Forums / Guides and Articles / Making a new map

Here's information that you need to make a new map for VU.

px = Pixels

Map size: 2500x2500px

The map needs to be repeatable! So if you put two maps beside each others it needs to have a smooth transition over the edges. No cut rivers etc.

Terrain

The map needs to have mountains, water, trees and rivers.

Mountains: 80x80px or 40x40px

Water: 80x80px or 40x40px

Tree: 80x80px or 40x40px

River: 20x20px

These are guidelines, although, it's very important that the terrain is not smaller then 40x40px. And a river is not smaller then 20x20px.

The rivers can have a round shape, but the other terrain should be somewhat square.

Misc

The smallest passage needs to be 20px or bigger for an army to be able to go through.

Don't make too much terrain. And don't pile terrain above each others. You can only place cities on plains (space without terrain) so more terrain means less cities.(dwarf and elf cities can expand into terrain though)

The default size of a world is 5000x5000px, so your map will most of the time be looped twice (2x2). And a default (2x2) map should be able to hold at least 50 players.

Walls

Walls might get bugged if they are placed on uneven terrain, so if you have walls (Zetamaina) in mind there should be horizontal or vertical terrain on both sides:

ASCII illustration:

T = Terrain
W = Wall

TWWWWWWWWWWWT

Bugged version:

TWWWWWWWWWWWWWW...(no terrain to end the wall)

Could you post the images you used to make the trees, mountains, etc?

Neither of maps I've seen could even try to compete to http://static.visual-utopia.com/images/shatteredworlds.jpg

Map 2: revised copy of previous map. To allow more opened up spaces for larger cities, and less defensive by removing several blocker positions.

take into consideration the constraints ZeTa has set, it needs to be 2500x2500 pixels (square), currently it is rectangular. it will need to be rescaled, or modified with a 10 block chunk cut off either the top or bottom

glancing over it while scaled to 2500x2500 px, i personally like the way it is set up, you cannot block off large chunks of land that can accommodate an entire kingdom with only 4 blockers - there are plenty of routes to attack. it seems like a fun map.

a potential problem area would be the passage at 23,22 (PIC)

i also personally feel that the river/tree at 32,10 and 32,11 (PIC) should be removed and made into empty plains, and possibly the lake terrain above that changed to mountain terrain.

just saying....

So why exactly cant it just be one tile that is the size of the finished product tiled maps?

I would be all for making one for you guys then.
:D

http://s823.photobucket.com/user/bjangsta/media/fourtile3.jpg.html

Here is my idea for a map shown in four tiles. It's a rough drawing and would need to be larger. Any input would help. I know I am missing some trees in the lower left corner area. The black lines represent bridges and cave passages.

i think the black lines are meant to be passages or bridges

I think I found the solution.

http://s823.photobucket.com/user/bjangsta/media/fourtile4.jpg.html

^Something tells me its suppose to be like that, but I do agree its a bit extreme, I like the map though.

Bit of an inside tip, zeta is actually looking to do some work on the game so he is working on some things in the near future, but yeah, mong do what zephyr said and message admin, don't worry about dragon a I'm pretty sure he's inactive as well

I'm not sure on what step to take next. I know I need to get the size right. Should I make it solid colors first? Anyone have suggestions for map editors or a way to make this without one?

Is anyone interested in making a new map?

I have decided that I will attempt to make a map as close to Middle Earth and of westeros as possible. Any help would be appreciated.

wouldnt be able to to eather.. you need to make it soit can be placed in blocked next to each other.

Now being a socalled "pensionist" :big-grin:, I sometimes have too much time, so I'm fooling 'round a little to make a map (geeee - one more lunatic.... Yes????).

Anyway. A few questions:


About the map:

Is it enough if it is a simple .jpg map size 2.500x2.500 px with distinct "main" colors for water/rivers, forrests, mountains, bridges and plains for building/move ("free space"). Something that a human without much problem can identify????


The size of passages. It should be 20px Zeta demands.

BUT. What if a passage/a bridge is smaller, say 10-15 px. Would that allow say a small unit such as a scout or up to a "triple-bar" army to pass. But block armies bigger than "tripple-bar"?????? In other words, does armies in general use more-and-more px the bigger they are?????

That knowledge could be usefull in case you want to make some real tricky hot-spots on the map (without any changes to the game-engine itself).

My map isn't finished yet. I still need to color the plains and making the map look nice all over - at least do my best.

I don't have any advance graphic program to help me, so it's hard work combined with my fantasy.


The graphics is based on shatteredworlds, it's the best graphics we have. Several has written so and I do agree

Some elements are "stolen" 100%, many changed in some degree and a few really changed or completely new.


I got a few input in the RoC-forum, where I have published the first very raw drawings of the map. Now it's time to see what "you" say.


Last and proberly biggest problem is - does the map requires serious changes and/or additional information for the game-engine to "read" the map? And what about Admin....
Thumbs up or down????


The map will be posted after this.

looks pretty

Agree there are areas with only one-two-three entrances, but that is my intention. Solo-players and small kingdoms should also be able to have fun on this map.

Besides, none of those "cores" are big.

So if you play in a larger kingdom, you will need several core-areas and therefore you will also have many more hotspots to take care of.


I have just made one trialmap 2x2 so I'm able to see it as a whole, which I'll take a good look at. I might very well end up with more bridges/entrances for some areas as you suggest.


But let me have more comments please.

It has potential :) 

Don't know what happens with my uploads when my trial-period run out - but I still have 10 days......

Update:

Don't think I hasn't worked more on it - I have.

My problems is the colorchanges in the plains. They looks ugly somewhere.

I have downloaded GIMP, and I'm trying to find out how it works. Maybe I'll find a solution there.

A good map both strategic and visual IS most important for this game.

My map is finished and I have included a suggestion, that Stewie made in two of the four corners.

The map is playable now I guess - but...... there still is some "problems" with the plains I don't like (it doesn't look that good all places).

I'm still working to learn GIMP - and I'm doing progress. But not enough to use it to make my map really pretty.

Tomorrow morning I'll try to upload the map to here.