .py files that come with converter. Any ideas?

EDIT: Never mind, I'm a fool who can't read threads properly. Installed wxPython and it runs now.

This is a great first step towards a full-featured external map editing program.

Here is the BMP to WBS Converter.
With this simple tool written in Python, you can make maps and scenarios just with some bitmaps and storing scenario data info the scenario file.

The zip contains the tutorial Mapmaking And Scenario Design.pdf, which contains installation instructions and that will explain step-by-step how to make a simple scenario, and the sample bitmaps and scenario files produced in the tutorial.

http://www.civfanatics.net/~rhye/BMPC186_withTutorial.zip

Authors: Jon Shafer, Rhye, Jesse Smith, Locutus


to a moderator: please make this thread sticky

Is there any way to create a WBS -> BMP conversion program?

Is there any way to create a WBS -> BMP conversion program?

there is no way right now
maybe some day someone will write that tool

Ack, I'm having the mountain problem too. I've resized my BMP's to the same size as the map, and the only colours they should have is the ones needed. Should the bmp pallette be limited to just those colours though? Or is it ok to leave it as a standard 16 milllion colour BMP?

That might be your problem possibly, I think it needs to be a 24million colour BMP. Mine have automatically been that and I have now 4 BMP layers (not done Bonus, too many colours :P) and they all work fine. I'll upload the pics of my BMPs later so peeps can see an example.

The zip contains a tutorial and the sample bitmaps used. Use them as templates

Or just do that. :p

there is no way right now
maybe some day someone will write that tool

Are you saying that there isn't a way because nobody has written a program yet? Or there isn't a way because Civ IV and the WPS files aren't structured to be read like that? (meaning, it's fundamentally impossible)

Bah it accepts my bitmap and runs to completion and creates a map that is all grass :( . Loading this causes the "you have been defeated" issue when you go to load it.

I'm having the same "you have been defeated" problem that you and Jason are having.

Anyone have any ideas?

Try using 24-million color bitmaps?

I do......

Maybe your map is just too big?

I've created another map and I get the same problem now... just defeated straight away. Either that or your civs starting locations are under the ocean or if there's only mountains then you'd get the same thing? There's no way to specify exactly where your civ will start so that's a possibility I guess.

I reckon it could be a size thing. The map I made is 120 x 180 and I think it's just too big to deal with.

There's no way to specify exactly where your civ will start so that's a possibility I guess.

there are several ways do set startinglocs! :rolleyes:

1. on page 36 in the pdf is explained how you can code the startingplots in your *.py python-file

2. you can load your map (*.civ4worldbuildersave) in a texteditor (notepad,...), search the coordinates where a startloc should be and type 'Startingplot'

3. you can load it in the worldbuilder and place there the startingunits (i guess, thats impossible in fact of the 'you have been defeated problem'...)

i have already done two maps :D ---> http://www.civforum.de/showthread.php?t=27891
and http://www.civforum.de/showthread.php?t=27892

I'm getting this error:


Setting WBSPath to C:\Python24\test.Civ4WorldBuilderSave

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Python24\BMPtoWBSConverter186.py", line 273, in OnStart
err = self.wxApp.ConvertBMP()
File "C:\Python24\BMPtoWBSConverter186.py", line 375, in OnStart
self.HeightMap = Image.open(self.HeightMap)
File "C:\Python24\BMPtoWBSConverter186.py", line 1717, in open
fp = __builtin__.open(fp, "rb")
IOError: [Errno2] No such file or directory: ' '

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

I'm getting this exact same error with anything I try. Even the blank maps don't work and give the same error messages.

Anyone have any ideas?

@ 0d1n3oo3Broad: Ok well I haven't got that far with my map yet (which also works), so no need to be snippy, I don't mind being corrected (I'm new to modding Civ) but there was no need for the patronising rolly eyes. Atleast I'm trying to help the guy.

I didn't specify any starting locations for my map and all the civs still start on random locations on the map with no problems, like I said it was only a possibility.

I thought the size of the map may be causing the problem more then the starting locations. I say that too.

@feet
it was not ment to be snippy! i just wanted to help because i thought you didnt know how to set startinglocs! i had already the same 'you have been defeated'-problem and it hasn't occured since i set startingpositions so i thougt 'tell them this...'
another point to set startingpositions manually is that your startingpos is EVERY time the same! i do not know if it minds you but it minds me!

so i apologize if you felt insulted or so, it was in no way ment to be snippy! :beer: :D
allthough, im also new to civ-*modding* (just done 2 maps..) and i just wanted to tell you my experiences so that you know what to do if you get the same strange things....

Ok no worries 0d1n3oo3Broad. :) I'm very interested in what you know, just didn't like the smiley you used. I'm probably reading to much into it anyway. Forget about it. :D

Also I don't (or didn't) know how to set the starting locations! I certianly haven't set any on my map, and it works fine.

How come in my map the starting locations set themselves on a correct tile automatically (instead of ocean or mountain tiles)? And in other peoples maps they are getting the you have been defeated message cause the starting locs are in mountains or under water... very odd.

No idea why mine worked straight off and others do not.

Ok well I think that you actually need a height map and a terrain map to be able to open the wbs in worldbuilder.

Using just a height map producing the following in the WBS file,

BeginPlot
x=1,y=122
BonusType=
TerrainType=TERRAIN_OCEAN
PlotType=3
EndPlot
BeginPlot
x=1,y=123
BonusType=
TerrainType=TERRAIN_OCEAN
PlotType=3
EndPlot
BeginPlot
x=2,y=0
BonusType=
TerrainType=NONE
PlotType=2
EndPlot
BeginPlot
x=2,y=1
BonusType=
TerrainType=NONE
PlotType=2
EndPlot
BeginPlot
x=2,y=2
BonusType=
TerrainType=TERRAIN_COAST
PlotType=3

I'm thinking you need to have a terrain map that's completely green for it to work in the Worldbuilder.

That's the problem. In the .pdf manual it says,
"Actually, only the first is required to generate a map. You can just select the heights map, andpress Cancel for the others."
This is not true. You need a height map, and a terrain map that is completely green for it to work.

EDIT: yes I've just tested this and that is the problem, my new map works but you need to have atleast a height BMP and a completely green terrain BMP fo it to work.

i have not tried it only with the height map. i have done 5 maps from the beginning. and it worked and still works fine to me ;) it sounds to be a lot of work but it's going smoother and easier than in the civ3-editor!

to set startinglocs i have done it this way: i have loaded my height map in MS paint, mirrored(?) it verticaly (cause civ4 has the coordinatesystem from the lower-left corner, ms paint from the upper-left) and just pointed over a tile, read the coordinates and set a startingloc (i have also pointed the pixel in pink to see where i have alreay one; i havent saved it but i would say you should it save under *startingloc.bmp* or so; you dont know if you need it later again...i did and had to search the coordinates out of the file and havent saved it again..... :( )

i hope my tips will help you! :goodjob: i have 'worked' the whole weekend on my maps until i knowed how it works how it should :)

but i have discoverd another problem: i have tried to set ladmarks and (i think) if a landmark is on the same tile or even near of a tile with a startingloc the message appears again....it's strange.....

This is a great program, but is it possible to either:

1.Change the program so it uses other picture files (e.g. JPG files).
2.Change the pictures so they are BMP.
Thanks again Rhye,
Tboy

If you have a jpg picture you want to change to BMP, do this.

Open it in MS Paint, click File and then Save As.

Choose BMP from filetype drop down menu and hey presto you got the same pic in BMP format. Or you can just just the extension up to you.

I can't get it to work. I installed Python and PyPIL and extracted the zip file to my python directory C:/Python24. I double-clicked on the emptyscenario.py file and I got a console window open up for a second and then it closed. How do I get it to open up the little application window like the walkthrough suggested? I beleive I followed it the right way.

Thanks for any help.

Right click on the file and choose "edit with IDLE"

False. Correct answer is to go read the posts on the front of the page. Someone already had this problem.

Correct Answer (complete) is that you need to download and install this program: wxPython

Now, hopefully you have both learned something very valuable about Google ;p

Perhaps someone can edit the original post - so that it will all be in one place?

Respect Rhye

Help! :)
I have Python 2.4, Imaging-1.1.5 and wxPython2.6-win32-ansi-2.6.1.0-py24.exe installed and when I double click "EmptyScenario.py" appears a black window for 1 second and then this window close. If I edit this file with IDLE and there type F5 sometime appears a message of error and sometimes a screen where I can type any command.

what I supose to do??? :blush:

To run it just double click on the emptyscenario.py. I had the same problem's as the others. I installed the three following things.

PIL-1.1.5.win32-py2.4.exe Size = 521KB
python-2.4.2.msi Size = 9445KB
wxPython2.6-win32-ansi-2.6.1.0-py24.exe Size = 5325KB

Cut and paste them into google and if neccesary do a find in page on the website that it finds.

I did of course reboot, which I don't think is even neccesary but what can it hurt. Then extract the BMPC186_withTutorial.zip into the directory C:\Python24 and double-click the emptyscenario.py file.

That should at least run the program. The PDF is pretty theral on this info. Good luck ;)

you haven't to unzip the BMPC186_withTutorial.zip to the python folder. it works also in another folder. eg. i've made a new folder called 'bitmapkonverter' in my documents (or where you want). i think its better to work with. there are only the utilities of the conv in it and not all the other things that are in the python folder. i have also made for every map a seperate folder with its bmps in it.
just a tip how i did it ;)

Just to say I've modified the original converter so that it can now add routes (roads/rails), improvements and starting locations from bmp images. Rhye has been kind enough to add it to the first post in the thread, here (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=135740).

Guys, I'm having some problems here, the map-part is going smooth, had some trouble with startinglocations, but anyone noticed the # of civs isn't working (doesn't matter what value I insert I just keep getting the fewest of it's map-size) (2 for duel, 3 for Tiny, 5 for Small...)

Now the big problem, my map is meant for 4 players...

Any idea this is a local problem (my version), or is it everywhere?

i think you have to edit it manually, how many players there should be. it should be mentioned in the pdf. i think i have read it there already. i will have a look and report later. :)

If you change the map size parameter in the wbs it changes the default number of players, but it also changes other settings. I'm not to sure how to change the number of players without changing this though.

I tried using the converter and I got an error message that says :

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Development\Python24\BMPtoWBSConverter186.py", line 273, in OnStart
err = self.wxApp.ConvertBMP()
File "C:\Development\Python24\BMPtoWBSConverter186.py", line 375, in ConvertBM
P
self.HeightMap = Image.open(self.HeightMap)
File "C:\Development\Python24\Lib\site-packages\PIL\Image.py", line 1717, in o
pen
fp = __builtin__.open(fp, "rb")
IOError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: ''

What do I need to do? I don't know any Python and I have a feeling it may be a simple config issue as it happens with the demo file too.

on page 28 in the pdf it says how to do.
you have to edit it in the python-file.
i think it should also work if you reedit your map in notepad. probably with the same coding....

*4.2.3 Civilization Info
For each player, the WBS should contain at least:
BeginPlayer
LeaderType=NONE
CivType=NONE
Team=#
EndPlayer
28
With # as the player number, from 0 to 17 (18 is the barbarian civ).
So, EmptyScenario.py contains inside getExtraWBSText_Civs:
"\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=0\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=1\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=2\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=3\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=4\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=5\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=6\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=7\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=8\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=9\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=10\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=11\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=12\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=13\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=14\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=15\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=16\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=17\nEndPlayer"
That is, no player info. In this case, the number of players will determines automatically from
CIV4WorldInfo.xml, accordingly to your world size setting.
We’ll add 3 civs: 1 playable and 2 not playable.
\nBeginPlayer \
\n\tTeam=0 \
\n\tLeaderType=LEADER_MAO_ZEDONG \
\n\tCivType=CIVILIZATION_CHINA \
\n\tPlayableCiv=1 \
\n\tHandicap=HANDICAP_NOBLE \
\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer \
\n\tTeam=1 \
\n\tLeaderType=LEADER_NAPOLEON \
\n\tCivType=CIVILIZATION_FRANCE \
\n\tPlayableCiv=0 \
\n\tHandicap=HANDICAP_NOBLE \
\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer \
\n\tTeam=2 \
\n\tLeaderType=LEADER_BISMARCK \
\n\tCivType=CIVILIZATION_GERMANY \
\n\tPlayableCiv=0 \
\n\tHandicap=HANDICAP_NOBLE \
\nEndPlayer \
Leader type and Civ type are simply the links to leader personality stored in
CIV4LeaderHeadInfos.xml and to civilizations settings stored in CIV4CivilizationInfos.xml.*

I tried using the converter and I got an error message that says :

What do I need to do? I don't know any Python and I have a feeling it may be a simple config issue as it happens with the demo file too.

Are you sure you used the file-->load BMP converter options or file-->set BMP converter options before you tried to convert? If you didn't you'd receive an error somewhat like this.

downloaded it all......wow.....

on page 28 in the pdf it says how to do.
you have to edit it in the python-file.
i think it should also work if you reedit your map in notepad. probably with the same coding....

*4.2.3 Civilization Info
For each player, the WBS should contain at least:
BeginPlayer
LeaderType=NONE
CivType=NONE
Team=#
EndPlayer
28
With # as the player number, from 0 to 17 (18 is the barbarian civ).
So, EmptyScenario.py contains inside getExtraWBSText_Civs:
"\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=0\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=1\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=2\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=3\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=4\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=5\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=6\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=7\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=8\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=9\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=10\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=11\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=12\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=13\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=14\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=15\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=16\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer\n\tLeaderType=NONE\n\tCivType=NONE\n \tTeam=17\nEndPlayer"
That is, no player info. In this case, the number of players will determines automatically from
CIV4WorldInfo.xml, accordingly to your world size setting.
We’ll add 3 civs: 1 playable and 2 not playable.
\nBeginPlayer \
\n\tTeam=0 \
\n\tLeaderType=LEADER_MAO_ZEDONG \
\n\tCivType=CIVILIZATION_CHINA \
\n\tPlayableCiv=1 \
\n\tHandicap=HANDICAP_NOBLE \
\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer \
\n\tTeam=1 \
\n\tLeaderType=LEADER_NAPOLEON \
\n\tCivType=CIVILIZATION_FRANCE \
\n\tPlayableCiv=0 \
\n\tHandicap=HANDICAP_NOBLE \
\nEndPlayer \
\nBeginPlayer \
\n\tTeam=2 \
\n\tLeaderType=LEADER_BISMARCK \
\n\tCivType=CIVILIZATION_GERMANY \
\n\tPlayableCiv=0 \
\n\tHandicap=HANDICAP_NOBLE \
\nEndPlayer \
Leader type and Civ type are simply the links to leader personality stored in
CIV4LeaderHeadInfos.xml and to civilizations settings stored in CIV4CivilizationInfos.xml.*

I could be wrong at this, but doesn't this part sets WHICH factions are playable, instead of setting the AMOUNT of players

Okay, we might have ourselves a breakthrough on the issue with the "# of players-topic"

I've been having a closer look at some other scenarios (to be precise the US-revolution one) I've tried many lines that were in there, none did worked, then checked the mod, no trace of the default # of players being edited, anyway I turned back on the map file and after a while I tried these lines in the "blocked-player slots":

BeginPlayer
LeaderType=NONE
CivType=NONE
Team=4
Color=NONE
ArtStyle=NONE
EndPlayer

Note. Offcource it's Team=4 for player 5, Team=5 for player 6, etc...

I'm not really sure you need both color=none as artstyle=none to make it work, but I'm a bit tired after all this so hell... it works :goodjob:

Please edit the manual. I think the manual should state in the very begining that you should work on a map the exact same size pix for each plot of land that the civ map will be. It has fowled me all up. It says it will do calculations to make the map smaller. Well the calculations 'suck'. I have played with large maps and worked extremely hard at making them very acurate only to have mountains appear like locusts. :mad: :mad: :mad: Then by sheer determination and effort I started resizing them smaller and smaller as well as cross checked all color issues. Which I did find myself not using a 24bit BMP. But I did that change as well. But still the mountains were like a plague. I felt like pharoah. The point be said the Manual in big bold letters should say right under the title. Use 24bit BMP's that use the exact size of the map you want (1 pixel should = 1 square of land in the game) ;) I would have been so much farther along and not have wasted three weekends fighting larger than life high-res nasa pictures to create a life like terrain of the middle east that ended up being a big blob of mountains.

The tool is nice and the manual is much appreciated but please modify it and re-upload for the future scenario makers. :goodjob:

Tbear2520

if you have read the manual carefully, you should have read this information earlier ;) so i did ;)

So THAT's why my East Asian map is so messed up.... Thanks.

And can we have your middle east map and make scenarios with it? :D

I have just tried this utility, and other than the fact that Python caused me billions of problems, it's an INCREDIBLE good script. My map came out exactly like I wanted (as I'm experienced with graphics editing and took every second to place the right pixels to the right spots), and I'm amazed by the end result.

Now the only thing left is to make this user friendly and have couple of small fixes. It only needs a better GUI: one in which you can fill a form-like thing to add the civs yourself, maybe...

Okay, I got a serious problem here. I've converted a map from my BMP files before, and it worked fine, the result is up on the user created maps (Ancient Mediterranean). Now I've tried to add some starting locations in, and I get a serious error when the file is supposed to be written. I just can't figure it out. I updated to the latest version, the BMPs seem to be right, I've checked all the indentation... no clue. Can anyone have a look at this please?

Can anyone have a look at this please?

TAM, here's a working version of the file.

BeginPlayer
LeaderType=LEADER_SALADIN
CivType=CIVILIZATION_ARABIA
Team=0
PlayableCiv=1
StartingX=73, StartingY=14
Handicap=HANDICAP_NOBLE
EndPlayer

The order of above is crucial.

Question though - how did you determine the numbers for the XY location you wanted them to start at. (Ruler in paint program?)

Look in your Ancient Mediterranean Map forum for the attachment

Tbear2520

Question though - how did you determine the numbers for the XY location you wanted them to start at. (Ruler in paint program?)



Flip the image vertically, and any graphics program including MS Paint will show you the coordinates

Thanks Rhye, I was using Photoshop and paint seams much easier to locate the XY. :)

Tbear2520

Well I got the river portion down pat. I spent all day putting in rivers on my new map. (Not yet released) Basically it's to early. It will become a full blown Mod when completed. But the land is coming together nice now. I will have to redo my feature map and put a bonus map together still, But it's 72x144. I had to srink it down to this to get it to load properly. Of course that was before the 1.09 patch. So who knows if the bigger one would now work better. Most of it is land and with a really awesome setup. I can't give to much away. It takes time to create and this project will be posted once the map is made. The Mod will take some more considerable time. Let's just say that I promise to post it when the map is up to par. ;) The scenario will be playing in the medieval era playing mostly on land with large armies, a total of twelve civ's. Thanks for the assistance in using this converter.

Tbear2520

Is your map 72 x-axis by 144 y-axis...? I'm interested because I'm working on a 128 X by 154 Y, and had earlier heard that there was a limit to 128 on the Y-axis. Does your map work ok?

Yes my map is 72 Wide and 144 Tall. I have no problems. The 1.09 patch did help some with the scrolling around and viewing it inside the world builder.

Tbear2520

My signature below has a link to the map I created using this convertor from this thread. There was and is a learning curve but this utility proves to be a great assistance.

Granted it took me some manual editing of bitmaps in order for colors to properly sort for various little things that were difficult to extract out based on color, but that's more of an issue with the maps and not the convertor.

One of the hardest parts about trying to make an acurate map is placing resources. Well I came across the site below.

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/israel.html

It helped me a lot in the locating natural resources for the map\scenario I am creating. See my signature for more information. I just thought I would share this site with those that might need it.

I have been having the mountain problem too.

When I open the file in notepad, it tells me that I have grasslands in there but then when I open it with Civ IV all the land is mountain.

I have a problem that falls into the mountain problem category I guess. There are mountains all where the ocean should be on my map.

Nevermind. I feel so stupid. I didn't use the right color for the ocean. I guess I dont have the same mountain problem after all.

all I get are mountains, great concept for a tool, but it seems you need to be a programer to get it to work...
I've just been trying to get the height map to work and using 'blank' for the other, still mountains. resized one pixel per game tile, still mountains... i give up.

Can you post the images you're working from Good Sauce?

Well after I gave up i scrapped all the old images i was trying to use. Of course I'm stubborn and can't truly give up on anything so frustrating... I got hr_oskar's BMPs hoping they would work. Tried to make a map of Denmark, instead of mountains I got ocean this time though with coast outlines. It seems to place ocean and coast okay, but when I open the WBS as a text all the squares that should be grassland have terrain=none. I'm using corel paint shop pro X (trial) as my image editor (if it has a resizing tool without anti-aliasing i can't find it, the 5 on the list it has all change some pixels colors). the BMP I used and the resulting WBS are atached.
edit: it's not letting me upload the WBS... [shrug]

very simple answer. you are using just 1 bitmap! You need one for heights, one for terrains, one for features at least. And you might want to add the ones for rivers and for resources.

I'm using corel paint shop pro X (trial) as my image editor (if it has a resizing tool without anti-aliasing i can't find it, the 5 on the list it has all change some pixels colors).


the 4th will resize by pixel

hm, well I kinda feel like a moron now. Got it working, but still having some hiccups, good program but it's got one hell of a learning curve if you dont have experince with image editing. In the PDF it said once you had the height map you could skip the others, thats where my problem came from.

oh, well the height map is the minimum necessary to make it work, not to make a good map...

The help file says that I should turn anti-aliasing off but I have no idea how to do that with GIMP :(

If any of you don't know how to do that with GIMP, I guess that help for any other image editing program is sufficient too. I'm just so impatient to see if my map works in the game :)

Mmhhh... the link doesnt work for me, it says file not found or something.... HELP

it works now

I have a problem when im launching the Empty scenario.. It says in the tutorial that two windows should open up, but the only thing that happens is that a doswindow comes up for like a second, but then nothing more.. Is there anything u can do to fix it?

Thx :p

There's nothing to fix, the program works perfectly.
try to read what's written in the dosbox to understand what you are doing wrong

i think you haven't installed python
you need it to work with the tool

I'll try this here first even if the last reply is quite old.

I would like to use the converter so as to make warlords map instead of vanilla.

Anybody thinks it's possible?

in principle you just have to rename the ending from *.Civ4WorldBuilderSave to *.CivWarlordsWBSave.

but a dropdown to choose it would nevertheless be nice.

in principle you just have to rename the ending from *.Civ4WorldBuilderSave to *.CivWarlordsWBSave.Yes, that works fine for me.

My experience is, that the maximum number of plots for a map is 32768, beyond that no map could be used.

Also should huge maps be usable for computers with less memory, when you lower the graphic details. I only have 1.25 GB of RAM and can use a 287*113 map.

I am trying to use this but on page 11 it says, bit source map, then has height map, where is this??? where to look?? i am new so expect alot of questions?
and i have all installed correctly and i did get a map to appear, just like up to this point, if you were wondering.

the source bitmap is the image from which you make your map from. eg a satelite-picture from an earth-region, a nude picture of your girlfriend ( ;) ) or anything else.
the heigh map is the Default_H.bmp which is in your bmp to wbs converter-folder.

OK got that, but where do i precede from next then? To get those Height: Peak, Hill,Vally, Coast and Ocean? What do i open, i tried the map i made from the instructions and i get a black screen for a second, then gone.? Am i in the ballpark area?

the peak, hill, valley, etc, etc you paint with the corresponding colors in your bmp.
you should open DefaultScenario.py (the scenario of the manual) or EmptyScenario.py. the only file which opens a black window for a second is BMPtoWBSConverter186.py.

od1n3003!!!

i need some help with this program to make a map for warlords! i have spent many hours trying to make it work. ive been getting water only instant defeats, and i once got a peaks only instant defeat! what to do :cry: :cry:

here are my three maps im doing, can you help me get this into something i can start working with:

it looks like you are using palette-colors instead of RGB.
you have to convert it to RGB and use the RGB-colors mentioned in the manual.

example:
Peak = (128, 0, 0)
Hill = (192, 0, 64)
Valley = (0, 128, 0)
Coast = (0, 0, 255)
Ocean = (0, 0, 128)

i've changed the height map with the proper colors and tried:
http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/5670/civ4screenshot0014jg5.jpg

i noticed the colors where off, so lemme give that a try now!!

thanks bro, i knew somthin was screwy!! :goodjob:

um, btw, do you use GIMP? how would i go about converting the colors to RGB in gimp?

I must be lost here, ok i am on page 11 what do i do?
then after that?

what exactly don't you understand?

take your source-image which you want to convert to a civ4-map. open it in a paint-programme (ms paint, etc) and then all you have to do is to paint the topography in the colors mentioned there. on page 12 the RGB-values of the topography are listed.

OK, this is what i ended up with, but i opened the map and its all mountains and water??

your green in the terrain.bmp is to bright. your green is {0,255,0} but it should be {0,128,0}. because of this mistake the converter makes all the land as mountains. you need at least a (correct) height.bmp and terrain.bmp.

the green in your height.bmp is also wrong. it's {0,166,0} but should also be {0,128,0}.

i uploaded my colorkey.png which i merged from the pics in the pdf some mont ago as i started mapmaking. you can grasp the colors or type them into the rgb-table. it's ordered in the same oorder as it appears in the pdf.
- height map
- terrain
- features
- rivers

your green in the terrain.bmp is to bright. your green is {0,255,0} but it should be {0,128,0}. because of this mistake the converter makes all the land as mountains. you need at least a (correct) height.bmp and terrain.bmp.

the green in your height.bmp is also wrong. it's {0,166,0} but should also be {0,128,0}.

i uploaded my colorkey.png which i merged from the pics in the pdf some mont ago as i started mapmaking. you can grasp the colors or type them into the rgb-table. it's ordered in the same oorder as it appears in the pdf.
- height map
- terrain
- features
- rivers


OK great i got it working , i am so pleased, THX for the help, really.:goodjob: and the great rgb table.

EDIT: Do you know how to chnage the size of an already existing map? ie Huge to Standard?

what exactly do you mean? the "SIZE_HUGE" in the map or the dimensions (fe: 80x60) of the map?
you can do the first easily when you open the map in a texteditor like notepad.

but the second.....if you don't have the bmps for the map, then it's going to be a hard work. if you wan't a 100x50 map afterwards resize to 80x40, the you also have to delete all the coordinates between 100 and 80 in x-direction and 50 and 40 in y-direction. that would be 200 coordinates.

Just wondering, about 90% of the time that i make the map larger on the height side, when i look at the map it says "You are defeated", also i put in for 11 players when the scale is different from the 11 player default, and it only puts five civs there but the WB has the 11 listed, but not on the map , unless they are in the BLACKED out area? Hope i made everything understanding here?

Hi, attached is a version of BMPtoWBSConverter186.py with the following
changes:

- Bonuses are not placed on Peaks.
- Converter no longer gives an error when an optional map is missing.
- Converter is now backward compatible with scenario files before
Door's mod. It also doesn't output empty "RouteType=" if route
map missing, nor empty "BonusType=" if bonus map is missing.

some friendlier error and UI handling:
- User can choose to append ".Civ4WorldBuilderSave" or
".CivWarlordsWBSave" to output file name.
- Converter exits with error if Height map is detected to be not
a 24-bit, RGB BMP file.
- Converter warns user if Terrain map is missing.
- Converter doesn't quit with error if user cancels WSB file
dialog box.
- Open file dialog remembers working directory.
- On MacOSX, script first changes directory to script's directory.

some bug fixes:
- DetermineImprovementData() checked for existence of BonusMap,
corrected to check for ImprovementMap.
- DetermineFeatureData() in the case of flood plains checked
for CoastsFlag for auto placement, corrected to check for
FloodPlainsFlag.
- Count river stuff lines in ConvertBMP() were indented too much.
- Use None (null object) instead of "NONE" or "".

hi, thank you for this unofficial 187!

I'm adding a link to this in the 1st page.

cheers. thx for posting it on first page.

OK tried out the new product and all i did was change the size to 128X80 and Civ starts to 18 and it came back, "You have been defeated." ??? And i loaded each one correctly.

EDIT: Tried different map with h/t/f/r/etc and it worked. But then i tried your default stuff again and same results You were defeated.

PS The color code for IVORY must be wrong, i have tried on five different maps and IVORY is always 0 and i know i put at least 15 marked on map.?

PS The color code for IVORY must be wrong, i have tried on five different maps and IVORY is always 0 and i know i put at least 15 marked on map.?

Hi hoyt. I don't have the same problem with IVORY as you do. Have you modified Default_B.bmp or any of the other Default bmp files in any way, or
even simply loading and saving them in a paint program?

Try to download a new copy of these files from the first page of this thread
and see if you're still having the same problem. I suspect that your IVORY
color code may be off, as you said.

Edit:

Ah, I see what's going on: as smellymummy pointed out in a post on
apolyton, the color code for IVORY is listed as (128,64,64) in the manual,
but (128,128,64) is used in Default_B.bmp and in the code itself.
Try using (128,128,64) for IVORY and see if that clears your problem.

cheers.

Hi hoyt. I don't have the same problem with IVORY as you do. Have you modified Default_B.bmp or any of the other Default bmp files in any way, or
even simply loading and saving them in a paint program?

Try to download a new copy of these files from the first page of this thread
and see if you're still having the same problem. I suspect that your IVORY
color code may be off, as you said.

Edit:

Ah, I see what's going on: as smellymummy pointed out in a post on
apolyton, the color code for IVORY is listed as (128,64,64) in the manual,
but (128,128,64) is used in Default_B.bmp and in the code itself.
Try using (128,128,64) for IVORY and see if that clears your problem.

cheers.


OK will give it a try the next map i try to make, and thx.

I have downloaded this, and have tried and tried to get the Default Scenario to run, following the instructions in Chapter 5, and I keep getting to a screen that says "Waiting for Civ Choices" then after that it says Leader Description. Nothing else loads.

Please help me.

I just downloaded all the files per the tutorial, everything works fine.

All I have to say is WOW! What a lot of work to create a map!

I have an idea for a neat mod, and I have an existing actual map in several formats, but I'm not sure I have the time to perform the daunting task of converting it into CivIV...but we will see. I need to wait for the obsession to take hold of me and carry me headlong into the black hole...heh!

Nice work on the converter, and more importantly, on the tutorial.

Cheers

does this tool map maps 50X33 plots

does this tool map maps 50X33 plots


You can make them any size you want.

Can I type in changes in the python file for changes or additions to the rivers without changing the original BMP. I know its possible to change terrain this way...

I figured out how to change rivers with changes in the python file... I use the writecityunits area as follows

# Write cities and units

if iPlotX == 31 and iPlotY == 73:
mpc.OutputFile.write("\tisNOfRiver \ \n\tRiverWEDirection=1 \n")

for example, will write the river directly into the plot.

However, I am having a little difficulty with my river map... I am able to paint in rivers quite nicely except something seems to be wrong with just one direction...when I paint a tile with (255,255,0) instead of southeast to northeast as stated, I am getting southwest to southeast and northeast, the same as (128,128,0). All other tile colors work out as expected except for the when I want the river to flow straight north.

If anyone is still supporting this program, could you tell me if this is a known bug, or what I might possibily doing wrong.

My mistake... I was using 255 255 128 for some strange reason. Works now.

Sorry.

I apologize if this is somewhere in the posts, but does this utility convert a WBS file to a BMP? Is there some utility that does that, turns a WBS file into a graphic?

Thanks.

Sorry, I got it, thanks.

The tutorial does not appear to be working...

So I see others have got this problem too. I have Set Convertor options (and I set the height and terrain map), and I go to Convert, and I get this error message:

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Python24\BMPtoWBSConverter186.py", line 313, in OnStart
err = self.wxApp.ConvertBMP()
File "C:\Python24\BMPtoWBSConverter186.py", line 433, in ConvertBMP
self.HeightMap = image.open(self.HeightMap)
File "C:\Python24\lib\Image.py", line 1916, in open
raise IOError("cannot identify image file")
IOError: cannot identify image file

HELP!

I don't suppose the program has been updated for BtS saving function, has it? :)

I don't suppose the program has been updated for BtS saving function, has it? :)

I second this request! :)

It should still work ok... just manually change the extention from a WBS to a BTS save. Not much about actual mapping has changed with the expansions.

Ive got a civ2/civ3 maps I'll like to convert to civ4 will this do it or is there another civ map convertor thats been done

Bump Bump Bummpty

This is a tool which converts bitmaps to wordlbuildersaves (thus BMP to WBS Converter). If your Civ2/3 maps aren't bitmaps then it won't.
You can take a deeper look into the Tools and Utilities-Section, but i don't think that theres such a tool which can convert Cvi2/3 maps to civ4 ones.

I couldn't get it to work. I had to install python and then something else that's a part of python, but the second thing was just a zip file and I didn't know what to do with those files. I couldn't even understand the readme install instructions.

Would it be possible to get a reverse option for this, taking a WBS and outputting a bitmap? Sure would make adding rivers to pre-existing maps a lot easier.