I want to get back into map editing and the first thing I would like to do is to create an alternative version of Isis to start off easy (something that should result in less of a turtle match) and maybe adjust a few other standard maps. My question is if there's a list with all the maps and their SCMP number or do I have to open every scenario file to see its name?

Another thing I'm concerned about are mountains. Up til now I've always accepted my maps to have straight or smooth sloops and I never really got into mountains as the standard brushed in the editor are far too small to create slope patterns. I've looked alot at custom maps and it seems that most people use the round brush tool to 'paint' large slopes, but that's not even close to the refined result of GPG maps (I also really liked the effect on the Col_Jessep's Desert Planet maps). What is the best way to achieve such results? Through the editor or a custom brush in photoshop?

The last thing I was wondering about is if it's possible to create a giant texture in Photoshop and smack it on top of your heightmap instead of fiddling with all those decals?

Hello dude,

At first you have to post this kind of questions to the Mod development & discussion.(Map Creation / Support) viewforum.php?f=20


Ok ... All what you need to remember is there:

1. viewtopic.php?t=52143&f=20#p905107

There:

2. http://supcom.wikia.com/wiki/MapEditTut ... troduction

And there:

3. viewtopic.php?t=27446


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Prince

Topic moved.

Sorry for posting in the wrong section.
Prince, you throw links at me I have already opened in different tabs and neither do those contain the answers to my questions.

I was looking online for general heightmap creation tips 'n tricks and I somehow found Col_Jessep's 'secret' to the sweet looking mountain, he has done a tutorial over here:
http://www.insidesupcom.de/showthread.p ... a96eae82cf

Btw, is there any way to move the debug grid to align the lines to the center etc without moving the whole map? Cause when the grid is off it's a pain in the *** to align all the mass points correctly.

Yes.(There are only SCMP numbers.)



I can not help you unfortunately.But Just test yourself.I'm sure you'll find your method



Use decals i dont think thats possible.




In the next time search one day more before you're posting some questions



Check out there:
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=29887


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Prince

Well thanks for the reply Prince.
With my previous maps I always started from scratch and they ended up looking really boring (no props, decals and strata cause that's a LOT of work). But right now I just picked up an official map and added my own heightmap with some strata adjustments here and there. This way my map is already nearly done and good looking and I just want to playtest it some more maybe add a few little details. Tonight I thought let's just start it up to see if the scale is right and I ended up playing the AI all night. It's a very simple design but imo the positions of the mass points can create interesting things.

The only thing I find to be a pain is adding all of the markers in perfect symmetry. I got to count all the squares from every side in order to line up everything correctly.

Mmmh I observed a few matches of 2 Sorian AI's fighting eachother and there are still some small problems. I don't know if they got to do with my map or with the AI itself since I usually never spectate the AI. There are instances here and there of strange behaviour:

-When they build a big base on the expansion marker in the middle of the map, they leave it undefended and it took 2 T3 BlackOps tanks to destroy the entire base
-When the first factories and pgens are build, the ACUs stand in their base completely immobile doing nothing.
-The AI completely ignores my 'defensive point'-markers
-Their are 4 mass spots right outside everyone base, when enemies juist build some mexes on it the AI which it ''belongs'' to doesn't care to take it back while it's some very important mass
-I always have the 4 factions take a 2vs2 battle and in every single game Cybran performed the worst by FAR, just taking it easy and barely building factories/units.
-Building experimentals in front of the entrance of their base while their clearly is an EXP marker in the back!

This is strange as I have another map where the AI does these things perfectly (aside from that they never care to much about mass points). More testing has to be done!

Try to use Sorian's AI, the default AI is not very good at sticking to map markers. Sorian wrote a guide to what his AI uses the map markers for and how to use them efficiently. Sorry, I have no idea where that thread is though, it has been a long time.

PS: Ha, found it:
viewtopic.php?t=33542

I said in the post above you that I was using Sorian AI. Thanks for the thread though, I found some other information on the markers but it's good to hear it from the guy that programmed the AI. I can see the problem with the experimentals now, cause they're build at the rally point. Defensive points also seem to work a bit better now, as I've done a lot of small movements here and there to finetune it a bit.

The AI is working pretty good right now, just got to take a look at the rally point and then testplay it few times with a buddy.

-Edit
UEF cluttering all units in the back of the base:
http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb4 ... f1ecec.jpg
Cybrans cluttering near the edge of the map:
http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb4 ... 1dba0d.jpg
And at the small expansion marker they should build PD in front of the factories, not behind.
http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb4 ... d6d1c6.jpg
These are not specifically replicatable, and there are not even marker to have them move there.. It just seems now and then with 8000 units on the field that the AI just doesn't know what to do anymore and gives up moving units around.

BTW are air path nodes a must or more of an extra? Cause you can fly over the map however you want it really doesn't matter that much as for land units that can get stuck here and there.

I could be mistaken but I remember that transports tended to drop units on them. May have been Duncan's AI though. I think it depends on the map on a 5x5 or 10x10km you can probably get away without them. On larger maps you might want to add them. But it has been a couple of years. The best way to test your AI is to run a AI vs. AI match and watch what they are doing. Run it on max speed to save some time.

I've done 13 testruns of 4 Sorian AIs devided in 2 teams fighting it out and it seems like the marker work is done now. I haven't added any air path nodes and transport/bombers/fighters all work perfectly. I can only set the speed to 'fast' which is +4 simspeed, when I choose adjustable I'm not able to adjust anything. It's a pain but it works.