New loading map needed...

(Pog'S) #1

Hi all,

I’ve made a thread about this problem earlier but few seemed to see the need for a new loading map.
The problem is the scale of the SD loading map and the pins are so large that the loading map can’t hold many maps.
If you see 6 map servers, you already almost reach the maximum load.
When all the ET maps that are being made will be out, there won’t be enough room on the loading map to hold many maps.
There is definitely a need for a smaller scale loading map or/and smaller pins.
I’ve done this loading map which feature 32x32 pins (instead of 64x64)
You can see that even with smaller pins, if lots of people make maps that are located in France, it gets pretty crowded. Furthermore you can’t locate them right due to the ‘overpopulation’.

The problem is even bigger with Secret Operations campaigns as all 3 maps of a campaign are in the same location.

The best thing would be a patch from SD taking this problem into account.
But that’s highly hypothtic.
The only way I see is to make alternate files for :

  • camp_map.tga
  • allied_pin.tga
  • axis_pin.tga
  • neutral_pin.tga
    and run unpure servers with those files
    But that may be unperfect cause the stickers showing the map name seem to be hard coded. So they won’t be smaller.

I would be gratefull that SD think about it and make mapping ET easier.
When you give coordinates to your pins for your map, there will be a time when some maps won’t be compatible cause they have almost the same coordinates.

(DeAtHmAsTeR) #2

You forgot to add Sky High Radar :stuck_out_tongue:

lol

I need to talk to you about some webspace Pog’s

I totally agree with your point. there should be a way to cover it if not change it with another image.

(G0-Gerbil) #3

Yup the overview map thing is flawed, but we are stuck with it.

An alternative if you want to make the changes yourself is to make it into a mod. A mod does not have to be simply code changes, and in fact doesn’t need any code changes at all, it can simply be new graphics.

Bear in mind if you build a new Europe map into your PK3 and expect it to overrule the normal one, you run a high chance of your map getting lots of people booted off of any server running pure that doesn’t carry your PK3 - so test THOROUGHLY and even then I’d THINK TWICE ABOUT IT :frowning:

(Pog'S) #4

I’ll make a mod anyway and have it availlable to all on SO Forums. If the need is dire, then server admins will get the mod and use it.

(bsimser) #5

I would like to see some better way to use the loading maps. I was told you can’t replace it but it looks like you could but that causes an unpure server and in some cases, users would get booted would they not (even if everyone had your pk3 file)

I for one would like to replace the map with an entirely different location and scale (say a scenario on the Pacific Coast where 3 objectives are separated by only a few miles) but if it’s going to cause grief for players and server alike, that’s not a good option. There must be an easier way?

(Pog'S) #6

As the mod will be small : a 1024x1024 iamge plus 3 small 32x32 pix, it can be downloaded by the players once they log onto the server i suppose.

(G0-Gerbil) #7

True, but then if you have to run a mod just for some graphics, it prevents people running other mods (say shrub to correct a myriad of bugs, although NOT, I noticed, the kills /deaths not being reset for slow loaders even though it claims it does?).

Having said that, if it really is small, then that would be a cool idea :slight_smile:

Oh, and that reminds me of a new thread I need to post :wink:

(Pog'S) #8

You can’t run multiple mods on a server ?
If so, that’s not cool at all… :frowning:

(Vetinari) #9

oh… and put Würzburg where it belongs… not that far north ;->

(Pog'S) #10

I did not place the icons at their real places. Würzburg is not here but if you know french geography (i do cause i’m french) Operation Chariot is misplaced too as Saint Nazaire is next to Nantes (so further north west)
And Operation DeadStick is in Normandy south of Utah Beach :stuck_out_tongue:
I placed them roughly just to show the size :wink:

(Blockbuster) #11

you got all capitols exapt for amsterdam :frowning: sniff

(Pog'S) #12

i’ll fix that. Sorry for this miss…

(skinner) #13

you have athen instead of athens

(Blockbuster) #14

i thought it was Athena instead of Athen

(Pog'S) #15

Athena is the name of the Godess :wink:

(Blockbuster) #16

uhh… ermm… i knew that :smiley: …ofcourse i did :bump:

(DeAtHmAsTeR) #17

its actually AthenS

(Crash) #18

You didn`t forget Riga… :banana:
And where can i download this mod ?

(bsimser) #19

Guys, the point isn’t the geographical accuracy of where things are placed. It’s the fact that we can’t build mods with locations closer than a few thousand miles together without modifying the loading screen and thus screwing up the purity of a server right? Are there any options here or do we just skew the pins on a map to be something that will work visually, even if it’s way off as far as realism goes.

(G0-Gerbil) #20

Way I see it is you can’t avoid overlaps completely, since you’ll never know where other custom mappers will place their pins, and naturally a lot of maps will congregate in certain areas (eg d-day landings, certain important locations in Allied advance etc).

All I’d suggest is if you have a group of maps that you are designing to go together, then make sure they don’t overlap, but to hell with the rest :confused: