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How to map and submap in Xenonauts


flashman

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Specific mapping question that maybe the devs can answer:

Are you allowed to do this: http://puu.sh/4m3NU.png

To achieve this effect: http://puu.sh/4m3Az.jpg

I am putting one room (the vent duct) atop another room (the corridor with the teleporters) in order to make an intersection, although I would imagine that this sort of thing could be problematic. For one thing, if the vent duct is too wide (i.e., if it's replaced by a 3-wide corridor), then it doesn't draw properly unless you alter the layers. But perhaps this would also mess up the alien AI, too, if one room is on top of another. Can the AI deal with teleporters, anyway?

EDIT:

@Stinky: As there is a standardized naming scheme, it should be possible to write a script that traverses the xenonauts assets directory and copies the resources that were created by a certain individual to another folder and compresses them. Of course, I wouldn't know how to do that. :(

Edited by lemm
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Welp another question:

Let's say I have 3 submap variants (A,B, and C), each of which sits in its own directory, and I want to make a submap that will randomly load one of these three variants as you have described in your submap tutorial (while still retaining the ability to place either A, B, or C). Can I place links (file shortcuts) in the random directory that point to the submap file in the submap directory, or do I have to copy each submap file into the random directory?

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What if I think there's an error in a spectre? How do I alert the local authorities?

Also, for testing alien bases, here's a PM I received from Aaron:

Hi Aaron,

I was wondering how one would go about editing the quickbattle xml file to test alien base missions. I can only find instructions on how to test crash sites.

lemm

The easiest way to do this is to change the alien ticker value in gameconfig.xml to at least 200 (which is when alien bases start being built), then run the debug version of the game (this is the xenonauts_gc_editor.exe executable) and start a new game. When you start a new game, there are check boxes in the bottom right that let you enable seeing alien bases wherever they are - then just speed up time until one is built (should be quick) and send a UFO to it. To try other base sizes, just increase the ticker value in gameconfig.xml further (the ticket values for different base sizes are stored in gameconfig.xml too).

Edited by lemm
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Thanks for the replies.

How would you set up a modding "environment" on your computer? You only want to release the stuff in your map pack, but you also want to be able to test your maps, too. Is there a good way to automatically copy only the stuff that you've into your release folder?

the easiest way is to just to start having a standardized name for you stuff ex. everything i make(maps, submaps, tiles, spectres, etc) is identified via Fali_ or Falidell_

so when it's time to package it all up all you have to do is make a windows batchfile to copy anything named "fali*.*" and have that batchfile create folders if the file being copied doesn't have the proper folder tree at destination..

this is what i use and works perfectly. no need to make the foldertree yourself. copy into notepad edit where needed save and .bat and go

ROBOCOPY Y:\Steam\steamapps\common\Xenonauts\assets\ C:\Users\Falidell\Desktop\Newfolder\here\ *fali*.* /create /s____________________________________________________These are Seperate batch filesonce you use the top one to create directories usually i just usethe bottem one to copy files into the directories i just madeDO not put Both into the same batch file.____________________________________________________ROBOCOPY Y:\Steam\steamapps\common\Xenonauts\assets\ C:\Users\Falidell\Desktop\Newfolder\here\ *fali*.* /s 

this is the breakdown of what this crap does so you can use it for your purpose

Black = that actual utility in use to do thisred = source no need to put in quotes but you do need a \ at the end of the folderblue = destination same as abovegreen = what we are coping for me  i had to use a lot of wildcards because sometimes that Fali identifier was in the middle of the filename so AnyThing Fali AnyThing.AnyThing edit: OH and if you foldernames have spaces then you do need to add quotesthis first robocopy is to make the directories sense /create won't allow actual copyingROBOCOPY [color=#FF0000]Y:\Steam\steamapps\common\Xenonauts\assets\[/color] [color=#008888]C:\Users\Falidell\Desktop\Newfolder\here\[/color] [color=#008800]*fali*.*[/color] /create /sthis one does the copyingROBOCOPY [color=#FF0000]Y:\Steam\steamapps\common\Xenonauts\assets\[/color] [color=#008888]C:\Users\Falidell\Desktop\Newfolder\here\[/color] [color=#008800]*fali*.*[/color] /s 

so that way when becomes time to release i have use the Batch file then zip up the stuff in "Here"

Edited by Falidell
this is what i get for posting on 2 hours sleep
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That looks like a spectre error to me. If the sort point is set incorrectly, it'll pop up in front/behind other objects when it shouldn't. I'm not familiar with the tileset, so the sort point error could be with the walls or the prop.

You can also try removing the prop alone with "Remove Layer", then paint it back on top. Sometimes that works, but it's not a silver bullet.

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Ty Falidell

Another question: what's going on here?

4qSQs.jpg

Shouldn't southwest walls be drawn atop of cover props?

this is an error in the tiles. the Railing_end_l_SW has a sort point of 0.3 and the mini_singularity_se has a sort point of 0.5 so no matter how you place the tiles or what ever order you place them if they are on the same layer the singularity will always be above the railing_end. so in order to fix this just place the railing_end_i_sw on layer 2. it'll still work as intended and look good

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If you place it on layer 2, it'll be drawn over everything on layers 1 and 0, including soldiers who might move in front of it. In this particular case it's against a wall so it's not a big deal, but I'd say it's a bad habit to get into. Either report it as a bug and let it be for now, or include a spectre fix with your map pack.

I forgot to mention it above but the batch file stuff's good to know, thanks for that.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Instructions

1) Use QuickBMS - click name at top of page found HERE

Which version? Because mine isn't working, I'm only getting errors when I try to run the latest QuickBMS Ver. 0.5.25

I'm having a rendering issue with the editor that's making it a bit hard to use. The picture says it all. Kind of hard to make everything fit right when I can't really figure out where things are.

Editor-Bug_zps29d4d95a.jpg

Is this a custom sub-map? This is the sub-map I'm talking about here (Bug #2).

Edited by Osvir
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Bump and:

* I double-click QuickBMS and I get this:

[Picture]

I've also sent an e-mail to Aluigi, but I thought I'd ask here as well if anyone knows how to fix it.

Furthermore, I'm curious if those who've already extracted the files using this method can upload them if possible (if others would encounter a similar problem). Or do you have to extract the files using this method to get them to work?

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aluigi replied to my message. In case anyone else encounters a similar problem, here's a fix. I'll ask flashman to put this in the OP if he thinks it is appropriate.

Aluigi's reply:

Hi,

a crash happening immediately when QuickBMS starts usually means that

you have something in your system that causes the problem.

For example another user with the same problem was using some Xonar

audio drivers that accessed an invalid zone of the memory (which is

bad).

Anyway don't worry, try creating a link to quickbms.exe, then go in

properties, Destination and add the option -9.

For example:

"c:\quickbms\quickbms.exe" -9

Now it should no longer crash.

Another alternative is using quickbms from the command-line without -9,

because the Xonar problem happens only with a specific Windows API

function.

Copy+Paste everything below/Clean up as you see fit:

If you encounter a Crash or an Error when running QuickBMS

1. Make a "link" to QuickBMS (Shortcut)

2. Open "Properties", go to "Destination" and add -9 at the end.

Example:

"c:\quickbms\quickbms.exe" -9

3. Run without problems.

If you are still encountering a problem

1. Open Command-Line (Start/Accessories)

2. First of all, write "CHDIR" (Not necessary but it makes it more convenient)

Example:

CHDIR "c:\quickbms"

3. To execute the program

Example:

quickbms.exe "c:\quickbms\Play First Script.bms" "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\xenonauts\assets\GC_Tiles.pfp" "c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\common\xenonauts\assets\tiles"

4. You'll be asked "The Tiles folder does not exist, do you want a new folder to be created? y/N" (type in "y" for "yes" and "N" for "No")

5. Watch it unfold! :D

If it still does not work

1. Download Ol' Stinky's Tiles upload found here :)

2. Make a New Folder in "xenonauts\assets" called tiles (xenonauts\assets\tiles)

3. Extract the tiles to the "tiles" folder.

And thanks to aluigi for creating this tool!

Edited by Osvir
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Encountered an additional problem, posting for documentation as well as looking for a fix:

1. Opened the Sub-Map Editor because I just wanted to do a test run.

2. Followed Stinky's Tutorial.

3. Doing it step-by-step 3) Your first submap., when I load the "rock_cover_1x1_1_spectre" and click it I get a message:

Can't load image from file

'assets/tiles/desert/cover/rock_cover_1x1_1.png": file does not

exist.

[sOLVED WHILST WRITING THIS POST] - Keeping it because documentation.

What happened?

I extracted 2 folders when using "QuickBMS" with the Command-Line as seen in the previous post of mine:

"tiles"

"units"

So my "tiles" path became "assets/tiles/tiles/desert/cover" and that is why it didn't work.

So check your folders!

Edited by Osvir
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I'm glad you were able to resolve the issues. Thanks for sharing the workaround for QuickBMS in particular. Good luck with the editing!

Just a heads-up though - you shouldn't need to create the "tiles" folder in Xenonauts\assets if you keep the dir structure of the .zip intact. If you extract the .zip into your Xenonauts folder, it should place the files in Xenonauts\assets\tiles for you.

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  • 4 months later...

There are some floors/rooftops that were obviously drawn as a bigger tile, then broken down into appropiate, smaller tiles. For example, take a look at industrial\ground\concrete10\ . It's a 10x10 tile concrete floor. The numbers in the file name refer to rows and columns respectively, so paint them on in the same kind of order as in the picture below.

Z0ogbyO.png

It looks a hell of a lot nicer than the same tile repeated over and over, but the downside is that it takes longer to place.

Edited by Ol' Stinky
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It does. That's what the "paint ground" button does - you just choose the tiling ground tiles from the two dropdowns next to it. It'll paint the full square, then you can delete the excess ones.

You'll go insane if you try to paint a 10x10 non-tiling area manually.

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it does. That's what the "paint ground" button does - you just choose the tiling ground tiles from the two dropdowns next to it. It'll paint the full square, then you can delete the excess ones.

You'll go insane if you try to paint a 10x10 non-tiling area manually.

...

ah, great! I hope stinky hasn't made too many of those roofs... :D

...

...D'oh!

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  • 3 months later...

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