@database ColonyMapEd.Guide @rem @rem **** HOLD IT!!... You're not using AmigaGuide! **** @rem @rem This is an AmigaGuide document. Workbench 3.0 (and higher) users @rem should view this document with the SYS:Utilities/MultiView program @rem that came with their systems. Other users should find a copy of @rem AmigaGuide, and use that. @rem @macro Bd "@{b}$1@{ub}" @node MAIN "Welcome to COLONIZATION MAP EDITOR V1.0" @{b}@{fg highlight} ### ### # ### # # # ##### ### ##### # ### # # # # # # # # # ## # # # # # # # # # ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ## # # ##### # # # # # ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ### ### ##### ### # # # ##### # # # # ### # # # # ### #### ##### #### # ##### ### #### ## ## # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #### # # # # # # # # # # ##### #### # # # # # # # #### _ # # # # # # # # # # # # # # /| | | # # # # # ##### #### # # ### # # |.|_| @{ub}@{fg text} I'm not sure if you read this before starting the editor. But first of all I had to tell you: don't think, it's THE EDITOR for colonization. I tried to decode almost everything, so that I can really perform all changes done to the map, but there are some bits in the file I'm unsure about. Especially I don't know where and how the improvements like oasis, ore deposit, etc. are saved. If someone knows this, please @{"mail me" link INFOS}. >> This editor is giftware! If you like it, send me a nice present. << >> I though about some cash, but a new A5000, Flat-TV is also okay. << Now read on how to work with the editor, what you can do and what you can't do with it. Select one of the following links: @{" -=> Requirements <=- " link REQUIRE} @{" ??? Legal stuff ??? " link LEGAL} @{" !!! Installation !!! " link INSTALL} @{" The menu panel " link MENU} @{" How do I edit the map? " link EDITING} That's all. I hope the editor helps you modify the maps to your needs. If you find some bugs or some have some good ideas how to improve the editor @{"mail me" link INFOS}. @endnode @node REQUIRE "What do I need for the editor" I don't know exactly what are the minimum requirements, but I think you also have the game. What to do with an editor without the game ??? So, if 'Colonization' runs, the editor will run too. It only requires about 160K chip mem and about 180K other mem, workbench 1.3 should do the job, and speed is no problem so a 68000 must be enough. As I have no possibility to test it, @{"mail me" link INFOS} if it doesn't work. @endnode @node LEGAL "Legal status of this software" I'm not familiar with copyright laws in the US, or anywhere. I hope it's not really a problem. This game is giftware. I warn you now: you use the editor on your own risk. Don't blame me if you loose a saved game, or something else goes wrong and/or damages your hard disc and/or system. @{Bd "!!! I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE OF ANY DAMAGE DONE TO YOUR SYSTEM. !!!"} I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES DONE TO THE GAME 'COLONIZATION' AND ALL NEEDED FILES TO RUN THE GAME. I CAN'T BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST OR DAMAGED GAMES. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. IF SOMEONE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE GRAPHICS, CONTACT ME AND I WILL CHANGE THEM. ALRIGHT? LET'S CONTINUE. The game 'Colonization' is copyright ©1994-95 Microprose Ltd. To the guys from Microprose: Why stopping development for the Amiga ? If someone wants to include this editor onto a disc/CD for a magazin contact me and sent me a free copy of this magazin. (giftware!?) @endnode @node INSTALL "Install to HD or Floppy" @{Bd "Harddisc"} @{Bd "~~~~~~~~"} I guess you have installed 'Colonization' onto your hard disc, right ? Great. Just copy all editor files into your 'Colonization' directory. The editor searches the 'Exe' directory for save files. You'll get an error message, if there is no 'Exe' directory present. And don't forget the 'ColonyMapEdit.Dat' file !!! You'll also get an error message if this file is missing. @{Bd "Floppy"} @{Bd "~~~~~~"} If you want to use the editor with the game on floppy, take an empty disc, copy the editor into the root, create the 'Exe' directory and copy all needed save files into the 'Exe' directory. That' it. But I recomment to install the game to your hard disc. And don't forget the 'ColonyMapEdit.Dat' file !!! You'll also get an error message if this file is missing. @endnode @node MENU "How to use the map editor ?" First of all: at the bottom is the menu panel, and above is the edit area for the map. At the right of the menu panel are four buttons: *) @{Bd "INFO"}: shows small information about the editor *) @{Bd "LOAD"}: loads new Colonization save file into memory *) @{Bd "SAVE"}: saves current data to disc (load game first!) *) @{Bd "QUIT"}: quits back to your system, workbench Then you can see the editing tiles. Click on them to select a tile, move mouse to the edit area and left click to set this new field. Same thing with the four other buttons: @{Bd "Forest River Roads Plowed"}. Please read section @{"how to edit" link EDITING} for details. The most bottom line shows the current terrain under the mouse pointer. I hope you are familiar with the names. French and German players may compare the Colonization files NamesENG.txt, NamesFRE.txt, NamesGER.txt. There was not much room so the (R) means road and the (P) means plowed. NOTE: Don't mail me to localise the editor!!! When I've time I'll add a choice of the three languages from Colonization. Thanks. Scroll the map with the cursor keys. Use to scroll 10 fields at once or to jump to the edges of the map. Nothing more about that. Use + to flip to workbench or back to the editor again. If you run the game along with the editor it's very useful to test your changes directly with the game. @endnode @node EDITING "How to edit the map correcty" The most difficult part of the whole document. I think the easiert way is to write a list of things you are allowed to do. I start with the editing tiles: *) set new land field near an existing land field (not diagonal), if you don't connect two islands, or create a new sea *) set ocean only near an ocean field (not diagonal), if you don't connect a sea, or split an island *) set sea lane near existing sea lane, but not if there is also a land field near the new position *) change the terrain type under forest/hills/mountains *) set hills/mountains to any land field except arctic *) remove hills/mountains by setting a hill/mountains again (flip!) *) set arctic field only to top 10 or bottom 10 lines of the map *) modify field with no colony/indian camp and no unit/indian on it Now I continue with the editing buttons to set forest, river, roads, and plowed land: *) change field with or without forest, except hills/mountains *) set road, if there is no colony/indian camp or remove road *) set plowed land, but not on hills/mountains or colony/indian camps *) set new river fields only if there is a land near (no diagonal), but not on hills/mountains/arctic *) change rivers from minor to major to none and to minor again Finally I display colonies, indian camps, ships, european units and indians. I don't think that they are difficult to figure out. I think that's it. If you click onto the map and nothing happens, you maybe try to do an illegal change. But if you think, this should be possible, then contact @{"me" link INFOS}. NOTE: First, I know that hills can be plowed. Don't remove it. You can't set them again. I may change this or not ?!? Second, I think it should be possible to use minor rivers on hills. I check a saved game if I find one... (With 'America' I should find one.) One last word: You are able to set road or plowed land, but I recomment not to use it too often. It's part of the game to use poineers for this work, while the colonies grows. Sure, you can set a road everywhere near your colonies, and plow most of the land, but the game wouldn't be that interesting. You may try to remove roads/plowed land of the opponents colonies, but I'm not sure what happens. Remove all the forest to see the improvements underneath. So it's easier to decide where to build a colony. You may also set a land to a ocean field with fishery, to get some prime sugar or ore deposit. In general I hope not to misuse my editor. This may confuse the game and cause strange effects. Did you read the @{"legal page" link LEGAL} ? @endnode @node INFOS "More about the programmer..." At first, I had to excuse my poor english. It's not my native language. Second, my address to contact me, maybe send me presents - hey, this editor is giftware - or tell me about bugs, or good improvements: @{fg highlight} KARGL CHRISTIAN WIENERSTRASSE 58 A-8605 KAPFENBERG AUSTRIA - STYRIA email: karglch@sbox.tu-graz.ac.at (university till about 2002) @{fg text} Did I mention, that the editor is giftware ? Okay, I know I did, but you maybe don't know that it's not easy to decode the map and create a correct save file. You know the 'COLONYxx.SAV SUCCESSFULLY LOADED' requester of 'Colonization' ? And grabbing the graphics takes also some hours... Have you ever tried to decode the .map file of 'Civilization' ? Hard work, especailly 'Civilization' !! Nearly impossible to create a map editor for that great game!!! Now have fun with my editor, and always remember: "Amiga forever!!" History: 6.11.1999: first attempt to decode map data ~~~~~~~~ 13.11.1999: finished editor; start to test it (play games) 20.12.1999: no ill effects; upload version 0.9ß to AmiNet 10.02.2000: finished first final version 1.0 - bug fixed: the 'map not saved' requester did not work correctly on exit - QUIT button on startup enabled (see above) - nearly all terrain graphics grabbed - editor data excluded from program; used to crash on 68000 processors. (Compiler BUG !!!) Future: There are still many things to do. But I don't plan to add ~~~~~~~ too much. Here's a list what I still plan to do: *) include only the three Colonization languages *) better map scrolling with mouse to the edge *) minor bug fixes you mail me... :)) *) Mainly your ideas... If I have time and find them good. Just to avoid useless mails I add a list that I won't do: *) Localise the editor. -> I'll add the three languages of the game. Any other players (Spanish, Dutch, Finnish, etc...) must use one of the offered lanuages. (I guess english) *) Editor to run as workbench program -> Can't be done with AMOS, sorry. At least I have no time to get an intuition extension and learn it. If some other programmers wants to do it, mail me. You can have the decoded map data and some hints. *) Move colonies/indian camps or european units/indian -> I don't know how all those things are saved. And I don't want to decode the game data of the save files. If someone has time to do it, mail me your results. Bugs: I did my best to aviod them, but I'm still human... :)) ~~~~~ @endnode