new to this forum could use a bit of assistance

[snoopy55]

The first one would be no problem, tho a straight side view is better to work with. The second one could be done from that, but the door might be a problem. It would still look OK with the existing doors. The third can be done, but again, a straight on side shot is better to have. As to the last one, ya, I've wanted to do that for over a year, but it would take a 3d program to make it. Out of my league.

[Tactician]

ok seems i now have almost everything in order, just one last thing, i have seen i can simply texture up my map, and add the cities, and then finish up everything else by simply editing the XML files, very nice. If i decide to use some of the materials hat are no actually in the game, where do i place the image files, for example the file that came out of my editor had for goods.xml every good from every map, even the added ones, for example icon_fruit_juice.png, however i cannot locate that file anywhere on my harddrive, it is from the west sumatra map. if i want to add excess goods where do the base files go that the XML refers to?i lied one more question what program opens the .FPK files, also i se a lot of custom goods reffering tot he assets/interface folder which is not in my install folder under assets, ok i found pakbuild, so it is inside the .FPK file why not just leave it unpacked for users to put all into one folder and recall from there on your usermaps settings, that way you could have one generalized goods.XML, trains.XML, and industries.XML that would contain every bit of all custom information, and pack that into each map folder you make, should never have any crashes then

[snoopy55]

Since you are wanting to make this a GLOBAL (not SAM or CIC) (having Mods in the map, you have no other choice)you must place them in CustomAssets and the GLOBALS in CustomAssets/XML. The GLOBALS must have complete listing of all of the things that are contained in your XML files.

That particular file, icon_fruit_juice.png, I don't think will work in the game(where did you find a reference to that file?). But, the files you need to do that are in the FPK files that came with the West Sumatra map. Those are in CustomAssets and begin with 'WS_'.

[Tactician]

well everyone here i assume is playing maps that have some added goods to it, so whats wrong with editing your globals fie to conatin every type of added/modded goo dthere is, if doesnt hurt to have unused lines of code in the XML file, then you could play whatever map you wanted

[Lowell]

well everyone here i assume is playing maps that have some added goods to it, so whats wrong with editing your globals fie to conatin every type of added/modded goo dthere is, if doesnt hurt to have unused lines of code in the XML file, then you could play whatever map you wanted

The self-contained maps can have new goods and content without having the game load too much and become unstable. A master list as you call it, is just what we moved from...we had a global goods and industries list that grew so large the game crashed/played unstable on every map. With "new" goods added to the game, the self-contained file system will be better...CICs or Sams. If interested, I can explain differences between the two.

I know it is a pain to swap out every map as you change maps, but it fixes the game. Maps that use "only" the games default goods and industries, can be played as a self-contained map as is...or...be left in the game with all the games other default game maps. So you really only need worry about making self-contained files if you are building/introducing new items for the game.

if doesn’t hurt to have unused lines of code in the XML file

If you leave a good or industry in the list you also must have the script lines for the train car for the good...even if you don't place it on the map. Then in the player’s city build list you may have something show up that isn't even on the map. There is a fix for that...InCity>0</bInCity> but you may only want to list what your map uses.

Good Luck...can't wait for you maps

[Tactician]

yes since i last posted that upon making a master list i have ran into that of which you are reffering, one new good isnt compatible if there are others, in the list, so i have moved onto making maps from a fresh game load my games/sid meeres..... folder, when i upload my maps i will simply upload that folder with only the map i make in it, and then you can simply rename your ol one, and copy that entiore folder into your My games folder without having to restart the game and create a new one yourself

[Tactician]

for my 1st map one of the goods will be the M1A1 abrams tank, however i am experienceing a bit of technical difficulty, have the good, and the train car loaeded into the map fine with no crashes, however when the train is loading them at the station you get

File Error:m1a1abrams_dummies_v1 cannot be found

upon looking into the .FPK fle i notice that there is a _bnsf added between the dummies and V1 however when i add that to my traincars.xml it is super crashtastic....any ideas

*SOLVED* in the BB_Abrams_Car .Zip file in the builders section, inside the .FPK there are mis-named files, you ned to remove the _bnfk portion from the v1 & v2 _ca_dummie files

[Tactician]

sweet, all is going good figuring out most of it on my own after a bit of trial ad error, however, i have added a militay fort as and external out of city industry, but when i try to add a depot to it, i get the super crastastic event, i looked through the depots xml file, and didnt see a place to add the military fort, should i add a annex type for it, and just copy graphics from another, or is there some way to make it a city type object rather than an iundustry

*SOLVED* just used a cattle annex graphic and animation, and renamed it for the military fort*

[snoopy55]

*SOLVED* in the BB_Abrams_Car .Zip file in the builders section, inside the .FPK there are mis-named files, you ned to remove the _bnfk portion from the v1 & v2 _ca_dummie files

Thank-you. File edited and download replaced.

[Lowell]

Well...I make all my script and everything from scratch, so I don't know anything about snoopy55's BB stuff. I do know several would crash and had issues, but I am not sure, please let him know when his stuff doesn't work so he can correct those. I can help you make new ones but I would use the games default scripts to start from.

If you have any issues and get stuck, let me know. I can usually find a fix quick...no matter what. You will find this an easy game to mod once you get the first map down you will see. In the F/G and M/S map files, you may dig and find allot of new stuff for this game. Those maps will show you several tricks built inside the files. I also use many global files inside my maps, so I can "control" what the game loads and runs. Larger maps size 20 or so, will run error free as CIC. I have tried sizes 25 and 30, but that is the total limit for this game as even those will start to crash...the game just cannot keep up with the increased numbers for those larger landscapes. So size 20 would be the max map size and expect to be able to run the map to completion.

Feel free to pm or email me if you have any questions. Right now I am completing two more new maps for this game and trying to complete a couple other maps for two different games as well. Now if I could just turn-off/stop time to the real world for just a month...I could get allot done.

Oh...to edit the car sides and add new logos and such, you need to convert the models DDS file to say a png, then you can import that into your favorite image editor and make changes etc. Convert the completed png back to a DDS file and the model will use the new car/train side images. If you look into the Assets folder for either Florida Gold or Mud Skippers, you will see how to make new custom trains and cars for this game. Tear those appart and you will see what I mean. You may even want to try re-skinning trains and cars off of those files. Burlington_Northern has done some super work with re-skinning trains and has made several that I am using for maps that have updates being made for them. Some trains, cars and/or tenders may need new emsk, spec and normal files in order to get your train or whatever to show correctly.

Hope this helps, let me know how things are going...

[Tactician]

wel over the course of the day i have fiddled and finegled my way through an almost comlete st map, while this map isnt quite "visually stunning" (those will come later) i did learn a good deal baout the files and manipulating them, however the last "bug" i have now is that once everything is in place and modded to my liking, and i go into the editor, whch all goes well, all moddedbuildings and items load and play fine, nowi ifnd that some of the origonal things (sheep farm,brewery) etc crash the editor when i try to place them, i do have them listed in the industry global and industries file for my map, this one last thing i cannot figure, i will upload this map in just a little while, i am now figuring out the event/goal commands, ben searching for a list of ones i can choose from didnt find it so i am viewing ther maps scenario iles, still havent found all the ones i need, but once i get this file complete i will upload it for you to try, pls remember the concentration on this map wasnt quite visual, but rther the fun/playaility/theme aspect

[mojos]

Tactician, I was like you and resisted the idea of having to ditch everything in my usermaps folder to play a new game as a SAM or CIC. But really it's not that big a deal if you simply store all the original rars (or zips) of the maps in the user maps folder and just unrar whichever one you want to play at a given time. When you're done with it, throw out the unrarred folder (and related components if there any) and unrar your next game. This system means you always have the original rar to replay any game without having to go find where to download it again or without having to remember where you might have saved it on your comp. It's safe to save the rars in user maps cuz the game wont try to read them and believe me the stability gained is well worth the hassle.
A belated kudos to all of you who have worked tirelessly to develop a system to stabilize this buggy but otherwise awesome game.

[Jancsika]

, i am now figuring out the event/goal commands, ben searching for a list of ones i can choose from didnt find it so i am viewing ther maps scenario iles, still havent found all the ones

The victory conditions can be found in the Wiki.
The link is at the top of the page, to the left with the guy with the cigar.
You can access it if you are registered on this board.

http://www.hookedgamers.com/wiki/Sid_Me ... Conditions

Jancsika

[Tactician]

ah great thank you

[snoopy55]

You're welcome......