Maps:Compiling

Compiling Spring Maps

This is often the bit that scares alot of people off, but it is really not that dificult. Depending on how proficient you are at computers will define what option to take. There are three options you can take, each requiring different skills and knowledge. You can either:

• Compile through a DOS prompt
• Create and edit a shortcut file
• Create and edit a .bat file

Before you start

First off, download a map converter.

These can be found on FileUniverse.com, but im to lazy to find a link right now. Could someone link this to mothers map conv?

Place the compiler in to a directory on your computer somewhere. Because of a bug in the program, the path to the map converter can NOT contain ANY Spaces. A Path of 'C:\Maps\MapConv\' is good, but a path of 'C:\Maps\Map Conv\' is BAD.

A good practise is to save all your source Pictures into seperate folders when making a map. However, this gets very tedious when compiling. So it is a good idea to make a copy of your source BMP files and place these in the same folder as the map converter. This just makes things alot easier later on.

You also need to know:

• The minimum and maximum heights of your map.
• The name of your map.
• How much you want to compress your map.

As the compiler runs off information entered into it as 'Command Line Parameters' , you need to know a bit about them first. Command Line Parameters are really not difficult to understand. They look a bit like this:

ProgramName -Setting1 Value -Setting2 Value

That isnt to difficult to understand. The first bit is how we launch the program. Windows will launch whatever program is specified by ProgramName. -Setting1 Value is also very simple. Windows basically says to the program "Setting1 is Value". A better example would be -height 10, which basicly means "Height is 10". These can be combined with as many settings as you want, as we can see with the Setting2 Value bit. In this way we can pass as much information to the compiler as we want. So to compile a map, we need the following options:

Map Compression This takes the form of '-c Compression', where Compression is a value. Typing '-c 0.5' will give a compression of 0.5

Max Height This specifies the maximum height of the map. This option looks like '-x Height' , where Height is the maximum height of the map. Typing '-x 300' will give your map a maximum height of 300 map units.

Minimum Height This specifies the minimum height of the map. This option looks like '-n Height' , where Height is the minimum height of the map. Typing '-x -50' will give your map a minimum height of -50 map units.

Texture This specifies the location of your texture picture. This option looks like '-t Location' , where Location is the location of your texture image. Typing '-t texture.bmp' will make the compiler look in the same directory it is in for texture.bmp. Typing '-t C:\Maps\HillMap\texture.bmp' will make the compiler look in the C:\Maps\HillMap\ for texture.bmp.

Other Picture files These work in basically the same way as the texture option works, with just a changed Setting name.

• -m metal.bmp: Specifies the location of the metal map.
• -a height.bmp: Specifies the location of the height map.
• -f feature.bmp: Specifies the location of the feature map.
• -y typemap.bmp: Specifies the location of the terain type map.

Map Name The Map Converter needs to know where to save your map, and what to call it. We use the '-o Mapname.smf' setting to do this. Of course, you replace Mapname with the name of your map, but you NEED to have the '.smf' bit on the end of it, otherwise the compiling wont work.

Other Tags Some of these tags are helpfull, some are annoying and some are just a mystery. This is basicly the mics tags settings.

• Low Pass: Dunno what it does. Never needed to use it.
• Invert Height map: As the logical way to make a height map is the same way up as all the other maps, but the way the map is actually used is the inverted version of this. To make things easier, they included this option to invert the height map. Is activated just by typing '-i'.

Compiling through DOS

This option is the easiest and simplest for those who are familiar with DOS. If you are not familiar with DOS, then dont bother. This way is not for you.

All you need to do is navigate your way through DOS to the location of your map converter program. Then, type in the following:

mapconv -f feature.bmp -i -c 0.5 -x 530 -n 20 -o Pits.smf -m metal.bmp -a height.bmp -t texture.bmp