Geekyone - there are really several ways to go about learning to make a map. In this Warll is correct, some can, some cannot. I can do the XML editing and if given a finished landscaped map, I could probally make a playable map, I'm just not into the long drawnout time it takes to do good landscaping
. That would be like a coloring book picture to a great artist. But there is a way to work out one part at a time. In this section of Talk you will find a 'Map Making 101'. In it there is a pair of downloads that will update the NewMapBase folder and explain a few other things. Stick with the Reality version for now.
Your best bet would be to go start the game and go into the 'Terrain Editor' and click on 'Start a new map from a scenario map'. Click on the '+' next to '_Scenarios_' and pick a map to play with. One of the Multiplayer maps or the Midwest would be best. There will be no cities, industries or sources on it and even with the Midwest you can create your own world, which gives you the ability to never make an error. Play with it, get something set up, then close it up and go into 'C:\Documents and Settings\me\My Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Railroads!\UserMaps' and open the files up and look at what you've done. search the internet for Notepad++ and along with the XML insert for it, download it and use it.
Another way to get some info is to go into the Wiki which you can access at the top of this screen. You can find alot of info there.
If you have lots of time on your hands, get a notebook and pencil and read the Maps section and then the Talk section. While both look rather large, there are things you can skip over (we get off subject alot) and if it's over your head, go on to the next entry, you can always read that later.
Download all the Installers and load up your system. Make sure you get the Installers at this time. They do all the work for you. Play with those maps, but don't get downhearted by what you see, you may end up able to do better, you may not, but we all love new maps, and there are those of us out here who will give you help if needed.
Once you've done that, look over the maps' XMLs and look into the GLOBALS (those are the XMLs in \My Games\Sid Meier's Railroads!\CustomAssets\XML ) You can learn from all of this.
And don't be afraid to ask questions! Remember, 'The only dumb question is the one you don't ask'
And welcome to the forum
