the Jack
Chieftain
There was originally something else here, because I had made an embarrassing oversight and couldn't figure out what I had done wrong for several days. Since nobody posted in response to what used to be a 'please help?' post, and I learned some pointers that I think other users might find helpful in the meantime, I decided to convert it into a 'here's some help!' post.
Let me begin by saying I have both R&F and GS and I use Steam, and I am not (yet?) using FireTuner or trying to do any modding proper. I just want to make some custom maps for personal use, and help other users do the same.
Note that I hadn't tried using the WorldBuilder (henceforth WB) before the Antarctic Summer patch, which, along with the GS release-day update, apparently changed a lot of things. I have seen references elsewhere on the forums and around the internet to things that simply aren't that way anymore, which is another reason I decided to convert my post.
Getting started
To use WorldBuilder (WB) you must first enable it, following the instructions in this post. This will cause the WB access button to appear in the Civ VI Additional Content menu.
That will allow you access to WB, and you can start playing around with the mapmaking tools, but a further series of steps are required if you want to actually play a game on a map you create with WB. This is what I'll call the TZ method.
Somewhat confusingly, neither a mod nor a map named TZ anything will show up in either the mods list under Additional Content or the maps list when creating a game. Instead, a map saved as TZ.Civ6Map will, if the map information fields within WB are left at their default settings, show up in the list of available maps when starting a new game as Untitled Map.
This is not the only reason to change those default fields. Leaving them unchanged, for some reason, causes a new Untitled Map mod to show up in the list of mods every time you save over the .Civ6Map file. To correct this bug, simply go to the icon in the top left corner of the WB screen and edit the default map name and description fields to whatever you want the map to show up as.
Note, however, that even though you can change the field settings to whatever you like, you still must save the map as TZ.Civ6Map in order for it to show up in the list of available maps.
Note also that, if you exit WB (or exit the game entirely), WB will not then open your saved map WIP unless you first disable the mod created by the most recent save. IDEK how I figured this one out, but I've tested it in both directions and it seems to hold true.
Advanced Mode
Initially I was not using the Advanced Mode at all. I figured it made more sense to get the hang of Basic Mode first, and also that Advanced Mode would probably introduce more problems when I hadn't already finished troubleshooting base mode. But eventually I tried it out of curiosity, and so far, at least, I have not had any problems with crashes, despite playing on a completed (albeit Tiny) map.
The interface and options with Advanced Mode are different from what's available in Basic Mode. For example, in Advanced Mode, Tribal Villages (Goody Huts) are listed under the Improvements drop-down, and can be either Placed or edited onto a Plot; by contrast, in Basic Mode Goody Huts are in their own drop-down, but can only be Placed, not edited onto a Plot.
Known issues
The only way to have more than one custom WB map available in the Map dropdown when creating a new game is to use the TZ method (see above) to create a separate mod for each custom map.
Help?
I intend to make this a (semi-)regularly updated guide. In particular, I am looking at how Natural Wonder placement works (and doesn't work) in WB, and will be editing this post again with my findings.
I hope to include pointers, and explanations of non-intuitive requirements for using WB, covering all aspects of the utility. Toward that end, I encourage other users to post problems and/or solutions they encounter in their own messing about with WB.
Thanks in advance to anyone who has any additional WorldBuilder questions or tips to contribute!
Let me begin by saying I have both R&F and GS and I use Steam, and I am not (yet?) using FireTuner or trying to do any modding proper. I just want to make some custom maps for personal use, and help other users do the same.
Note that I hadn't tried using the WorldBuilder (henceforth WB) before the Antarctic Summer patch, which, along with the GS release-day update, apparently changed a lot of things. I have seen references elsewhere on the forums and around the internet to things that simply aren't that way anymore, which is another reason I decided to convert my post.
Getting started
To use WorldBuilder (WB) you must first enable it, following the instructions in this post. This will cause the WB access button to appear in the Civ VI Additional Content menu.
That will allow you access to WB, and you can start playing around with the mapmaking tools, but a further series of steps are required if you want to actually play a game on a map you create with WB. This is what I'll call the TZ method.
Somewhat confusingly, neither a mod nor a map named TZ anything will show up in either the mods list under Additional Content or the maps list when creating a game. Instead, a map saved as TZ.Civ6Map will, if the map information fields within WB are left at their default settings, show up in the list of available maps when starting a new game as Untitled Map.
This is not the only reason to change those default fields. Leaving them unchanged, for some reason, causes a new Untitled Map mod to show up in the list of mods every time you save over the .Civ6Map file. To correct this bug, simply go to the icon in the top left corner of the WB screen and edit the default map name and description fields to whatever you want the map to show up as.
Note, however, that even though you can change the field settings to whatever you like, you still must save the map as TZ.Civ6Map in order for it to show up in the list of available maps.
Note also that, if you exit WB (or exit the game entirely), WB will not then open your saved map WIP unless you first disable the mod created by the most recent save. IDEK how I figured this one out, but I've tested it in both directions and it seems to hold true.
Advanced Mode
Initially I was not using the Advanced Mode at all. I figured it made more sense to get the hang of Basic Mode first, and also that Advanced Mode would probably introduce more problems when I hadn't already finished troubleshooting base mode. But eventually I tried it out of curiosity, and so far, at least, I have not had any problems with crashes, despite playing on a completed (albeit Tiny) map.
The interface and options with Advanced Mode are different from what's available in Basic Mode. For example, in Advanced Mode, Tribal Villages (Goody Huts) are listed under the Improvements drop-down, and can be either Placed or edited onto a Plot; by contrast, in Basic Mode Goody Huts are in their own drop-down, but can only be Placed, not edited onto a Plot.
Known issues
The only way to have more than one custom WB map available in the Map dropdown when creating a new game is to use the TZ method (see above) to create a separate mod for each custom map.
Help?
I intend to make this a (semi-)regularly updated guide. In particular, I am looking at how Natural Wonder placement works (and doesn't work) in WB, and will be editing this post again with my findings.
I hope to include pointers, and explanations of non-intuitive requirements for using WB, covering all aspects of the utility. Toward that end, I encourage other users to post problems and/or solutions they encounter in their own messing about with WB.
Thanks in advance to anyone who has any additional WorldBuilder questions or tips to contribute!
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