Accurate Earth Map in development

[kevinman4404]

*production suspended until after auditions (end of Feb.) after which I will try as hard as I can to get civ4 working again and then continue on this

@BTSformac: yes and yes, ill get them to you (somehow) asap, just keep an eye out here

also you'll probably need to do the gamefont images for the resources, although I haven't done them either, I can probably easily do this for you, then you can carefully copy and paste to your own gamefont.

also note that camels is static, and that an updated version of citrus fruit is coming. Right now I'm borrowing someones apple resource for fruit; it will be a lot nicer once completed.

So what I'll do is send you what I have now and give you the updates as you come.

Wasteland is also undergoing edits, though I cannot verify if I like them, caz civ4 wont run for me right now =(

I'll tell you where everything goes once I've posted the art

Kevin

 

[Ondskan]

if you make this you're awesome O_o Just please also make a small scenario, not just a big worldmap.

 

[kevinman4404]

@Ondskan- that is likely, once i have released the map, and before I release the mod, there will be a bunch of continental maps for testing purposes.

@BTSformac- what you need is attached. Camels may be found attached to another post in this thread, not too long ago

Instructions:

Move the three folders in the zip file to YourMod/Art/Terrain/Resources
Then move Plainsblend4.dds (which is the wasteland terrain) to YourMod/Art/Terrain/Textures.

XML instructions:

Create the Wasteland terrain in Civ4TerrainInfos.xml by copying plains, changing the name, etc.
Create the Art file for it in Civ4ArtDefines_Terrain.xml again by copying plains, and change the "Path" to point to PlainsBlend3.dds, the file you moved earlier.

Then you must make the bonuses in CivBonusInfos.xml (in the terrain folder), then the art stuff, in Civ4ArtDefines_Bonus.xml (in the art folder) again by copying an existing bonus, and make sure the paths are correct.

It's fairly straight forward, so I hope this doesn't confuse you, and I hope you already know what to do with xmls.

I also included Water.dds in case you'd like my water in which case all you have to do is stick it in the yourmod/art/terrain/water folder and you're set

Note that Fruit and Wasteland will be being updated, and I'll PM you the better art when done

Note: the folder with fruit in it is called apple, really it's fruit (well it IS someone elses apple resource but soon the art will be better)

Kevin

 

[BTSformac]

ok! thank you!

 

[BTSformac]

It's great, but the wasteland is a bit odd when it is next to plains. I suppose this is because you dont use the regular plains in your game? Perhaps you could send me your Arid Plains to fix the problem. Thanks!!!

 

[zup]

I did not read through all the posts so maybe it is in but if it isn't. Have you considered tar resource? It was very important for wooden ships. And had some significance for the Swedish economy of the time at least, probably other countries too.

EDIT: Just so you don't forget. Tar was also made in what is now known as Finland.

 

[kevinman4404]

@zup, I'll consider it and let everyone know next post.

@BTSformac, you need to describe what you mean by weird. My arid plains are similar, it's fertile plains that's a lot different. Does it just look aesthetically weird or is it having bordering problems whenever it's next to plains?

One of the most annoying things you have to do when adding new terrains is all the terrain IDs. You need to make sure none have the same ID, and you have to keep shuffling them around until you have no border problems between any two terrains.

And if it's aesthetically weird, I am going to draw a much more realistic one shortly anyways

Kevin

 

[BTSformac]

it has bordering problems when it is next to plains. as you can see (from the really bad screenshot) when the semi-desert is bordering plains the border is moved to wierd places and is straight.

I suppose this could be fixed by editing an xml?

 

[deanej]

It probably needs a fix of the terrain graphics (the borders are handled with transparency).

 

[TheLastOne36]

Kevinman, what are you going to do with city placement? are you going to take the colinzation system of allowing cities closer then the current 3 tile radius? I believe you should in such an earth mod. Bigger map is better but some major cities are placed fairly close to each other (ie Japan, Europe etc.)

 

[Zenon_pt]

Hi guys! How's the project going?

 

[kevinman4404]

@btsformac/deanej- no, transparency shouldn't be an issue, it's definitely something to do with the XML. First thing I need you (btsformac) to do is:

In the ArtDefinesTerrain.xml there should be a field for each terrain called
<LayerOrder>

First, make sure all the different terrains have a different number in this field from 1-10.

This will not neccessarily fix your problem, you will have to experiment by shuffling the numbers around until no adjacent terrains have border problems. Unfortunately, because I have more terrains in my mod, I cannot simply just give you my XML information (as it would not work for you, I am guessing).

This should fix it, I had similar problems before, but you may have done some faulty pointing, in which case I will show you what I put in my XML.


@LastOne36: I was going to reduce it to minimum 2 tiles, but I do not know what the system that Colon. has is. How does Colon. do it? Also, were you able to look at Venezuela (or just didnt have time, or are you having troubles opening it? I wish it didn't require the special terrains and features, in which case it would have been easy to look at)

@Zenon: Well, but it hasn't gotten far. On my end I have to finish a couple more bonuses and the entire gamefont file. I am also waiting for the completing of Wintermod, and then Summermod and Floodmod (which will be really easy once wintermod is done). Someone is helping me out with this. After these things are done, I can release at least the first version of the map.

After that release, I will be working on fjords and a better looking coral system, as well as minor updates.

Kevin

 

[TheLastOne36]

@LastOne36: I was going to reduce it to minimum 2 tiles, but I do not know what the system that Colon. has is. How does Colon. do it? Also, were you able to look at Venezuela (or just didnt have time, or are you having troubles opening it? I wish it didn't require the special terrains and features, in which case it would have been easy to look at)

I don't have Col, but i think cities can be settled anywhere on the map, even the tile next to another city. It looks good in for example the Eastern USA Coastline with Various cities settled next to each other, (like in real life) but Col maps are much smaller then the map you are making. Perhaps 2 city distance would be good.

I didn't take a look at Venezuela yet. I was busy for a few days and i forgot about it since.

 

[Nahtanoj]

good to see this still going, i just recently got BTS and found why it is so great. Cant wait to see this finished guys!

 

[Gooblah]

In Civ4Col, there is no minimum distance rule, but that's balanced due to the smaller map size and the fact that cities can only work the immediate 8 tiles around them.

 

[kevinman4404]

Good news! The map is just about ready for release. Wintermod is now working (there will now be simulated snowcover).

But on that front, I need suggestions as to how this is going to work. I don't want to give northern civs an unfair disadvantage, because in reality (I think), you can't grow crops all year every year no matter where you live (except crop rotation until the soil becomes useless).

And on top of that, obviously I wouldn't be able to just do snowcover. I would have to simulate winters in transitional areas using tundra or thinsoil.

So, how do you think this should work, mechanically, or should it just be eye candy? I'd like it to be realistic, so let me know your ideas

EDIT: oh, and by the way, I've sacruficed a few rows from the top and bottom of the map, and added 9 rows (I think) horizontally. The new map size is something like 155 x 259

Kevin

 

[Gooblah]

I dunno.

If you go Realistic, then as you said, Civs that start in the north will be at a disadvantage. Maybe prevent Barbs from spawning in snow? It might balance it out a bit.

 

[kevinman4404]

Let's try and avoid forced balancing; if we balance, it must be using something else that's realistic

Also, I need a system for simulating wet season/dry system. How would this work? Should it affect only rivers (which I originally assumed)? How do I determine which areas need the simulation (ie some areas have monsoon rains, some areas flood and some areas have flood plains, though there is no data I can use for those)

Please help me sort this out

Once I know what I should do for Wintermod and Summermod, I will have the most dynamic map yet made (and there's other stuff I'm including too)

 

[snipperrabbit!!]

Kev, Is your map 259Wx155H or the reverse ? I thought you were doing a 400x300 map !
I need to know in order to calculate an area percentage for each square.
Also, what is the max latitude your map doesn't go beyond ?

 

[kevinman4404]

The map is 259Wx155H. This was changed from 250Wx160H, which I had since post 2 or 3. The reality is that for most people, any map with more than 40000 tiles will not work in any way shape or form (the map will not load).

the map is unique in that it is projectionless- everythign is just rotated, and in some ways distorted, to look as realistic as possible, while still showing the whole world. However, I'd estimate the max latitude at 81 to 82 degrees N. At the southern edge it goes down JUST past the lower tip of South America/Terra de Fuego

btw how did you plan on calculating area? Not just is everything distorted from real life, the pacific ocean is quite smaller on my map (although now it looks better than it used to)