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bmp2ctp2 program and Alex scenario
Hi,
I'm the guy who made the Alexander scenario that shipped with the game. That scenario still has many problems due to insufficient time for debugging. Scenarios were something that really got working only at the last minute- with just a few weeks left before the game's release, I still couldn't get to turn two of the scenario! Anyways, once I get my free copy of the game, I'm going to work to get rid of all the bugs in the scenario, and properly playbalance it. I suggest no one play it until then.
However, there was one really lucky result in having the scenario part of the game especially broken. When I complained about not having enough time, one solution they came up with was to make a program that converted .bmp files into ctp2 map files. This was because I had the map I wanted for the Alex scenario already planned out as a graphic file.
So this conversion program was made by the Activision team, and a handy thing it is. As far as I know, it still isn't released yet, though. I presume they'll make it part of the first patch, or something like that. I of course have a copy already.
Also, many months ago, when I wanted to work on the Alex scenario but didn't have enough game specs to get started, I started creating a graphic file of most of the Old World, pixelated into CTP2 terrain categories. That graphic file is done, and was the thing I made the Alex map from. I would like to make this available to whomever wants it, to make mapmaking a ton easier.
Let me explain the bmp2ctp2 program and the graphic file I've made a bit better. Here is the readme from the bmp2ctp2 program:
------
Contents...
bmp2ctp2.exe The bitmap conversion tool
readme.txt This readme file
testmap.bmp A sample BMP file
testmap1to1.bmp A sample BMP file for 1 to 1 conversion
ctp2map.act A Photoshop palette file
terrain colors.bmp A BMP file with terrain color to palette index info
BMP to CTP2 Map Converter
-------------------------
Usage - bmp2ctp2.exe [-1]
[-1] - [Optional] Flag for 1 to 1 conversion. The default behavior
is to skip every other horizontal pixel to retain the
proper aspect ratio. 1 to 1 conversion will not skip any
pixels.
- The name of the BMP file to be converted
- The name of the CTP2 map file to be created
Notes - The BMP file must be an 8-bit indexed color bitmap. The color index
maps directly to the terrain type in the map (ie. color 1 = terrain 1,
color2 = terrain 2, etc.) The created ASCII map file can then be
imported into Call to Power 2.
Terrain Types
-------------
1 = Plains
2 = Tundra
3 = Glacier
4 = Grassland
5 = Desert
6 = Swamp
7 = Jungle
8 = Mountain
9 = Hill
10 = Shallow Water
11 = Deep Water
12 = Underwater Volcano
13 = Beach
14 = Continental Shelf
15 = Underwater Canyon
16 = Suboceanic Ridge
17 = Dead Tile
18 = Sand Dunes
19 = Desert Mountain
20 = Polar Hill
21 = Polar Mountain
22 = Forest
23 = Kelp Bed
24 = Coral Reef
------
Now, my comment on the program. It works like a charm, with one exception. You'll note there is no way to convert river data over. I came up with a runaround for that: make all the river squares you want into something unusual, like Polar Mountain, then convert them manually later. Not great, but better than having to completely guess the river valley flows.
Here is an explanation of the graphic file I made. I found on the web a huge map of most of the Old World, complete with terrain and river data. It was based on adjusted Mercator projection (adjusted so the far north and south didn't get so absurdly distorted). The area my map covers is all of Asia, Europe and Africa, except that Africa is cut off below the Congo basin, and a little bit of Asia is cut off beyond the Kamchatka Peninsula. None of Australia makes it on, but all of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands do.
The terrain data was relief data, meaning it shows the differences between places, not the total elevation from sea level.
Then I had the difficult task of adding the vegetation data. Since the map was primarily designed for the Alexander time period, I researched what the world's vegetation was like, then. Basically, what this means is it shows what vegetation was like before people started mucking things up. This is reflected mostly in tons more forests. Europe, for instance, was over 90% forest before people started cutting them down.
So if people want to make scenarios, especially, modern day ones, you'll probably want to change the vegetation a lot.
The map is also quite detailed. It is 3599 pixels by 1865 pixels. That's one big map! Just the island of Sardinia would make a map about 47 by 62 pixels- that would be slightly bigger than CTP2's medium map size category. So I figure there's as much or as little map detail as anyone can want.
The only problem is of course, the parts of the world not covered, like the New World. Oh well, you can't have everything.
Since Activision hasn't officially released the Bmp2Ctp2 program, I suppose I shouldn't give it to anyone at this point. But as an example I will make one map of any of the area covered in my map file, if someone has a request for me. Just the one, though.
I'm the guy who made the Alexander scenario that shipped with the game. That scenario still has many problems due to insufficient time for debugging. Scenarios were something that really got working only at the last minute- with just a few weeks left before the game's release, I still couldn't get to turn two of the scenario! Anyways, once I get my free copy of the game, I'm going to work to get rid of all the bugs in the scenario, and properly playbalance it. I suggest no one play it until then.
However, there was one really lucky result in having the scenario part of the game especially broken. When I complained about not having enough time, one solution they came up with was to make a program that converted .bmp files into ctp2 map files. This was because I had the map I wanted for the Alex scenario already planned out as a graphic file.
So this conversion program was made by the Activision team, and a handy thing it is. As far as I know, it still isn't released yet, though. I presume they'll make it part of the first patch, or something like that. I of course have a copy already.
Also, many months ago, when I wanted to work on the Alex scenario but didn't have enough game specs to get started, I started creating a graphic file of most of the Old World, pixelated into CTP2 terrain categories. That graphic file is done, and was the thing I made the Alex map from. I would like to make this available to whomever wants it, to make mapmaking a ton easier.
Let me explain the bmp2ctp2 program and the graphic file I've made a bit better. Here is the readme from the bmp2ctp2 program:
------
Contents...
bmp2ctp2.exe The bitmap conversion tool
readme.txt This readme file
testmap.bmp A sample BMP file
testmap1to1.bmp A sample BMP file for 1 to 1 conversion
ctp2map.act A Photoshop palette file
terrain colors.bmp A BMP file with terrain color to palette index info
BMP to CTP2 Map Converter
-------------------------
Usage - bmp2ctp2.exe [-1]
[-1] - [Optional] Flag for 1 to 1 conversion. The default behavior
is to skip every other horizontal pixel to retain the
proper aspect ratio. 1 to 1 conversion will not skip any
pixels.
Notes - The BMP file must be an 8-bit indexed color bitmap. The color index
maps directly to the terrain type in the map (ie. color 1 = terrain 1,
color2 = terrain 2, etc.) The created ASCII map file can then be
imported into Call to Power 2.
Terrain Types
-------------
1 = Plains
2 = Tundra
3 = Glacier
4 = Grassland
5 = Desert
6 = Swamp
7 = Jungle
8 = Mountain
9 = Hill
10 = Shallow Water
11 = Deep Water
12 = Underwater Volcano
13 = Beach
14 = Continental Shelf
15 = Underwater Canyon
16 = Suboceanic Ridge
17 = Dead Tile
18 = Sand Dunes
19 = Desert Mountain
20 = Polar Hill
21 = Polar Mountain
22 = Forest
23 = Kelp Bed
24 = Coral Reef
------
Now, my comment on the program. It works like a charm, with one exception. You'll note there is no way to convert river data over. I came up with a runaround for that: make all the river squares you want into something unusual, like Polar Mountain, then convert them manually later. Not great, but better than having to completely guess the river valley flows.
Here is an explanation of the graphic file I made. I found on the web a huge map of most of the Old World, complete with terrain and river data. It was based on adjusted Mercator projection (adjusted so the far north and south didn't get so absurdly distorted). The area my map covers is all of Asia, Europe and Africa, except that Africa is cut off below the Congo basin, and a little bit of Asia is cut off beyond the Kamchatka Peninsula. None of Australia makes it on, but all of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands do.
The terrain data was relief data, meaning it shows the differences between places, not the total elevation from sea level.
Then I had the difficult task of adding the vegetation data. Since the map was primarily designed for the Alexander time period, I researched what the world's vegetation was like, then. Basically, what this means is it shows what vegetation was like before people started mucking things up. This is reflected mostly in tons more forests. Europe, for instance, was over 90% forest before people started cutting them down.
So if people want to make scenarios, especially, modern day ones, you'll probably want to change the vegetation a lot.
The map is also quite detailed. It is 3599 pixels by 1865 pixels. That's one big map! Just the island of Sardinia would make a map about 47 by 62 pixels- that would be slightly bigger than CTP2's medium map size category. So I figure there's as much or as little map detail as anyone can want.
The only problem is of course, the parts of the world not covered, like the New World. Oh well, you can't have everything.
Since Activision hasn't officially released the Bmp2Ctp2 program, I suppose I shouldn't give it to anyone at this point. But as an example I will make one map of any of the area covered in my map file, if someone has a request for me. Just the one, though.
But I have a feeling that you wouldn't allow certain files that are non-support to be sent out to some ctp2 map makers... but I definately would love the bmp...
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