Guide to the ETW map

[Geronimo2006]

Maybe you could open them if you convert them to ms3d files in KnightErrant's converter and then open them in Milkshape 3D?

[uanime5]

I was checking the db tables and 4 seem relevant to the campaign map.

campaign_map_playable_areas: whether a region is a trade theatre or playable region, and what maps the display uses.

campaign_map_settlements: names of settlements

campaign_map_slots: location of resources

campaign_map_towns_and_ports: names of towns and ports, and types of towns

[toxicpiano]

I apologise if I sound ignorant about what is happening here, but when I think of splines I think of this:

I assume that's what we're dealing with. I'm wondering if there's a way to open them in 3ds Max. Unfortunately, I don't have either ETW or Max installed at the moment but I would be willing to take a look when I have more time later this week (unless someone else with Max can). Out of interest what is the file extension for these files?

Also a possible point for future reference, you can export splines that you have made in adobe illustrator to autoCAD.

[Hazbones]

I apologise if I sound ignorant about what is happening here, but when I think of splines I think of this:

I assume that's what we're dealing with. I'm wondering if there's a way to open them in 3ds Max. Unfortunately, I don't have either ETW or Max installed at the moment but I would be willing to take a look when I have more time later this week (unless someone else with Max can). Out of interest what is the file extension for these files?

Also a possible point for future reference, you can export splines that you have made in adobe illustrator to autoCAD.

Yes, rigid_spline files are what we are talking about but I don't have a program that will open them right now. I could try to dig up my milkshape copy but I don't feel like messing with it right now. Adobe or Autocad can do the same thing if I had them. If you can take a look at the rigid_spline files for the regions and post what they look like and if you can see any coordinates for them that would be helpful.

[toxicpiano]

Where are the spline files located?

[Hazbones]

I do not have ETW only NTW. If you have NTW installed the rigid_spline files are in the rigidmodels.pack in the main NTW data folder. Open it with PFM and look for the campaign_borders file. In it there are lots of region border files. I hope someone can post a pic of what those spline files look like and please report if you can spot any coordinates associated with the spline.

[husserlTW]

I saw those connectivity entries as well but I was zipping through them and cannot recall what info they show? Do you know what they are displaying?

Does anyone have a 3D program that will open the spline files? Really any of them can open a spline I just don't have one... I really want to see what those splines look like and if they give coordinates.

They are related with CAI_WORLD_REGION_HLCIS. Connections with neighbors? This little horse carriage that is carrying around goods and stuff?

I was checking the db tables and 4 seem relevant to the campaign map.
campaign_map_playable_areas: whether a region is a trade theatre or playable region, and what maps the display uses.
campaign_map_settlements: names of settlements
campaign_map_slots: location of resources
campaign_map_towns_and_ports: names of towns and ports, and types of towns

I think the most important is empires_regions_junct_tables, but PFM cannot open it. I'll try to make it accessible.

[toxicpiano]

I do not have ETW only NTW. If you have NTW installed the rigid_spline files are in the rigidmodels.pack in the main NTW data folder. Open it with PFM and look for the campaign_borders file. In it there are lots of region border files. I hope someone can post a pic of what those spline files look like and please report if you can spot any coordinates associated with the spline.

Oh, I see. I reinstalled Empire instead of Napoleon. Has anyone found spline files in ETW?

[Hazbones]

Without ETW installed I cannot give a precise location but look in the data/campaign folders and see if you can find splines there maybe in sub folders?

[Hazbones]

I think the most important is empires_regions_junct_tables, but PFM cannot open it. I'll try to make it accessible.

OOoooo! Let us know how that works out. Opening new tables is like opening Christmas gifts. You never know what you'll get and there is a 50/50 chance it will be either something good or disappointing.

[uanime5]

ETW may not use rigid_spline files because it only has one campaign, while NTW has 3 campaigns set in different areas (Italy, Egypt, and Europe).

The NTW rigid_spline files are in the 'napoleon total war\data\campaign_maps\[campaign name]\display\Borders' ([campaign name] represents one of the folders in the 'campaign_maps' folder). There is no equivalent folder in ETW but the main.pack/campaign/coastline has several rigid.mesh files that show what the coastline should look like.

I think the most important is empires_regions_junct_tables, but PFM cannot open it. I'll try to make it accessible.

Another interesting one is 'regions_table' which lists all the regions, their continent, and a RBG colour. The RBG colour matches the colours used on the lookup.tga files in the campaign_maps folder. This file also lists 21 unplayable regions, which don't have an RBG colour even though they have a RBG colour on the lookup.tga files.

amazonas
arabia
central_africa
china
congo_impassable
east_africa
greenland
hausa
himalayas
hindukush
indochina
ivory_coast
kalahari
northwest_territorys
rift_valley
sahara
siberia
south_africa
turkoman
unexplorable
western_plain

[toxicpiano]

has anyone found the files for the 'table' and 'drawn map' edges?

[alhoon]

Great work!
My chances that there will be a day when we would be able to change the map, or at least add regions have increased. +rep.

[uanime5]

Tried editing the europe_lookup.tga to see if it affected the boundaries. It didn't.

Though I did learn that you have to save this file in the 'indexed color' mode, rather than 'RBG color' or ETW will crash. Not sure what the difference is.

[toxicpiano]

Tried editing the europe_lookup.tga to see if it affected the boundaries. It didn't.

Though I did learn that you have to save this file in the 'indexed color' mode, rather than 'RBG color' or ETW will crash. Not sure what the difference is.

I edited the visible_area.dds so it was completely white instead of a white blob, replaced the old file in the main.pack and there was no effect either.

[uanime5]

I found a program that lets me view the rigid mesh files. Here is what the 'land.rigid_mesh' looks like:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Here is what's in the coastline_group19.rigid_mesh.



I can't open the cs2 version of the coastline files, so I know what's in coastline_group19.rigid_mesh but not the coastline_group19.cs2.rigid_mesh file.


I've also looked at many of the 'outline/connectivity' entries to try to find a pattern. Here are the entries for malta, corsica, sardinia, and naples. The first number is the first entry, the hyphenated numbers in brackets are the second and third entry (I believe they represent distance).

As some regions have several 'outlines' I have put each one on a separate line. Since some 'outline' entries contain multiple 'connectivity' entries I separated them with a comma and listed them in the order they're listed.

malta
3145728 (0-8)

corsica
3145728 (0-36)

sardinia
3145728 (0-12), 3801090 (13-16)
3801090 (0-7), 3145728 (8-15)
3145728 (0-27), 3801088 (28-31), 3145728 (32-38), 3801089 (39-46)

naples
3145728 (0-80), 3145731 (81-85)
3145728 (0-51), 4194304 (52-88), 4128768 (89-93), 3866626 (94-103), 4128768 (104-107), 3145728 (108-165), 3145731 (166-171)
3866627 (0-33)
3866625 (0-9), 4128769 (10-13)
3866625 (0-33)

I'm not sure what these numbers represent but as all 4 use 3145728 it's unlikely that they're a type of coordinate as they only border they share is with the sea. I don't know why some numbers are repeated.

To further determine whether these numbers are coordinates I compared them to the 'outline/connectivity' entries for england, ireland, and scotland.

england
1376256 (0-75), 6029312 (76-127), 6029314 (128-145), 6029312 (146-146), 6815744 (147-149), 2359334 (150-159), 6815744 (160-217), 7471104 (218-232), 6684672 (233-294)
2359338 (0-20)
2359334 (0-43)
2359341 (0-10)
6684672 (0-15)
6029312 (0-10)

scotland
6815744 (0-67), 7471106 (68-73), 2031619 (74-78), 7471106 (79-89), 1376256 (90-187), 6684673 (188-252), 6684674 (253-255), 6684672 (256-275), 5963776 (276-290)
1376256 (0-73)
6815744 (0-33), 1376256 (34-56), 7471104 (57-67), 2031619 (68-70), 7471104 (71-76)
6684673 (0-10)
6815744 (0-40)

ireland
6684672 (0-61), 6684674 (62-65), 6684673 (66-83), 1376256 (84-218)
2031618 (0-9)

While all three use several numbers the range of these numbers (1376256-7471106) makes it unlikely they're coordinates. However they seem to be telling ETW to do something.

[Robertclive]

Go Uanime woot woot

[Hazbones]

So does this mean that we really only got what is represented in the mesh to play with? Hopefully it doesn't rule out a world map.

[uanime5]

So does this mean that we really only got what is represented in the mesh to play with? Hopefully it doesn't rule out a world map.

If we can edit the mesh files we should be able to change ETW. As there are already several regions not represented in the mesh it's purpose may be to hide things from the player.

[Rizz]

amazonas
arabia
central_africa
china
congo_impassable
east_africa
greenland
hausa
himalayas
hindukush
indochina
ivory_coast
kalahari
northwest_territorys
rift_valley
sahara
siberia
south_africa
turkoman
unexplorable
western_plain

Actually most (if not all) can be seen on the GC map. I'll get you a few screenshots in a second.

Edit:
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518234-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518276-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518302-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518344-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518384-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518426-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518462-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518492-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518543-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518591-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518633-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518656-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518676-4.jpg
http://screenshot.xfire.com/s/97518702-4.jpg