Spring RTS Engine

I read through the tutorials on how to make maps and got flashbacks of how much fun I had playing Core Prime. SO I remade the map.
I am using Sharp map to compile the pieces.
I have a 4096x4096 texture map made, a 513x513 greyscale map for height, a 513x513 redmap for metals. which is all I needed according to the tutorials.



I ran SharpMap, and it ran and completed and I got a test.sm2 file, and copied and renamed the metalheck.smd file to test.smd, put both files in the maps folder.

I can not however see the map when I launch spring to test it.
The maps that I can see and play all have a .smf as well as a .smt extension file in the map folder.
Is there a new program or something I need to do to get the .smf and .smt parts so I can test my map?

:EDIT:
Sombody told me about a map converter that I could get at filreuniverse.com, so I got the extended version which was the newest one posted.
Can anyone offer help to run the program, so I can give my map a trial run?

Using Sharp Map will only make TA Spring Maps in the old
file format. Buggi is working on revamping it for the new
map formatt. Go to this link:

http://fileuniverse.com/?page=showitem&ID=1234

This is for the command line util to make maps. There is a
known problem. You might have some issues with trees if
you use too much green in your maps. I think someone
is going to fix it.

The map is all in greyscale, I used the old textures for metal from TA that I could find, set them all to greyscale then back to 24bit rgb for the .bmp.
there shouldn't be any color in the map.
I can't see trees or grass in anymaps with TA spring as a matter of fact tho. any suggestions as to why it doesn't show up.. I'm new to spring btw :D, I'm an Old TA junkie.

sweet! the world needs more ppl like you (both OTA Junkies and able to code/program :D)

Here is some info you might need.

1. Make sure you have 7-zip installed on your system.

2. make a directory called maps where you have map
data.

3. Copy the 3 files *.smd , *.smf and *.smt files in the
directory called maps you just made.

4. Now right click the maps directory and scroll down to
add to archives. An select it.

5. That should open a add to archive dialog box and
change the name of the archive to the map name
and add .sd7 as ext.

6. The setting should be 7z archive format, compression level
ultra and update mode set to synchronize files. If its the
first time. After that use update one.

7. Make sure solid archive is NOT checked. Then you click " OK"
an it will compress the maps directory to a *.sd7. Take that
*.sd7 and put it into your TA Spring maps directory folder.


Now if you did it correctly it should show up as one of the maps
for TASpring ...

I was going to remake it. I already have the bmp and smd and everything else from my older port, so I can very easily and quickly do it. I was just waiting for:
- A tree less mapconv. I don't want to resort to tricks like decoloring the texture and stuff.
- Learning how to use the sky box. It looks too odd to have white clouds on Core Prime, I want to make star dotted skybox. Yeah, I've seen that thread.

I'd like to remake it myself because there's a few things I'd like to keep:
- Contrast lowered on the pyramids thing so the core logo stands out more.
- Greenish water.
- Discret tint change on plateau, so they aren't the exact same shade as the ground and so stands out better and the player don't risk being unable to see the edge from behind.
- Brightened texture so as to counter the darkening due to Spring shading.
- Contrast on units stronger than usual to reflect the lack of atmosphere on Core Prime.
- 100% hardness because sorry, I can't help but love how it looks all craterized after a battle.

I said I didn't get the .smt or .smf files out of the compress when I ran Sharpmap, so I must be missing something.

all I got from running sharpmap was the .sm2 file, then I had to copy and rename the metalheck.smd because the map properties are so similar.

From there I don't know what to do.

so the only files I have to work with is a coreprime.sm2 and coreprime.smd .

I think you're using the wrong program. Since version 60b1, the map format has changed. Get this map conv. It shouldn't produce .sm2, but .smf and .smt.

And don't bother with Core Prime Industrial Area, I've already done it. It turns out the new map conv hasn't put a single tree, so right now I've got a perfectly working fine CPIA map in my Spring 60b1. I'm just trying to make a cute skybox before releasing it.

Dose the harness value incree's the craterization or lower it?

The higher the hardness the harder it is to dig a crater. It is called hardness, not softness.

TheRegisteredOne just made me nice star dotted sky, that I plugged into the ATI CubeSkyBox thingy.

Release imminent!

I would have thought Core Prime would have a more smoggy sky, but anyway, it looks good!

To avoid all this confusion, someone needs to make a good, detailed tutorial(with examples?) that uses the new file format, with links to all the various tools used. I cannot do this as I do not know how to do it in the first place (thats why I want to tutorial).

And before you start jumping on me, I know there is already a wiki entry on map making, but last time I checked, it was out fo date.

Wow, cool Zwz... :D

Uploaded Core Prime Industrial Area for Spring 60b1:
http://www.fileuniverse.com/?p=showitem&ID=1288


Click minimap for maxi mini map

I remade the ramps because otherwise Spring wouldn't let pelicans and hovers use the old steeper ones, I remade the pyramid thingies, I remade the texture using the cavedog metal tilest with contrast/tint/brightness tweaked, I flattened the flat ground, I symmetrised it, I made a SkyBox with star-dotted picture by TRO, etc...

Nice skybox ;)
I was just wondering, is there a terrain decal modifier? It just looks a bit silly having the commander leaving tracks on metal ...

I thought the decal strenght was hardcoded to the surface hardness...
Or isnt it?

Nice, I just hope Fnordia will make something to have the skybox in the zip.

The CVS version of the engine read .dds inside the script. But 60b1 doesn't yet, so I left it outside so you can use the map right now.