[REL] Template - Base Template

[Mraah]

Hi all,

I figured I start a new thread for those that have template's they want to share. If Erik wants to bump this or make an official template thread then by all means do so.

Anyway, as you know, PcK shipped without two templates for maps L5W and L7W. Without these templates you cannot use/select them in your RBG or RCG.

Well, until Erik releases a patch containing official templates we can try our hand at building our own!!!

So, I've made my own template for L5W ... but it's not pretty [:'(] ... and it's not finished. Since we all are new to modding this game, and my learning curve was very steep, I'd like to release a little MOD I did which starts you out with a Basic Template on top of a Blank Map. All this does is start you off with a few basic items to mod your template, instead of the very "busy" templates from the original maps.

What the MOD contains :

Base Template (1) - This template contains basic items as follows :

1 Armor set (10 tanks)
1 Infantry set (10 platoons)
1 Gun set (3 guns)
1 Transport set (5 transports)
10 Anti-personnel mines (same size, just to get you going)
10 Anti-Tank minefields (same size, just to get you going)
5 Objective Flags (not needed, can delete these and make your own. You cannot rename them from this editor.)
Air/Artillery Offboards units - Pasted from another template.

Note - Minefields and flags are added so you can see what they look like in the XML or Notepad file (ie folder and format). I use XMLNotepad to edit/rename, and I use basic Notepad to cut and paste.

Blank Map - A new folder in your Data folder that contains a 1000x1000 bmp of a white map. This isn't used in the game but I've included it so when you open the Base Template you can easily find and move your units/minefields off to the edge of map, then load a new Map(ie, LEVEL 5 or 7). It's basically a starting tool box.

TIPS on How-to-start :

1. Unzip the files to your JSGE /MODS folder ... activate. (yeah Rob, we know how to do that!)
2. Start Scenario Editor ... (yeah, you know how to do that too!)
3. Switch to TEMPLATE mode ... Top left corner (S) button and switch to (T) ... (in case you're like me and didn't read the manual)
4. Load Base Template (1).
5. Drag all the units and minefields off the board. (to prep you for next step, loading map)
6. Load the LEVEL 5 or LEVEL 7 map.
7. You're done!! Place units, add units, add flags, etc.
8. Save the file as Winter (l5w) or (l7w) ... in case you didn't know.

This should shave off an hour since loading a full map with millions of units is a pain to move and delete !!!

In the future I'm planning on releasing a Minefield template which contains a variaty of minefield sizes. This can be used as a "cut-and-paste" tool so you don't have to sit there and build them from scratch or hunt them down in other templates. Basically, all I will be doing is cutting all the mines out in group form and seperating the relative sizes and pasting them into different minefield templates, ie small/medium/large.

EDIT NOTE :
Added line - "8. Save the file as Winter (l5w) or (l7w) ... in case you didn't know."
Changed - 6. Load the LEVEL 5 or LEVEL 7 map.
Added line - 1 Transport set (5 transports). These were in original ZIP, I just forgot to post them.
Added line - Air/Artillery Offboards units - Pasted from another template. Again, in original ZIP, not posted.

WARNING !!!!

DEACTIVATE MOD BEFORE RUNNING ANY RCG or RBG.

I just noticed this mod needs to be deactivated before running any RCG because the RCG looks for TEMPLATES when rolling for which map to use. It might try to load the Base Template in which case it will hang. It will also hang if you build a bad template, ie not enough space for units to appear.

TIPS :
1. DEACTIVATE the MOD when you are done making your template.
2. Test your template with the RCG ... this nice TEST button helps you figure out IF your template needs tweaking.

Enjoy!!!
Rob

JSGE Ready!!! Unzip to MODS folder.
Attached file is the ZIP.

[Mraah]

Screen shot :

EDIT NOTE : reduced screen shot size ... was 1920x1200 ... kinda big for some folks.

[Mraah]

I updated the title to read ... [REL] Template - Base Template ...

If and when Erik creates a TEMPLATE MOD folder he can bump this there.

Thank You,

Rob

[Mraah]

Hey everyone,

WARNING !!!!

DEACTIVATE MOD BEFORE RUNNING ANY RCG or RBG.

I just noticed this mod needs to be deactivated before running any RCG because the RCG looks for TEMPLATES when rolling for which map to use. It might try to load the Base Template in which case it will hang. It will also hang if you build a bad template, ie not enough space for units to appear.


TIPS :

1. DEACTIVATE the MOD when you are done making your template.
2. Test your template with the RCG ... this nice TEST button helps you figure out IF your template needs tweaking.

That is all ... Thank you.

Rob