Map Editor

[Stridor]

EDIT: THE WHOLE MAP MAKING PROCESS HAS BEEN REVAMPED BY THE NEW MAP MAKER TOOL WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN OPEN BETA!
THIS THREAD NO LONGER APPLIES


Although not used as the PCK official map maker, I have had success in using Milkshape 3D (google milkshape for link) as a map editor. This is a $35 program (30 day free trial). Perhaps other freeware programs like blender may be able to do the same, I haven't investigated them as MS3D seems ideal for the job.

In *overview* this is how you make maps in PCK.

1. On a 1000x1000 bitmap topdown view of the action (1 pixel = 1 meter), paint on the features you want (fields, roads, streams, etc) using the PCK color guide. This is the AI/LOS/Pathing map and will be used for 3D map generation. (From now on called AI map)

2. Design a height map. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heightmap. This can be done in most paint programs if you like or you can use several 3D free heightmap generators. The final saved file is a 64x64 grey scale bitmap

3. Load up your top down battle overview bmp into Milkshape and use the built-in heightmap tool to load the heightmap and auto generate the terrain. Milkshape allows editing of the generated terrain post generation. You can also scale the terrain height if you don't like the size of the hills or valleys.

4. Move and Scale the terrain to your main bitmap. Ensure that the features all line up. You can make edits as required in MS3D to ensure that they do.

5. Extrude the edges of the map down to make a nice "rock" border/base/wall.

6. Export the terrain and the border/base/wall as direct.x files into your new map directory.

7. PCK uses textures and masks to show textured terrain on the 3D Mesh. The textures are dds files http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectDraw_Surface which can easily be edited in most graphic editors. There are many freeware tools to convert bmp to dds if you don't have an editor which allows you to save .dds natively. PCK also comes with a large library of typical terrain textures, so you can use the pre-existingr textures if you like. Masks are "grey scale" png files which essentially mask out how the textures will be displayed on the mesh. To make, them load your AI map up into your graphics editor and then on a new layer draw your mask over areas which required it (eg road texture -> draw your road, swamp texture -> draw your swamp, grass texture-> draw you grass areas, etc). Save these masks as png files.

8. Now in the included scenedit program which comes with PCK, load up your new map. Set up your textures and masks. You now have your basic terrain with texturing. Now you need to add objects to the map (bridges, houses, trees, foxholes, trenches, etc). This is done entirely in the scenedit program and I am sure Erik will provide documentation for how it works post release.

9. Save your map and now you can use your creation in the scenario editor / template to make new scenarios or random battles.

Stridor

[Stridor]

I might add that the hardest part (or should I say most time consuming part, there is nothing *hard* about it) in making your own maps is placing the objects post terrain generation.

The pay off however (c/w a tile based system) is a really nice looking map, with no seams or 45, 90 degree road bends.

[Staggerwing]

Will this also work for Winter Storm?

[helm123456789]

Stridor,

Where can I find documentation about the PCK color guide.

ORIGINAL: Stridor

Although not used as the PCK official map maker, I have had success in using Milkshape 3D (google milkshape for link) as a map editor. This is a $35 program (30 day free trial). Perhaps other freeware programs like blender map be able to do the same, I haven't investigated them as MS3D seems ideal for the job.

In *overview* this is how you make maps in PCK.

1. On a 1000x1000 bitmap topdown view of the map (1 pixel = 1 meter), paint on the features you want (fields, roads, streams, etc) using th PCK color guide. This is the AI/LOS/Pathing map and will be used for 3D map generation. (From now on called AI map)

2. Design a height map. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heightmap. This can be done in most paint programs if you like or you can use several 3D free heightmap generators. The final saved file is a 64x64 grey scale bitmap

3. Load up your top down battle overview bmp into Milkshape and use the built-in heightmap tool to load the heightmap and auto generate the terrain. Milkshape allows editing of the generated terrain post generation. You can also scale the terrain height if you don't like the size of the hills or valleys.

4. Move and Scale the terrain to your main bitmap. Ensure that the features all line up. You can make edits as required in MS to ensure that they do.

5. Extrude the edges of the map down to make a nice "rock" border/base/wall.

6. Export the terrain and the border/base/wall as direct.x files into your new map directory.

7. PCK uses textures and masks to show textured terrain on the 3D Mesh. The textures are dds files http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectDraw_Surface which can easily be edited in most graphic editors. There are many freeware tools to convert bmp to dds if you don't have an editor which allows you to save .dds native. PCK also comes with a large library of typical terrain textures, so you can use older textures if you like. Masks are "grey scale" png files which essentially mask out how the textures will be displayed on the mesh. To make them load your AI map up into your graphics editor and then on a new layer draw your mask over areas which required it (eg road texture -> draw your road, swap texture -> draw your swamp, grass texture-> draw you grass areas, etc). Save these masks as png files.

8. Now in the included scenedit program which comes with PCK, load up your new map. Setup your textures and masks. You now have your basic terrain with texturing. Now you need to add objects to the map (bridges, houses, trees, foxholes, trenches, etc). This is done entirely in the scenedit program and I am sure Erik will provide documentation for how it works post release.

9. Save your map and now you can use your creation in the scenario editor / template to make new scenarios or random battles.

Stridor

[Erik Rutins]

Here it is, I think this is all of them, but I may be missing a handful. I'll double check tomorrow.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Staggerwing
Will this also work for Winter Storm?

Theoretically, yes. I don't think we've tried this in Winterstorm though, all the maps for that were done through the more conventional route.

The color key for Winterstorm is also a bit different, in that it had fewer terrain types than Kharkov.

[rickier65]

Any chance of making this a sticky? Unless, of course, this is all in the documentation that comes with the game.(I'm guessing not).

Looks like a subject that will be wanted after folks have had a chance to play for a while. ( I'm guessing it's beyond my capabilites, but others might not be so easily intimidated.)

Thanks
Rick

[Stridor]

ORIGINAL: Rick

Any chance of making this a sticky? Unless, of course, this is all in the documentation that comes with the game.(I'm guessing not).

At the moment this is all the documentation there is.

I discovered that MS3D could do all this just in the last few days, and it has taken a while to work out a work-flow.

That is why there won't be anymore detail in the released game docs, but hopefully if there is some interest in designing maps, I will get around to writing more comprehensive documentation in the future. What I wanted to hilight, was that it is very possible for those modders with even modest drive, to create maps for PCK relatively inexpensively.

In the next few days I will look to see if I can get blender to do it as well (which would be totally free). However MS3D, is far more light weight and has a far more user friendly UI than blender!

[Staggerwing]

Can MS3D be used to create or modify the shape files for the game pieces as well?
I started to look into Blender which does indeed seem complicated (at least to this
3d noobie) and can not get it to load any of the .x files even with the DirectX plugin.
I have been able to load other random .x files found on the internet, just not game
files. (I'm referring to Winter storm files, of course.)

[benpark]

I didn't notice a color code for "building". Is this done differently? If not-What is that coded as? How are multi-level buildings coded by the map maker?

[Erik Rutins]

The short answer is "impassable". I don't have time for the long answer right now, but buildings work differently because of the mount/unmount system.

[Mobius]

ORIGINAL: benpark
I didn't notice a color code for "building". Is this done differently? If not-What is that coded as? How are multi-level buildings coded by the map maker?

The buildings are all built on red zones. The model and xml building code conveys that info.

[Stridor]

ORIGINAL: Staggerwing

Can MS3D be used to create or modify the shape files for the game pieces as well?
I started to look into Blender which does indeed seem complicated (at least to this
3d noobie) and can not get it to load any of the .x files even with the DirectX plugin.
I have been able to load other random .x files found on the internet, just not game
files. (I'm referring to Winter storm files, of course.)

Possibly. I wouldn't be surprised if it could also do placeables like houses and trees, etc. However I wouldn't 100% bet on it because as you have discovered PC is picky about how it likes direct.x served.

Shame you couldn't get blender to work. When I get a chance I will give it a try, sometimes it is some arcane setting in the exporter which gets it all to work. That is why MS3D will probably also work for the placeables, because I have it working for maps.

Animation (vehicles, men) is a slightly different story. For that you need more heavy duty tools, however since I now have a better handle on all the direct.x export settings in MS3D I will take a look at that kettle of fish again. When I started doing models for PCOWS I remember I spent hours trying to get MS3D to do my panther before I gave up and moved to the pro tools. You never know though [;)]

[Deride]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Here it is, I think this is all of them, but I may be missing a handful. I'll double check tomorrow.

Hmm... that looks suspiciously like an enumeration with code comments. Is this this first step in making the game open source

Deride

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Deride
Hmm... that looks suspiciously like an enumeration with code comments. Is this this first step in making the game open source

Sorry, nope - though I'm sure that would cause quite a stir! [;)]

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins


[

Thanks for making this sticky - Of course this won't substitute for a map editor in your next release I hope.

Rick

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Rick
Thanks for making this sticky - Of course this won't substitute for a map editor in your next release I hope.

Nope, but it does show that map editing can be done in this release as well, provided some third party tools are used.

[Mraah]

Erik and Mobius,

Slightly off topic ...

In theory, could a 2km x 2km map simply be done by allowing a scale change in the options menu or an INI file that would double the range and the 3D models reduced to 50% with a slight reduction in poly count? So, instead of doubling the map you shrink it and you're basically working with a 1km x 1km map but with smaller objects.

Rob

[Stridor]

ORIGINAL: Mraah


Erik and Mobius,

Slightly off topic ...

In theory, could a 2km x 2km map simply be done by allowing a scale change in the options menu or an INI file that would double the range and the 3D models reduced to 50% with a slight reduction in poly count? So, instead of doubling the map you shrink it and you're basically working with a 1km x 1km map but with smaller objects.

Rob

Possible, but unlikely for this release (at least for the initial release anyway). It *may* be added as a patch down the track. It is not quite as easy as you make it out as there are several other issues which crop up with the scaling, but you are on the right track.

[Stridor]

I have recently had a lot of success in using nem's terrain generator, which is a freeware utility which you can use to design 3d topologies. Unlike other terrain generators this one is allows you to basically push and pull (sculpt) the terrain to your liking. After you have finished sculpting then you export the terrain as a height map into MS3D.

I did this quick demo landscape in about 1 minute.

More screen shots and info can be found here http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=8

This really is a nice and powerful tool for doing this sort of thing. Although PCK doesn't have a map editor and ideally it should have one, these free or low cost tools provide far more powerful sculpting options that would be likely with any sort of in-game editor.