HoF Map Finder/Generator Utility 2016-10-05

[CommandoBob]

I don't think the conquests.ini file is on the install. I remember looking for it after I installed C3C to add the barbarian fix and I could not find it. It either takes saving a game or starting a new game for it to be created, but I don't know which. Starting a new game sounds most likely, but I don't really remember what I did to make it appear.

 

[Svar]

Thanks CommandoBob,

It turns out that the Configuration Settings file is the ini file but HoF Map Finder can't write to it. Is there any trick to getting this to work? The path seems to point to the Civ III file instead of the Conquests file where the Configuration Settings file is located but coping that file and pasting it into the Civ III file didn't get past the error message either'

 

[CommandoBob]

Which OS do have, WinXP Pro or Vista? Vista is more picky about who does what where than XP is. In XP, if C3C was installed by someone with Admin privleges and MapFinder was not, then MapFinder might be prevented from adjusting setting in the C3C folder. XP Home is not as strict as XP Pro.

I have a one user WinXP Pro machine, and the user is an Admin, so I didn't run into that problem.

 

[Svar]

I have Windows XP home edition but have multiple users so maybe I have to check Admin privileges, how do I do that? I'm not a real computer pro just play lots of games. Thank you for the responses BTW.

Edit:
I found the problem. The path the MapFinder uses is the original Civ III version found in an Infogames Interactive folder. Civ III complete is in a Firaxis Games folder and once I found the Autosave folder and set the path to that location the program ran fine.

 

[againsttheflow]

this is a post by Eman that I thought would be useful but would never have found again if I didn't post it here.

Some comments on MapFinder:

1. You MUST have the correct directory in the MF Setup-General-Autosave Directory. This is the same Foldername where your version of Civ 3 defaults to saving games when you hit Ctrl-S.

2. If you run MF long enough, your computer WILL freeze up. My understanding is that it "leaks" memory and eventually there are not enough resources available to run it & Civ 3. I have some pretty old computers running it and they will run for about a week before they freeze.

3. To make sure you have everything set correctly, let MF run for a while (i.e. 5 minutes) with an always TRUE condition like Domination Limit > 0. If it doesn't save every map, something's amiss.

4. I'm using version 6.4 with Windows XP and it works like a champ. Could not have finished a game in 3800BC without it!

Note to self: prev page is most helpful

 

[darski]

Edit:
I found the problem. The path the MapFinder uses is the original Civ III version found in an Infogames Interactive folder. Civ III complete is in a Firaxis Games folder and once I found the Autosave folder and set the path to that location the program ran fine.

I wonder if that is the problem that I get.

but this sounds like it will save everything in the folder where I have my game saves. I think maybe I shouldn't try this. I could lose my technopeasant status (1st class) just for trying

 

[Trelane]

Just got a new computer, loaded all three Civ4's, update patches, and HOF mods. No problems there. Now I've Installed Map Finder. Did some test games wioth HOF mods, and I can't get the Alt-M function to do anything.

 

[Trelane]

Oops, wrong thread - heading to Civ4 utils...

 

[Spoonwood]

When I try to run mapfinder I get the following message in the first screenie. I have the setup in my conquests.ini as the second screenie. Thanks in advance for any help.

Edit: Questions answered and screenies removed by owner.

 

[JSnider]

Is the .ini file a protected one on your system??

 

[Spoonwood]

I don't know. How can I figure out if I have it protected or not?

 

[CommandoBob]

Find the conquests.ini file with Windows Explorer, located in the Conquests directory. You have found it with Notepad and to find it with Explorer is very similar.

Right click on the file and select 'Properties'. Examine the setting named 'Read Only'. If that check box has a check (which equals True), then whatever is in this file can only be Read; it cannot be changed (or Written to). Make sure that the box is empty (unchecked).

Also, make sure that your path to conquests.ini is the same one that MapFinder is looking for. In your screenshot, it is looking at 'Program Files/ Infogrames Interactive/Civilization III/conquests.ini'.

 

[Spoonwood]

Thanks CommandoBob, the last part helps.

 

[darski]

Find the conquests.ini file with Windows Explorer, located in the Conquests directory. You have found it with Notepad and to find it with Explorer is very similar.

Right click on the file and select 'Properties'. Examine the setting named 'Read Only'. If that check box has a check (which equals True), then whatever is in this file can only be Read; it cannot be changed (or Written to). Make sure that the box is empty (unchecked).

Also, make sure that your path to conquests.ini is the same one that MapFinder is looking for. In your screenshot, it is looking at 'Program Files/ Infogrames Interactive/Civilization III/conquests.ini'.

I am wondering if this might be why mine did not work as I have a Firaxis folder rather than the Infogrames one. Would this matter to the program. I hit something similar when I used the "silver" interface installer.

 

[CivAgamemnon]

Ooh! Thank you so much for this handy little utility!

 

[CiaranB123]

You bumped a half a year old thread...
I thought someone whose been here this long would notice...

 

[chrome-rome]

Hi all. I have a slight problem with the map finder thingy (due to my computer illieteracy no doubt). In the setup, what exactly are iterations? Also, what are the operator and value options good for? And then, when the game goes to save a map, it always says "xxx already exist. Overwrite?" How can I stop that? And lastly, in mapreport my screenshot is of the overwrite menu, so I can't see any of the map at all. Thanks to anyone who can help.

PS: I am aware of the thread started by the creators but it has 50 pages of post to look through. Thanks

 

[Turner]

I've merged the two threads. Really, discussion of this program should go in this thread, instead of it's own thread in a different subforum.

Iterations are the number of times it runs to find a map, I believe.

 

[Spoonwood]

The operators tell you how different rules combine together (like in logic). If you have two "and" rules, the "and" operator tells you that you that MapFinder must find a map which satisfies *both* rules for it to save as an acceptable game for you. If you have two "or" rules, the "or" operator tells you that if MapFinder finds a map that satisifies *either* of the "or" rules (or both), it'll save the map for you.
The value option tells you how many of the food/resource/river/etc. for a map to find. If you say you want a grassland cow and give it a value of 2, then MapFinder only accepts (saves) maps where you can see 2 grassland cows in the inital area you can see without any worker or settler movement.

 

[GamezRule]

Since this is such a long thread, could somebody please tell me if the link in the second post is the most updated version?

EDIT: I didn't realize how much of a superbump this was.