Why does Test of Time have no map editor?

[Pariah]

I just purchased ToT via Amazon, hoping to use it for the creation of a multi-map scenario or two. However, it's annoying that one must import maps created by the original Civ2 Map Editor - which don't have the same diversity of terrains, and can't be bigger than 10,000 tiles.

The ReadMe supplied with the software simply says that

With regret, we must announce that we can no longer support a map editor with this product.

Does anyone know why? I can't imagine the construction of map files is much more complicated in this version of the game - except for the multi-level aspect.

 

[Catfish]

It's a stupid decision. Fortunately Mercator released a ToT version of the Map Editor. It also happens to support gigamaps. It can be found at his site.

 

[Mercator]

What Wobbegong said...

But it seems you already have a map editor, so there will be little difference (except the support of gigamaps). My editor uses the old civ2 graphics too.

But ToT map aren't any more advanced than regular Civ2 ones. They have the same "diversity of terrains", they just happen to use different graphics. The map editor won't have anything to do with multi-level either, because they're all simply separate maps.

 

[Pariah]

Mercantor delivers once more! Cheers!

Ironically, I've already produced a 2-level gigamap by using a combination of old Civ2 Map Editor, Peter Balckman's Map Generator and Windows Paint.

 

[Ballazic]

Cool i am upgrading to ToT right now.

 

[Ballazic]

At Cedrics site.

 

[JBG]

I have both Civ II FW and ToT. You CAN create multi-level maps, but you must treat the seperately in the Editor. Once you fire up ToT, you need to start a 4-layer (Fantasy/SciFi) or 2-layer (Extended) game, and it'll prompt you to specify which maps you want. Strangely, it doesn't seem to like 3-level maps

Once you've got your map(s), copy the folder (depending on what game type you chose) then modify the copied folder. That way, you keep all 3 original multi-tier games and you have a stock of pre-made graphics and text files that you need to edit. This beats making new ones from scratch.

I've tried making scenarios in ToT, but they frequently crash

BTW, what were you thinking making a scenario about..?

 

[Catfish]

I have both Civ II FW and ToT. You CAN create multi-level maps, but you must treat the seperately in the Editor.

I think he had that part figured. His main problem was the inability of the original map editor to handle gigamaps.

Once you fire up ToT, you need to start a 4-layer (Fantasy/SciFi) or 2-layer (Extended) game, and it'll prompt you to specify which maps you want. Strangely, it doesn't seem to like 3-level maps

No you don't. You can just replace rules.txt in the Original directory with a temporary multi-map one. I haven't tried a 3-map scenario, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. You need to add/modify the @SECONDARY_MAPS table (after the @TERRAIN entries) in rules.txt. Each line in the table represents an additional map. Therefore, you'd have something like this for a 3-map scenario:

@SECONDARY_MAPS
2, 0,0, 0,0, 0,0,0,0, 0,0,0, 0,0,0, 0,0,0,
2, 0,0, 0,0, 0,0,0,0, 0,0,0, 0,0,0, 0,0,0,

I've tried making scenarios in ToT, but they frequently crash

In all likelihood, you've introduced typos or cut-and-paste errors into your rules file, but really it could anything from circular references in your tech tree to incorrect graphical formats.

 

[JBG]

The most frequent error message is 'error -4'. Do you know what that means?
I don't. At least in Civ II FW it tells you WHERE in the rules file the error lies (mostly).

 

[Catfish]

Not off hand, but deliberately generating a few errors in the rules file clued me in. In my case, I get the full error message (with data location) – and I'm using ToT. The "error -4" part referred to the @CIVILIZE block, so try checking your tech tree line by line. Make sure you've got your comma separators in the right place, eg, no commas in the tech names.

 

[Starke Von Oben]

It's a stupid decision. Fortunately Mercator released a ToT version of the Map Editor. It also happens to support gigamaps. It can be found at his site.

This download is down

Anyone know where I can get this?

 

[Catfish]

He moved. It's in his signature (post #3). Edit: Oh and you'll need to run MastermindX's 64-bit patcher over the EXE file if you're running 64-bit Windows.

 

[Starke Von Oben]

He moved. It's in his signature (post #3). Edit: Oh and you'll need to run MastermindX's 64-bit patcher over the EXE file if you're running 64-bit Windows.

Cheers!