Welcome to the TWC Wiki! You are not logged in. Please log in to the Wiki to vote in polls, change skin preferences, or edit pages. See HERE for details of how to LOG IN.

Campaign Map Editing (RTW & M2TW)

From TWC Wiki
Revision as of 09:20, 27 January 2021 by Suppanut (talk | contribs) (Explain role of each map_*.tga family)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigationJump to search

Changing or creating a new campaign map is a very similar process in Rome and Medieval II -Total War.

Essential reading for both is *How to make an entirely new campaign map by Myrddraal.

GrnEyedDvl's Introduction to Mapping Lesson's 1 2 & 3 provides a focus on M2TW mapping.

Map Files

Modifications to the map will involve files in
data/world/maps/base
data/world/maps/campaign/campaign_folder
data/text (regions_and_settlements_names_campaign_name.txt only)

the files in the base folder may be transferred into your imperial_campaign, barbarian_campaign or provincial_campaign folder (note that provincial campaign folders are not functional in M2TW 1.1).

The most relevant files in those folders are:
descr_regions.txt
descr_terrain.txt - must include size of map_regions.tga
descr_strat.txt
map.rwm
map_climates.tga - 2x map_regions.tga size plus 1 pixel on height and width* (set climate type in region for strat map and battle map terrain generation)
map_ground_types.tga - 2x map_regions.tga size plus 1 pixel on height and width* (set terrain type on strat map and key for generation of terrain type on battle map)
map_features.tga - same size as map_regions.tga (sets rivers, cliffs and volcano positions)
map_heights.tga - 2x map_regions.tga size plus 1 pixel on height and width* (set terrain topology on battle map)
map_heights.hgt (if used)
map_regions.tga (set regions and their bordery on strat map map)
map_roughness.tga - size = 2x map_regions.tga (set topology of strat map)
map_trade_routes.tga - size = same as map_regions.tga (set area which would always reveal on strat map even if it is under fog of war)

*where map sizes are marked as plus 1 pixel note that the map file is expanded to use the full tga size including the extra pixel. Do not add a 'blank' pixel around the edge.


Others are:
radar_map1.tga the small map that appears at bottom left corner of campaign map - Note: making this tga too large can cause a crash at 2/3rds way along loading bar.
radar_map2.tga the enlarged version of the above - should be twice the size as radar_map1.tga
water_surface.tga merely affects the colouring of the sea, its size does not have to be changed with other map sizes.
map_FE.tga is the default map shown in the faction selection screen if you don't have an in-game map for a faction
descr_events.txt - can trigger emergence, plague and historic events etc.
descr_mercenaries.txt - controls recruitment of mercenaries
descr_win_conditions.txt - defines victory conditions
descr_disasters.txt - text shown when a natural disaster (eg volcano, earthquake) occurs
descr_regions_and_settlement_name_lookup.txt file not used in later versions of the game.

map_faction.tga's; leader_pic_faction.tga's; and description_faction.txt files simply give the information seen in the faction selection screen

YOU can help us improve this Wiki! ~ Look for ways to help and editing advice. ~ If you need further advice, please post here.