Do Map_Heights and Map_Ground_Types Have to Match?

**cherryfunk** · November 26, 2007, 06:29 PM

The impression I get is that Ground_Types is a loose-fitting 'blanket' that drapes across the map_heights and matches as close as it can. For example I can remove a piece of land in map_heights and replace with water, but keep the terrain type a land-type in ground_types, and the map loads and plays fine, as far as I can tell. Is this okay, or will the game suddenly crash if a unit moves into the 'confused' spaces or will some other nasty effect happen down the road? Do you have to match heights and types closely, pixel by pixel, or can the match be more approximate?

**nikolai1962** · November 27, 2007, 03:13 AM

Don't think it matters. Some of the tiny islands in the med count as land (because of heights i assume) and some don't but the ships seem to have no problem moving over the ones that are really sea, but have land textures painted on the tile.

**wilddog** · November 27, 2007, 04:12 PM

As far as I know it doesn't matter. I think it can help if you overlap ground types into the sea area to 'remove' some default ground types that the game applies to coastal areas (by help I mean in terms of what you 'see' as the ground type around coasts).

**GrnEyedDvl** · November 28, 2007, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by wilddog

As far as I know it doesn't matter. I think it can help if you overlap ground types into the sea area to 'remove' some default ground types that the game applies to coastal areas (by help I mean in terms of what you 'see' as the ground type around coasts).

I have tried that. Extending ground types doesnt cause any problems that I know of.

But maybe this problem is related to how the files lay over each other.

I have a spot on my map throwing out the tropical ground type where it doesnt belong. I have tried extending map_ground_types by two pixels on all sides but it still shows these trees for some reason.

Its not a huge deal, but something is pulling the wrong texture and I will be damned if I can figure out what it is. Changing climates and ground_types has no effect, totally removing the land and the region fixes the problem, but putting it back puts the trees back.

In summer, notice the tree in the water.

In winter you can clearly see the snow on the ground at the base of the trees, so map_climates and map_ground_types are both being read.

Here I changed the ground type of the entire island to high_fertile and extended it another pixel and still have the problem.

**nikolai1962** · November 27, 2007, 10:19 PM

Gave me an idea for a fantasy type thing where the elves (or whoever) have a base that is really an island but you cover the sea bit with woods. Some kind of elf "ship" would let them land outside this area but the baddies couldn't reach it.

**cherryfunk** · November 28, 2007, 09:37 PM

Are those trees part of a sparse woods tile? I think in that case it's the sparse woods tile -- it applies itself rather haphazardly. You really have to either remove the trees completely or extend the land another tile. If it's a port with trees, you might try raising the height of the land tile to 10, 10, 10 or 15, 15, 15 and it will 'pull' the land a bit into the water.

The only way to get detailed adjustments like that on some tiles is to eyeball it, and keep modify the terrain type until it looks right. Sometimes you just can't get the exact look you want.

**GrnEyedDvl** · November 28, 2007, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by cherryfunk

Are those trees part of a sparse woods tile?

No, in the third shot the entire land mass is covered with high_fertile.

If it's a port with trees, you might try raising the height of the land tile to 10, 10, 10 or 15, 15, 15 and it will 'pull' the land a bit into the water.

Hmm I never considered it might be part of the port model.

The only way to get detailed adjustments like that on some tiles is to eyeball it, and keep modify the terrain type until it looks right. Sometimes you just can't get the exact look you want.

Changing the terrain does nothing.

EDIT:
pft it was the port model, good guess lol I was going to change those anyways as I go through and set settlements to the newly created factions and cultures. Changing the faction owner in descr_regions did it.

**wilddog** · November 29, 2007, 04:04 PM

OK , just spotted you realised it was tied to the model. its the same with villages.

**Hunter Makoy** · December 03, 2007, 05:12 PM

that 'sea of trees' idea sounds pretty cool.

btw grneyeddvl wat r u creating this map for?

**GrnEyedDvl** · December 03, 2007, 09:28 PM

Wheel of Time
http://www.twmodsquad.com/index.php?action=forum;f=7

**Hunter Makoy** · December 04, 2007, 12:53 AM

thanx, i've been seeing that mod around for a while, but i thought it was kinda dead for some reason.

BTW grneyeddvl could u do me a favor and check out my map pics thread in this forum. i'd love to get ur comments on some imporvements.