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| You can find a lot of new maps at [http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=listing&ID=91 FileUniverse].
| | === Download maps === |
| | For download links look at the [[Getting_Spring_Content_and_Links|Content and Links page]]. |
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| This page could perhaps also contain info about the existing maps, and also how to [[Create maps]].
| | ===Install maps=== |
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| | Maps are ".sd7" or ".sdz" files. To install this files move them into (Unix) ~/.spring/maps or (Windows) "My Documents\My Games\Spring\Maps". |
| | As is the case with games, use the "Reload maps/games" option from the "Tools" menu in SpringLobby. |
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| | ===Choosing a Map=== |
| | Technically, all Spring games ''work'' with any Spring map. In practice, '''some maps are unplayable with certain games.''' For example a game where you mine resources from the ground will only work on maps where these resources are present. A game based around land combat will not be very fun on a water map.<br> |
| | This is why some map makers started adding prefixes to the map names, to signal what games work well with their map.<br> |
| | This is no official list, only a recommendation what to look out for. '''Generally it is best to have a look at the games webpage if a map pack is offered or even already included in the download.''' |
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| <center><big><b>****Creating a Map****</b></big></center> | | ====Conflict Terra==== |
| | map names prefixed with '''CT'''<br> |
| | more info and map list on website: http://code.google.com/p/conflictterra/wiki/MapInfo<br> |
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| | ====Evolution RTS==== |
| | map names prefixed with '''EvoRTS'''<br> |
| | map list on website: http://www.evolutionrts.info/download/ -> maps<br> |
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| '''Original by aGorm'''<br>
| | ====Gundam RTS==== |
| '''Edited by: --None--''' | | map names prefixed with '''Grts''' |
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| | ====Spring 1944==== |
| | map names prefixed with '''1944'''<br> |
| | maplist on website: http://spring1944.net/wiki/doku.php?id=guide:gameplay:recommended%20maps<br> |
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| == Part 1: The Idea == | | ====Kernel Panic==== |
| | most maps have "kernel panic" mentioned in their description (searchable by lobbies)<br> |
| | has a map pack: http://springrts.com/wiki/Kernel_Panic#Download_links<br> |
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| | ====Zero-K==== |
| | http://zero-k.info/Maps.mvc rating system<br> |
| | start box coordinates for some maps: http://code.google.com/p/zero-k/wiki/MapBoxes<br> |
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| First of all you need an idea. There is no Point (Ok there is some point for test purposes) in making a map jut like another one that already exists. You need to think of certain things befor you make your map.
| | ===Popular maps=== |
| 1) Is this map Idea different, not just a copy of someone elses?
| | *[http://springfiles.com/spring/spring-maps?order=count&sort=desc Popular maps on SpringFiles.com] |
| 2) Does my map Idea give each player a fair share of the cover and high ground?
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| 3) Is my map Idea possible to make?
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| 4) Is it possible with the amount of time Im willing to spend?
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| If the answer to the above is YES, then you are 25% of the way towards making your map!!!
| | ===Map recommendations for games with TA based economy (ie BA, XTA, NOTA)=== |
| | *[[Map reviews]]: Map reviews galore |
| | *[[Suggested maps for 1v1]] |
| | *[[Suggested maps for 3ffa]] |
| | *[http://springrts.com/wiki/4v4BA List of maps for 4v4 in BA] |
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| As you have your idea it will be a good time to doodle it down on a bit of paper so as you can stick to your plan...
| | ===Start Boxes via lobby chat=== |
| | commands for autohosts:<br> |
| | '''!split v 20''' create 2 boxes, at left and right end of map. "20" defines the size.<br> |
| | '''!split h 20''' create 2 boxes, at bottom and top end of map. "20" defines the size.<br> |
| | start box coordinates for some maps: http://code.google.com/p/zero-k/wiki/MapBoxes<br> |
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| | === Making Maps === |
| | *[[Mapdev:Main|Map development]] |
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| == Part 2: The Tools ==
| | [[Category:Maps]] |
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| With your idea hopefully sketched out, its time to get the tools to make the map! (you can skip this if you have them already!!)
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| Im going to suggest you use (nay... insist!) Buggi SHARP MAP program. This is because It does everything the comandline version does and more. And its easy for people to understand. Here is the Link
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| http://www.fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=861
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| I'll explane how you use this latter...
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| You will also need some image editing softwear! Favorits are Photoshop, Gimp, And Paintsop Pro.
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| Gimp is the onle one thats free though!
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| You may also want to check out teragen for rendering terain... but as you have to pay to render anything of a good size, I wont metion it other than here.
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| == Part 3: Prepering your map ==
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| This is the fun part! Its also often the longest part...
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| For a Map you will need several different things...
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| 1) a Texture Map
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| 2) a Height Map
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| 3) a Metal Map
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| They all have certain needs!! Read this bit carfully!
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| All maps are based on a Texture Image. This Images width and height must be an exact multiple of "1024" pixels. So you can have "4096" by "8192" image, but not a "4096" x "4608", as teh latter does not divide by "1024"! It must also be saved as a 24bit 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 forinstance fill the whole image with a sand texture... this would make your whole world look liek sand. You could then deside to add a few patches of grass to it... By finding a sutable grass texture and adding it on in splodges (I'm going to have to assume you can use whatever image editing software you are useing, if you can't there are loads of tutorials on the net...). So you'd have a map that was mostly sand with a few patches of green.
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| However it would be a bit flat at the mo!
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| Next is the Height map. This must be exactly a quarter (IE divide the width and height of your map by 4...) of the size of the texture map + 1 pixel! I can't stress the + 1 enough! The height map Is a black and white bmp. Only use black and white... not colour!
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| White ares 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 piller that wont look natural at all!
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| Finaly, you need a meatl map. This is teh same size as the Height Map. On this one you paint down red (in verying degrees) to represent metal. So a red splodge that is perhapes RGB(50,0,0) will provide about a 5th of teh metal patch of red RGB(255,0,0) will give.
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| On this map you can also place green pixels. Each green pixle will create 1 geothermal vent. Bear In Mide: If you put down a green splodge you will get a cluster of geo vents! Only place 1 Pixel!
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| Save all those a 24bit BMPs and your ready to convert it all to a map!
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| == Part 4: Sharp Map ==
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| Heres a easy run down of what to do. First double click sharp map (Ok you knew that bit).
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| This brings you a window with several feilds that need filling, a few option boxes and two sliders.
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| Fill in the top feilds as required (Ie, click brose and locate the texture file and click OK, then repeat for teh other fields)
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| Type in a figure for MAX HEIGH and MIN HEIGHT. The MAX HEIGHT should not go over 500 if you want your map to be error less. If your minimum height is a negaticve number then you will have water on your map. 0 is teh sea level. 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. It is describing the grey by its RGB values...
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| Then adjust the tree and grass sliders... If you have a green map then i suggest you move the tree one down a little, other wise tha tmap will be covered!
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| Finaly, tick the inverse Height Map button. This is because you will have draw your gheight map the right way up (IE you drew on hills to coraspond to points on the texture in a natural way. If you used terragen and exported its height map it would look upsidedown, but in reality its the way up the program expects! In that case dont use inverse heightmap!)
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| Then Click Create Map!!
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| .....(This can take some time for a larger map, so start off with a small one...).....
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| == Part 5: Making your map work ==
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| 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. Bjut you still need one more thing! AN .smd file!
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| Basicly, This file tells the game things like the Maximum metal, The light colours, the clouds, infact all the bits you are thinking you haven't done yet!
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| I would suggest you copy the .smd of another map, and fiddel with teh settings till you get what you want. Look at all the .smd's so you can get a jist of what each option does.
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| make sure both the sm2 and smd have the same file name then start up spring (not the client!) and run the comanders script. Chiose your map and away you go!
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| I can only hope this is helpfull!
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| Yours... '''aGorm'''
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Download maps
For download links look at the Content and Links page.
Install maps
Maps are ".sd7" or ".sdz" files. To install this files move them into (Unix) ~/.spring/maps or (Windows) "My Documents\My Games\Spring\Maps".
As is the case with games, use the "Reload maps/games" option from the "Tools" menu in SpringLobby.
Choosing a Map
Technically, all Spring games work with any Spring map. In practice, some maps are unplayable with certain games. For example a game where you mine resources from the ground will only work on maps where these resources are present. A game based around land combat will not be very fun on a water map.
This is why some map makers started adding prefixes to the map names, to signal what games work well with their map.
This is no official list, only a recommendation what to look out for. Generally it is best to have a look at the games webpage if a map pack is offered or even already included in the download.
Conflict Terra
map names prefixed with CT
more info and map list on website: http://code.google.com/p/conflictterra/wiki/MapInfo
Evolution RTS
map names prefixed with EvoRTS
map list on website: http://www.evolutionrts.info/download/ -> maps
Gundam RTS
map names prefixed with Grts
Spring 1944
map names prefixed with 1944
maplist on website: http://spring1944.net/wiki/doku.php?id=guide:gameplay:recommended%20maps
Kernel Panic
most maps have "kernel panic" mentioned in their description (searchable by lobbies)
has a map pack: http://springrts.com/wiki/Kernel_Panic#Download_links
Zero-K
http://zero-k.info/Maps.mvc rating system
start box coordinates for some maps: http://code.google.com/p/zero-k/wiki/MapBoxes
Popular maps
Map recommendations for games with TA based economy (ie BA, XTA, NOTA)
Start Boxes via lobby chat
commands for autohosts:
!split v 20 create 2 boxes, at left and right end of map. "20" defines the size.
!split h 20 create 2 boxes, at bottom and top end of map. "20" defines the size.
start box coordinates for some maps: http://code.google.com/p/zero-k/wiki/MapBoxes
Making Maps
