2 replies to this topic

[MattTheLegoman]

This is a guide for adding your custom maps to your mod. It requires that you've setup your mod correctly. I'm writing this for RotWK, but the same applies to BfME 1 and BfME 2. You can use a text editor to edit the MapCache files, I use Notepad++.

• Add all your new custom maps to the user data folder for the game. I move all my existing maps out while I do this so I have less to sort through later.

Your user data maps folder with the map cache file is at this location

 

C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Roaming\My The Lord of the Rings, The Rise of the Witch-king Files\Maps

 

Or you can enter this address in Windows Explorer

 

%appdata%\My The Lord of the Rings, The Rise of the Witch-king Files\Maps

 

• Start the game and close it. I enter the Skirmish menu to ensure all the new custom maps are there.

• Once the game is closed you'll have new entries for your custom maps in the MapCache.ini file. Find them and copy the entry to your mod's MapCache.ini file.

The code below is what a custom map from the user data folder looks like in the map cache.

MapCache c_3A_5Cusers_5Cmattthelegoman_5Cappdata_5Croaming_5Cmy_20the_20lord_20of_20the_20rings_2C_20the_20rise_20of_20the_20witch_2Dking_20files_5Cmaps_5Cmap_20mp_20michel_20delving_5Cmap_20mp_20michel_20delving_2Emap
	fileSize = 5833104
	fileCRC = 4205570450
	timestampLo = -2041888081
	timestampHi = 30722265
	isOfficial = no
	isMultiplayer = no
	isScenarioMP = no
	numPlayers = 4
	extentMin = X:0.00 Y:0.00 Z:0.00
	extentMax = X:4500.00 Y:4500.00 Z:0.00
	displayName = M_00i_00c_00h_00e_00l_00_20_00D_00e_00l_00v_00i_00n_00g_00
	description = T_00h_00e_00_20_00g_00r_00e_00a_00t_00_20_00q_00u_00a_00r_00r_00y_00_2C_00_20_00s_00u_00p_00p_00l_00y_00i_00n_00g_00_20_00s_00t_00o_00n_00e_00_20_00f_00o_00r_00_20_00t_00h_00e_00_20_00S_00h_00i_00r_00e_00_2E_00_20_00T_00h_00e_00_20_00L_00o_00c_00k_00h_00o_00l_00e_00s_00_20_00w_00e_00r_00e_00_20_00t_00u_00n_00n_00e_00l_00s_00_20_00i_00n_00t_00o_00_20_00t_00h_00e_00_20_00w_00h_00i_00t_00e_00_20_00c_00l_00i_00f_00f_00s_00_2C_00_20_00u_00s_00e_00d_00_20_00f_00o_00r_00_20_00s_00t_00o_00r_00a_00g_00e_00_2C_00_20_00c_00o_00u_00l_00d_00_20_00a_00l_00s_00o_00_20_00b_00e_00_20_00u_00s_00e_00d_00_20_00a_00s_00_20_00a_00_20_00p_00r_00i_00s_00o_00n_00_20_00b_00u_00t_00_20_00I_00_20_00w_00o_00u_00l_00d_00n_00_27_00t_00_20_00q_00u_00a_00r_00r_00y_00_20_00a_00b_00o_00u_00t_00_20_00i_00t_00_2E_00
	Player_1_Start = X:585.56 Y:987.11 Z:0.00
	Player_2_Start = X:597.56 Y:2769.95 Z:0.00
	Player_3_Start = X:3630.97 Y:984.03 Z:0.00
	Player_4_Start = X:3641.08 Y:2656.30 Z:0.00
END

The code below is what the map's entry should look like in your mod's map cache.

MapCache maps_5Cmap_20mp_20michel_20delving_5Cmap_20mp_20michel_20delving_2Emap
	fileSize = 5833104
	fileCRC = 4205570450
	timestampLo = -2041888081
	timestampHi = 30722265
	isOfficial = yes
	isMultiplayer = no
	isScenarioMP = no
	numPlayers = 4
	extentMin = X:0.00 Y:0.00 Z:0.00
	extentMax = X:4500.00 Y:4500.00 Z:0.00
	displayName = M_00i_00c_00h_00e_00l_00_20_00D_00e_00l_00v_00i_00n_00g_00
	description = T_00h_00e_00_20_00g_00r_00e_00a_00t_00_20_00q_00u_00a_00r_00r_00y_00_2C_00_20_00s_00u_00p_00p_00l_00y_00i_00n_00g_00_20_00s_00t_00o_00n_00e_00_20_00f_00o_00r_00_20_00t_00h_00e_00_20_00S_00h_00i_00r_00e_00_2E_00_20_00T_00h_00e_00_20_00L_00o_00c_00k_00h_00o_00l_00e_00s_00_20_00w_00e_00r_00e_00_20_00t_00u_00n_00n_00e_00l_00s_00_20_00i_00n_00t_00o_00_20_00t_00h_00e_00_20_00w_00h_00i_00t_00e_00_20_00c_00l_00i_00f_00f_00s_00_2C_00_20_00u_00s_00e_00d_00_20_00f_00o_00r_00_20_00s_00t_00o_00r_00a_00g_00e_00_2C_00_20_00c_00o_00u_00l_00d_00_20_00a_00l_00s_00o_00_20_00b_00e_00_20_00u_00s_00e_00d_00_20_00a_00s_00_20_00a_00_20_00p_00r_00i_00s_00o_00n_00_20_00b_00u_00t_00_20_00I_00_20_00w_00o_00u_00l_00d_00n_00_27_00t_00_20_00q_00u_00a_00r_00r_00y_00_20_00a_00b_00o_00u_00t_00_20_00i_00t_00_2E_00
	Player_1_Start = X:585.56 Y:987.11 Z:0.00
	Player_2_Start = X:597.56 Y:2769.95 Z:0.00
	Player_3_Start = X:3630.97 Y:984.03 Z:0.00
	Player_4_Start = X:3641.08 Y:2656.30 Z:0.00
END

• This is what you need to change in the code for each new custom map.

Line 1: I removed part of the map's location string. In your mod, the location string should start with the folder "maps" followed by the string's representation of the / symbol "_5C" and then followed by the map folder name and then the map name. It is hard to read because it is a code string and cannot contain symbols.

Line 6: change the code to isOfficial = yes

Line 7: change the code to isMultiplayer = yes

You can add in the map's displayName and description in your mod's data/lotr.str file. Check Echo's post below.

 

Thanks for reading, if you have any questions or additions to this guide please reply.

Edited by MattTheLegoman, 20 February 2019 - 01:52 PM.

[Echo]

Great tutorial. You can also add that this line:

 

displayName = M_00i_00c_00h_00e_00l_00_20_00D_00e_00l_00v_00i_00n_00g_00

 

allows for a lotr.str entry - in case you want to do it more "official":

 

Map:MichelDelving

"Michel Delving (or whatever the map name is that you want)"

END

 

And if you leave the description empty in the Map Settings, it will auto generate this string (Example entry of the map Andrast):

 

description = M_00a_00p_00_3A_00M_00A_00P_00M_00P_00A_00n_00d_00r_00a_00s_00t_00_2F_00D_00e_00s_00c_00

 

 

Which then allows you to reference that string in lotr.str:

 

Map:MAPMPAndrast/Desc

"The southwest border of Gondor between the Bay of Belfalas and the Great Sea. Credits: Rimli \n Number of Players: 2 \n Starting Positions: Castles \n Expansion Points: 2 \n Settlements: 8 \n Lairs: Warg"

END

Edited by Echo, 20 February 2019 - 11:44 AM.

[MattTheLegoman]

Thanks for the correction, I have removed my misconception.