Porting RTW maps to MTW2 help please

[Conte Martinengo]

I'm working on a map for an italian campaign for a team of modders that is working but still along way from being useable and polished enough to be included in their mod.
So I have had a look at their old RTW map that is very nice and have been looking at what needs to be changed to get it to run smoothly in MTW2, this way I can give them a map quickly to get the mod working and not be pressed into doing a rush job on the new map.
The text file changes are pretty obvious, I'm thinking that the height file on the RTW map seems to have much lighter greys and may need to be at least darkened a little.
On the ground types file, I havn't yet checked the pixel values, but would like to know if they are the same as RTW or if MTW2 has new values for new textures and if some of the old RTW values are now obsolete.
The radar maps 1&2 seem to be consistantly 250x125 and that x2 (from memory) in MTW2 in every modded MTW2 map I have dicected, is this correct and is it a requirement for MTW2 maps?
A reply to these questions from a mapper who has already successfully ported a RTW map to MTW2 and who can describe all the differences between the 2 map systems would be very useful to myself and others.

[SigniferOne]

What's the Italian campaign?


The main game-breaking difference seems to be in the text files, i.e. format of descr_regions.txt. The graphics are the same, and the rest, such as the radar map, you can tinker with once the map is loading up.

Also make sure you delete "imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.strings.bin" and replace the text file with your own.

[Conte Martinengo]

If this is the case it is very good news indeed, because the txt files are easy to change, just time consuming.
I'll be able to send the guys a working map very soon then, one with 196 italian cities, towns and castles, which makes the playing of a mod focused on Italy in detail a reality for all of us that love Italy a very near event.
Thank you for your help.
ps: I won't advertise the name of the mod here because it's not my mod, I've just been asked to help out a team who have stalled due to their mapper going awol.

[SigniferOne]

Is it at least set in the Medieval/Renaissance era?

[Conte Martinengo]

Yes it is. They have it beginning in the late 15th century, I would prefer 100 years earlier so as to include some my family bias, but everything is already listed and decided, so I'm not complaining.
I know there is already a few projects around that have similar interests, this is the one I like the best and the team are well seasoned modders who already have a lots of the work ready, it's nice for me to be albe to contribute.

[Conte Martinengo]

What's the Italian campaign?


The main game-breaking difference seems to be in the text files, i.e. format of descr_regions.txt. The graphics are the same, and the rest, such as the radar map, you can tinker with once the map is loading up.

Also make sure you delete "imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.strings.bin" and replace the text file with your own.

This hasn't been as easy as I hoped. I have re written all the text files I was sent. I run it in it's own folder from a bat file, the game loads, lets me select the campaign, loads the faction selection screen which is definatly my descr strat then ctds.
The system log shows an error at the point the game is trying to write the map rwm.
It mentions an error in the descr_regions text, "cannot create settlement x " at line whatever and "cannot find settlement in stringtable. This settlement is always the first settlement on the list.
Usually if this happens to me I have simply entered the wrong rgb value and easily fix it.
This time it is different.
The game still writes a new descr_regions_strings_bin file, but the file is just a copy of the descr regions.txt file but with a few cryptic characters added before the first line of text (the same characters as any descr_regions_strings_bin has)
The descr_regions.txt file is set to read only as well, so that is not the problem.
I have checked the formating of the ported files against the format of vanilla MTW2 files, and the format and syntax looks fine in note pad and there is no typos etc.
I was told this map was running nicely on RTWBI, so by simply re-writing the text files to be in the correct format should in theory enable it to load in MTW2. I gave my rtw discs to my nephew so I can't see it running.

I think I must have missed an important file the game needs, I'll find it tommorow, Bedtime!
I should have just finished my own map, but I thought porting this old RTWBI map would be faster. WRONG!!
Any answers that help me find this needle in a data stack would be nice.

UPDATE: I have found a silly over sight I made. In the RTW descr regions and settlement names txt, the format is different, how did I miss this! All the region's names in the rtw file are all listed first, then followed by the relevant settlement names listed in the same order. In mtw2's lookup txt, each region is listed followed by it's settlement on the next line then the next region followed by it's settlement and so on, Basic.
example:
;RTW 1.5 format:
London_Region
Paris_Region
Rome_Region
Athens_Region
London
Paris
Rome
Athens

;MTW2 format:
London_Region
London
Paris_Region
Paris
Rome_Region
Rome
Athens_Region
Athens

This maybe why it can't read the stringtable, fixing this should get me on to fixing the next error,

Update: well it didn't. I just tried to play vanilla and it was not working either (everything is messy after installing vista and working with files and folder is much harder). damn reinstall of MTW2coming up.
Maybe this was the problem, or least one of them. I won't say "fingers crossed" because I'd rather rely on brains than luck.

[jaklei]

So hows it going? ive heard that Vlad added the regions later on and he managed to port the Mundus magnus map. Hes not done yet though