Editing minimap files

[Blaugrana]

In response to a query of mine a month ago,

If you are asking how to change any of the other Mini-Maps to the larger size you would need some type of program such as Photoshop, or Gimp, maybe Paintnet.....not sure about that one.

Basically, the default mini-maps are 570x570 in size and placed on a blank 1024x1024 background that is saved as a dds file.

You would open one of the mini-maps and crop only the 570x570 portion of the file.

Then re-size it too 852x852 and place it onto a 1024x1024 background. Then merge or flatten the image, and Save it using the same name as the original.
davinci

I've done this with one of the CV minimaps (so I can use the Couriers and Maps mod) and managed to get a jpg. I used IrfanView. I can't now save the jpg as a dds file. I've tried gimp and IrfanView without joy. Can anyone recommend a free programme that can output dds files?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Blaugrana]

Good news and bad news:

I've found a convertor - dxtbmp - to produce dds files and I have managed to produce a 852x852 version of the Salem church minimap so I can use the Couriers and Maps mod with this map. I've modded something :woohoo:

Unfortunately, I am not nearly methodical enough to be a modder, and:
a) moved the original file instead of copying it and have thus edited the only copy I had
b) have put this version back in the base folder rather than the Couriers and Maps mod

If anyone is able to send me a copy of their stock FBSC_MM.dds file I'd be very grateful. I might try again, with the other CV minimaps.

Jeff

edit: I've managed to re-size the CV east map too. The first one crashed the game, but saving dds file with no alpha did the trick. I have no idea what this means, but it worked ...

[Saddletank]

Sending you a copy.

[Marching Thru Georgia]

I will be updating Couriers&Maps with new large-sized CV minimaps soon. I believe there are some road issues and I want to check those out first.

[Blaugrana]

Thanks to you both. My impatience got the better of me, not for the first time...

[Saddletank]

Have discovered that the Salem map can lead to some strange battles. Played an army vs army last night using the Gettysburg Day 1 OOBs and while there was some fighting, there wasn't much and my lowly brigade inflicted only 20 casualties without losing a man after 150 minutes.

Today I'm doing a Corps vs Corps game from the Wilderness OOB and so far after 90 minues no enemy has been sighted! Its a great way to get to know the map though, marching every which way for hours...

The AI certainly has trouble finding itself on this mp.

[Blaugrana]

I've had one or two of those wild goose chases too. Interesting afterwards to look at the replay and see how the armies missed each other. They must be marching very quietly ...

[Davinci]

Good news and bad news:
I've modded something :woohoo:

Unfortunately, I am not nearly methodical enough to be a modder, and:
a) moved the original file instead of copying it and have thus edited the only copy I had
b) have put this version back in the base folder rather than the Couriers and Maps mod

Believe it or not, that is basically how every single modder started out, by modding just a single thing which always leads to modding something else.

So don't give up - continue modding something, anything!

Suggestions:

From Windows Explorer create a new folder and call it NorbSoftDev2 - and then Copy the entire NorbSoftDev [/b] - into this folder.

This will give you a back-up file for every single file in the game. So if you mess up a file, just retrieve your back-up from there.

I have messed up so many files that I have too have back-up files for the back-up files, now I have six copies of the game on this Drive: - and several more copies on the Back-Up E:Drive.

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davinci