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I have written a small program to facilitate in the creation of user created maps. Basically, what the program does is take input from a loaded bitmap and convert the information in the bitmap directly into a civ3 .bic file which can then be edited in civ3edit.
Some information about using the tool:
1) the bitmap is imported without any coast. This may seem like a pain at first, but once you have loaded the file into civ3edit. Changing any terrain square anywhere on the map will generate all of the coastline for you (call it a feature if you like).
2) The utility now supports terrain types. To change terrain values, use the included Palette file, or the bmp with the different colors and terrain values listed (both these files are included).
3) The bitmap must have the appropriate size for the map size you want to create (map sizes are stored with half the width)so for the maps, the following sizes apply:
*** Updated ***
The New terrain sizes are as follows:
Tiny=60X60
Small=80X80
Standard=100X100
Large=140X140
Huge=180X180
Giga=256x256
I haven't allowed free form sizes yet because I haven't been able to test them in the game, so I don't know if it works or not.
4) Using the program is simple.
-1st make your bitmap using a paint program, the saved bitmap can be any color depth, only the dimensions (see above) are important.
-run the program
-load the bitmap (from the file menu)
-generate the map (again, from the file menu)
-Output is written to the file "BMPToBIC Output.bic" which will be located in the same directory as the program is installed.
*** New features added in release 3 ***
5) You can now load in any .bmp, .bic or .sav file from civ3 and convert it into a map.
6) You can now zoom the view of the map to x2 or x4.
7) You can generate a 3D preview of the map to see what it would like on a globe. A few limitations apply to the 3d preview though, it currently only works in 24 bit color. 32 bit and 16 bit colors come out funny. It uses OpenGL, so if you have Windows 95 without the OpenGL drivers, install them. They are on the Civ3 CD.
8) If a save file is loaded, it is possible to view the different units and cities for each of the civilizations in that save file. You will notice that only the index of the CIV is displayed (i.e. 0 = Barbarians, 1 = Romans, 6 = Russians, etc.). This is because the save file does not store these strings. I plan to display the names in the future though.
9) Also with save files, holding the left mouse button down on a pixel where a unit or city is located will give some info about that city/unit.
I have included a huge (Its now a GIGA - 256x256) .bmp of earth which you can use as a basis to get you started (this image could use some tweaking however, as I noticed that Cuba comes out connected to Mexico, and the Aleutians have altogether disappeared.
This should make it real easy to overcome the limitation of having no small view with civ3edit, and should make it real easy to create super accurate maps of different geographys. If you would like to comment on it, please feel free.
For the next version I hope to address:
I have not implemented these features yet, basically they are pretty tough to figure out, and the results Iwas getting aren't as nice as the way that civ3edit does, hopefully I can come back to these in the future).
Rivers,
Coasts (Hopefully),
Free-form Map sizes
For the next release, I plan on giving you the ability to drag and drop things (units/cities) around in the map (without specifying coordinates like the other programs do. I also want to add additional things like FOW options, resources, etc.
Let me know what you think.
John
Some information about using the tool:
1) the bitmap is imported without any coast. This may seem like a pain at first, but once you have loaded the file into civ3edit. Changing any terrain square anywhere on the map will generate all of the coastline for you (call it a feature if you like).
2) The utility now supports terrain types. To change terrain values, use the included Palette file, or the bmp with the different colors and terrain values listed (both these files are included).
3) The bitmap must have the appropriate size for the map size you want to create (map sizes are stored with half the width)so for the maps, the following sizes apply:
*** Updated ***
The New terrain sizes are as follows:
Tiny=60X60
Small=80X80
Standard=100X100
Large=140X140
Huge=180X180
Giga=256x256
I haven't allowed free form sizes yet because I haven't been able to test them in the game, so I don't know if it works or not.
4) Using the program is simple.
-1st make your bitmap using a paint program, the saved bitmap can be any color depth, only the dimensions (see above) are important.
-run the program
-load the bitmap (from the file menu)
-generate the map (again, from the file menu)
-Output is written to the file "BMPToBIC Output.bic" which will be located in the same directory as the program is installed.
*** New features added in release 3 ***
5) You can now load in any .bmp, .bic or .sav file from civ3 and convert it into a map.
6) You can now zoom the view of the map to x2 or x4.
7) You can generate a 3D preview of the map to see what it would like on a globe. A few limitations apply to the 3d preview though, it currently only works in 24 bit color. 32 bit and 16 bit colors come out funny. It uses OpenGL, so if you have Windows 95 without the OpenGL drivers, install them. They are on the Civ3 CD.
8) If a save file is loaded, it is possible to view the different units and cities for each of the civilizations in that save file. You will notice that only the index of the CIV is displayed (i.e. 0 = Barbarians, 1 = Romans, 6 = Russians, etc.). This is because the save file does not store these strings. I plan to display the names in the future though.
9) Also with save files, holding the left mouse button down on a pixel where a unit or city is located will give some info about that city/unit.
I have included a huge (Its now a GIGA - 256x256) .bmp of earth which you can use as a basis to get you started (this image could use some tweaking however, as I noticed that Cuba comes out connected to Mexico, and the Aleutians have altogether disappeared.
This should make it real easy to overcome the limitation of having no small view with civ3edit, and should make it real easy to create super accurate maps of different geographys. If you would like to comment on it, please feel free.
For the next version I hope to address:
I have not implemented these features yet, basically they are pretty tough to figure out, and the results Iwas getting aren't as nice as the way that civ3edit does, hopefully I can come back to these in the future).
Rivers,
Coasts (Hopefully),
Free-form Map sizes
For the next release, I plan on giving you the ability to drag and drop things (units/cities) around in the map (without specifying coordinates like the other programs do. I also want to add additional things like FOW options, resources, etc.
Let me know what you think.
John
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