Queries on Basics

**Anarchon** · April 09, 2007, 02:52 AM

Dear All,

This is my first post, so please excuse my ignorance if this info is posted elsewhere.
I am interested in ancient historical geography, and exactly the period covered by the RTW game. I formerly provided geographical and historical advice for Slitherine's Spartan.
I would like to make a more accurate map and faction set for RTW.
However, there are some basics I would like to know first.

1. RTW vs. RTR
I have seen on the web something called 'Rome Total Realism' which seems to be a group? interested in doing the same. However, the download seems to require me to uninstall my RTW and presumably I cannot then utilize RTW in its 'normal' form. Can someone tell me a bit more about RTR and the pros and cons of working within RTR vs RTW,the basic game?

2. Map Size
Is there a maximum map size and if so what? I have seen on the forum mention that 1021x1021 pixels is the max. Is this for the map_regions.tga file or one of the double-size tga files? Is 1021 the max on either axis or is the max (1021x1021=) 1,042,441 pixels? So would 1300x695=1,033,882 be ok?
Is a fixed ratio of length to breadth required?

3. Factions
Is there a maximum number of factions, or can one have as many as you like?
(Assuming you add the info for them)

3a. Faction Editing-Badges/Banners
I have seen in the Forum the capability for editing a faction name. Is there any way to edit the 'banners/badges'? (A detail, but I loathe seeing a Spartan lambda on the Mak badge)

4. Roads
Are the roads hard-coded? If I make a new map what happens about roads? I have not seen a file where they are drawn on.

5. Trade Routes
Can someone explain how the trade routes in the map_trade_routes.tga works?

I shall probably be back for more, but this will enable me to know whether I want to get involved.

Anarchon

**Jubal_Barca** · April 09, 2007, 12:07 PM

Firstly, welcome to Total War Center!

1. Rome; Total Realism basically improves the historic aspect of the game, if you create a copy of your Rome; TW folder ou can have both installed.

2. I'm afraid I do coding, not maps, so I can't help you there.

3. 21 factions max.
3a. Yes, there are .tga and .tga.dds files that you can edit in your data/models/textures and data/menu/symbols folders.

4. They're not hardcoded but again, ask a mapper abotu changing them.

5. Again, a mapping job.

Sorry I can't tell you more, but I hope this answers some of your questions.

P.S. .dds files need to be converted to .tga files for them to be edited, there is a program for doing this.

**Anarchon** · April 09, 2007, 03:21 PM

Thanks Jubal,

Next query, how/where do I find a 'Mapper'?
(I made the queries here cos this section was labelled 'Mapping' :-))

Another query.
Is it possible to 'convert' the Roman factions other than the SPQR to another race, eg Indian, Chinese (again with appropriate units, characters etc) or are they hard-coded to act as Romans?

Thx

Nik

**makanyane** · April 09, 2007, 04:41 PM

as regards to posting - flaw is you are currently in tutorial section and not question section - never fear I'm sure someone will be along to move the thread shortly....

1. RTW vs. RTR
I have seen on the web something called 'Rome Total Realism' which seems to be a group? interested in doing the same. However, the download seems to require me to uninstall my RTW and presumably I cannot then utilize RTW in its 'normal' form. Can someone tell me a bit more about RTR and the pros and cons of working within RTR vs RTW,the basic game

If you have space on your HD simply make copy of your entire RTW installation and install RTR on that - alternatively I think the last version of RTR - platimun edition, installs in mod folder. If you are not using that one please check you have right patch / game version to install earlier versions of RTR...

2) for RTW 1021 pixels seems to be maximum dimension on map_heights (= 510 on map_regions) that seems to be hard coded limit in either direction... though please feel free to test - modders have been proved wrong before..

@ 3a) what is wrong with a "Mak badge" I personally quite approve! If you mean the strat map banners, there is a certain amount of leeway. Files are in data/banners and reference number to the individual symbol (counted from 0, left to right then top to bottom) is recorded in descr_sm_factions.txt

4. Roads
Are the roads hard-coded? If I make a new map what happens about roads? I have not seen a file where they are drawn on.

you can disaable them for province / faction in EDB if you really want to but that could mess up pathfinding. Otherwise they just go through quickest route between linked settlements. If that doesn't follow route you want you need to change region boundaries or ground_types.

5. Trade Routes
Can someone explain how the trade routes in the map_trade_routes.tga works?

If anyone ever does please post it somewhere prominent - as far as I know attempting to mod that does absolutely nothing. Rearranging position of ports and making sure that adjacent regions don't have same trade resources can have effect though.

**Jubal_Barca** · April 10, 2007, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by Anarchon

Thanks Jubal,
Another query.
Is it possible to 'convert' the Roman factions other than the SPQR to another race, eg Indian, Chinese (again with appropriate units, characters etc) or are they hard-coded to act as Romans?

Assuming you had the models, etc, I don't see a problem with that. There are certain things which are decided by culture, but that shouldn't be too hard to change.

Are you using RTW or BI?

Good luck,

Jubal

**Anarchon** · April 14, 2007, 07:15 PM

Jubal, I am using RTW, not BI. Will that matter?

Makanyane, many thanks for your reply. Does that mean roads/routes are layed down automatically in-game rather than you can choose/set their route on a tga file somewhere?

On the Makedonian badge, it is the fact that it is a Greek letter lambda which bugs me, whereas the Maks used a star as their shield emblem. The lambda was the emblem for Sparta (Lakedaimon/Lakonike). It looks cute, but I would rather they had used it for Greek Cities.

**Anarchon** · April 14, 2007, 07:19 PM

Still not been able to get RTR to work. Can someone tell me what level of RTW and patches I need and where to get latest RTR version. I have been to their site and downloaded/installed as per instructions.

I get 'file not found error' followed by a load of gobbledygook.

Below is what I have done/tried.

I originally had RTW not installed in the Program Files, but its own stand-alone folder.
I have been playing it for a year with no problems.

I did an Uninstall which left it untouched.
I installed a fresh version of RTW in the Program Files.
I installed patch 1.3 and 1.5
I installed RTR Gold 6.0 and the Music Add-On.
The page with the classical atlas background came up, then the error message.

I uninstalled all.
I repeated the installation of RTW. I launched & checked and it worked ok though the mouse cursor was a bit wobbly.
I installed just Patch 1.3 of RTW (not 1.5)
Again launched & checked and it worked ok though the mouse cursor was still a bit wobbly.
I then installed RTR Gold 6.0.
same problem.

I then downloaded and installed RTR patch 6.3 (over the above)
same problem.

I have been checking very carefully that I am launching the new installation, not the old one.
My copy of RTW is a legal one (despite this being Indonesia), purchased in Singapore Airport.

My download of RTR6 is 165,622kb which seems to be the size they say it should be.
Although the Softpedia site I am downloading from says it is 161MB

Just in case it got corrupted downloaded again and repeated but same problem.

**Jubal_Barca** · April 15, 2007, 04:50 AM

Can you take a screenshot of the error please?

**Kennylz** · April 15, 2007, 07:28 PM

For the road thing, heres something of an answer. I beleive the only thing the map maker indicates is where the roads go on the map, and where they are already build at the start of the game. They can be added and removed though, like any other building. If you wanted no one to build roads, all you'd have to do is remove them as a building from the building list, and regardless of where the mapper layed them out, if they weren't buildable, they would be no where on the map.

Also, BI improves the strategy map AI some, and adds nifty features to the battles, but its nothing huge.

**Anarchon** · April 15, 2007, 08:13 PM

Thanks for everyones help.

1. RTR Now installed and running. I think it was cos I was installing Gold rather than Platinum edition.

2. Roads. What I am trying to figure out is can you set where the roads will run when they get built? Is there a map somewhere which shows where they will be placed? Or does the game automatically choose where to place them?

**Trajan** · April 20, 2007, 05:53 PM

Moved to the Rome Workshop.

**Anarchon** · April 28, 2007, 04:24 AM

The only thing that is puzzling me now is..
what is the name of the file which contains the map of where the roads will get laid down?

**makanyane** · April 28, 2007, 07:19 AM

There isn't a file that shows where the roads will go, if a region has roads built the game lays out roads between the cities according to what it thinks is the shortest route. If you want to alter road positions you need to either fiddle with the terrain, rougher terrain would give slower movement so could divert road, ford positions on rivers obviously effect road positions too. And changing region boundaries has an effect, you will only get road between two cities if their boundaries actually touch.