Ambrosia Garden Archive
    • Map Display


      Hello,
      I have found a strange problem with the map display for the Island. During gameplay the fog of war seems to reveal area to the left of where the player really is. THe white x showing where the player is is acually in a black area. Is this a bug or am I doing something wrong? THe white x shows exactly where the player is, because I have tested it, however the in the Map display it doesn't show the right area.

      ------------------
      Thanks,
      GrahamVH
      graham@vhpublications.com
      http://www.warcraftc...t/CGD/home.html

    • These are your 500 x 500 maps, right? I questioned in your other thread whether or not the overhead would render correctly. What happens when the player (and thus the white X) are on the left edge of the map? If the lifting of the "fog of war" is showing to the left of the player, at that point the area shown would be off the map.

      I don't think we'll find a software bug here, but rather something in the way the map is drawn. I would suggest, however, that you remove the location picture from it's folder, go back to the map tools, and try "create map preview picture" once more.

      ------------------
      My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
      The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
      (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)

      (This message has been edited by Rubber Ducky (edited 06-19-2004).)

    • Look at your game interface, the popup map, not the main map interface. (edit) It's when you look at "options." (/edit) I forget what it's called, but it's what you see when you want to see the "X" on the map.

      Anyway, by hitting "edit", see what the exact dimensions are that you've defined within the map interface. This isn't the map graphic dimensions, but the actual dimensions showing your map pictures, the red rectangle. Then, as RD says, trash all of your map pcts (and ONLY the map pcts) in the location/pct folder. Then remake your map pictures from the map editor (or all at once from Coldstone's top menu). The dimensions have to be an exact match for the X and the map to show properly.

      It doesn't matter any what the actual map dimensions are. You're wanting the picture of your map to fit the hole in your popup graphic.

      This happened to me, too. And, as usual, it was my fault.

      ------------------
      -- Debra
      Danillitphil Productions
      (url="http://"http://www.danillitphil.com/graphics/index.html")www.danillitphil.com(/url)

      (This message has been edited by Debra (edited 06-19-2004).)

    • Quote

      Originally posted by Debra:
      **Look at your game interface, the popup map, not the main map interface. (edit) It's when you look at "options." (/edit) I forget what it's called, but it's what you see when you want to see the "X" on the map.

      Anyway, by hitting "edit", see what the exact dimensions are that you've defined within the map interface. This isn't the map graphic dimensions, but the actual dimensions showing your map pictures, the red rectangle. Then, as RD says, trash all of your map pcts (and ONLY the map pcts) in the location/pct folder. Then remake your map pictures from the map editor (or all at once from Coldstone's top menu). The dimensions have to be an exact match for the X and the map to show properly.

      It doesn't matter any what the actual map dimensions are. You're wanting the picture of your map to fit the hole in your popup graphic.

      This happened to me, too. And, as usual, it was my fault.

      **

      Well I tried everything you said and it still isn't revealing the area in the right spot. Now it is revealing south east of where the player actually is. To answer your question RD the map picture shows the character walking to the edge of the map. THe revealing part of it seems to stop at the edge. Here is a picture of the map display. (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/map.jpg")http://www.warcraftcentral.net/map.jpg(/url)

      The light brown line that you see in the middle is a path that I had the player follow from that whole line you see in the map display is to the lower left of where the player acually was.

      Both the dimentions of the Map display map area and the sizes of the map pictures are 440x440.
      ------------------
      Thanks,
      GrahamVH
      graham@vhpublications.com (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/CGD/home.html")http://www.warcraftc...t/CGD/home.html(/url)

      (This message has been edited by GrahamVH (edited 06-20-2004).)

    • In the options, do you have the red rectangle defined to the edge of the hole and not over?

      ------------------
      -- Debra
      Danillitphil Productions
      (url="http://"http://www.danillitphil.com/graphics/index.html")www.danillitphil.com(/url)

    • Quote

      Originally posted by Debra:
      **In the options, do you have the red rectangle defined to the edge of the hole and not over?

      **

      The Red rectangle is completely inside that black area of the map display picture and has the dimensions of 440x440.

      ------------------
      Thanks,
      GrahamVH
      graham@vhpublications.com
      http://www.warcraftc...t/CGD/home.html

    • When you're testing the game and want to see the map, does the map interface center itself on the screen?

      (edit) That is, do you have any white border as part of your map popup graphic?

      ------------------
      -- Debra
      Danillitphil Productions
      (url="http://"http://www.danillitphil.com/graphics/index.html")www.danillitphil.com(/url)

      (This message has been edited by Debra (edited 06-20-2004).)

    • Quote

      Originally posted by Debra:
      **When you're testing the game and want to see the map, does the map interface center itself on the screen?

      **

      The picture I have listed above is the whole screen that the player sees. The map display has the dimensions of 640x480, which are the same dimensions of the game.

      ------------------
      Thanks,
      GrahamVH
      graham@vhpublications.com
      http://www.warcraftc...t/CGD/home.html

    • Humm, the popup map from Coldstone isn't that big. It's meant to pop up within the main map interface. Did you increase the size of the actual popup map graphic?

      ------------------
      -- Debra
      Danillitphil Productions
      (url="http://"http://www.danillitphil.com/graphics/index.html")www.danillitphil.com(/url)

    • From the screen shot you have, the visible portion of the map is clearly south of the player but it is difficult to tell from that shot how far west it is. Do you have the capability of teleporting into that map (or relocating within it) to show the actual offset from the white X? In other words, jump somewhere else in the map and don't move before taking a screen shot. A jump into the northwest corner might tell whether or not the offset was consistent throughout the map or was, instead, a progressive deviation. Also a jump to tile 5 - 150 (to give just one example) would tell you if the X was surrounded by black on the western edge as well.

      ------------------
      My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
      The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
      (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)

    • Quote

      Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
      **From the screen shot you have, the visible portion of the map is clearly south of the player but it is difficult to tell from that shot how far west it is. Do you have the capability of teleporting into that map (or relocating within it) to show the actual offset from the white X? In other words, jump somewhere else in the map and don't move before taking a screen shot. A jump into the northwest corner might tell whether or not the offset was consistent throughout the map or was, instead, a progressive deviation. Also a jump to tile 5 - 150 (to give just one example) would tell you if the X was surrounded by black on the western edge as well.

      **

      Sorry, my mistake, the map display reveals to the south-east of where the player is, not south-west.

      Here is what you requested:

      http://www.warcraftc...al.net/map2.jpg
      http://www.warcraftc...al.net/map3.jpg

      Quote

      Originally posted by Debra:
      **Humm, the popup map from Coldstone isn't that big. It's meant to pop up within the main map interface. Did you increase the size of the actual popup map graphic?

      **

      I guess I must have. I have been using that map display for a long time now.

      Edit: I found a black line 2 pixels wide along the right and bottom that I have removed, and slightly enlarged the map picture to refit in 440x440. It hasn't fixed the problem though.
      ------------------
      Thanks,
      GrahamVH
      graham@vhpublications.com (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/CGD/home.html")http://www.warcraftc...t/CGD/home.html(/url)

      (This message has been edited by GrahamVH (edited 06-20-2004).)

    • Why is that not what I expected to see? They do not show a consistent offset. The one that shows an area south east puzzles me more because that is not in keeping with your first screen shot. Are you sure you're not using magnetic north instead of true north? Move the beer can away from the compass. (Sorry 'bout that attempt at humor.)

      ------------------
      My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
      The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
      (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)

    • Quote

      Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
      **Why is that not what I expected to see? They do not show a consistent offset. The one that shows an area south east puzzles me more because that is not in keeping with your first screen shot. Are you sure you're not using magnetic north instead of true north? Move the beer can away from the compass. (Sorry 'bout that attempt at humor.)

      **

      😄
      I think I may be able to explain it. it could be possible that this is a bug in CS. The map revealing system most likely uses an equation that would be fairly accurate in small maps but shows some offset in Larger maps.The equation would be using the player x and y variables to determine where to place the revealed part. Then use the resolution to determine how large of an area will be revealed. There must be a small fault in the equation (like a rounded off decimal) that creates an offset that would not be apparent in small maps but would be blatantly obvious in larger maps.

      ------------------
      Thanks,
      GrahamVH
      graham@vhpublications.com
      http://www.warcraftc...t/CGD/home.html

    • Quote

      Originally posted by GrahamVH:
      **it could be possible that this is a bug in CS. The map revealing system most likely uses an equation that would be fairly accurate in small maps but shows some offset in Larger maps.The equation would be using the player x and y variables to determine where to place the revealed part. Then use the resolution to determine how large of an area will be revealed. There must be a small fault in the equation (like a rounded off decimal) that creates an offset that would not be apparent in small maps but would be blatantly obvious in larger maps.

      **

      Graham, I wish it were that simple. In a 200 x 200 map there is no offset perceptible. If there were an error in the equation, the offset should get progressively worse the farther southeast you go. This does not appear to be the case. Your map does start on tile 1 - 1 does it not?

      If this were mine, I'd do a series of screen shots as follows: 1 - 1, 100 - 100, 200 - 200, 300 - 300, 400 - 400, & 500 - 500, then see if there is a discernable pattern to the offset. You might also include the other diagonal, 1 - 500, 100 - 400, 200 - 300, 300 - 200, 400 - 100, and finally 500 - 1.

      ------------------
      My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
      The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
      (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)

    • Quote

      Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
      **Graham, I wish it were that simple. In a 200 x 200 map there is no offset perceptible. If there were an error in the equation, the offset should get progressively worse the farther southeast you go. This does not appear to be the case. Your map does start on tile 1 - 1 does it not?

      If this were mine, I'd do a series of screen shots as follows: 1 - 1, 100 - 100, 200 - 200, 300 - 300, 400 - 400, & 500 - 500, then see if there is a discernable pattern to the offset. You might also include the other diagonal, 1 - 500, 100 - 400, 200 - 300, 300 - 200, 400 - 100, and finally 500 - 1.

      **

      Here are the Screenshots:

      The following are going from the North-Eastern most area to the South-Western Most by an increment of 100x100.
      (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNW-SE1.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNW-SE1.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNW-SE2.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNW-SE2.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNW-SE3.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNW-SE3.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNW-SE4.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNW-SE4.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNW-SE5.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNW-SE5.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNW-SE6.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNW-SE6.jpg(/url)

      The following are going from the North-Western most area to the South-Eastern Most by an increment of 100x100.
      (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNE-SW1.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNE-SW1.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNE-SW2.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNE-SW2.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNE-SW3.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNE-SW3.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNE-SW4.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNE-SW4.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNE-SW5.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNE-SW5.jpg(/url) (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/MapNE-SW6.jpg")http://www.warcraftc...t/MapNE-SW6.jpg(/url)

      The effect is getting progressively worse as the player go further South-East.

      ------------------
      Thanks,
      GrahamVH
      graham@vhpublications.com (url="http://"http://www.warcraftcentral.net/CGD/home.html")http://www.warcraftc...t/CGD/home.html(/url)

      (This message has been edited by GrahamVH (edited 06-20-2004).)

    • I appreciate your taking the trouble to do this when I'm not able to offer a solution yet. I do see some pattern to the offset, but I do not yet know why it is happening. Would you be willing to send just the map file to me by email? I'll drop it in a test game I have and see if I can make it work. Oops, I'll need the graphic files for any tiles or stamps which are not in the PoG folders. If there are a lot of them, you may not want to do this. In the meantime, I'll make a 500 x 500 map of my own in this game to see what happens. I feel confident we'll get to the bottom of this yet.

      ------------------
      My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
      The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
      (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)

    • Quote

      Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
      **I appreciate your taking the trouble to do this when I'm not able to offer a solution yet. I do see some pattern to the offset, but I do not yet know why it is happening. Would you be willing to send just the map file to me by email? I'll drop it in a test game I have and see if I can make it work. Oops, I'll need the graphic files for any tiles or stamps which are not in the PoG folders. If there are a lot of them, you may not want to do this. In the meantime, I'll make a 500 x 500 map of my own in this game to see what happens. I feel confident we'll get to the bottom of this yet.

      **

      Unfortunately the game is about 550MB uncompressed and about 100MB compressed. I have no trouble sending a file that size, however, I don't know if you would be willing to receive a file that size.

      ------------------
      Thanks,
      GrahamVH
      graham@vhpublications.com
      http://www.warcraftc...t/CGD/home.html

    • I wasn't expecting the whole game, just one map file. Duplicate one map (the one you've been taking screen shots of) and attach it to an email. The only problem I'll have is if it contains graphics which are not in the Coldstone folders, specifically the PoG tiles. If new graphics are not too numerous, they can be sent as pict files.

      ------------------
      My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
      The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
      (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)

    • It looks to me like the map over view is too big for the area. Basically, it looks like the map preview is say (for example) 500x500, and the player area is 400x400. This difference in scale would account for the increase between reveal and position. You say your maps are 500x500 tiles. Try making the map preview 500x500.

      ------------------
      Pilky
      (url="http://"http://www.mcubedsw.com")M cubed homepage(/url)
      (url="http://"http://www.mcubedsw.com/network")M cubed Network(/url)

    • GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWS:

      The good news is that I have figured out why your visible section of the map is not showing up where the white X indicates the player is. The bad news is that your maps are a little too large.

      I used the map you sent me for extensive experimentation and also constructed my own 500 x 500 tile map. The initial results were exactly as you had them. But then I jumped to tile 440 - 440 and while the X was an appropriate distance from the corner, the portion of the map shown was exactly in the southeast corner. I tried increasing the map preview size to 500 x 500 as Pilky suggested, but now the map extended beyond the frame in which it is normally shown, and the player could not get to that area because he's limited to a 440 x 440 box.

      When I changed the map dimensions to 440 x 440 (with a preview size also 440 x 440) the white X is perfectly lined up with the portion of the map which is displayed.

      Conclusion: The largest map you can have and still have the overhead feature work is 440 x 440 movement tiles. Larger maps still seem to function in the game but just will not render correctly on the overhead.

      Is this a Bug? Only in the sense that I don't think anyone told us that there is a limit to the map size.

      Recommendations: Keep your maps 440 x 440 or smaller. Don't mess with the map preview dimensions.

      Your welcome. 🙂 ~RD

      ------------------
      My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
      The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
      (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl/damsels.sit?path=pog/addons&file;=damselsV1.1.sit")Damsels in Distress(/url) - A plugin for PoG. (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/RD-DEL.jpg")RD-DEL(/url)