JA2_113_Map_Editor.pdf

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JA2 113 EDITOR
GETTING STARTED
**This assumes that you have a fresh install**
Possible handy tip.
Start a new game/continue existing, but when you have the Tactical Screen up, press
‘Shift-prt scr’. This will capture the screen and place it in your JA2 folder. Print this off.
It makes for a very handy reference when modding.
(A)
Make sure you have the latest JA2 113 up and running.
In the JA2 folder, you should have the main JA2(game).exe, the Map Editor.exe, shortcut
to Map Editor and create Radarmaps shortcut.
If you do not have the last two shortcuts, create them by the following method.
(Double clicking on the Map Editor.exe will only result in your starting a de-bug version
of the game).
1) Right click on Map Editor.exe and select Create Shortcut.
2) Right click this shortcut and select Properties.
3) The Target reads “c:\TalonSoft\Ja2\Map Editor.exe”.
4) Change to “c:\TalonSoft\Ja2\Map Editor.exe” –EDITORAUTO
You now have the working shortcut to the Editor.
Follow steps 1 through 3 again:
4) Change to “c:\TalonSoft\Ja2\Map Editor.exe” –DOMAPS
You now have the Create Radarmaps shortcut.
All your shortcuts can be placed wherever you find them most convenient.
I find it handy to have everything either in, or local to, the JA2 folder(s).
(B)
1) Create a new folder in JA2\Data called Maps.
2) Repeat for new folder Radarmaps.
(C)
You must now extract the maps from Data\Maps.slf
There are a few utilities available to get this job done. I use Dragon UnPacker. It is free
and very handy. Google-search it. Download it. Keep it safe!!
Extract the Maps to your empty Maps folder in Data.
Might be an idea to copy/paste the maps folder somewhere safe. It is very easy to mess a
sector up.
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This way, you can at least copy/paste the relevant map sector back in to overwrite the
messed up one.
Double click on the Shortcut to Map Editor. Note the following:
1) This reference is peculiar to JA2UB map. It can be altered, but not really worth the
trouble.
2) Overview information for the sector.
NOTE: You will not have any detail loaded.
Instead, you will be asked to load default maps y/n.
Type ‘y’ and the maps will be loaded.
3) Click the Load button. This will load the details of the sector.
4) Click the Okay button. This will take you to the editor and the map sector.
NOTE: If you should wish to return to this screen simply press F5 and F5
again to go back to editor.
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NOTE: The small buttons under the map are denoted as follows:
A = All
G = Ground
B1 = Basement Level 1
B2 = Basement Level 2
B3 = Basement Level 3
At the moment, basement levels can only be placed at existing basement sites.
Check in your Maps folder and take note of all map sectors that have a notation to them.
Example: A10.DAT also has A10_B1.DAT.
All the other options (un-checked boxes) are best ignored for the present, as we are
starting from new and not an existing project.
After clicking the Okay button, you will now see something very similar to this. This is
the Options Screen:
This is a general command screen. You can hover your mouse over the 8 buttons to get a
brief notation of function.
The following is a guide on these functions and any areas to be particularly aware of.
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Rule that ALWAYS applies: Save Often. The editor can and does crash. There is nothing
worse than spending hours mapping, only to lose it all through a crash.
1) This starts a new, ground map area. You are given a blank canvas (of sorts) from
which you can start to build.
2) New basement level, as above.
3) New cave level.
4) Holy Grail button – save, save, save!!
5) Load an existing map (from your maps folder).
6) Load tileset. This enables you to set out the ‘theme’ of your map, as in Town, Coastal,
Mine etc…………See note below.
7) Exit to game. Unless you are in a game, if you use this you will be stuck between the
editor and the desktop. I never use this.
8) Exit. Simple!!
9) Co-ordinate of the cursor on the map screen. This is the red ‘diamond’ roughly central
to the map. Every ‘tile’ of the map has a number.
Note: It is possible to load a tileset ‘over’ one already in use in an existing map.
Example: A9 uses Omerta tileset. You could replace this with the Coastal tileset, save
and then re-load. The results, mostly, are pretty much un-usable. However, with
experimentation, it is quite possible to use this method and achieve workable results. Best
bet is to experiment with this once you are familiar with mapping.
Now, select a tileset to use, or, continue with the ‘default’. The following is all done with
the ‘default’ (OMERTA) tileset.
OVERVIEW OF OPTIONS TABS
SECTION
1) TERRAIN
1) TERRAIN.
Clicking on this gives the following screen and further options to customize your terrain.
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2) BUILDINGS
3) ITEMS
4) MERCS 5) MAP INFO
Note the ‘black rectangle’, on the left, with the terrain tile inside. This is the selected
ground cover used at present and denoted by the ‘red rectangle’ around the first of 9
terrain types. The whole of the map, at present, is covered by this selection. Hover your
mouse over the buttons to get an idea of the options available to you.
The DRAW GROUND TEXTURES button is always selected by default. You can return
to this by selecting this button again, or, by use of the shortcut ‘G’.
Note that the last two textures are water. The first is shallow water, second is deep water.
You may change the maps ‘base ground texture’ to whatever you wish to start with.
Simply select SET MAP GROUND TEXTURES button and choose the terrain type you
want.
You can also use the FILL button to ‘flood’ the whole area with the desired texture.
NOTE. The desired texture will not always fill to the edges of your map. Use the ‘i’ key
to look at the overview. This will highlight any problems. You can manually fill to the
edges where needed. You can also use the SHIFT key, which will allow you to extend
beyond the edges of the map.
MIXED GROUND TEXTURES
The editor will mix multiple textures to create a random terrain detail.
Hold the SHIFT key down and select the terrain types you want included.
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