ETW Map making tutorial

[badger1815]

The Lordz Map Making tutorial

The tutorial created for use with the various tools designed by Hokomoko and to be used in conjunction with freeware to create your own ETW maps. Includes many, many images for your convenience.

D/L links
http://files.filefront.com/Lordz+Map.../fileinfo.html
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JVZT4PR6
http://rapidshare.com/files/22610336...orial.rar.html


Hoko’s Tools: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=254170

Map Pack: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=254177

[erasmus777]

wow. thanks!!!!!

[Sknit]

Cool cheers for that.

[Dud doodoo]

Is it possible to post the tutorials here instead of making us download everything? Thanks!

[ceann mor]

what program do you use to view the tutorial because its comes up as jibberish on watever i seem to open it with, like winrar.

[Rorarii]

Thanks! but when you say map making, you're not referring to the strategic map R u?

But questions, is PNP terrain creator a CA tool? looks very professional.

What's really needed is a tool that converts M2TW / KTE strategic maps to ETW? Alot of work has gone into creating maps in m2tW, would be a pity to see them wasted.

R

[badger1815]

Hi there,

As its is a 50+ page tutorial, with a lot of pictures, it's not easy to post it as a forum thread. So we opted to compile PDF document containing all the info.

I've just DL the Mega-upload file to check it's content, and it opens up fine in my version of Acrobat Reader 9. You'll need that free program, or any other pdf reader of course, but it should open fine. Maybe downloading it again might solve the problem.

PNP is a commercial software, not developed by the Lordz nor CA, but there is a free community version of it. We've tried to find ways around the various limitations of this program to allow it to be used for ETW terrain making. The standard version will allow you to export heightmaps without the watermarks (so you can skip that part of the tut), as well as allow you to place up to 100 building & 1600 trees (instead of the free 20 & 800 limitations).

This map editor tutorial only deals with the tactical battle map making, so campaign (or strategic) mapmaking isn't involved here. Imprting previous work would indeed be very nice, though will surely need adaptation.

cheers
B

[l33tl4m3r]

*begins to hug people...










...for an inappropriate and uncomfortable amount of time*

[Captian Barbossa]

it will be impossible to edit the campaign map for a while yet, because it uses one big model for the land in a .MESH file. I can't remember which thread it was stated in, but the entire land mass in the campaign map is one big model, as yet, un-editable.

[Toshiba]

I don't get it where it says "move the .x file and the suffix texture to the Object" What texture? where do i get the texture?

[badger1815]

Hi there,

replied on this in the other (mappack thread). The suffix texture is a typo

cheers
B

[Ketzerfreund]

Here, Barbossa: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...88#post4882288
The gaps in the landmasses in land.rigid_mesh are closed by coastline and river meshes. A load of work, once Just is going to have his converter completed.

The only thing the battle maps and the campaign map have in common are the heightmaps:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[harshman_chris]

I am having alot of trouble with exporting the map, and this tutorial has a fairly big hole because you have us export the raw, convert to dds with your tools and open in gimp, but the file you open in gimp is a BMP, and when we tryed to open the dds, it is all black, same as opening in other programs.

[badger1815]

Hi there,

When exporting a terrain sector, make sure the terrain height range settings in PnP (file/terrain settings) for minimal and maximal height match those of your terrain sector before export.

If these settings are the default 0-5000 range, and your sector is say 100-250 m range, it will show up as a white, black or gray area, instead of the full color range you see in the sector terrain editing.

cheers
B

[harshman_chris]

Hi there,

When exporting a terrain sector, make sure the terrain height range settings in PnP (file/terrain settings) for minimal and maximal height match those of your terrain sector before export.

If these settings are the default 0-5000 range, and your sector is say 100-250 m range, it will show up as a white, black or gray area, instead of the full color range you see in the sector terrain editing.

cheers
B

Really, that is good to know.

[Aradiel]

Hi there,

When exporting a terrain sector, make sure the terrain height range settings in PnP (file/terrain settings) for minimal and maximal height match those of your terrain sector before export.

If these settings are the default 0-5000 range, and your sector is say 100-250 m range, it will show up as a white, black or gray area, instead of the full color range you see in the sector terrain editing.

cheers
B

Thanks again for the help, we are really exited

[hokomoko]

Yes, we were very enthusiastic about making things public (well, it wouldn't be fun if we'll be the only cartographers) so some parts of the tut and tools are unpolished.

[Robertclive]

is there like a more simple tutorial for people who have no clue what their doing

[hokomoko]

nope. if you have any more specific question I'd gladly help in another topic/PMs/msn

[Rorarii]

nope. if you have any more specific question I'd gladly help in another topic/PMs/msn

That'sex actly why we need a SDK from CA, so NOOBS don't need to understand the technical details to get a map!

I amazed they haven't developed front-ends for this engine, knowing they would be used for following projects.

R