Advanced Editor Questions...

[Cam51]

1) Splines and Splats - How do I set which spline is the base (on the bottom) and which spline is on the top? Example: I have a country road, but I want to have mud_tracks ontop of it... how do I go about setting this? (it seems to work in some cases, but other times it will not)

2)Ai markers - ALL MARKERS,Please go into detail on how these markers effect the gameplay for the Ai. Chokepoint, building, ect. ect.

3) Custom Loading Screenshots - Explain in simple terms how to set your map to display a certain .tga file while players are loading.

*If you have any advanced questions of your own, please post them here. Since the FAQ only covers basic editor questions.

[nobody]

1) Splines and Splats - How do I set which spline is the base (on the bottom) and which spline is on the top? Example: I have a country road, but I want to have mud_tracks ontop of it... how do I go about setting this? (it seems to work in some cases, but other times it will not)

Splines can be mowed up or down with "page up" and "page down" keys.

2)Ai markers - ALL MARKERS,Please go into detail on how these markers effect the gameplay for the Ai. Chokepoint, building, ect. ect.

They don´t seem to have any effect on the gameplay, in my experience.

3) Custom Loading Screenshots - Explain in simple terms how to set your map to display a certain .tga file while players are loading.

To add a loading screen to your map;
Create a subfolder to the MP folder, named "loading".
In that folder you put your loading picture, which must be in *.tga format.

*If you have any advanced questions of your own, please post them here. Since the FAQ only covers basic editor questions.

I am writing on a new FAQ for this forum, but it´s quite time consuming, so please be patient.
Any questions common or advanced for the new FAQ are welcome, add to this thread (thx cam51) or pm me.

Nobody

[BurroDiablo]

Thanks for the first question... iv'e always wondered to do that

[blah238]

OK some really advanced questions:
How can I make my own environmental maps (for water reflections)?
Here's what I know so far (I'm a little hazy since its been months since I last tried it):
- They are .rgd files composed of a cube map (6 TGAs, one for each face of the cube projection with the camera in the center). I know how to take a cubemap in the editor and how to get a single TGA into an .rgd file using Corsix's Mod Tools, but I believe cubemaps use a special script that only Relic has. We either need that script or instructions on making our own.

Do custom water textures work properly yet?
- Last I heard (from Henry666), they worked on the author's machine but were missing/pink for anyone else.

How can I make my own horizon meshes?

Worldbuilder wishlist type requests:
- Fix missing Object states/dropdown boxes
- Fix missing Action markers
- Fix non-functional Memory usage summary
- Add object editor (heard this was coming next, hopefully it will fix some of the above issues)
- Add a SCAR code for mappers guide to the Wiki

[Henry666]

Havent tried the Water Wind Map again yet, my guess is that you have to make a mod if you wish to use custom textures. Placing a *.rgd file in the correct folder doesn`t do the job .

For the AI markers, they work, different on every map though, you have to try out. Placing an AI Military High marker will make ai units prefer to go to that point. But as said sometimes a map will work better without placing any AI Marker.

[Cam51]

Interesting Henry... Thats good to know (ai marker stuff).

NoBody: About the loading screenshot... I have tried that with no success. Do I have to name the file a ceratin way, like with the mini-map picture?

Like this?: The Rhine_loading.tga
Or like this?: The Rhine.tga

More questions:

1) How can I change the height of a bg (background) setting. Everytime I place one it is set to the height of the map that I right clicked on.

2) Can I create my own bg setting?

3) How can I tell the Ai to build on a certain position. In skirmish mode, the Ai spread their bases out so much, that sometimes they can't fit all the buildings. How can I have them keep their base more organized and compact?

[Sarcasm]

A loading screenshot must be in your /loading folder, and it must have the exact same name as what you saved your map as in /mp (minus the filetype).

In other words, if you saved The Rhine in your mp folder as 8p_the rhine then your loading shot must be named 8p_the rhine, and it must be in .tga format.

Also my own question, smiliar to the PageUp on splines - is there a way to set a spline to be on top of a splat? It seems that splats always end up on top of splines, and it obscures them. PageUp only works for items of the same type.

[blah238]

No, splats always take precedence over splines. But a trick the Relic designers used was to use a splat-sized spline (say that 3 times fast ) instead, and use that to set the precedence to their needs. As a common example, most of the urban intersections which you might expect would be used in splat form are actually splines in many Relic maps. Be sure to set the spline to optimum width after selecting the texture, and if necessary adjust the vertices and/or coloring so the full texture is visible and the edge transparency is how you want it.

[nobody]

Nobody: About the loading screenshot... I have tried that with no success. Do I have to name the file a ceratin way, like with the mini-map picture?

Like this?: The Rhine_loading.tga
Or like this?: The Rhine.tga

The *.sga file must be named exactly as your map file, ex. "my newmap.sgb" eq. to "my newmap.tga"

1) How can I change the height of a bg (background) setting. Everytime I place one it is set to the height of the map that I right clicked on.

In scenario/terrain properties/horizon; change the "vertical offset", rotate it with "rotation angle"

2) Can I create my own bg setting?

I have seen it done, but i can´t find the horizon mesh files myself anyone with a path please respond and it will be apreciated .

3) How can I tell the Ai to build on a certain position. In skirmish mode, the Ai spread their bases out so much, that sometimes they can't fit all the buildings. How can I have them keep their base more organized and compact?

That would be a SCAR question which is out of my reach , i´m sure mannerheim or another SCAR guru can answer that .

Do custom water textures work properly yet?

I have, like henry, messed around with that. I´m pretty sure it´s possible but haven´t found the way, I too believe it needs a mod to be possible. but lets see there might be a solution when time comes .

Worldbuilder wishlist type requests:
- Fix missing Object states/dropdown boxes
- Fix missing Action markers
- Fix non-functional Memory usage summary
- Add object editor (heard this was coming next, hopefully it will fix some of the above issues)
- Add a SCAR code for mappers guide to the Wiki

My words on print.
especially the action markers and the memory usage (which is explained in the wiki but doesn´t work)

Also my own question, smiliar to the PageUp on splines - is there a way to set a spline to be on top of a splat? It seems that splats always end up on top of splines, and it obscures them. PageUp only works for items of the same type.

From my experience, splats have a precedence for splines.
I belive it comes with the natural route of construction;
Heights
objects,splines
splats

(edit) Blah answered that question while i wrote mine , (note to myself "don´t write in forum with a bottle of red wine in the stomach" (note out)

[Cam51]

Got the loading screenshot working... Thanks a bunch.