Spring - User contributions [en]

Tutorial:CreateMaps(Fnordia et al)

2005-09-18T16:43:38Z

24.49.98.58: /* Mothers MapConv */

'''Original by aGorm, with help from LathanStanley'''



==The Idea==
First of all you need an idea. There is no point (OK, there is some point for test purposes) in making a map just like another one that already exists. You need to think of certain things before you make your map.
# Is this map idea different, not just a copy of someone else's?
# Does my map idea give each player a fair share of the cover and high ground?
# Is my map idea possible to make?
# Is it possible with the amount of time I'm willing to spend?

If you answered yes to the above, then you are 25% of the way towards making your map!

You should probably doodle it on a piece of paper to act as a guide later.

==The Tools==
With your idea hopefully sketched out, it's time to get the tools to make the map! (You can skip this if you already have them.)

For all your map compiling needs you should first download the [http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1234 newest MapConv program].

You will also need some image editing software. Favorites are Photoshop, the [http://www.gimp.org/ GIMP], And Paintshop Pro.
The GIMP, however, is the only one that's free!
(I'm going to have to assume you know how to use the program you choose. If you can't there are loads of tutorials on the net.)

You may also want to check out [http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/ Terragen] for generating terrain. But as you have to pay to render anything of a good size, I won't mention it other than here. Another tool for generating terrain is the freeware tool [http://www.delphigl.de/projects/terrtexgen/eng_index.html TerrTexGen]. "It generates a terraintexture on the base of a grayscale heightmap und uses five surfacetextures that are distributed over the heightmap."

==Preparing your map==
This is the fun part! And also, often, the longest part.

For a map you will need several different things:
# a texture map
# a height map
# a metal map

They all have certain needs! Read this bit carfully!

===Texture Map===
All maps are based on a texture image. This image's width and height must be an exact multiple of 1024 pixels. So, for instance, you can have a "4096 by 8192" image, but not a "4096 by 4608" image, as 4608 does not divide by 1024. It, like all three maps, must be saved as a 24 bit BMP.

It may look like whatever you want! Find a texture (preferably, one that you can tile seamlessly) and fill your texture map with it. You could, for instance, fill the whole image with a sand texture. This would make your whole world look like sand. You could then decide to add a few patches of grass to it by finding a suitable grass texture and adding it on in patches. So you'd have a map that was mostly sand with a few patches of green.

===Height Map===
Next is the height map. This must be exactly one eighth (1/8) of the size of the texture map '''+ 1 pixel!''' For instance, if the dimensions of your texture map are "4096 by 8192", divide 4096 and 8192 each by 8 and add one to the result of each. The result for this example would be "513 by 1025". The height map is a black and white BMP. Only use black and white, no colour! (well its better to work it as a greyscale image, and when saving to process, convert to rgb and save as bmp, that way you get a 24 bit bmp)

White areas are the tops of mountains; black areas are the sea floor or the bottom of valleys. The shades of grey between are the different heights between! When you draw your heightmap, make sure the white blends into the black with greys. I suggest you use the blur tool. If you have a white splodge in a patch of black you will have a very tall pillar that won't look natural at all!

===Metal Map===
Finally, you need a metal map. This is the same size as the height map, one eighth (1/8) of the size of the texture map '''+ 1 pixel.''' On this one you paint down red (in verying degrees) to represent metal. So a red spot that is RGB(50,0,0) will provide about a 5th of the metal patch of red RGB(255,0,0) will give.

On this map you can also place green pixels. Each green pixel will create 1 geothermal vent. If you put down a green splodge you will get a cluster of geo vents! Only place 1 pixel.

Ensure you have all three saved as 24 bit BMPs and you're ready to convert it all to a map!

==MapConv.exe==

Instuctions pulled from [http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1234 the newest MapConv program]. If all goes well, the MapConv.exe should create four new files: mini.bmp, mini.dds, yourmapname.smf, and yourmapname.smt.

<code>USAGE:

mapconv [-l] [-i] [-c <compression>] -x <max height> -n <min height> [-o
<Output file>] [-e <tile file>] [-y <Typemap file>] -m <Metalmap file> -a
<Heightmap file> -t <Texture file> [--] [-v] [-h]

Where:

-l, --lowpass
Lowpass filters the heightmap

-i, --invert
Inverts the height map vertically (not the height values but the height map
(uhm someone rewrite this))

-c <compression>, --compress <compression>
(value required) How much we should try to compress the texture file.
Default value 0.8 . (lower=higher quality, larger file)

-x <max height>, --maxheight <max height>
(required) (value required) What altitude in spring the max(0xffff) level
of the height map should represent

-n <min height>, --minheight <min height>
(required) (value required) What altitude in spring the min(0) level of
the height map should represent

-o <Output file>, --outfile <Output file>
(value required) The name of the created map

-e <tile file>, --externaltilefile <tile file>
(value required) External tile file that will be used for finding tiles,
tiles not found in this will be added in a new tile file

-y <Typemap file>, --typemap <Typemap file>
(value required) Type map to use, uses the red channel to decide type,
types are defined in the .smd, if this argument is skipped the map will be
all type 0

-m <Metalmap file>, --metalmap <Metalmap file>
(required) (value required) Metal map to use, red channel is amount of
metal, green=255 is where to place geos (one pixel=one geo). Is resized to
fit the mapsize

-a <Heightmap file>, --heightmap <Heightmap file>
(required) (value required) Input heightmap to use for the map, this
should be in 16 bit raw format (.raw extension) or an image file. Must be
xsize*128+1 x ysize*128+1 in size.

-t <Texture file>, --intex <Texture file>
(required) (value required) Input bitmap to use for the map. Must be
xsize*1024 x ysize*1024 in size. (xsize,ysize integers determined from this
file)

--, --ignore_rest
Ignores the rest of the labeled arguments following this flag.

-v, --version
Displays version information and exits.

-h, --help
Displays usage information and exits.

Convers a series of bmp/raw files to a spring map. This just creates the .smf
file, you will also have to create a .smd file using a text editor
</code>
==Mothers MapConv==
The usage is the same as above, with the following exceptions:
All features (including GeoVent/Tree/Grass) are now on their own FeatureMap. This is a 24bit bmp specified with the -f <featuremapname.bmp> flag.
''It should be 1/8th the resolution of your map.'' (i.e. 1 pixel smaller in each direction then your heightmap)

Tree's and GeoVents are placed on the green layer.
*255 Places a GeoVent
*200-215 Places tree types 1-16

MapConv will try to place these features in the exact spot you place them, it will then go into crackhead mode if it cannot.

Grass is the blue layer. The blue value maps to a 'pseudo-density' of the grass. The 'grass' map in the engine is very very low resolution, so be aware that you will not get nice linear results. 255=full grass, 0=no grass.

The red layer places 'Arbitrary Features,' aka wreckages. One pixel of red equals one feature. Red '1' gives you a feature of the first arbitrary type, 2 the second, 3 the third, and so on.

===But what are these 'Arbitrary Features,' Im so confused!===
They are 'features' found in the /features/All Worlds or /features/corpses filesystems. Which feature is 'type 1' is defined on a map-by-map basis via a new file called 'fs.txt'. This file should contain <cr> delimited feature names. The first line is the feature placed when a red=1 dot is found, etc.

===Ok, Now what do I do?===
If you are using any custom features, and/or you want to mod-proof your map, you should include them in the sd7 that you package the map in. The tree structure should look something like:

<code>
<mapname.sd7>
-maps/
-mapname.smf
-mapname.smt
-mapname.smd
-Objects3d/
-<featurename[s]>.3do(specified in the tdf)
-features/
-All Worlds/
(and/or)
-Corpses/
-<featurename[s]>.tdf
-textures/
-tatex/
-<texname[s]>00.bmp or .tga
</code>
Without getting into modding/unit making I will say that the .tdf tells you the name of the .3do ("Object="), and the name of the 'feature' is in the top brackets. The .3do specifies the texture names. The engine looks for those texture names + 00 in either bmp or tga format in tatex.

Examples of a built-in XTA wreckage name would be <code>armckfus_dead</code> which would be looking for a tdf (likely armckfus_dead.tdf) that has a [armckfus_dead] section which then specified something like <code>Object=armckfus_dead</code>.

armckfus_dead.3do Would then specify some texture like <code>wreck01b</code> which would go looking for either a wreck01b00.bmp or wreck01b00.tga file.

[http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1421 Start with this version of MapConv]
or
[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1507 This one]
[I will clean this up and add more later --Mother]

==Sharp Map (THIS NO LONGER WORKS USE MAPCONV^^)==
Here's a easy run down of what to do:

First (you guessed it), open Sharp Map.
This brings you a window with several fields that need filling, a few option boxes and two sliders. Fill in the top fields as required. (Click browse, locate the texture map, and click OK. Repeat for the height map and metal map.)

Type in a figure for MAX HEIGHT and MIN HEIGHT. The MAX HEIGHT should not exceed 500. Higher numbers can cause errors. If your minimum height is a negative number then you will have water on your map. Sea level is, naturally enough, at 0. To the right of these boxes is a grey level calculator. This will tell you aproximatly the level of grey on your height map that is under water and above water. The grey is described by it's RGB values.

Then adjust the tree and grass sliders. If you have a green map then I suggest you lower the tree slider, otherwise the map will be covered!

(Edit:) '''Example Usage:'''

The starting locations of the sliders are approximetly 75% trees and 80% grass. On a green portion of any map with any hue (>200 green <75 red <75 blue) it will end up completely ''full'' of trees on the default settings, reducing the sliders to around 20% (which is still kind of dense) or less will make the green areas ''much'' more playable, and still have a good quantity of trees in the deep green parts. However, you will lose almost all your trees in brown/green areas and areas without any green. It would seem the most suitable, for a green map, to be green everywhere, except for cliffsides, rocky patches, water, sand, and mud, if you want the trees to look pretty. Another idea would be to have the dirt brown, and have very thick green splotches of grass (30x30 pixels) where you want a few trees to be. (Edit by: LathanStanley)

Finally, you need to decide if you need to tick the inverse height map box or not. If you drew the height map by hand so that if you overlayed your height map over the texture the hills would line up with the hills, etc. then you will need to tick the box.
This is because the image is read ''backwards'', so its expecting the image to be upside-down. Ticking the check box makes it flip the image the way it wants it before conversion.
If you exported your texture and height maps from Terragen, then you do not need to tick this box, as Terragen exports it upside-down already.
If you were crazy and drew it upside-down, then you don't need to tick it either.

When you have completed all this click Create Map!
This can take some time for a larger map, so start off with a small one.

An Error message similar to this one:

"System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not find file "C:\Program Files\TASpring\convert\strips\mini.dds".

This means that there is a space character (as in "C:\Program Files\") in the path to the files used by Sharpmap. Put all the files in a path that doesn't contain a space character like "C:\map1set3\". If that doesn't work, contact Buggi or post it in the forum: somebody will always help.

==Making your map work==
This is the final push. Once Sharp map has finshed it will spit out a .sm2 file. This needs to be copyed to the MAPS folder in Spring. But you still need one more thing: an .smd file. Basically, this file tells the game things like the maximum metal, the light colours, the clouds, etc. (All the bits you were thinking that you hadn't done yet!)

I would suggest you copy the .smd of another map and fiddle with the settings until you get what you want. smd's can be opened in notepade or similar. Look at all the .smd's so you can get a jist of what each option does. Make sure both the .sm2 and .smd have the same file name then start up Spring (not the client!) in [http://taspring.clan-sy.com/wiki/FAQ#People_talk_about_.27Single_Player.27._How_do_I_start_a_single_player_game.3F single-player mode] and run the commanders script. Choose your map and away you go!

==SMD Rundown==
What follows is all that we (aGorm and LathanStanley) have figured out in the SMD's. Its by no means the be all and end all, but it's the next best thing.

===General Map Information===
* Description is just a short description of your map. Keep it simple.
* TidalStrength determines how much energy tidal generators will produce. A normal figure is around 20.
* Gravity, as you would expect, affects ballisitcs and how far units fly after an explosion.
* MaxMetal is the maximum amount of metal you will gain from one game square in 1 second from an area of metal that had a red value of 255 in your metal map. If making an old style metal deposit map, then this will be quite high: maybe 2 or 3. If you are making a new style metal-all-over-the-place-map, then it will be low: perhaps 0.2. Also for old style maps, you'll have to fiddle with the...
* ExtractorRadius, which is the area that is harvested by 1 metal extractor. For old style maps make this very small, so as they only take from one deposit.

===Atmosphere, Water Colours===
Each value (it would appear this bit is by no means gospel) is a representation of the RGB values for that parameter. It would appear to be relative, i.e. you can put in what ever numbers you like and the game will work out what you want. The best way to go about it is to look at it as percentages.
The numbers 1, 0.5, 0.2 refer to 100% red, 50% green and 20% blue. But 2, 1, 0.4, will get the same result. Using numbers below one for all the numbers will result in the colour being less bright.

This is all a bit confusing so an example will be given:

SkyColor=0.2 0.1 0.5;

In this example the sky is coloured with 20% red, 10% green, and 50% blue, approximatly RGB(51,25,127), resulting in a very deep night-time blue. Other colours are added to the initial sky colour. If you set your sun as being a pale yellow and it came out rather green, this is why.

One helpful tip is ''negative'' colour. That's right: you can type in a negative number for a colour and it will remove it from the base sky colour. Just be careful not to go below the original values or you may get a surprise.

===The Sun System/Shadow System===
The Sun System/Shadow System is quite a useful tool as well in making your maps look ''well done''.
Within the .smd file there is a line:

"SunDir=-1 1 -.5; //direction of sun" (The part of the "//" is a comment.)

The numbers "-1", "1", ".5" determine the angle and elevation of the sunlight system.

The first number is the X angle (East/West) (from -1 to 1) where any negative number means the sun is on the West (and therefore shadows will be cast east), and any positive number means the sun is on the East (and therefore shadows will be cast west), and if the number is 0 there are no east or west shadows, the sun is directly above you.

The second is its elevation, (0 to 1), this number is how far from the horizion the sun is, ignoring it's angle. Thus, 1 puts the sun directly overhead (while still casting angular shadows) and 0 putting it directly on the horizion.

The final number is the Z angle (North/South). (I know, I know, they wrote the engine with Y as elevation and Z as vertical. Don't blame me.) It is just like the East West positioning, where negative numbers put them on the North, and positive numbers put them on the South.

'''Example Usage:''' If you want the shadows ''in'' one of the boxes (your shadow casting surface is in the middle), use the numbers provided, or start from them and tweak the angle and sun height as seen fit.

N
----------------------------------------------
| ( 1 .5 -1) | ( 0 .5 -1) | (-1 .5 -1) |
----------------------------------------------
W | ( 1 .5 0) | ( 0 1 0) | (-1 .5 0) | E
----------------------------------------------
| ( 1 .5 1) | ( 0 .5 1) | (-1 .5 1) |
----------------------------------------------
S

'''Note:''' on the current build, it ''will'' cast the shadows in the proper direction, etc. Negative direction numbers tend to make some maps unstable and cause crashes. The best solution would be to rotate or flip your map to where the shadows point up or right (North or West). I do believe these bugs are being worked on and will be fixed soon.

We can only hope this has been helpful! Any questions, or things you think we have missed, please ask us in the maps section.

[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Development]]

Tutorial:CreateMaps(Fnordia et al)

2005-09-18T16:41:56Z

24.49.98.58: /* Ok, Now what do I do? */

'''Original by aGorm, with help from LathanStanley'''



==The Idea==
First of all you need an idea. There is no point (OK, there is some point for test purposes) in making a map just like another one that already exists. You need to think of certain things before you make your map.
# Is this map idea different, not just a copy of someone else's?
# Does my map idea give each player a fair share of the cover and high ground?
# Is my map idea possible to make?
# Is it possible with the amount of time I'm willing to spend?

If you answered yes to the above, then you are 25% of the way towards making your map!

You should probably doodle it on a piece of paper to act as a guide later.

==The Tools==
With your idea hopefully sketched out, it's time to get the tools to make the map! (You can skip this if you already have them.)

For all your map compiling needs you should first download the [http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1234 newest MapConv program].

You will also need some image editing software. Favorites are Photoshop, the [http://www.gimp.org/ GIMP], And Paintshop Pro.
The GIMP, however, is the only one that's free!
(I'm going to have to assume you know how to use the program you choose. If you can't there are loads of tutorials on the net.)

You may also want to check out [http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/ Terragen] for generating terrain. But as you have to pay to render anything of a good size, I won't mention it other than here. Another tool for generating terrain is the freeware tool [http://www.delphigl.de/projects/terrtexgen/eng_index.html TerrTexGen]. "It generates a terraintexture on the base of a grayscale heightmap und uses five surfacetextures that are distributed over the heightmap."

==Preparing your map==
This is the fun part! And also, often, the longest part.

For a map you will need several different things:
# a texture map
# a height map
# a metal map

They all have certain needs! Read this bit carfully!

===Texture Map===
All maps are based on a texture image. This image's width and height must be an exact multiple of 1024 pixels. So, for instance, you can have a "4096 by 8192" image, but not a "4096 by 4608" image, as 4608 does not divide by 1024. It, like all three maps, must be saved as a 24 bit BMP.

It may look like whatever you want! Find a texture (preferably, one that you can tile seamlessly) and fill your texture map with it. You could, for instance, fill the whole image with a sand texture. This would make your whole world look like sand. You could then decide to add a few patches of grass to it by finding a suitable grass texture and adding it on in patches. So you'd have a map that was mostly sand with a few patches of green.

===Height Map===
Next is the height map. This must be exactly one eighth (1/8) of the size of the texture map '''+ 1 pixel!''' For instance, if the dimensions of your texture map are "4096 by 8192", divide 4096 and 8192 each by 8 and add one to the result of each. The result for this example would be "513 by 1025". The height map is a black and white BMP. Only use black and white, no colour! (well its better to work it as a greyscale image, and when saving to process, convert to rgb and save as bmp, that way you get a 24 bit bmp)

White areas are the tops of mountains; black areas are the sea floor or the bottom of valleys. The shades of grey between are the different heights between! When you draw your heightmap, make sure the white blends into the black with greys. I suggest you use the blur tool. If you have a white splodge in a patch of black you will have a very tall pillar that won't look natural at all!

===Metal Map===
Finally, you need a metal map. This is the same size as the height map, one eighth (1/8) of the size of the texture map '''+ 1 pixel.''' On this one you paint down red (in verying degrees) to represent metal. So a red spot that is RGB(50,0,0) will provide about a 5th of the metal patch of red RGB(255,0,0) will give.

On this map you can also place green pixels. Each green pixel will create 1 geothermal vent. If you put down a green splodge you will get a cluster of geo vents! Only place 1 pixel.

Ensure you have all three saved as 24 bit BMPs and you're ready to convert it all to a map!

==MapConv.exe==

Instuctions pulled from [http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1234 the newest MapConv program]. If all goes well, the MapConv.exe should create four new files: mini.bmp, mini.dds, yourmapname.smf, and yourmapname.smt.

<code>USAGE:

mapconv [-l] [-i] [-c <compression>] -x <max height> -n <min height> [-o
<Output file>] [-e <tile file>] [-y <Typemap file>] -m <Metalmap file> -a
<Heightmap file> -t <Texture file> [--] [-v] [-h]

Where:

-l, --lowpass
Lowpass filters the heightmap

-i, --invert
Inverts the height map vertically (not the height values but the height map
(uhm someone rewrite this))

-c <compression>, --compress <compression>
(value required) How much we should try to compress the texture file.
Default value 0.8 . (lower=higher quality, larger file)

-x <max height>, --maxheight <max height>
(required) (value required) What altitude in spring the max(0xffff) level
of the height map should represent

-n <min height>, --minheight <min height>
(required) (value required) What altitude in spring the min(0) level of
the height map should represent

-o <Output file>, --outfile <Output file>
(value required) The name of the created map

-e <tile file>, --externaltilefile <tile file>
(value required) External tile file that will be used for finding tiles,
tiles not found in this will be added in a new tile file

-y <Typemap file>, --typemap <Typemap file>
(value required) Type map to use, uses the red channel to decide type,
types are defined in the .smd, if this argument is skipped the map will be
all type 0

-m <Metalmap file>, --metalmap <Metalmap file>
(required) (value required) Metal map to use, red channel is amount of
metal, green=255 is where to place geos (one pixel=one geo). Is resized to
fit the mapsize

-a <Heightmap file>, --heightmap <Heightmap file>
(required) (value required) Input heightmap to use for the map, this
should be in 16 bit raw format (.raw extension) or an image file. Must be
xsize*128+1 x ysize*128+1 in size.

-t <Texture file>, --intex <Texture file>
(required) (value required) Input bitmap to use for the map. Must be
xsize*1024 x ysize*1024 in size. (xsize,ysize integers determined from this
file)

--, --ignore_rest
Ignores the rest of the labeled arguments following this flag.

-v, --version
Displays version information and exits.

-h, --help
Displays usage information and exits.

Convers a series of bmp/raw files to a spring map. This just creates the .smf
file, you will also have to create a .smd file using a text editor
</code>
==Mothers MapConv==
The usage is the same as above, with the following exceptions:
All features (including GeoVent/Tree/Grass) are now on their own FeatureMap. This is a 24bit bmp specified with the -f <featuremapname.bmp> flag.

Tree's and GeoVents are placed on the green layer.
*255 Places a GeoVent
*200-215 Places tree types 1-16

MapConv will try to place these features in the exact spot you place them, it will then go into crackhead mode if it cannot.

Grass is the blue layer. The blue value maps to a 'pseudo-density' of the grass. The 'grass' map in the engine is very very low resolution, so be aware that you will not get nice linear results. 255=full grass, 0=no grass.

The red layer places 'Arbitrary Features,' aka wreckages. One pixel of red equals one feature. Red '1' gives you a feature of the first arbitrary type, 2 the second, 3 the third, and so on.

===But what are these 'Arbitrary Features,' Im so confused!===
They are 'features' found in the /features/All Worlds or /features/corpses filesystems. Which feature is 'type 1' is defined on a map-by-map basis via a new file called 'fs.txt'. This file should contain <cr> delimited feature names. The first line is the feature placed when a red=1 dot is found, etc.

===Ok, Now what do I do?===
If you are using any custom features, and/or you want to mod-proof your map, you should include them in the sd7 that you package the map in. The tree structure should look something like:

<code>
<mapname.sd7>
-maps/
-mapname.smf
-mapname.smt
-mapname.smd
-Objects3d/
-<featurename[s]>.3do(specified in the tdf)
-features/
-All Worlds/
(and/or)
-Corpses/
-<featurename[s]>.tdf
-textures/
-tatex/
-<texname[s]>00.bmp or .tga
</code>
Without getting into modding/unit making I will say that the .tdf tells you the name of the .3do ("Object="), and the name of the 'feature' is in the top brackets. The .3do specifies the texture names. The engine looks for those texture names + 00 in either bmp or tga format in tatex.

Examples of a built-in XTA wreckage name would be <code>armckfus_dead</code> which would be looking for a tdf (likely armckfus_dead.tdf) that has a [armckfus_dead] section which then specified something like <code>Object=armckfus_dead</code>.

armckfus_dead.3do Would then specify some texture like <code>wreck01b</code> which would go looking for either a wreck01b00.bmp or wreck01b00.tga file.

[http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1421 Start with this version of MapConv]
or
[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1507 This one]
[I will clean this up and add more later --Mother]

==Sharp Map (THIS NO LONGER WORKS USE MAPCONV^^)==
Here's a easy run down of what to do:

First (you guessed it), open Sharp Map.
This brings you a window with several fields that need filling, a few option boxes and two sliders. Fill in the top fields as required. (Click browse, locate the texture map, and click OK. Repeat for the height map and metal map.)

Type in a figure for MAX HEIGHT and MIN HEIGHT. The MAX HEIGHT should not exceed 500. Higher numbers can cause errors. If your minimum height is a negative number then you will have water on your map. Sea level is, naturally enough, at 0. To the right of these boxes is a grey level calculator. This will tell you aproximatly the level of grey on your height map that is under water and above water. The grey is described by it's RGB values.

Then adjust the tree and grass sliders. If you have a green map then I suggest you lower the tree slider, otherwise the map will be covered!

(Edit:) '''Example Usage:'''

The starting locations of the sliders are approximetly 75% trees and 80% grass. On a green portion of any map with any hue (>200 green <75 red <75 blue) it will end up completely ''full'' of trees on the default settings, reducing the sliders to around 20% (which is still kind of dense) or less will make the green areas ''much'' more playable, and still have a good quantity of trees in the deep green parts. However, you will lose almost all your trees in brown/green areas and areas without any green. It would seem the most suitable, for a green map, to be green everywhere, except for cliffsides, rocky patches, water, sand, and mud, if you want the trees to look pretty. Another idea would be to have the dirt brown, and have very thick green splotches of grass (30x30 pixels) where you want a few trees to be. (Edit by: LathanStanley)

Finally, you need to decide if you need to tick the inverse height map box or not. If you drew the height map by hand so that if you overlayed your height map over the texture the hills would line up with the hills, etc. then you will need to tick the box.
This is because the image is read ''backwards'', so its expecting the image to be upside-down. Ticking the check box makes it flip the image the way it wants it before conversion.
If you exported your texture and height maps from Terragen, then you do not need to tick this box, as Terragen exports it upside-down already.
If you were crazy and drew it upside-down, then you don't need to tick it either.

When you have completed all this click Create Map!
This can take some time for a larger map, so start off with a small one.

An Error message similar to this one:

"System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not find file "C:\Program Files\TASpring\convert\strips\mini.dds".

This means that there is a space character (as in "C:\Program Files\") in the path to the files used by Sharpmap. Put all the files in a path that doesn't contain a space character like "C:\map1set3\". If that doesn't work, contact Buggi or post it in the forum: somebody will always help.

==Making your map work==
This is the final push. Once Sharp map has finshed it will spit out a .sm2 file. This needs to be copyed to the MAPS folder in Spring. But you still need one more thing: an .smd file. Basically, this file tells the game things like the maximum metal, the light colours, the clouds, etc. (All the bits you were thinking that you hadn't done yet!)

I would suggest you copy the .smd of another map and fiddle with the settings until you get what you want. smd's can be opened in notepade or similar. Look at all the .smd's so you can get a jist of what each option does. Make sure both the .sm2 and .smd have the same file name then start up Spring (not the client!) in [http://taspring.clan-sy.com/wiki/FAQ#People_talk_about_.27Single_Player.27._How_do_I_start_a_single_player_game.3F single-player mode] and run the commanders script. Choose your map and away you go!

==SMD Rundown==
What follows is all that we (aGorm and LathanStanley) have figured out in the SMD's. Its by no means the be all and end all, but it's the next best thing.

===General Map Information===
* Description is just a short description of your map. Keep it simple.
* TidalStrength determines how much energy tidal generators will produce. A normal figure is around 20.
* Gravity, as you would expect, affects ballisitcs and how far units fly after an explosion.
* MaxMetal is the maximum amount of metal you will gain from one game square in 1 second from an area of metal that had a red value of 255 in your metal map. If making an old style metal deposit map, then this will be quite high: maybe 2 or 3. If you are making a new style metal-all-over-the-place-map, then it will be low: perhaps 0.2. Also for old style maps, you'll have to fiddle with the...
* ExtractorRadius, which is the area that is harvested by 1 metal extractor. For old style maps make this very small, so as they only take from one deposit.

===Atmosphere, Water Colours===
Each value (it would appear this bit is by no means gospel) is a representation of the RGB values for that parameter. It would appear to be relative, i.e. you can put in what ever numbers you like and the game will work out what you want. The best way to go about it is to look at it as percentages.
The numbers 1, 0.5, 0.2 refer to 100% red, 50% green and 20% blue. But 2, 1, 0.4, will get the same result. Using numbers below one for all the numbers will result in the colour being less bright.

This is all a bit confusing so an example will be given:

SkyColor=0.2 0.1 0.5;

In this example the sky is coloured with 20% red, 10% green, and 50% blue, approximatly RGB(51,25,127), resulting in a very deep night-time blue. Other colours are added to the initial sky colour. If you set your sun as being a pale yellow and it came out rather green, this is why.

One helpful tip is ''negative'' colour. That's right: you can type in a negative number for a colour and it will remove it from the base sky colour. Just be careful not to go below the original values or you may get a surprise.

===The Sun System/Shadow System===
The Sun System/Shadow System is quite a useful tool as well in making your maps look ''well done''.
Within the .smd file there is a line:

"SunDir=-1 1 -.5; //direction of sun" (The part of the "//" is a comment.)

The numbers "-1", "1", ".5" determine the angle and elevation of the sunlight system.

The first number is the X angle (East/West) (from -1 to 1) where any negative number means the sun is on the West (and therefore shadows will be cast east), and any positive number means the sun is on the East (and therefore shadows will be cast west), and if the number is 0 there are no east or west shadows, the sun is directly above you.

The second is its elevation, (0 to 1), this number is how far from the horizion the sun is, ignoring it's angle. Thus, 1 puts the sun directly overhead (while still casting angular shadows) and 0 putting it directly on the horizion.

The final number is the Z angle (North/South). (I know, I know, they wrote the engine with Y as elevation and Z as vertical. Don't blame me.) It is just like the East West positioning, where negative numbers put them on the North, and positive numbers put them on the South.

'''Example Usage:''' If you want the shadows ''in'' one of the boxes (your shadow casting surface is in the middle), use the numbers provided, or start from them and tweak the angle and sun height as seen fit.

N
----------------------------------------------
| ( 1 .5 -1) | ( 0 .5 -1) | (-1 .5 -1) |
----------------------------------------------
W | ( 1 .5 0) | ( 0 1 0) | (-1 .5 0) | E
----------------------------------------------
| ( 1 .5 1) | ( 0 .5 1) | (-1 .5 1) |
----------------------------------------------
S

'''Note:''' on the current build, it ''will'' cast the shadows in the proper direction, etc. Negative direction numbers tend to make some maps unstable and cause crashes. The best solution would be to rotate or flip your map to where the shadows point up or right (North or West). I do believe these bugs are being worked on and will be fixed soon.

We can only hope this has been helpful! Any questions, or things you think we have missed, please ask us in the maps section.

[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Development]]

Tutorial:CreateMaps(Fnordia et al)

2005-09-18T16:41:16Z

24.49.98.58: /* Ok, Now what do I do? */

'''Original by aGorm, with help from LathanStanley'''



==The Idea==
First of all you need an idea. There is no point (OK, there is some point for test purposes) in making a map just like another one that already exists. You need to think of certain things before you make your map.
# Is this map idea different, not just a copy of someone else's?
# Does my map idea give each player a fair share of the cover and high ground?
# Is my map idea possible to make?
# Is it possible with the amount of time I'm willing to spend?

If you answered yes to the above, then you are 25% of the way towards making your map!

You should probably doodle it on a piece of paper to act as a guide later.

==The Tools==
With your idea hopefully sketched out, it's time to get the tools to make the map! (You can skip this if you already have them.)

For all your map compiling needs you should first download the [http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1234 newest MapConv program].

You will also need some image editing software. Favorites are Photoshop, the [http://www.gimp.org/ GIMP], And Paintshop Pro.
The GIMP, however, is the only one that's free!
(I'm going to have to assume you know how to use the program you choose. If you can't there are loads of tutorials on the net.)

You may also want to check out [http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/ Terragen] for generating terrain. But as you have to pay to render anything of a good size, I won't mention it other than here. Another tool for generating terrain is the freeware tool [http://www.delphigl.de/projects/terrtexgen/eng_index.html TerrTexGen]. "It generates a terraintexture on the base of a grayscale heightmap und uses five surfacetextures that are distributed over the heightmap."

==Preparing your map==
This is the fun part! And also, often, the longest part.

For a map you will need several different things:
# a texture map
# a height map
# a metal map

They all have certain needs! Read this bit carfully!

===Texture Map===
All maps are based on a texture image. This image's width and height must be an exact multiple of 1024 pixels. So, for instance, you can have a "4096 by 8192" image, but not a "4096 by 4608" image, as 4608 does not divide by 1024. It, like all three maps, must be saved as a 24 bit BMP.

It may look like whatever you want! Find a texture (preferably, one that you can tile seamlessly) and fill your texture map with it. You could, for instance, fill the whole image with a sand texture. This would make your whole world look like sand. You could then decide to add a few patches of grass to it by finding a suitable grass texture and adding it on in patches. So you'd have a map that was mostly sand with a few patches of green.

===Height Map===
Next is the height map. This must be exactly one eighth (1/8) of the size of the texture map '''+ 1 pixel!''' For instance, if the dimensions of your texture map are "4096 by 8192", divide 4096 and 8192 each by 8 and add one to the result of each. The result for this example would be "513 by 1025". The height map is a black and white BMP. Only use black and white, no colour! (well its better to work it as a greyscale image, and when saving to process, convert to rgb and save as bmp, that way you get a 24 bit bmp)

White areas are the tops of mountains; black areas are the sea floor or the bottom of valleys. The shades of grey between are the different heights between! When you draw your heightmap, make sure the white blends into the black with greys. I suggest you use the blur tool. If you have a white splodge in a patch of black you will have a very tall pillar that won't look natural at all!

===Metal Map===
Finally, you need a metal map. This is the same size as the height map, one eighth (1/8) of the size of the texture map '''+ 1 pixel.''' On this one you paint down red (in verying degrees) to represent metal. So a red spot that is RGB(50,0,0) will provide about a 5th of the metal patch of red RGB(255,0,0) will give.

On this map you can also place green pixels. Each green pixel will create 1 geothermal vent. If you put down a green splodge you will get a cluster of geo vents! Only place 1 pixel.

Ensure you have all three saved as 24 bit BMPs and you're ready to convert it all to a map!

==MapConv.exe==

Instuctions pulled from [http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1234 the newest MapConv program]. If all goes well, the MapConv.exe should create four new files: mini.bmp, mini.dds, yourmapname.smf, and yourmapname.smt.

<code>USAGE:

mapconv [-l] [-i] [-c <compression>] -x <max height> -n <min height> [-o
<Output file>] [-e <tile file>] [-y <Typemap file>] -m <Metalmap file> -a
<Heightmap file> -t <Texture file> [--] [-v] [-h]

Where:

-l, --lowpass
Lowpass filters the heightmap

-i, --invert
Inverts the height map vertically (not the height values but the height map
(uhm someone rewrite this))

-c <compression>, --compress <compression>
(value required) How much we should try to compress the texture file.
Default value 0.8 . (lower=higher quality, larger file)

-x <max height>, --maxheight <max height>
(required) (value required) What altitude in spring the max(0xffff) level
of the height map should represent

-n <min height>, --minheight <min height>
(required) (value required) What altitude in spring the min(0) level of
the height map should represent

-o <Output file>, --outfile <Output file>
(value required) The name of the created map

-e <tile file>, --externaltilefile <tile file>
(value required) External tile file that will be used for finding tiles,
tiles not found in this will be added in a new tile file

-y <Typemap file>, --typemap <Typemap file>
(value required) Type map to use, uses the red channel to decide type,
types are defined in the .smd, if this argument is skipped the map will be
all type 0

-m <Metalmap file>, --metalmap <Metalmap file>
(required) (value required) Metal map to use, red channel is amount of
metal, green=255 is where to place geos (one pixel=one geo). Is resized to
fit the mapsize

-a <Heightmap file>, --heightmap <Heightmap file>
(required) (value required) Input heightmap to use for the map, this
should be in 16 bit raw format (.raw extension) or an image file. Must be
xsize*128+1 x ysize*128+1 in size.

-t <Texture file>, --intex <Texture file>
(required) (value required) Input bitmap to use for the map. Must be
xsize*1024 x ysize*1024 in size. (xsize,ysize integers determined from this
file)

--, --ignore_rest
Ignores the rest of the labeled arguments following this flag.

-v, --version
Displays version information and exits.

-h, --help
Displays usage information and exits.

Convers a series of bmp/raw files to a spring map. This just creates the .smf
file, you will also have to create a .smd file using a text editor
</code>
==Mothers MapConv==
The usage is the same as above, with the following exceptions:
All features (including GeoVent/Tree/Grass) are now on their own FeatureMap. This is a 24bit bmp specified with the -f <featuremapname.bmp> flag.

Tree's and GeoVents are placed on the green layer.
*255 Places a GeoVent
*200-215 Places tree types 1-16

MapConv will try to place these features in the exact spot you place them, it will then go into crackhead mode if it cannot.

Grass is the blue layer. The blue value maps to a 'pseudo-density' of the grass. The 'grass' map in the engine is very very low resolution, so be aware that you will not get nice linear results. 255=full grass, 0=no grass.

The red layer places 'Arbitrary Features,' aka wreckages. One pixel of red equals one feature. Red '1' gives you a feature of the first arbitrary type, 2 the second, 3 the third, and so on.

===But what are these 'Arbitrary Features,' Im so confused!===
They are 'features' found in the /features/All Worlds or /features/corpses filesystems. Which feature is 'type 1' is defined on a map-by-map basis via a new file called 'fs.txt'. This file should contain <cr> delimited feature names. The first line is the feature placed when a red=1 dot is found, etc.

===Ok, Now what do I do?===
If you are using any custom features, and/or you want to mod-proof your map, you should include them in the sd7 that you package the map in. The tree structure should look something like:

<code>
<mapname.sd7>
-maps/
-mapname.smf
-mapname.smt
-mapname.smd
-Objects3d/
-<featurename[s]>.3do(specified in the tdf)
-features/
-All Worlds/
(and/or)
-Corpses/
-<featurename[s]>.tdf
-textures/
-tatex/
-<texname[s]>00.bmp or .tga
</code>
Without getting into modding/unit making I will say that the .tdf tells you the name of the .3do ("Object="), and the name of the 'feature' is in the top brackets. The .3do specifies the texture names. The engine looks for those texture names + 00 in either bmp or tga format in tatex.

Examples of a built-in XTA wreckage name would be <code>armckfus_dead</code> which would be looking for a tdf (likely armckfus_dead.tdf) that has a [armckfus_dead] section which then specified something like <code>Object=armckfus_dead</code>.

armckfus_dead.3do Would then specify some texture like <code>wreck01b</code> which would go looking for either a wreck01b00.bmp or wreck01b00.tga file.

[http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1421 Start with this version of MapConv]
or
[http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1507 link This one][I will clean this up and add more later --Mother]

==Sharp Map (THIS NO LONGER WORKS USE MAPCONV^^)==
Here's a easy run down of what to do:

First (you guessed it), open Sharp Map.
This brings you a window with several fields that need filling, a few option boxes and two sliders. Fill in the top fields as required. (Click browse, locate the texture map, and click OK. Repeat for the height map and metal map.)

Type in a figure for MAX HEIGHT and MIN HEIGHT. The MAX HEIGHT should not exceed 500. Higher numbers can cause errors. If your minimum height is a negative number then you will have water on your map. Sea level is, naturally enough, at 0. To the right of these boxes is a grey level calculator. This will tell you aproximatly the level of grey on your height map that is under water and above water. The grey is described by it's RGB values.

Then adjust the tree and grass sliders. If you have a green map then I suggest you lower the tree slider, otherwise the map will be covered!

(Edit:) '''Example Usage:'''

The starting locations of the sliders are approximetly 75% trees and 80% grass. On a green portion of any map with any hue (>200 green <75 red <75 blue) it will end up completely ''full'' of trees on the default settings, reducing the sliders to around 20% (which is still kind of dense) or less will make the green areas ''much'' more playable, and still have a good quantity of trees in the deep green parts. However, you will lose almost all your trees in brown/green areas and areas without any green. It would seem the most suitable, for a green map, to be green everywhere, except for cliffsides, rocky patches, water, sand, and mud, if you want the trees to look pretty. Another idea would be to have the dirt brown, and have very thick green splotches of grass (30x30 pixels) where you want a few trees to be. (Edit by: LathanStanley)

Finally, you need to decide if you need to tick the inverse height map box or not. If you drew the height map by hand so that if you overlayed your height map over the texture the hills would line up with the hills, etc. then you will need to tick the box.
This is because the image is read ''backwards'', so its expecting the image to be upside-down. Ticking the check box makes it flip the image the way it wants it before conversion.
If you exported your texture and height maps from Terragen, then you do not need to tick this box, as Terragen exports it upside-down already.
If you were crazy and drew it upside-down, then you don't need to tick it either.

When you have completed all this click Create Map!
This can take some time for a larger map, so start off with a small one.

An Error message similar to this one:

"System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not find file "C:\Program Files\TASpring\convert\strips\mini.dds".

This means that there is a space character (as in "C:\Program Files\") in the path to the files used by Sharpmap. Put all the files in a path that doesn't contain a space character like "C:\map1set3\". If that doesn't work, contact Buggi or post it in the forum: somebody will always help.

==Making your map work==
This is the final push. Once Sharp map has finshed it will spit out a .sm2 file. This needs to be copyed to the MAPS folder in Spring. But you still need one more thing: an .smd file. Basically, this file tells the game things like the maximum metal, the light colours, the clouds, etc. (All the bits you were thinking that you hadn't done yet!)

I would suggest you copy the .smd of another map and fiddle with the settings until you get what you want. smd's can be opened in notepade or similar. Look at all the .smd's so you can get a jist of what each option does. Make sure both the .sm2 and .smd have the same file name then start up Spring (not the client!) in [http://taspring.clan-sy.com/wiki/FAQ#People_talk_about_.27Single_Player.27._How_do_I_start_a_single_player_game.3F single-player mode] and run the commanders script. Choose your map and away you go!

==SMD Rundown==
What follows is all that we (aGorm and LathanStanley) have figured out in the SMD's. Its by no means the be all and end all, but it's the next best thing.

===General Map Information===
* Description is just a short description of your map. Keep it simple.
* TidalStrength determines how much energy tidal generators will produce. A normal figure is around 20.
* Gravity, as you would expect, affects ballisitcs and how far units fly after an explosion.
* MaxMetal is the maximum amount of metal you will gain from one game square in 1 second from an area of metal that had a red value of 255 in your metal map. If making an old style metal deposit map, then this will be quite high: maybe 2 or 3. If you are making a new style metal-all-over-the-place-map, then it will be low: perhaps 0.2. Also for old style maps, you'll have to fiddle with the...
* ExtractorRadius, which is the area that is harvested by 1 metal extractor. For old style maps make this very small, so as they only take from one deposit.

===Atmosphere, Water Colours===
Each value (it would appear this bit is by no means gospel) is a representation of the RGB values for that parameter. It would appear to be relative, i.e. you can put in what ever numbers you like and the game will work out what you want. The best way to go about it is to look at it as percentages.
The numbers 1, 0.5, 0.2 refer to 100% red, 50% green and 20% blue. But 2, 1, 0.4, will get the same result. Using numbers below one for all the numbers will result in the colour being less bright.

This is all a bit confusing so an example will be given:

SkyColor=0.2 0.1 0.5;

In this example the sky is coloured with 20% red, 10% green, and 50% blue, approximatly RGB(51,25,127), resulting in a very deep night-time blue. Other colours are added to the initial sky colour. If you set your sun as being a pale yellow and it came out rather green, this is why.

One helpful tip is ''negative'' colour. That's right: you can type in a negative number for a colour and it will remove it from the base sky colour. Just be careful not to go below the original values or you may get a surprise.

===The Sun System/Shadow System===
The Sun System/Shadow System is quite a useful tool as well in making your maps look ''well done''.
Within the .smd file there is a line:

"SunDir=-1 1 -.5; //direction of sun" (The part of the "//" is a comment.)

The numbers "-1", "1", ".5" determine the angle and elevation of the sunlight system.

The first number is the X angle (East/West) (from -1 to 1) where any negative number means the sun is on the West (and therefore shadows will be cast east), and any positive number means the sun is on the East (and therefore shadows will be cast west), and if the number is 0 there are no east or west shadows, the sun is directly above you.

The second is its elevation, (0 to 1), this number is how far from the horizion the sun is, ignoring it's angle. Thus, 1 puts the sun directly overhead (while still casting angular shadows) and 0 putting it directly on the horizion.

The final number is the Z angle (North/South). (I know, I know, they wrote the engine with Y as elevation and Z as vertical. Don't blame me.) It is just like the East West positioning, where negative numbers put them on the North, and positive numbers put them on the South.

'''Example Usage:''' If you want the shadows ''in'' one of the boxes (your shadow casting surface is in the middle), use the numbers provided, or start from them and tweak the angle and sun height as seen fit.

N
----------------------------------------------
| ( 1 .5 -1) | ( 0 .5 -1) | (-1 .5 -1) |
----------------------------------------------
W | ( 1 .5 0) | ( 0 1 0) | (-1 .5 0) | E
----------------------------------------------
| ( 1 .5 1) | ( 0 .5 1) | (-1 .5 1) |
----------------------------------------------
S

'''Note:''' on the current build, it ''will'' cast the shadows in the proper direction, etc. Negative direction numbers tend to make some maps unstable and cause crashes. The best solution would be to rotate or flip your map to where the shadows point up or right (North or West). I do believe these bugs are being worked on and will be fixed soon.

We can only hope this has been helpful! Any questions, or things you think we have missed, please ask us in the maps section.

[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Development]]

Tutorial:CreateMaps(Fnordia et al)

2005-09-13T20:18:26Z

24.49.98.58:

'''Original by aGorm, with help from LathanStanley'''



==The Idea==
First of all you need an idea. There is no point (OK, there is some point for test purposes) in making a map just like another one that already exists. You need to think of certain things before you make your map.
# Is this map idea different, not just a copy of someone else's?
# Does my map idea give each player a fair share of the cover and high ground?
# Is my map idea possible to make?
# Is it possible with the amount of time I'm willing to spend?

If you answered yes to the above, then you are 25% of the way towards making your map!

You should probably doodle it on a piece of paper to act as a guide later.

==The Tools==
With your idea hopefully sketched out, it's time to get the tools to make the map! (You can skip this if you already have them.)

For all your map compiling needs you should first download the [http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1234 newest MapConv program].

You will also need some image editing software. Favorites are Photoshop, the [http://www.gimp.org/ GIMP], And Paintshop Pro.
The GIMP, however, is the only one that's free!
(I'm going to have to assume you know how to use the program you choose. If you can't there are loads of tutorials on the net.)

You may also want to check out [http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/ Terragen] for generating terrain. But as you have to pay to render anything of a good size, I won't mention it other than here. Another tool for generating terrain is the freeware tool [http://www.delphigl.de/projects/terrtexgen/eng_index.html TerrTexGen]. "It generates a terraintexture on the base of a grayscale heightmap und uses five surfacetextures that are distributed over the heightmap."

==Preparing your map==
This is the fun part! And also, often, the longest part.

For a map you will need several different things:
# a texture map
# a height map
# a metal map

They all have certain needs! Read this bit carfully!

===Texture Map===
All maps are based on a texture image. This image's width and height must be an exact multiple of 1024 pixels. So, for instance, you can have a "4096 by 8192" image, but not a "4096 by 4608" image, as 4608 does not divide by 1024. It, like all three maps, must be saved as a 24 bit BMP.

It may look like whatever you want! Find a texture (preferably, one that you can tile seamlessly) and fill your texture map with it. You could, for instance, fill the whole image with a sand texture. This would make your whole world look like sand. You could then decide to add a few patches of grass to it by finding a suitable grass texture and adding it on in patches. So you'd have a map that was mostly sand with a few patches of green.

===Height Map===
Next is the height map. This must be exactly one eighth (1/8) of the size of the texture map '''+ 1 pixel!''' For instance, if the dimensions of your texture map are "4096 by 8192", divide 4096 and 8192 each by 8 and add one to the result of each. The result for this example would be "513 by 1025". The height map is a black and white BMP. Only use black and white, no colour! (well its better to work it as a greyscale image, and when saving to process, convert to rgb and save as bmp, that way you get a 24 bit bmp)

White areas are the tops of mountains; black areas are the sea floor or the bottom of valleys. The shades of grey between are the different heights between! When you draw your heightmap, make sure the white blends into the black with greys. I suggest you use the blur tool. If you have a white splodge in a patch of black you will have a very tall pillar that won't look natural at all!

===Metal Map===
Finally, you need a metal map. This is the same size as the height map, one eighth (1/8) of the size of the texture map '''+ 1 pixel.''' On this one you paint down red (in verying degrees) to represent metal. So a red spot that is RGB(50,0,0) will provide about a 5th of the metal patch of red RGB(255,0,0) will give.

On this map you can also place green pixels. Each green pixel will create 1 geothermal vent. If you put down a green splodge you will get a cluster of geo vents! Only place 1 pixel.

Ensure you have all three saved as 24 bit BMPs and you're ready to convert it all to a map!

==MapConv.exe==

Instuctions pulled from [http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1234 the newest MapConv program]. If all goes well, the MapConv.exe should create four new files: mini.bmp, mini.dds, yourmapname.smf, and yourmapname.smt.

<code>USAGE:

mapconv [-l] [-i] [-c <compression>] -x <max height> -n <min height> [-o
<Output file>] [-e <tile file>] [-y <Typemap file>] -m <Metalmap file> -a
<Heightmap file> -t <Texture file> [--] [-v] [-h]

Where:

-l, --lowpass
Lowpass filters the heightmap

-i, --invert
Inverts the height map vertically (not the height values but the height map
(uhm someone rewrite this))

-c <compression>, --compress <compression>
(value required) How much we should try to compress the texture file.
Default value 0.8 . (lower=higher quality, larger file)

-x <max height>, --maxheight <max height>
(required) (value required) What altitude in spring the max(0xffff) level
of the height map should represent

-n <min height>, --minheight <min height>
(required) (value required) What altitude in spring the min(0) level of
the height map should represent

-o <Output file>, --outfile <Output file>
(value required) The name of the created map

-e <tile file>, --externaltilefile <tile file>
(value required) External tile file that will be used for finding tiles,
tiles not found in this will be added in a new tile file

-y <Typemap file>, --typemap <Typemap file>
(value required) Type map to use, uses the red channel to decide type,
types are defined in the .smd, if this argument is skipped the map will be
all type 0

-m <Metalmap file>, --metalmap <Metalmap file>
(required) (value required) Metal map to use, red channel is amount of
metal, green=255 is where to place geos (one pixel=one geo). Is resized to
fit the mapsize

-a <Heightmap file>, --heightmap <Heightmap file>
(required) (value required) Input heightmap to use for the map, this
should be in 16 bit raw format (.raw extension) or an image file. Must be
xsize*128+1 x ysize*128+1 in size.

-t <Texture file>, --intex <Texture file>
(required) (value required) Input bitmap to use for the map. Must be
xsize*1024 x ysize*1024 in size. (xsize,ysize integers determined from this
file)

--, --ignore_rest
Ignores the rest of the labeled arguments following this flag.

-v, --version
Displays version information and exits.

-h, --help
Displays usage information and exits.

Convers a series of bmp/raw files to a spring map. This just creates the .smf
file, you will also have to create a .smd file using a text editor
</code>
==Mothers MapConv==
The usage is the same as above, with the following exceptions:
All features (including GeoVent/Tree/Grass) are now on their own FeatureMap. This is a 24bit bmp specified with the -f <featuremapname.bmp> flag.

Tree's and GeoVents are placed on the green layer.
*255 Places a GeoVent
*200-215 Places tree types 1-16

MapConv will try to place these features in the exact spot you place them, it will then go into crackhead mode if it cannot.

Grass is the blue layer. The blue value maps to a 'pseudo-density' of the grass. The 'grass' map in the engine is very very low resolution, so be aware that you will not get nice linear results. 255=full grass, 0=no grass.

The red layer places 'Arbitrary Features,' aka wreckages. One pixel of red equals one feature. Red '1' gives you a feature of the first arbitrary type, 2 the second, 3 the third, and so on.

===But what are these 'Arbitrary Features,' Im so confused!===
They are 'features' found in the /features/All Worlds or /features/corpses filesystems. Which feature is 'type 1' is defined on a map-by-map basis via a new file called 'fs.txt'. This file should contain <cr> delimited feature names. The first line is the feature placed when a red=1 dot is found, etc.

===Ok, Now what do I do?===
If you are using any custom features, and/or you want to mod-proof your map, you should include them in the sd7 that you package the map in. The tree structure should look something like:

<code>
<mapname.sd7>
-maps/
-mapname.smf
-mapname.smt
-mapname.smd
-Objects3d/
-<featurename[s]>.3do(specified in the tdf)
-features/
-All Worlds/
(and/or)
-Corpses/
-<featurename[s]>.tdf
-textures/
-tatex/
-<texname[s]>00.bmp or .tga
</code>
Without getting into modding/unit making I will say that the .tdf tells you the name of the .3do ("Object="), and the name of the 'feature' is in the top brackets. The .3do specifies the texture names. The engine looks for those texture names + 00 in either bmp or tga format in tatex.

Examples of a built-in XTA wreckage name would be <code>armckfus_dead</code> which would be looking for a tdf (likely armckfus_dead.tdf) that has a [armckfus_dead] section which then specified something like <code>Object=armckfus_dead</code>.

armckfus_dead.3do Would then specify some texture like <code>wreck01b</code> which would go looking for either a wreck01b00.bmp or wreck01b00.tga file.

[http://fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1421 Start with this version of MapConv]
[I will clean this up and add more later --Mother]

==Sharp Map (THIS NO LONGER WORKS USE MAPCONV^^)==
Here's a easy run down of what to do:

First (you guessed it), open Sharp Map.
This brings you a window with several fields that need filling, a few option boxes and two sliders. Fill in the top fields as required. (Click browse, locate the texture map, and click OK. Repeat for the height map and metal map.)

Type in a figure for MAX HEIGHT and MIN HEIGHT. The MAX HEIGHT should not exceed 500. Higher numbers can cause errors. If your minimum height is a negative number then you will have water on your map. Sea level is, naturally enough, at 0. To the right of these boxes is a grey level calculator. This will tell you aproximatly the level of grey on your height map that is under water and above water. The grey is described by it's RGB values.

Then adjust the tree and grass sliders. If you have a green map then I suggest you lower the tree slider, otherwise the map will be covered!

(Edit:) '''Example Usage:'''

The starting locations of the sliders are approximetly 75% trees and 80% grass. On a green portion of any map with any hue (>200 green <75 red <75 blue) it will end up completely ''full'' of trees on the default settings, reducing the sliders to around 20% (which is still kind of dense) or less will make the green areas ''much'' more playable, and still have a good quantity of trees in the deep green parts. However, you will lose almost all your trees in brown/green areas and areas without any green. It would seem the most suitable, for a green map, to be green everywhere, except for cliffsides, rocky patches, water, sand, and mud, if you want the trees to look pretty. Another idea would be to have the dirt brown, and have very thick green splotches of grass (30x30 pixels) where you want a few trees to be. (Edit by: LathanStanley)

Finally, you need to decide if you need to tick the inverse height map box or not. If you drew the height map by hand so that if you overlayed your height map over the texture the hills would line up with the hills, etc. then you will need to tick the box.
This is because the image is read ''backwards'', so its expecting the image to be upside-down. Ticking the check box makes it flip the image the way it wants it before conversion.
If you exported your texture and height maps from Terragen, then you do not need to tick this box, as Terragen exports it upside-down already.
If you were crazy and drew it upside-down, then you don't need to tick it either.

When you have completed all this click Create Map!
This can take some time for a larger map, so start off with a small one.

An Error message similar to this one:

"System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not find file "C:\Program Files\TASpring\convert\strips\mini.dds".

This means that there is a space character (as in "C:\Program Files\") in the path to the files used by Sharpmap. Put all the files in a path that doesn't contain a space character like "C:\map1set3\". If that doesn't work, contact Buggi or post it in the forum: somebody will always help.

==Making your map work==
This is the final push. Once Sharp map has finshed it will spit out a .sm2 file. This needs to be copyed to the MAPS folder in Spring. But you still need one more thing: an .smd file. Basically, this file tells the game things like the maximum metal, the light colours, the clouds, etc. (All the bits you were thinking that you hadn't done yet!)

I would suggest you copy the .smd of another map and fiddle with the settings until you get what you want. smd's can be opened in notepade or similar. Look at all the .smd's so you can get a jist of what each option does. Make sure both the .sm2 and .smd have the same file name then start up Spring (not the client!) in [http://taspring.clan-sy.com/wiki/FAQ#People_talk_about_.27Single_Player.27._How_do_I_start_a_single_player_game.3F single-player mode] and run the commanders script. Choose your map and away you go!

==SMD Rundown==
What follows is all that we (aGorm and LathanStanley) have figured out in the SMD's. Its by no means the be all and end all, but it's the next best thing.

===General Map Information===
* Description is just a short description of your map. Keep it simple.
* TidalStrength determines how much energy tidal generators will produce. A normal figure is around 20.
* Gravity, as you would expect, affects ballisitcs and how far units fly after an explosion.
* MaxMetal is the maximum amount of metal you will gain from one game square in 1 second from an area of metal that had a red value of 255 in your metal map. If making an old style metal deposit map, then this will be quite high: maybe 2 or 3. If you are making a new style metal-all-over-the-place-map, then it will be low: perhaps 0.2. Also for old style maps, you'll have to fiddle with the...
* ExtractorRadius, which is the area that is harvested by 1 metal extractor. For old style maps make this very small, so as they only take from one deposit.

===Atmosphere, Water Colours===
Each value (it would appear this bit is by no means gospel) is a representation of the RGB values for that parameter. It would appear to be relative, i.e. you can put in what ever numbers you like and the game will work out what you want. The best way to go about it is to look at it as percentages.
The numbers 1, 0.5, 0.2 refer to 100% red, 50% green and 20% blue. But 2, 1, 0.4, will get the same result. Using numbers below one for all the numbers will result in the colour being less bright.

This is all a bit confusing so an example will be given:

SkyColor=0.2 0.1 0.5;

In this example the sky is coloured with 20% red, 10% green, and 50% blue, approximatly RGB(51,25,127), resulting in a very deep night-time blue. Other colours are added to the initial sky colour. If you set your sun as being a pale yellow and it came out rather green, this is why.

One helpful tip is ''negative'' colour. That's right: you can type in a negative number for a colour and it will remove it from the base sky colour. Just be careful not to go below the original values or you may get a surprise.

===The Sun System/Shadow System===
The Sun System/Shadow System is quite a useful tool as well in making your maps look ''well done''.
Within the .smd file there is a line:

"SunDir=-1 1 -.5; //direction of sun" (The part of the "//" is a comment.)

The numbers "-1", "1", ".5" determine the angle and elevation of the sunlight system.

The first number is the X angle (East/West) (from -1 to 1) where any negative number means the sun is on the West (and therefore shadows will be cast east), and any positive number means the sun is on the East (and therefore shadows will be cast west), and if the number is 0 there are no east or west shadows, the sun is directly above you.

The second is its elevation, (0 to 1), this number is how far from the horizion the sun is, ignoring it's angle. Thus, 1 puts the sun directly overhead (while still casting angular shadows) and 0 putting it directly on the horizion.

The final number is the Z angle (North/South). (I know, I know, they wrote the engine with Y as elevation and Z as vertical. Don't blame me.) It is just like the East West positioning, where negative numbers put them on the North, and positive numbers put them on the South.

'''Example Usage:''' If you want the shadows ''in'' one of the boxes (your shadow casting surface is in the middle), use the numbers provided, or start from them and tweak the angle and sun height as seen fit.

N
----------------------------------------------
| ( 1 .5 -1) | ( 0 .5 -1) | (-1 .5 -1) |
----------------------------------------------
W | ( 1 .5 0) | ( 0 1 0) | (-1 .5 0) | E
----------------------------------------------
| ( 1 .5 1) | ( 0 .5 1) | (-1 .5 1) |
----------------------------------------------
S

'''Note:''' on the current build, it ''will'' cast the shadows in the proper direction, etc. Negative direction numbers tend to make some maps unstable and cause crashes. The best solution would be to rotate or flip your map to where the shadows point up or right (North or West). I do believe these bugs are being worked on and will be fixed soon.

We can only hope this has been helpful! Any questions, or things you think we have missed, please ask us in the maps section.

[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Development]]

Community news

2005-08-25T15:50:23Z

24.49.98.58: /* 2005-08-25 - It's the Stealth-Spring-Release... */

On this page, you can post news items that will be seen in the top right section of the frontpage. You can use this to post if you have created or found something of interest to the Spring community, such as a new map, a useful tool or perhaps a new useful page in the wiki. Details on how to update this page can be found [[Community_news_editing | here]].

----
===2005-08-25 - It's the Stealth-Spring-Release...=== It seems that the 0.13 Client update is part of the 0.62b1 (2b1 not 1b2) release... Which is released. Im sure someone will get around to announcing this w/ changelog etc... Meanwhile thats what the updating installer on the downloads page is for.

===2005-08-20 - wiki Button Added===
As you probably already have noticed, the SY's have added a wiki button (Made by aGorm) to the Navigation bar. Hopefully, this will make people more aware of the wiki, as some have never even heard of it! More info on [http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1917 this thread]. If you don't see the wiki button, empty the cache of your browser and refresh.

===2005-08-16 - JCAI Released===
Zaphod has released alpha 1 of his skirmish AI JCAI for spring,[http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1920 see forum post]
TAI code has been released but doesnt work. [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1322 Get it here]

===2005-08-03 - Mods and Maps===
zwzsg made a 3.6MB mod package with: OTA balance, Evolva models, UTASP Buildpics. Install and use easy thanks to the new mod switcher introduced in Spring 0.60b1.
 - [http://spring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1843 More info and discussion]
 - [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1257 Download link]

[http://zwzsg.hosted.luckz.de/img/spring/Azure%20Rampart%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Bomber.png http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Azure%20Rampart%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Bomber.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Ahspen%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Tanks%20Tracks.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Ahspen%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Tanks%20Tracks.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/RedHaven%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Core.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/RedHaven%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Core.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/causticscreenshot.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/causticscreenshot.jpg-thumb.png]

Spring 0.60b1 made all previous maps obsolete, but as the pictures above show, there's a steadily increasing [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=listing&ID=121 choice of new maps], either old ones converted to the new format or brand new.

===2005-07-08 - Buggi's Beta Update===
Buggi released a new version of his modified version of the game; This release added, among other things, custom models for weapons! [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1257 Get it here]

===2005-07-05 - Map Editing Guide Updated===
You know you wanted to make that map? Well now you can! Check it out in the Wiki, or click on the link.
[[Create_maps]]

===2005-07-03 - New strategy guide===
A new strategy guide to help out new players has been added to the wiki.
Here's the link: [[Spring guide!]]

===2005-07-03 - Community news section===
A new site feature has been added, that allows users to contribute news that will be seen in this section.

This might be useful to expose new maps for example to those that don't visit the map forum regularly... We'll see how it turns out.

Community news

2005-08-25T15:42:39Z

24.49.98.58:

On this page, you can post news items that will be seen in the top right section of the frontpage. You can use this to post if you have created or found something of interest to the Spring community, such as a new map, a useful tool or perhaps a new useful page in the wiki. Details on how to update this page can be found [[Community_news_editing | here]].

----
===2005-08-25 - It's the Stealth-Spring-Release...=== It seems that the 0.13 Client update is part of the 0.62b1 (not 2b1 not 1b2) release... Which is released. Im sure someone will get around to announcing this w/ changelog etc... Meanwhile thats what the updating installer on the downloads page is for.

===2005-08-20 - wiki Button Added===
As you probably already have noticed, the SY's have added a wiki button (Made by aGorm) to the Navigation bar. Hopefully, this will make people more aware of the wiki, as some have never even heard of it! More info on [http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1917 this thread]. If you don't see the wiki button, empty the cache of your browser and refresh.

===2005-08-16 - JCAI Released===
Zaphod has released alpha 1 of his skirmish AI JCAI for spring,[http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1920 see forum post]
TAI code has been released but doesnt work. [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1322 Get it here]

===2005-08-03 - Mods and Maps===
zwzsg made a 3.6MB mod package with: OTA balance, Evolva models, UTASP Buildpics. Install and use easy thanks to the new mod switcher introduced in Spring 0.60b1.
 - [http://spring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1843 More info and discussion]
 - [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1257 Download link]

[http://zwzsg.hosted.luckz.de/img/spring/Azure%20Rampart%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Bomber.png http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Azure%20Rampart%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Bomber.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Ahspen%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Tanks%20Tracks.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Ahspen%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Tanks%20Tracks.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/RedHaven%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Core.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/RedHaven%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Core.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/causticscreenshot.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/causticscreenshot.jpg-thumb.png]

Spring 0.60b1 made all previous maps obsolete, but as the pictures above show, there's a steadily increasing [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=listing&ID=121 choice of new maps], either old ones converted to the new format or brand new.

===2005-07-08 - Buggi's Beta Update===
Buggi released a new version of his modified version of the game; This release added, among other things, custom models for weapons! [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1257 Get it here]

===2005-07-05 - Map Editing Guide Updated===
You know you wanted to make that map? Well now you can! Check it out in the Wiki, or click on the link.
[[Create_maps]]

===2005-07-03 - New strategy guide===
A new strategy guide to help out new players has been added to the wiki.
Here's the link: [[Spring guide!]]

===2005-07-03 - Community news section===
A new site feature has been added, that allows users to contribute news that will be seen in this section.

This might be useful to expose new maps for example to those that don't visit the map forum regularly... We'll see how it turns out.

Community news

2005-08-25T15:40:44Z

24.49.98.58: Somebody had too much something

On this page, you can post news items that will be seen in the top right section of the frontpage. You can use this to post if you have created or found something of interest to the Spring community, such as a new map, a useful tool or perhaps a new useful page in the wiki. Details on how to update this page can be found [[Community_news_editing | here]].

----
It's the Stealth-Spring-Release... It seems that the 0.13 Client update is part of the 0.62b1 (not 2b1 not 1b2) release... Which is released. Im sure someone will get around to announcing this w/ changelog etc... Meanwhile thats what the updating installer on the downloads page is for.

===2005-08-20 - wiki Button Added===
As you probably already have noticed, the SY's have added a wiki button (Made by aGorm) to the Navigation bar. Hopefully, this will make people more aware of the wiki, as some have never even heard of it! More info on [http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1917 this thread]. If you don't see the wiki button, empty the cache of your browser and refresh.

===2005-08-16 - JCAI Released===
Zaphod has released alpha 1 of his skirmish AI JCAI for spring,[http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1920 see forum post]
TAI code has been released but doesnt work. [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1322 Get it here]

===2005-08-03 - Mods and Maps===
zwzsg made a 3.6MB mod package with: OTA balance, Evolva models, UTASP Buildpics. Install and use easy thanks to the new mod switcher introduced in Spring 0.60b1.
 - [http://spring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1843 More info and discussion]
 - [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1257 Download link]

[http://zwzsg.hosted.luckz.de/img/spring/Azure%20Rampart%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Bomber.png http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Azure%20Rampart%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Bomber.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Ahspen%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Tanks%20Tracks.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Ahspen%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Tanks%20Tracks.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/RedHaven%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Core.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/RedHaven%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Core.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/causticscreenshot.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/causticscreenshot.jpg-thumb.png]

Spring 0.60b1 made all previous maps obsolete, but as the pictures above show, there's a steadily increasing [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=listing&ID=121 choice of new maps], either old ones converted to the new format or brand new.

===2005-07-08 - Buggi's Beta Update===
Buggi released a new version of his modified version of the game; This release added, among other things, custom models for weapons! [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1257 Get it here]

===2005-07-05 - Map Editing Guide Updated===
You know you wanted to make that map? Well now you can! Check it out in the Wiki, or click on the link.
[[Create_maps]]

===2005-07-03 - New strategy guide===
A new strategy guide to help out new players has been added to the wiki.
Here's the link: [[Spring guide!]]

===2005-07-03 - Community news section===
A new site feature has been added, that allows users to contribute news that will be seen in this section.

This might be useful to expose new maps for example to those that don't visit the map forum regularly... We'll see how it turns out.

Community news

2005-08-25T15:39:15Z

24.49.98.58:

On this page, you can post news items that will be seen in the top right section of the frontpage. You can use this to post if you have created or found something of interest to the Spring community, such as a new map, a useful tool or perhaps a new useful page in the wiki. Details on how to update this page can be found [[Community_news_editing | here]].

----
===2005-08-25 - Somebody had too much something===
It's the Stealth-Spring-Release... It seems that the 0.13 Client update is part of the 0.62b1 (not 2b1 not 1b2) release... Which is released. Im sure someone will get around to announcing this w/ changelog etc... Meanwhile thats what the updating installer on the downloads page is for.

===2005-08-20 - wiki Button Added===
As you probably already have noticed, the SY's have added a wiki button (Made by aGorm) to the Navigation bar. Hopefully, this will make people more aware of the wiki, as some have never even heard of it! More info on [http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1917 this thread]. If you don't see the wiki button, empty the cache of your browser and refresh.

===2005-08-16 - JCAI Released===
Zaphod has released alpha 1 of his skirmish AI JCAI for spring,[http://taspring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1920 see forum post]
TAI code has been released but doesnt work. [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1322 Get it here]

===2005-08-03 - Mods and Maps===
zwzsg made a 3.6MB mod package with: OTA balance, Evolva models, UTASP Buildpics. Install and use easy thanks to the new mod switcher introduced in Spring 0.60b1.
 - [http://spring.clan-sy.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1843 More info and discussion]
 - [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1257 Download link]

[http://zwzsg.hosted.luckz.de/img/spring/Azure%20Rampart%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Bomber.png http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Azure%20Rampart%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Bomber.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Ahspen%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Tanks%20Tracks.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/Ahspen%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Tanks%20Tracks.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/RedHaven%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Core.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/RedHaven%20-%20evnbp%20-%20Core.jpg-thumb.png][http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/causticscreenshot.jpg http://www.fileuniverse.com/images/causticscreenshot.jpg-thumb.png]

Spring 0.60b1 made all previous maps obsolete, but as the pictures above show, there's a steadily increasing [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=listing&ID=121 choice of new maps], either old ones converted to the new format or brand new.

===2005-07-08 - Buggi's Beta Update===
Buggi released a new version of his modified version of the game; This release added, among other things, custom models for weapons! [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1257 Get it here]

===2005-07-05 - Map Editing Guide Updated===
You know you wanted to make that map? Well now you can! Check it out in the Wiki, or click on the link.
[[Create_maps]]

===2005-07-03 - New strategy guide===
A new strategy guide to help out new players has been added to the wiki.
Here's the link: [[Spring guide!]]

===2005-07-03 - Community news section===
A new site feature has been added, that allows users to contribute news that will be seen in this section.

This might be useful to expose new maps for example to those that don't visit the map forum regularly... We'll see how it turns out.

Map reviews

2005-06-24T00:08:40Z

24.49.98.58: /* Playability */

Anybody please feel free to add reviews to this section, or add to existing ones - latest reviews first.

If you don't understand how to edit this PM aGorm!

----

== Bionica v3.1 (FINAL) ==

by aGorm

===Looks===
[[Image:Map-bionica-minimap.png|right]]
That map looks (don't be fooled by the minimap!) really good. The central island is especially nice; the texture used is perfect. It is slightly stylized (like TA maps) not a real world... The metal around the edge actually looks pretty damn good too, as you don't notice the sea join at all. It gives it the feel of being on an island, without being on one. Other maps that come to the edge look bad because it seems abrupt. This avoids that problem because it's meant to be.
One gripe that stops this from getting 9/10: there are ramps, and they are necessary, but they spoil the look. However it's still is very good.

8/10

===Playability===
The start positions are wrong. This is annoying. Also everyone will need to make them the same to play.
However it clearly has lots of potential for a good game once started. All the players would have to fight around and destroy there neighbours on land, and use air and sea to get the others, which could lead to all sorts of cool suprise attacks and so forth. The island in the middle, containing extra metal and great radar coverage, is a good place to get.
Only one real problem: there is not much room for a base around the outside. If you started there, you'd be at a disadvantage.

7/10

Want the map? Get It here: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=1032

----

== Lava Highground 2 - v1.0 ==

by aGorm

=== Looks ===
The map looks, at first sight, pretty good. The texture is maybe a little repetitive, but it's different. The ambiance is good (i.e. sky effects and lighting). In "normal mode" it all looks fine! Just nothing special...

However... The metal map is like somthing out of a funky light show. It's just green dots on the ground! They obviously meant to represent metal patches, but the time was not taken to add then onto the surface map. If they would have, I would forgive them but as they are--well they do look a bit off.

7/10

=== Playability ===
Here it scores above average... It's a simple concept, everything works well (as you'd hope in a second version...) No problems, except how easy it is to defend... Should 2 popup turrets and 4 imolators really be able to take down 100 mavericks? Not really... However the terrain does give that sort of great advantage to the defender; but a good attacker will be able to work around this!

Its biggest problem here is just size... It's tiny really. Had it been a little bigger I'd have said 8/10, but it has dropped to 6/10.

Want the map? Get It here:
http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=1011

----

== Destination: Mars ==

Map made by Buggi

Reviewed by GenBlood

=== Looks ===

The map is of Mars the forth planet from the sun in the solar system. The
planet has large deposits of metal all over the map. The over all look of
the map is good and well layed out. The map size is 40x30 and was designed
for 8 players. This isn't meant for a 1 vs 1 game, unless you have a few
hours to kill. The overall look and feel is good and a must have in your
maps folder.

Rating 8 out 10

=== Playability ===

This map has alot of metal, so harvesting resources shouldn't be a big problem.
When building between solar or wind generators, you should select the wind
generators. They use less metal and build faster then solar at the start
of the game. You should build metal storage units and energy storage units
early in the game. Its better to have extra resources, incase you solar or
wind generators get damaged during the game. The map is big but, the resources
are their. So, a good player can build alot of planes and ground units.
So, you will need to build good ground and air defenses early in the game.
If you don't the game will be over really quick. Also, having good team
members on your side is a plus. They can help you build your base, gather
resources and send allie messages to help you out during the game. Like,
what to build and why you did it. So, IMHO .. this is a good 4 or 6 player
map. I haven't tried 8 players over the internet. Most likely you will
have to be on a LAN to get 8 players on this map without any lag.

Rating 9 out 10

Want this map? goto this url: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=998

----

== Volcano Island ==

Map made by aGorm
Reviewed by GenBlood

=== Looks ===

The overall textures and placement of the trees are good. There isn't too many trees per island. The metal resources and geo vents per island our very good and well
layed out. This is a good 2 player map or a 2 vs. 2 map. There is four islands and lots of water. In the middle on the map there is a lot of metal. The first person or
team that can control it will be hard to beat. The bottom line is the overall look and feel is good.

Rating 7 out 10

=== Playability ===

When starting you have all the resources you'll need at your fingers tips. You can build on land and in the water. To get the most out of this map you will need to
build on the land and in the water. This map will force people to build ships in my opinion. If you are a good player you can win without building ships, but you will
get more out of this map if you do both. The map can be played over and over. The key to winning is getting control of the center of the map to get the metal. Once
you control the center, its a good chance you will win the game IMO :) .. Playability of this map is good and a must have for you maps folder.

Rating 7.5 out 10

Want this map? goto this URL: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=793

----

== Core Prime Industrial Area ==

Map made by zwzsg
Reviewed by GenBlood

=== Looks ===

A classic Core Contingency metal map converted for TASpring and can play 6 players with room to spare. The textures and overall look reminds me of TA in the old days.
The resources like metal and energy are well balanced. Converting maps isn't that easy... it takes time ... to compile them and make sure they have the same feel as it
orginal CC map. zwzsg you did a great job on converting this map and I look forward to future maps from you.

Rating 8 out 10

=== Playability ===

Metal maps are different from other TASpring maps, like others you have the gather metal at certain locations. Most of the map can produce metal in some amount.
Resource management on building ground units, planes and structures is important during the beginning of the game. Make sure you have lots of energy in the
beginning. If you build too much at the start and don't manage your energy properly. You base building will slow down really FAST ... I've made some bad choices
on this map and got crushed really fast.. I've learned from my mistakes and have improved my overall game play. Overall this is a kick ass map and IT'S a MOST
have in your maps folder..

Rating 8.5 out 10

Want this map? goto this url: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=720

Map reviews

2005-06-24T00:08:21Z

24.49.98.58: /* Playability */

Anybody please feel free to add reviews to this section, or add to existing ones - latest reviews first.

If you don't understand how to edit this PM aGorm!

----

== Bionica v3.1 (FINAL) ==

by aGorm

===Looks===
[[Image:Map-bionica-minimap.png|right]]
That map looks (don't be fooled by the minimap!) really good. The central island is especially nice; the texture used is perfect. It is slightly stylized (like TA maps) not a real world... The metal around the edge actually looks pretty damn good too, as you don't notice the sea join at all. It gives it the feel of being on an island, without being on one. Other maps that come to the edge look bad because it seems abrupt. This avoids that problem because it's meant to be.
One gripe that stops this from getting 9/10: there are ramps, and they are necessary, but they spoil the look. However it's still is very good.

8/10

===Playability===
The start positions are wrong. This is annoying. Also everyone will need to make them the same to play.
However it clearly has lots of potential for a good game once started. All the players would have to fight around and destroy there neighbours on land, and use air and sea to get the others, which could lead to all sorts of cool suprise attacks and so forth. The island in the middle, containing extra metal and great radar coverage, is a good place to get.
Only one real problem: there is not much room for a base around the outside. If you started there, you'd be at a disadvantage.

7/10

Want the map? Get It here: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=1032

----

== Lava Highground 2 - v1.0 ==

by aGorm

=== Looks ===
The map looks, at first sight, pretty good. The texture is maybe a little repetitive, but it's different. The ambiance is good (i.e. sky effects and lighting). In "normal mode" it all looks fine! Just nothing special...

However... The metal map is like somthing out of a funky light show. It's just green dots on the ground! They obviously meant to represent metal patches, but the time was not taken to add then onto the surface map. If they would have, I would forgive them but as they are--well they do look a bit off.

7/10

=== Playability ===
Here it scores above average... It's a simple concept, everything works well (as you'd hope in a second version...) No problems, except how easy it is to defend... Should 2 popup turrets and 4 imolators really be able to take down 100 mavericks? Not really... However the terrain does give that sort of great advantage to the defender; but a good attacker will be able to work around this!

Its biggest problem here is just size... It's tiny really. Had it been a little bigger I'd have said 8/10, but it has dropped to 6/10.

Want the map? Get It here:
http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=1011

----

== Destination: Mars ==

Map made by Buggi

Reviewed by GenBlood

=== Looks ===

The map is of Mars the forth planet from the sun in the solar system. The
planet has large deposits of metal all over the map. The over all look of
the map is good and well layed out. The map size is 40x30 and was designed
for 8 players. This isn't meant for a 1 vs 1 game, unless you have a few
hours to kill. The overall look and feel is good and a must have in your
maps folder.

Rating 8 out 10

=== Playability ===

This map has alot of metal, so harvesting resources shouldn't be a big problem.
When building between solar or wind generators, you should select the wind
generators. They use less metal and build faster then solar at the start
of the game. You should build metal storage units and energy storage units
early in the game. Its better to have extra resources, incase you solar or
wind generators get damaged during the game. The map is big but, the resources
are their. So, a good player can build alot of planes and ground units.
So, you will need to build good ground and air defenses early in the game.
If you don't the game will be over really quick. Also, having good team
members on your side is a plus. They can help you build your base, gather
resources and send allie messages to help you out during the game. Like,
what to build and why you did it. So, IMHO .. this is a good 4 or 6 player
map. I haven't tried 8 players over the internet. Most likely you will
have to be on a LAN to get 8 players on this map without any lag.

Rating 9 out 10

Want this map? goto this url: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=998

----

== Volcano Island ==

Map made by aGorm
Reviewed by GenBlood

=== Looks ===

The overall textures and placement of the trees are good. There isn't too many trees per island. The metal resources and geo vents per island our very good and well
layed out. This is a good 2 player map or a 2 vs. 2 map. There is four islands and lots of water. In the middle on the map there is a lot of metal. The first person or
team that can control it will be hard to beat. The bottom line is the overall look and feel is good.

Rating 7 out 10

=== Playability ===

When starting you have all the resources you'll need at your fingers tips. You can build on land and in the water. To get the most out of this map you will need to
build on the land and in the water. This map will force people to build ships in my opinion. If you are a good player you can win without building ships, but you will
get more out of this map if you do both. The map can be played over and over. The key to winning is getting control of the center of the map to get the metal. Once
you control the center, its a good chance you will win the game IMO :) .. Playability of this map is good and a must have for you maps folder.

Rating 7.5 out 10

Want this map? goto this URL: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=793

----

== Core Prime Industrial Area ==

Map made by zwzsg
Reviewed by GenBlood

=== Looks ===

A classic Core Contingency metal map converted for TASpring and can play 6 players with room to spare. The textures and overall look reminds me of TA in the old days.
The resources like metal and energy are well balanced. Converting maps isn't that easy... it takes time ... to compile them and make sure they have the same feel as it
orginal CC map. zwzsg you did a great job on converting this map and I look forward to future maps from you.

Rating 8 out 10

=== Playability ===

Metal maps are different from other TASpring maps, like others you have the gather metal at certain locations. Most of the map can produce metal in some amount.
Resource management on building ground units, planes and structures is important during the beginning of the game. Make sure you have lots of energy in the
beginning. If you build too much at the start and don't manage your energy properly. You base building will slow down really FAST ... I've made some bad choices
on this map and got crushed really fast.. I've learned from my mistakes and have improved my overall game play. Overall this is a kick ass map and IT'S a MOST
have in your maps folder..

Rating 8.5 out 10

Want this maps? goto this url: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=720

Map reviews

2005-06-24T00:08:03Z

24.49.98.58: /* Playability */

Anybody please feel free to add reviews to this section, or add to existing ones - latest reviews first.

If you don't understand how to edit this PM aGorm!

----

== Bionica v3.1 (FINAL) ==

by aGorm

===Looks===
[[Image:Map-bionica-minimap.png|right]]
That map looks (don't be fooled by the minimap!) really good. The central island is especially nice; the texture used is perfect. It is slightly stylized (like TA maps) not a real world... The metal around the edge actually looks pretty damn good too, as you don't notice the sea join at all. It gives it the feel of being on an island, without being on one. Other maps that come to the edge look bad because it seems abrupt. This avoids that problem because it's meant to be.
One gripe that stops this from getting 9/10: there are ramps, and they are necessary, but they spoil the look. However it's still is very good.

8/10

===Playability===
The start positions are wrong. This is annoying. Also everyone will need to make them the same to play.
However it clearly has lots of potential for a good game once started. All the players would have to fight around and destroy there neighbours on land, and use air and sea to get the others, which could lead to all sorts of cool suprise attacks and so forth. The island in the middle, containing extra metal and great radar coverage, is a good place to get.
Only one real problem: there is not much room for a base around the outside. If you started there, you'd be at a disadvantage.

7/10

Want the map? Get It here: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=1032

----

== Lava Highground 2 - v1.0 ==

by aGorm

=== Looks ===
The map looks, at first sight, pretty good. The texture is maybe a little repetitive, but it's different. The ambiance is good (i.e. sky effects and lighting). In "normal mode" it all looks fine! Just nothing special...

However... The metal map is like somthing out of a funky light show. It's just green dots on the ground! They obviously meant to represent metal patches, but the time was not taken to add then onto the surface map. If they would have, I would forgive them but as they are--well they do look a bit off.

7/10

=== Playability ===
Here it scores above average... It's a simple concept, everything works well (as you'd hope in a second version...) No problems, except how easy it is to defend... Should 2 popup turrets and 4 imolators really be able to take down 100 mavericks? Not really... However the terrain does give that sort of great advantage to the defender; but a good attacker will be able to work around this!

Its biggest problem here is just size... It's tiny really. Had it been a little bigger I'd have said 8/10, but it has dropped to 6/10.

Want the map? Get It here:
http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=1011

----

== Destination: Mars ==

Map made by Buggi

Reviewed by GenBlood

=== Looks ===

The map is of Mars the forth planet from the sun in the solar system. The
planet has large deposits of metal all over the map. The over all look of
the map is good and well layed out. The map size is 40x30 and was designed
for 8 players. This isn't meant for a 1 vs 1 game, unless you have a few
hours to kill. The overall look and feel is good and a must have in your
maps folder.

Rating 8 out 10

=== Playability ===

This map has alot of metal, so harvesting resources shouldn't be a big problem.
When building between solar or wind generators, you should select the wind
generators. They use less metal and build faster then solar at the start
of the game. You should build metal storage units and energy storage units
early in the game. Its better to have extra resources, incase you solar or
wind generators get damaged during the game. The map is big but, the resources
are their. So, a good player can build alot of planes and ground units.
So, you will need to build good ground and air defenses early in the game.
If you don't the game will be over really quick. Also, having good team
members on your side is a plus. They can help you build your base, gather
resources and send allie messages to help you out during the game. Like,
what to build and why you did it. So, IMHO .. this is a good 4 or 6 player
map. I haven't tried 8 players over the internet. Most likely you will
have to be on a LAN to get 8 players on this map without any lag.

Rating 9 out 10

Want this map? goto this url: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=998

----

== Volcano Island ==

Map made by aGorm
Reviewed by GenBlood

=== Looks ===

The overall textures and placement of the trees are good. There isn't too many trees per island. The metal resources and geo vents per island our very good and well
layed out. This is a good 2 player map or a 2 vs. 2 map. There is four islands and lots of water. In the middle on the map there is a lot of metal. The first person or
team that can control it will be hard to beat. The bottom line is the overall look and feel is good.

Rating 7 out 10

=== Playability ===

When starting you have all the resources you'll need at your fingers tips. You can build on land and in the water. To get the most out of this map you will need to
build on the land and in the water. This map will force people to build ships in my opinion. If you are a good player you can win without building ships, but you will
get more out of this map if you do both. The map can be played over and over. The key to winning is getting control of the center of the map to get the metal. Once
you control the center, its a good chance you will win the game IMO :) .. Playability of this map is good and a must have for you maps folder.

Rating 7.5 out 10

Want this maps? goto this URL: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=793

----

== Core Prime Industrial Area ==

Map made by zwzsg
Reviewed by GenBlood

=== Looks ===

A classic Core Contingency metal map converted for TASpring and can play 6 players with room to spare. The textures and overall look reminds me of TA in the old days.
The resources like metal and energy are well balanced. Converting maps isn't that easy... it takes time ... to compile them and make sure they have the same feel as it
orginal CC map. zwzsg you did a great job on converting this map and I look forward to future maps from you.

Rating 8 out 10

=== Playability ===

Metal maps are different from other TASpring maps, like others you have the gather metal at certain locations. Most of the map can produce metal in some amount.
Resource management on building ground units, planes and structures is important during the beginning of the game. Make sure you have lots of energy in the
beginning. If you build too much at the start and don't manage your energy properly. You base building will slow down really FAST ... I've made some bad choices
on this map and got crushed really fast.. I've learned from my mistakes and have improved my overall game play. Overall this is a kick ass map and IT'S a MOST
have in your maps folder..

Rating 8.5 out 10

Want this maps? goto this url: http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=720