Converting from .bic to .biq files

[timerover51]

Is there any utility program that would take the .bic files for the Vanilla game and convert them to .biq files for Conquests, where the converted file would pick up all of the new improvements, civilizations, units, and governments of Conquests, while preserving the map of the older file?

Same question for converting .bix files for Play the World to .biq files for Conquests?

If no such program exists, then is my only option to basically copy the map by hand from the Vanilla editor to the Conquests editor.

Lastly, is there any way of adding additional tiles on the sides and top and bottom of an existing map? To give the US and the UK players a bit more room, the US player for a few more cities, and the UK player for some strategic depth in the Burma theater, I would like to add about 15 or so columns of tiles to the sides of the Pacific War scenario map, and to allow for naval units to move from the east to the west coast of Australia via the southern coast route, I would like to add about 10 to 15 rows of tiles to the bottom of the map. I would also like to add the Aleutian Island chain to the map as well on the top.

 

[Ares de Borg]

I think you can import maps from bic files with the conquests editor and save them als biq, but I didn't check. Have you?

 

[Blue Monkey]

Yes. Just open the old file in the editor & save as a biq. It will now use the standard C3C rule set. Note that any rules or game mechanics in C3 or PTW that are not in C3C will be lost. This should be fine since all you want is to import the map.

Discussion re expanding maps. This is the best brief explanation until the modiiki articles appear.

 

[timerover51]

Yes. Just open the old file in the editor & save as a biq. It will now use the standard C3C rule set. Note that any rules or game mechanics in C3 or PTW that are not in C3C will be lost. This should be fine since all you want is to import the map.

I think that I might have done that accidently once before, which is why I thought that there was a way to do it.

Discussion re expanding maps. This is the best brief explanation until the modiiki articles appear.

Thanks very much for the thread information. I assume that Map Tweaker is a Windows program. Being able to expand to the south and the east without stripping all of the units off of the map will cover two of the three major areas that I wanted to expand. Looks like it might be a while before I have some strategic depth for the Burma Theater.

 

[Vuldacon]

Regarding MapTweaker. Cities and Units must first be removed from an existing Map but the Map itself can easily be Enlarged.
Note: If you try adding tiles to the Top or Left Sides, it will Corrupt the biq file so just add to the Bottom (South) and Right (East) sides without Cities or Units on the Map.

 

[Steph]

Lastly, is there any way of adding additional tiles on the sides and top and bottom of an existing map? To give the US and the UK players a bit more room, the US player for a few more cities, and the UK player for some strategic depth in the Burma theater, I would like to add about 15 or so columns of tiles to the sides of the Pacific War scenario map, and to allow for naval units to move from the east to the west coast of Australia via the southern coast route, I would like to add about 10 to 15 rows of tiles to the bottom of the map. I would also like to add the Aleutian Island chain to the map as well on the top.

The latest version of my editor allows expanding or cropping the map in any direction, even if the map has preplaced units, cities, resources, etc.
The added tiles are "blank", you will need to edit them manually.

 

[General 666]

I have once tried to import some settings from bics ,but failed ,because the editor file request has not allowed me to load bic in the C3C editor or to select them (they was just not displayed). So I wondering to read here that it is possible. Looks like I do miss/mess something.

 

[Blue Monkey]

The "just not displayed" is the clue to the solution. In the "Open" dialogue there is a little drop down menu "Files of type". If you select "all" then you will see whatever BIQs, BIXs, & BICs are in the folder.

 

[General 666]

The "just not displayed" is the clue to the solution. In the "Open" dialogue there is a little drop down menu "Files of type". If you select "all" then you will see whatever BIQs, BIXs, & BICs are in the folder.

In the moment I could swear that I (of course) have looked out for it. But thanks ,I will check back.

 

[timerover51]

The latest version of my editor allows expanding or cropping the map in any direction, even if the map has preplaced units, cities, resources, etc.
The added tiles are "blank", you will need to edit them manually.

I admit to being a neophyte when it comes to Windows, as I have yet to get your editor to run on my Windows game editing box. However, since your editor does do that, might it be possible for someone to add the necessary number of tiles to the Pacific War scenario map, and then send me the .biq file to finish working on the map? I am assuming that a file edited with Steph's editor can also be edited using the standard Civ3 Conquests editor.

 

[Steph]

It's perfectly possible. Do you want to start from the default scenario, or did you already work on it?
How many lines do you want in each direction?

 

[timerover51]

It's perfectly possible. Do you want to start from the default scenario, or did you already work on it?
How many lines do you want in each direction?

I would like to start from the default scenario, as any changes I make would be derived from that. With the additional room, some of the changes that I have made to the default map would be considerably different, so I would not want to use any of my already modified files.

What I need is 10 tiles added to the west side of the map, 10 tiles to the top of the map, 8 tiles to the east side of the map, and 7 tiles to the bottom of the map. That should give me all of the room that I need for the changes that I wish to make, without making the map too large. The map will then be 154 by 137 tiles, about half way between large and huge. I can then add in most of India, more of the US and add Canada and part of Alaska, and give the UK a shipping route to the south of Australia and more of New Zealand to work with.

 

[Steph]

If nobody does it before, I'll do that this evening when I'm home.

 

[Steph]

Here it is

 

[timerover51]

Here it is

Steph, thanks very much for your assistance. However, you correctly counted rows and columns of tiles, and I did not. I counted diamond point to diamond point (see attached image), while you counted the staggered tiles. As a result, I actually wanted twice as many columns and rows as you edited, to get enough room for India, Southern Australia, and the North Pacific.

What your editing job does demonstrate is that I need to get your editor working on my Windows box, so that I can do that on my own. I will send you a private message about my problems. I had no problems opening it in the standard editor, and just need to find the time to put in all of the additional land area.