Mapper mockup

[Alvarez]

So, i failed.

My plan on extracting images of scenery with PIDs for mockup mapping (planning a map) failed due to colour fuckup, antialiasing (since i made screenshots directly from scenery selection in mapper) and unability to line up images in rows.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/i63bz7
Do you have any ideas how it can be done better? Can the selection window be made bigger?

[JovankaB]

Can the selection window be made bigger?

Sure it can and it's not even very difficult:

Mapper interface is defined in Mapper\data\mapper_default.ini, you can change position
and size of ui elements there (and their look if you change the graphics). The property
you look for is ObjWork and maybe ObjMain.

Mapper window size is the same as client resolution - you can set any width or height
by editing ScreenWidth and ScreenHeight in Client\FOnline.cfg. Make it as big as you can.

Unfortunately I don't think you can make multiple rows this way. You would have to make
your own selection window with scripts, which is "a little" more complicated.

A REALLY better way to do it would be writing an application that takes proto ids and
their graphics from all protos and makes a big image from it, but you would need a
programmer for this if you can't do it yourself

PS. While I understand how it could be useful to have a big gallery of available protos,
I'm not sure why would you need it to plan a map. I think all you need is to know roughly
what the Mapper has to offer, then a sketch should be IMHO sufficient. Making 1:1 mockups
from actual graphics seems to me like an overkill, you could just do the map...

[Lexx]

Making a 1:1 mockup with the mapper is a bad idea- then you could simply create the actual map right away.

[Alvarez]

Sure it can and it's not even very difficult:

Mapper interface is defined in Mapper\data\mapper_default.ini, you can change position
and size of ui elements there (and their look if you change the graphics). The property
you look for is ObjWork and maybe ObjMain.

Yes, i managed to put the Main and console on top for jokes. The selection window i made transparent so one can "preview" the tile on the map, e.g. for a color match.

Mapper window size is the same as client resolution - you can set any width or height
by editing ScreenWidth and ScreenHeight in Client\FOnline.cfg. Make it as big as you can.

That's good to know, sadly one cannot zoom on tiles. Works with map zoom, though.

Unfortunately I don't think you can make multiple rows this way. You would have to make
your own selection window with scripts, which is "a little" more complicated.

With the code, maybe. But actually i see a few customizing possibilities with the graphics and the init file edits, i think, i'll experiment with transparency and buttons positions a bit.

A REALLY better way to do it would be writing an application that takes proto ids and
their graphics from all protos and makes a big image from it, but you would need a
programmer for this if you can't do it yourself

This is actually what i tried to do, to make a PID map resembling Pixote's collection of Fallout artwork by automatising the screencapping process in Mapper on 225' blue background with a mouse recorder, autocropping and spritesheeting into long strips, which are supposed to be cut in one big image.
I think i screwed the autoaliasing and coloring in progress, maybe will repeat it another day.

PS. While I understand how it could be useful to have a big gallery of available protos,
I'm not sure why would you need it to plan a map. I think all you need is to know roughly
what the Mapper has to offer, then a sketch should be IMHO sufficient. Making 1:1 mockups
from actual graphics seems to me like an overkill, you could just do the map...

I think i got used too much to Photoshop or Sai Painter interface - to actually paint the map from elements (roads, buildings, walls) made from connected tiles like in Age of Empires map editor - it was an alluring thought. So knowing the impossibility of this, i was thinking of a reference picture with PID comments of single tiles to arrange them in proper fashion in e.g. a Cathedral rather than waste time by puzzling them together.

Also, Lexx, i think you'll understand that. It's about the efficiency.

[Lexx]

So what you actually mean are templates? Pre-defined cluster of tiles and protos, which you can place as you wish.

That's a feature I requested quite some time ago, but it was never done. I've made myself a template map with various buildings and other stuff back then and copy&pasted things out of it. Sadly, I lost the file at some point...

[Alvarez]

So what you actually mean are templates? Pre-defined cluster of tiles and protos, which you can place as you wish.

That's a feature I requested quite some time ago, but it was never done. I've made myself a template map with various buildings and other stuff back then and copy&pasted things out of it. Sadly, I lost the file at some point...

You mean something like this? This is supposed to be a template for walls made by Cryzalis on old FOnline.ru, unfortunately, it seems to be not compatible with newer mapper. (file not found or truncated)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/tayjrk

[Kilgore]

Use these, compatible with the latest v1.32.2 mapper.:

http://www.wasteland2155.net/resources/mapper_templates.zip

Hope it helps,

[Alvarez]

Use these, compatible with the latest v1.32.2 mapper.:

http://www.wasteland2155.net/resources/mapper_templates.zip

Hope it helps,

Wow, thanks a lot, Kilgore! This is awesome!

A bit noobish question: how exactly does the copypasting works in mapper? I tried to select multiple walls, Ctrl+C,Ctrl+V them, nothing happens. And tiles don't even get selected. I obviously do something wrong, but can't put my finger on it.

[Kilgore]

It's work of Krizalis, not mine, I just keep these files up to date.

http://forum.newfmc.pl/index.php?topic=47.0
Google translate it, should give you a basic idea how to use mapper.

If you select multiple items and press CTRL+C, CTRL+V then you've indeed duplicated them - in the same place with the same properties. Of course you wanted to put them elsewhere, so after you press CTRL+V, drag items with your mouse around the map - you'll see that they got copied and you can actually move them.

If tiles don't even get selected, make sure that their selecting button (on the right side of interface) is active. To select roof, click middle mouse button.