Age2uN

Hi this is HW2RandMap, the "random-map maker".

There is now only 4 Steps to your new map:
1. Fire up the hw2randmap.exe
2. Change the name and description of the map to something meaningful.
3. Press [create] and ....
3b. ... say yes, if system asks to copy the .level file and ....
4. .... have fun.

What does HW2RandMap do ?
- take some optional input from you like:
- the number of players
- type of accesoires wanted on the map
- create a .level file (to put to your Homeworld2\Data\leveldata\multiplayer\deathmatch
directory)
- create a .bmp file with a preview-image
- create a .tga file with a preview image (to put to your Homeworld2\Data\ui\mapthumbnails\multiplayer\deathmatch
directory)
- optional (if set in the options) copies the .level and the .tga file to the apropriate directories
- layout the startpoints
- layout the resources (Asteroids, Debris)
- layout captureable ships
- layout deco-particles (pebbles, megaliths, clouds)
- layout dustclouds to hide behind
- layout nebulae (which hurt the ships)
- layout additional starting fleets per player
- choose a background graphic
- choose a background music
- choose fog and light
- set the size of and sight on the map

Suggestions welcome.

Version 1.4.8 out NOW !!!!:
http://www.extreme-archive.de/HW2RandMap.zip
Changes:
- a tab with the fog-settings, where you can choose to have fog or not, and, where you can set the density, glareintensity and colors
- extended the tab for the additional startingfleet settings, so that you can choose to have different SF for each player and define each SF individually (select SF of player through radiobutton 1 to 6, define this SF and select next player, ...)

Version 1.4.6 changes:
- inifile holds sections for available music and background files
- tab "other stuff" has two comboboxes to choose
which music you'd like to here and what background gets used
- "overwhelming glare" bug fixed

Version 1.4.2 changes:
- Version Information in caption
- korrected startposition off proggy
- mapsaving yes/no no longer a msgbox, but button(s) on PreviewWindow (eg. you can have a good view of the map before deciding to copy it to hw2 dir
- edit min distance for nebulae and dustclouds
- edit min/max Size of nebulae and dustclouds
- edit give min/max distance of additioinal fleet
- choose additional startingfleet members
Zip-File now contains HW2RandMap.ini, which has the possible members for the startfleet. Put this into the same directory as the HW2RandMap.exe.

Version 1.4.0.0 changes:
- BIG ONE: level files are now parameterized. So you can easily change things like the placement of the universecenter and the startingpoints
- scaling up/down the universe (via UniverseReduceX/Y/Z)
- getting the primary and secondary RU patches more near/far to the player (via changing the ThisCloudCenter Values for these clouds)
- getting the players closer together (via changing the startpositions, startpoint RU Patches are moved with the startpoint)
- multiplying the available RU over all the MAP / only in starting patches / only in global distribution (via the variable RUfactor)
- edit distance primary RU patch from startpos (distance of all four SP related things can be edited)
- edit distance secondary RU patch from startpos (distance of all four SP related things can be edited)
- non spherical universes (cigarrs and flat planes)

Version 1.3.0.2 changes:
- better preview image (thumbnail)
- started to prop up the level files with vars,
so it will be easy to change the map after creation
(like moving the startpos, starting RU pos, etc..)

Version 1.3.0.0 changes:
- added support for gametype "traders hell"
(see completed mods forum)
HW2RandMap sets up 10 Entry&Exit Points for the trading routes
plus a universe-sphere, which are necessary
to play this gametype on the created map.

Version 1.2.0.0 changes:
- cleaned up the frontend (3 Settings-Tabs)
- added fields to set your own Startingposition-Koordinates, disabled by default
(if you enable 3D-distortion on the "other stuff settings"-tab,
they get transformed/distorted still).

Version 1.1.0.2 changes:
- if you allow capturable ships, it now definitely only places ships on the map, which are capturable (vgr, hgn frigates and above).
- if you allow megaliths, it now places definitely only big, noncapturable stuff for deco issues (meg and kpr stuff).
- so if you want both, check both.

Version 1.1 changes:
- Options-Tab where you can allow the tool to copy the .level and the .tga files and where you can check that it is using the correct path to your homeworld2 installation
- when checked in options, after creating the map, you're asked, whether to copy exactly this map to those dirs.

Version 1.0 changes:
- cleaned up the frontend a bit
- ability to load and save settings of every flag and field on frontend. Thereby it is possible to save settings, which give maps of a certain type (for instance 3 player maps with a galaxy) for later loading and creating further maps of the same type. Be aware that the same settings used twice give two different maps still. It's not the positions that are saved, but the frameset, by which the maps are randomly created!

Version 0.6.0.0 changes:
- Added random placement of a randomly selected additional starting fleet per player

Version 0.5.0.0 changes:
- Added random placement of clouds, dustclouds and nebulae

Version 0.2.0.4 changes:
- maximum number of placeable objects can be limited (edit the wanted maxvalue in apropriate field)
- capturable ships get distributed all over the map if you check the checkbox "allow ships"

Version 0.2.0.3 changes:
- the preview .BMP file has an appropriate size for ingame preview. So just convert it to .TGA and put it into Homeworld2\Data\ui\mapthumbnails\multiplayer\deathmatch directory
- or even better: if you have the freeware irfanview installed, HW2RandMap finds it and triggers the conversion on it's own. So you only do the copy thing to \Data\ui\mapthumbnails\multiplayer\deathmatch
(btw. I considered copying the .LEVEL file and the .TGA file by proggy, but decided against it, cause I wouldn't want my homeworld directories filling up with stuff out of my direct controll)

Version 0.2.0.1 changes:
- random strings (lines of pebbles and asteroids)
- random clouds of pebbles and asteroids

Version 0.2.0.0 changes:
- collision detection (no pebbles or asteroids inside or touching the hull of you mothership anymore)
- map-preview : after writing the level-file, you get a display of the map (three cameras) and this preview is saved to a BMP file of the same name as the map)

Version 0.1.0.4 changes:
- added "Team startpoint" option (different playerpositioning algorithms for different player/team combinations)
- made universe radius and player to center distance editable

Version 0.1.0.3 changes:
- added random debris chunks as RU (optional switch)
- added megaliths to look at and feel small (optional switch)

Version 0.1.0.2 changes:
- added different new player distributions (randomly used when checking radiobutton "start points on sphere")
- added 3D distortion (game-plane gets turned and flipped sideways)
- activated startpoint to center connections : "straight", "kone", "spiralarm" (last one i like the most)

Tel'Quessir

Sounds good, I'll take it

ZeroSF

Now this is what I call a map maker

lotoiit

If a player can assign desired(different) initial fleet to each side
and not necessarily require a mothership, carrier or super capital ship as needed to value win/loose. The purpose of this is to try out different fleet combination possibly happen in a middle of a game(imagined) to the beginning.

Age2uN

Do I understand You right here:
You want the mapmaker to set playerspecific starting fleets ?
On random ?

yian

Holy S***! Some one in Relic must have a look at this and help these miracle performing modders to the fullest extent! Tehy better even include this thin in the patch! Random Homeworld2 map = limitless replayability, a milestone of Homeworld2 gaming expreince!

[cough] Am I overreacting...?[cough]

lotoiit

uh... maybe a developer's edition ?

Tel'Quessir

you cannot modify the startingfleets on the fly - it is a separate component than the map .level file.

This is a great utility - but some suggestions:

- Specify startingfleet distance from each other [not all of us like 170km traverse ranges]. Keep the map big, as it is, so that we can employ covert operations techniques.

- A more team-oriented startlocation positioning as an option, like on Crimson Bond.

Age2uN

Hi Tel,

suggestions incorporated ;-)

- if you check the Team - radiobutton you can choose the number of teams (player to team relation displayed on field-leave)
- the universe-radius and player to center-distance fields are now displayed and can be edited

Have fun ....

Tel'Quessir

Great!

frodoski

I have made several maps now using both vers 0.1.0.3 and 0.1.0.4...I happened to notice the effect shown in the pictures below. It does not appear to be detrimental to the Mothership, but, it is very disconcerting to see a very large asteroid embedded in you mothership.

I wonder if the is some method of checking for objects occupying the same space that may be added to your code.

Just curious...

By the way great work I like the choices available, but I wonder if the link to the starting point for the straight lines and cones, etc. could be made independant of the starting point? It might enhance the challange of the maps for game play, instead of following the asteroids to your enemy.

Again, great work!!



and

Age2uN

No collisioncheck at the moment.
I'll put that into the next version.

Right now, I'm working on a kind of preview-window
which would then also produce the picture for ingame preview.

But I guess, this will be version 0.2 then.

Age2uN

Version 0.2.0.0 now available (see link in first post)
Changes:
- collision detection (no pebbles or asteroids inside or touching the hull of you mothership anymore)
- map-preview : after writing the level-file, you get a display of the map (three cameras) and this preview is saved to a BMP file of the same name as the map)
Sample Map Preview:
http://www.busisoft.de/HW2RandMap.jpg

admiral666

like the newest version, not tried the maps ive made yet, ive been on the forums for the last 2 hours or so....

Age2uN

try these parameters:
http://www.busisoft.de/HW2RandMapScreeny.jpg
and you get really beautiful maps like
http://www.busisoft.de/HW2RandMap2.jpg

AutoBot

what dir do you put the .lvl file into. 2nd do i have to do that -bigoverride thing on the shortcut?

SlipStream

:bow: Awesome job dud.

I have been waiting for someone to get it right and
make a map maker that shows me
what I have made. :thumb:


When the map is made on the map maker you made, how do I set it nto my multiplayer folder ?
:notadd:




I am kinda lost on that..







..

Age2uN

.level-Files destination is :
Under your homeworld2 directory
(e.g. c:\program files\sierra\homeworld2)
put them into the subdirectory
data\leveldata\multiplayer\deathmatch
If this doesn't already exist, create it.

And: No, you don't have to do the -biffileoverride
to use the maps.

Tel'Quessir

Nice x2

I've only 1 word to mention: More

Age2uN

New in version 0.2.0.3 (download see first post of this thread):
- the preview .BMP file has an appropriate size for ingame preview. So just convert it to .TGA and put it into Homeworld2\Data\ui\mapthumbnails\multiplayer\deathmatch directory
- or even better: if you have the freeware irfanview installed, HW2RandMap finds it and triggers the conversion on it's own. So you only do the copy thing to \Data\ui\mapthumbnails\multiplayer\deathmatch
(btw. I considered copying the .LEVEL file and the .TGA file by proggy, but decided against it, cause I wouldn't want my homeworld directories filling up with stuff out of my direct controll)

Age2uN

Version 0.2.0.4 now available :
http://www.busisoft.de/HW2RandMap.zip
Changes:
- maximum number of placeable objects can be limited (edit the wanted maxvalue in apropriate field)
- capturable ships get distributed all over the map if you check the checkbox "allow ships"

rc mad

this is excellent, You can make rather large maps, i made on with 1800km plus one side to another :wow:

Top quality work.

Homer Jr.

Capturable ships?!?! Wonderful!!! :clap:

Have you thought about creating a king-of-the-hill gametype by any chance?

Age2uN

Version 0.5.0.0 now available :
http://www.busisoft.de/HW2RandMap.zip
Changes:
- Added random placement of clouds, dustclouds and nebulae

Really beautyful ;-)


To HomerJr. :
define "king-of-the-hill gametype" in 3D space, please.
So I can check a way to implement it.

Age2uN

Version 0.6.0.0 now available :
http://www.busisoft.de/HW2RandMap.zip
Changes:
- Added random placement of a randomly selected additional starting fleet per player

admiral666

yur updating this so fast!im going to have fun

Age2uN

http://www.busisoft.de/HW2RandMap.zip
Changes:
- cleaned up the frontend a bit
- ability to load and save settings of every flag and field on frontend. Thereby it is possible to save settings, which give maps of a certain type (for instance 3 player maps with a galaxy) for later loading and creating further maps of the same type. Be aware that the same settings used twice give two different maps still. It's not the positions that are saved, but the frameset, by which the maps are randomly created!

Supernova

Jeez I just downloaded the last version and now I have to download another version!? What is wrong with you! slow down!

lol, just kidding, great work, and great speed!

Now I've got to get one of those galaxy maps :P

admiral666

*agrees with supernova*

Age2uN

..... cause I'm out of ideas for the HW2RandMap Tool.
So I'm only playing some maps now ;-)

Cheatking

@Age2un
Great Tool,i've said that in another forum...

But there is one very BIG misstake.
If i load a map,the game is always crashing.I've tried with no mgealiths and all other objects(out asteroids),but always the game crashes.

At the versions before,there were not this problems why at 1.0?

admiral666

put a map in level data/ u know, started game, and crashed before showing opening credits!wit out the map,all works fine,no probs...

Age2uN

ups, sorry.

Error found. Corrected version uploaded.
Should be 1.0.0.1 now.
Thanks for your help.

admiral666

good

it works now!:clap: :clap: :clap:

admiral666

uto capturable ships....sajuuk one?the asteroid base?if they r...i cant capture them with my marine frigates...it doesnt have the capture command for them....help plz..

Age2uN

Yes now,
I didn't change anything on the ships
(sure, because I only did a .level file)
so only those ships are capturable,
that are so from sole HW2 (or whatever mod you loaded).

The sajuuk and other stuff are only inserted as deco (megaliths is what relic calls them).

The command inserting them (addSquadron ....) is the same as inserting capturable ships.

So this leaves only the hgn and vgr ships and I think some of the kpr ships to capture.

No thing I can change within the map there.

Age2uN

Version 1.1 out NOW !!!!:
http://www.busisoft.de/HW2RandMap.zip
Changes:
- Options-Tab where you can allow the tool to copy the .level and the .tga files and where you can check that it is using the correct path to your homeworld2 installation
- when checked in options, after creating the map, you're asked, whether to copy exactly this map to those dirs.

admiral666

king o the hill...he means like u have to capture and hold a certain ship the whole game....i think he means that...if not,o well, this seems right for king of the er... ship?

admiral666

er... i made a map, just capturable ships selected, and it has about 5 sajuuks,5 asteroid basees and tanis!i only selected capturable ships at that part...and a got a megaglith?

edit:
hw2 logfile:
Starting Level: data:LevelData\Multiplayer\Deathmatch\HW2RANDOMMAP.LEVEL
MEG_GEHENNA_4 is marked as captureable in the shiptuning but has no capture points!
MEG_GEHENNA_2 is marked as captureable in the shiptuning but has no capture points!
thats the problem!!

Age2uN

The version online now is 1.1.0.2

if you allow capturable ships, it now definitely only places ships on the map, which are capturable (vgr, hgn frigates and above).

if you allow megaliths, it now places definitely only big, noncapturable stuff for deco issues (meg and kpr stuff).

so if you want both, check both.

DocBone

I can't open the file, it gives me two CRC errors in the .EXE

Age2uN

There was an error during upload that corrupted the zip.
Have done a new upload and tested. OK now.

Tel'Quessir

Is there an option to spawn resource clusters like on the stock maps? You know, those asteroid clusters which can last for a half hour or so and give 50+k RUs.

I prefer centralized warfare at times

Age2uN

Yes,

within the RU Options section check only
- other clouds
- startpoint cloud
- central cloud
and perhaps one more option
Set the startpoint RU value to 60000
and the over all RU Value to 1500000 or more
Set the other options (ships, nebulae etc. ) as you like.

That should do it.

Tel'Quessir

Tried it, and got a beautiful map with a very large asteroid field in the middle, amid a massive dustcloud that blocked off almost all light.

Panning the camera so that the light is obscured by the dust was quite ethereal in feel, the map even had a music track that sounded like something out of LotR [Lothlorien].

Screenshot later.

Tel'Quessir

There

admiral666

guess the game decided it thought that music fitted the map

KAHR-SIDIUS1

Very Very good work

kjupiterseven

Hi All:NEED HELP PLEASE
Downloaded the map maker,but cant get the maps to work,create map,get the preveiw,go to save file give it a name save in homeworld/deathmatch folder.