How to add a new land mass

[uanime5]

This tutorial explains how to add additional land masses to the map. Before reading this tutorial I recommend reading my how to split a region tutorial because it I will not be covering anything that's explained in this tutorial:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...split-a-region

Tweak New Sea

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1) Open the DB table regions_sea.

• Click the "Add record" button to add a new row.
• Copy and paste an existing record into the new record which is the same type as your new sea region.
• Give this sea a unique ID, such as "jap_bohai_sea".
• Give this sea a name, such as "Bohai Sea".

When finished click the Apply button.

3D Max Part 1, new land mass

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1) Using 3D max open the "total war shogun 2\modding\raw_data\EmpireDesignData\campaign_maps\sho_japan\Shogun2.max".

2) Select the modify tab and use the "cut" tool to create a new land mass.

Before:


After:


3) Using my "How to split a region" guide add a new region to this land mass.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...split-a-region

4) Hide all layers except the Regions.cs2.

5) Hold down the <Ctrl> key and press the <A> key to select everything.

6) Press the 3DS button and in the pop-up menu select "Export", then select "Export selected". Export this file as the Regions.CS2 in the campaign_map folder you're editing.

3D Max Part 2, new mountains

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1) Unhide and freeze the Regions.cs2 layer. This will prevent you accidentally selecting it.

2) Unhide the "Mountains.cs2" layer.



3) In the Create menu use the line tool to create a spline (a curve connected by two or more points) where the mountain is located.



4) When asked if you want to "Close spline?" click Yes.



5) Give this mountain a unique name. In this example I use "Mountain84".



6) Repeat for all other mountains you want to add.

7) Hide all layers except the "Mountains.cs2".

8) Press the 3DS button and in the pop-up menu select "Export", then select "Export selected". Export this file as the Mountains.CS2 in the campaign_map folder you're editing.

3D Max Part 3, new sea region

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1) Hide all layers except the Regions.cs2 layer.

2) Press <M> to bring up the Material editor.

3) Click the "Add" button. This will create a new material at the bottom of this list.

4) Give this region a unique ID and Name. In this example I used 415 and Bohai Sea.



5) Click on the button in the "Sub-Material" column to bring up the sub-material menu.

6) In this menu rename the material. The name of this material has to contain the "sea_" prefix and the name of the sea from the "regions_sea" DB Table. In this example it's sea_jap_bohai_sea.

Then click the grey box next to "Diffuse" and in the pop-up menu choose the colour you assigned to this region using Tweak. In this example it's R:180, G:180, B:180.



7) Select the modify tab and use the "cut" tool on the area you wish to split into two sea regions. In this example I split the Yellow Sea area.



8) Set the selection tool to "Polygon". Hold down <ctrl> and select all the polygons in your new region. In the image the selected polygons are all red.



9) In the "Polygon:Material IDs" "Set ID:" box enter the ID of your new region (210 in this example). This will assign these polygons to your new region. If done correctly these polygons will change to the colour of your new sea region.

10) Hide all layers except the Regions.cs2.

11) Hold down the <Ctrl> key and press the <A> key to select everything.

12) Press the 3DS button and in the pop-up menu select "Export", then select "Export selected". Export this file as the Regions.CS2 in the campaign_map folder you're editing.

3D Max Part 4, new sea ground type

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1) Unhide and freeze the Regions.cs2 layer. This will prevent you accidentally selecting it.

2) Unhide the "Sea_ground_types.cs2" layer. The dark areas are where sea attrition occurs, the light areas don't cause sea attrition.



3) Select the modify tab and use the "cut" tool on the area you want ships to be able to safely sail.



8) Set the selection tool to "Polygon". Hold down <ctrl> and select all the polygons in your new region. In the image the selected polygons are all red.



9) In the "Polygon:Material IDs" "Set ID:" box enter the ID of your new region (9 in this example). This will assign these polygons to your new region. If done correctly these polygons will become transparent.

10) Hide all layers except the Sea_ground_types.cs2.

11) Hold down the <Ctrl> key and press the <A> key to select everything.

12) Press the 3DS button and in the pop-up menu select "Export", then select "Export selected". Export this file as the Sea_ground_types.CS2 in the campaign_map folder you're editing.

[uanime5]

The heightmap.tiff and campaign_detail_mask.dds can be edited with an image editing software; such as Photoshop, Gimp, or Paint.net. In these examples I use photoshop.

Editing the height map

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Warning this file is huge and it may not be possible to edit it on some computers.

The height map is located in the "modding\raw_data\EmpireDesignData\campaign_maps\sho_japan\display\Heightmap" folder.

The height map controls how high the terrain is. The lighter the colour the higher the terrain.



This file covers the entire area shown in 3D Max so you need to add your new land mass in the same place it's located in 3D Max.

I use the following colour for different parts of the map.

Deep sea = 0, 0, 0
Regular sea = 24, 24, 24
Shallow sea = 43, 43, 43

Land = 86, 86, 86 (if the land colour is too dark Shogun 2 will put this area underwater)
Low mountain = 122, 122, 122
High mountain = 184, 184, 184
Mountain peak = 240, 240, 240



When done save this file as heightmap.tiff.

Editing the campaign detail mask

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The campaign_detail_mask.dds and campaign_detail_mask_low.dds are located in the "data.pack\campaign_maps\sho_japan\display\Detail" folder.

This campaign detail mask controls what type of terrain is displayed on the land. It does not affect anywhere that is underwater.


The colours mean the following:

Red = rocky
Green = fertile land
Blue = mountain
Black = grass
Alpha channel = sand/coast

This file only covers the playable area (controlled by the DB table campaign_map_playable_areas), not the entire 3D Max map. Only add details for the areas that will be playable.

In the example below I made Japan smaller so I could add Korea.



Here is the same image with the alpha channel shown. In Japan the alpha channel shows where units on boats can disembark.



When done editing this file save it as the campaign_detail_mask.dds. You can also use the same file for the campaign_detail_mask_low.dds.

[uanime5]

I've only included how to make the heightmap files because my "How to split a region" guide explains how to make all the esf files.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...split-a-region

Bob is not requires for the campaign detail mask files. Once you've edited them you can add them to your mod pack using the Pack File Manager.

Bob, heightmap

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Bob is located in the "total war shogun 2\modding\binaries" folder.

1) In the "Working" column select the campaign_maps/sho_jap/display/heightmap folder. When the pop-up appears select "All".



2) Click the start button.

3) Once BOB has finished you need to add the new heightmap folder from the total war shogun 2\modding\working_data\sho_japan\display folder to the mod pack in the total war shogun 2\modding\retail\data folder using the Pack File Manager (PFM). The heightmap folder needs to go in the campaign_maps\sho_japan\display folder.

[jx799]

beautiful Can you give me a Korean Map it ?

[Havie]

Appreciate the guide 100%

But it should be mentioned that you should save the campaign_mask.dds flipped upside down. (if ur program loaded it up right)

Also feel like saving options like include MIPS and any explanation about these would be helpful.

Also terrain_metadata.tga should be at least mentioned, because im pretty darn sure its creating random extra textures on my map?
Infact I tried editing it and i got this in BoB when compressing?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Loading terrain_metadata.tga ... Done!
Loading attribute_metadata.tga ... Done!
cannot find terrain type from colour - see Chu
t:\branches\shogun2\modders\common\tooldatabuilder\source\CampaignMapData/CampaignMetaData.cpp(178) : TOOLDATABUILDER::CAMPAIGN_METADATA_PROCESSOR::write_metadata
terrain_type_valid
cannot find terrain type from colour - see Chu

http://i.imgur.com/cm02xi6.png

[asadyan]

Excellent effort +.....rep

[Wolves In The Throne Room]

@Uanime5 I would pay you to make New Mexico, Texas and Mexico campaign map so I could make the Mexican-American War and Texas Revolution mod. I'm serious. PM me if interested.

[Janbāru]

I'm trying to use this tuto to make a new map. I've followed the 1st step about the regions_sea file in which I created a "new" sea entry.

But I'm having troubles with the next step and 3DS Max 2010. When opening the shogun2.max file? I'm having these messages poping up :

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Click on the pic to enlarge

and...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Click on the pic to enlarge

Is that normal?

Beside, as I'm a complete newb in 3DS Max, I'd be grateful if somebody can lead me to a tutorial I can use to work on that map. So far, the one I've found are purely focused on 3D modeling.
Many thanks in advance

[Sara Temer]

Yep, that's normal. In first window select "Adopt the File's Gamma and LUT settings?" (it is done by default), second window you can just ignore and click "continue"

[Janbāru]

Many thanks Sara

A stupid question : where's the "cut" tool mentionned in the 1st post? Can't find it in the modify tab

[Sara Temer]

There:

[Janbāru]

Many thanks again Sara.
Now, just need tro find out how to set the background at the right size in 3DS Max and if it's possible to make the layer a bit transparent in order to have a model to draw the map