Map Preview Question
- Thread starter Cjrciv370
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General 666
Culturebringer
WELCOME TO THE FORUM ,Cjrciv370 !
As far as I know : NO !
If the biq has the custom map checked ,it will gives you these preview.
Sorry
General 666
As far as I know : NO !
If the biq has the custom map checked ,it will gives you these preview.
Sorry
General 666
Pounder
Phaethon was here
I think he means that he doesn't want anyone to see the map before they play the game.
That's exactly what I want.
tom2050
Deity
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- 5,516
The only possible way I could see of perhaps doing this, would be to update the SCENARIO POP UP.PCX (in the Civ3PTW/Art/Scenario Mgmt directory and get rid of the magnenta section (in the appropriate section) which shows the map. Of course, I don't think a mod will show the updated pcx (since the mod is not loaded yet, it will still get the regular one out of the Civ3 directory).
Of course I have not tried anything of this sort, so cannot give a definite answer. But this is a possibility. If someone else knows if this would work, or have done it, please let us know.
I believe that the SCENARIO POP UP.PCX allows the map to show over the middle magnenta portion, but again, I am not positive. I would have to test it to check (I can do so later tonight to see if it works or not, if no one else knows for sure).
Tom
Of course I have not tried anything of this sort, so cannot give a definite answer. But this is a possibility. If someone else knows if this would work, or have done it, please let us know.
I believe that the SCENARIO POP UP.PCX allows the map to show over the middle magnenta portion, but again, I am not positive. I would have to test it to check (I can do so later tonight to see if it works or not, if no one else knows for sure).
Tom
timerover51
Deity
Why do you want to do that? It only gives the general layout of the map, and does not show where the starting locations are? If I download a map from online, the first thing I do is toss it into the editor, and see exactly what has been done to it, and where the starting positions are. Normally, then I add all of my own changes to it as well.
Blue Monkey
Archon Without Portfolio
If you are trying to hide the map from players they have another work around anyway. Just retire, look at the minimap on the history playback, then reload the game.
This was my first attempt at any type of customization and I was only planning on giving the map to a couple friends of mine to see how they'd do playing it.
I find exploration one of the more interesting aspects of the game, so knowing the map beforehand wouldn't be very fun for me or my friends. (They like exploring, too.)
And as far as using the minimap and history playback as a workaround to not seeing the map, I guess I'd have to say if someone is that determined to take the mystery out of the game, then so be it.
I haven't tried the scenario pop up.pcx idea but if it doesn't work, these are all moot points, anyway.
WildWeazel
Carthago Creanda Est
I can think of 2 ways of accomplishing this. One involves modifying the scenario pop up screen with a graphics editor. The other involves a post-it note.
I know what you mean. I find the exploration of the map some of the most fun part of the game.
Also, one mod I made for my brother and his friend had a tiny island hidden out in the ocean (on a large map) that had a special resource on it to allow a special great wonder. It would have made the island obvious if they saw it first on the map. It was a multiplayer game though, so I don't think it shows the map anyways, but if they played it on single player mode it would have ruined it.
That's a good idea about trying to alter a scenario popup pcx, though I have a feeling it might just plop the map on top of the pcx anyways, but please let us know if it works... I might use it in the future.
tom2050
Deity
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That's a good idea about trying to alter a scenario popup pcx, though I have a feeling it might just plop the map on top of the pcx anyways, but please let us know if it works... I might use it in the future.
Yea, I'm not how the magnenta background functions for that screen. Some screens don't have a magnenta and it places other objects over the screen. So if I had to put money on it, I would guess that the map would be plopped over the top as you said.
Tom
Joseph Bonachiese
Chieftain
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Admins: I am aware the thread is ancient. I'm responding here only to answer a question that people like me, who still actively mod and play Civ3, might want to know.
A few notes:
To the person who asked "why would you want to do this". In my case, I made a mod for all civs to be completely equal and I exclude all nuke and flight units and options. Then I generate and save random maps until I have about 10 scenarios. That way, when I play the AI, the maps are all unknown to me.
I only tested this on Civ3 Conquests, but the general idea is simple and should apply to all civ versions one way or another. Not an elegant solution, but it solves the problem of the spoiler preview map.
Thank you to the person in the thread who mentioned SCREEN POP UP.PCX. That was the right idea.
Okay, to block the minimap on the "Scenario Preview"
1. Use any graphics editor that supports opening ".PCX" images
(I used free CS5, for example)
2. Find and the file in your Civ3 directory named "x_Scenario Mgmt Back.pcx". This is the "Scenario Load" screen. (My file was located in the "C:\GAMES\Civ3\Civ3PTW\Art\Scenario Mgmt" directory)
3. BACK UP the file to a different name. Then make sure "Read-Only" is turned off on the original file.
4. Open the original file and note that the preview map is the rectangle on the lower right hand side.
(Not the tiny one at the very bottom right corner - that's the OK / Close button.)
5. CROP the image so that the right half containing preview map area is excluded.
6. Save the modified file in the original place under the original name. You may want to re-enable "Read-Only".
This rough method will lose the displays of map, map size, and number of players. But the scenarios will work fine and are presented without the map preview.
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