********************************** BATTLE ISLE 2 (tm) MAPPER Version 1.00 29.10.1994 Copyright 1994 Tuomas Seijavuori Internet email: tuoppi@hut.fi ********************************** CONTENTS -------- 1. Files included in BI2MAP10.ZIP 2. Introduction 3. System requirements 4. Installation >> 5. HOW TO USE BI2 MAPPER - AN EXAMPLE (LONG) << 6. Known problems 7. Standard disclaimer for those who care 8. Acknowledgements Appenix A: Vehicle codes (by Pasi Ahopelto) 1. FILES INCLUDED IN BI2MAP10.ZIP - README.TXT This document - MIS2MAP.EXE MISSxxx.DAT --> ASCII maps converter V 1.00 - MAP2MIS.EXE ASCII maps --> MISSxxx.DAT -- '' -- - CONTAIN.EXE Container editor V 1.00 - FILE_ID.DIZ A brief description When you distribute this program (please do so), make sure all of these are included and the name of the .ZIP file is not changed. 2. INTRODUCTION The 3 programs in this package make it possible to modify existing Battle Isle 2 (tm) (later BI2) maps. You also need some kind of simple full-screen text editor to do the actual editing. MS-DOS Edit will do just fine. MIS2MAP reads one of the mission files (MISSxxx.DAT) and translates it into 3 ASCII maps, each representing different features of the original map stored in MISSxxx.DAT file. After you have edited these maps, MAP2MIS then converts them back to BI2 format. What is inside cities and depots cannot be presented on a map like this. They can be edited separately with the Container Editor (CONTAIN.EXE). The following can be edited: - terrain, forest, roads and other "geographical features" - locations of all units - location, type and properties of cities, depots and different factories (or "containers") and what is inside them Not all of the many, many features of the game can be changed. NOT INCLUDED in this release are (among others): - weather changes - reinforcements - other "external events" such as suddenly exploding bridges, seen in some campaigns Note: This is not a savegame editor. All naming conventions and terms, such as "container" or "vehicle segment", in this document refer to Pasi Ahopelto's excellent document, first posted to comp.sys.ibm.pc.games. strategic in June 1994. It describes accurately most of the MISSxxx.DAT file structures. Without this document, this program would not have been possible. 3. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS The programs have been developed and tested on one computer only. I can guarantee they work on my machine, but that's about it. They do not not use graphics or sound, nor ridiculous amounts of memory, so I don't expect hardware problems. They were written and compiled with Borland Turbo Pascal 6.0 without any special compiler directives, if it matters. 4. INSTALLATION The MISSxxx.DAT files you wish to modify should be in the same directory with MIS2MAP.EXE, MAP2MIS.EXE and CONTAIN.EXE. You can either unzip BI2MAP10.ZIP to your \BI2\MIS\ directory and modify the mission files directly, OR you can make a separate directory for editing and then copy mission files to BI2\MIS when it's time to try them. The latter may be the safer method. IMPORTANT: BEFORE YOU RUN THE PROGRAM(S) FOR THE FIRST TIME, MAKE A BACKUP COPY OF ALL YOUR MISSxxx.DAT FILES FOUND IN \BI2\MIS (MISS000.DAT, MISS001.DAT etc.) ! It is easy to mess things up before you are familiar with the process. As long as you have the backups, you can experiment with the files all you want. It'd be a good idea to write a .BAT -file which automatically restores everything from your backup, in case you you get unwanted results. Often you will. A backup saves you from laborious, complete re-install of the game. I speak from personal experience :-) 5. HOW TO USE BI2 MAPPER - AN EXAMPLE (LONG) To familiarize you with the use of BI2 MAPPER, let's do the following: 5.1: make ASCII-character maps out of MISS037.DAT file, 5.2: take a look at the 3 maps we just created (37.TER etc.), as well as a fourth file, a "Translation table" (TRANSLAT.TBL), 5.3: modify the maps with a text editor or word processor, 5.4: convert the modified maps back to BI2 format MISS037.DAT, 5.5: edit MISS037.DAT directly with Container Editor, 5.6: and finally start BI2 to see if something happened to the map Before we start: if you skipped last chapter, MAKE THOSE BACKUP COPIES NOW ! I hate to yell, but I wish someone had yelled to me when I had to re-install. If you unzipped to another directory than BI2\MIS, copy MISS037.DAT there. That's all we need. We use this mission (named 'Discoveries') because that's currently the built-in default name for MIS2MAP program. Saves us some typing. (My favourite map too by the way.) Usually you would specify all three names in the command line, MISSxxx.DAT and translation table name with the extensions and the output filename without extensions. Like this: "mis2map miss001.dat mytable.bi2 01", and with map2mis: "map2mis 01 mytable.bi2 miss001.dat". 5.1 Mis2map At the dos prompt, type MIS2MAP A header bar and something like "Note: no filenames were specified, using defaults..." should appear on you screen. If you have a FAST machine, you won't have much time to look at them, before the ASCII-character maps start to scroll. You can try to hit your 'Pause' key if you want to take a closer look. Three new files will be created first: 37.TER, 37.OBJ and 37.VEH. These are the ASCII-maps. 5.2 Translation table After the maps, it creates (or "updates") a TRANSLATION TABLE file (TRANSLAT.TBL) which includes 3 tables: "Terrain", "Objects" and "Vehicle" translation tables, one after another. It is an ordinary text file just like the maps, and you can (and will) edit it. The table links the characters of the ASCII-maps and the numbers in BI2 mission file. The vehicle table could look like this: ! START OF VEHICLE TRANSLATION TABLE # 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 ASCII-code (optional) # � 旼컴컴컴 Value in MISS037.DAT # � � 旼컴 Character representing that value in 37.VEH # � � � � Comments (optional) #컨� 컴컨컴 � 컨컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� . . . . 058 264 : Blue Technotrax 059 257 ; Blue Regio 060 2052 < Green Buggy 061 2068 = Green Rune 062 2072 > Green Supervirus . . . . etc. etc. To put it another way: if you want "t" (lower case) to stand for your Technotrax tank (if you play blue) in your ASCII-map, just find this line 058 264 : Blue Technotrax ... and replace ":" with "t", like this: 058 264 t Blue Technotrax Make sure the character is ALWAYS in the 15th column. If "t" was already used by another unit, you'd need replace that with a "free" character. (This time lower case "t" should be free though. Upper case "T" would not.) Before we edit TRANSLAT.TBL, let's take a look at the ASCII- maps. Start your text editor or word processor and load 37.OBJ. This is the objects map. "Objects" are roads, buildings, towns (their pictures, to be accurate) and forest too. Objects come on top of "Terrain" (grassland, hills, rocky, different depths of water etc.). When you look at 37.OBJ for the first time you don't see much. All those "@" are damaging our sight. Before we get rid of them, look at line 21 about in the middle of the map: there should be several g's in a row. That's a railroad. You can see more g's where the two ATC-factories are, one in the north-west corner, the other in the south-west. And yes, you guessed it right: UU UU UU is the road to Buggy Factory. UU 5.3 Edit table and maps Now load the translation table TRANSLAT.TBL. Find line 74 and change "@" to " " (hit space bar and overwrite it). Note: The first number is NOT a line number but the ASCII-code of the character. On line 74 it should read "064". Now " " (space) represents a hexagon which hasn't got any object in it. A hexagon like this has value -1 in any MISSxxx.DAT file. Same applies to vehicles, but not to terrain. There are no holes in the maps. While you are at it, find "g" in OBJECT table and change it to "=", which may look more like rails. At least it's unused. Make sure that the table is right (i.e. not the Terrain table). Save TRANSLAT.TBL and re-run MIS2MAP. Load 37.OBJ again into your editor; the "@":s should be gone and the "g":s turned to "=":s. Now PUT YOUR EDITOR TO OVERWRITE mode if it's not. Draw some more rails where your units can see them (most of your units are near the north-western corner of the map. If you go straight to the south from the railroad in line 21, you'll make a bridge accross the bay in the middle of the map. If you see "i" on the edge of a forest near the center of the map, that's one of the "secret factories" - a good endpoint for the rails. Save it, and then compare the lengths of the three files (37.TER, 37.OBJ and 37.VEH). They should all be 2400 bytes long, or at least of the same length. I think some editors end the lines differently. The "right size" is of course 48 x 48 = 2304 hexagons, but if there's one "end of line" mark in every line, that would make 2352. If there are two (cr+lf) it makes 48 x 50 = 2400. Don't be alarmed now - just check that if you load and save them ALL with the same editor, they all have the same size. If not, you propably inserted the rails instead of overwriting. If think I programmed a "fill in the missing spaces at the end of a line" -routine, though. But EXTRA spaces will always make the map look really weird. Load 37.VEH, where the the units are. Empty hexagons are already spaces in this map. Put your editor to overwrite mode again and throw in a few new units, preferably near your new railroad so you can see where it goes. If you wish, make similar, cautious experiments with the terrain in 37.TER. Check the file sizes once more and then... 5.4 Map2mis Type MAP2MIS A header bar, blue this time, shows up. The translation should be quicker than from MISSxxx.DAT to maps with MIS2MAP. 5.5 Container editor Containers (cities etc.) can be edited either before or after the maps are translated back to MISSxxx.DAT. There is no link between cities and what can be seen on the maps. If you use Container Editor and move a city, the picture of the city stays, but an invisible city will hide on the new coordinates. If you move, say, a Demon unit into that hexagon, the capture-window will pop up. But if you move into the old place, where the picture (propably red now that the owner information has moved away) still is, nothing happens. Note: This has nothing to do with 'fake containers'. Container editor has the same default MISSxxx.DAT filename, MISS037.DAT. Just type CONTAIN The blue info box will guide you through the fields. To jump to the next container, press "+" key, "-" to go back. Arrow keys work between fields. Try for example to turn the first container, the Blue Headquarters, into a factory. Go to the 4 light gray fields on the right and enter values between 33 and 37 to enable production of some deadly aircraft there (he he... time to wax those bums.. B-) ) See Appendix A for a more complete list of units. When you're done, press Q and then Y to save directly to MISS037.DAT and quit. 5.6 And finally... If the modified MISS037.DAT isn't already in BI2\MIS directory, copy it there. (You did make backup copies, didn't you?) One more thing before we start BI2. We have edited the mission file, not the savegames. The saved games are safely in \BI2\SAV directory. However, usually when you start BI2, it loads your latest savegame automatically. Now, I don't know why, but for some reason, if this saved game is a campaign other than the one whose MISSxxx.DAT you edited, the game may look like garbage on your screen. If You find out why, please use my email address in the beginning of this text. Also, if that never happens to You, let me know that too. Garbage or not, hit F1, choose NEW CAMPAIGN, type password ZAFLUGE (set all players to Human if you wish), hold your breath and hit START... If you see garbage now, go back to check the file sizes again, restore MISS037.DAT from backup, delete TRANSLAT.TBL, and run MIS2MAP again. 37.TER etc. will always be overwritten automatically, TRANSLAT.TBL will never. 6. KNOWN PROBLEMS 6.1 Only 256 ASCII characters You can use the same table for several maps, but if there are more than 250 of any of the three types, there will be trouble. We have only about 250 printable ASCII-characters on our disposal. MIS2MAP's automatic translation table update-routine will try to avoid "bad characters", but you can still try to insert them to the translation table and they won't be overwritten. Basicly, nothing you put into the table will ever disappear - unless MIS2MAP really runs out of space. The vehicles are in danger first. There are only 54 different, BUT there are 6 different nationalities (plus occasional Neutral Aldiniums). 6 x 54 = 324 which is more than we have characters to display them. But what kind of campaign would need all 54 units for all 6 players, deployed all over the map in the beginning of the game? You only create the starting situation of the game; why not give each player some extra energy instead, which would allow them to build the needed units during the first turn. 6.2 "What are all these Terrain and Object types?" I leave it up to you to comment your translation tables. I'd appreciate if some kind person would uuencode and mail a complete table with (if posssible) all terrain and object types as soon as someone completes his/her research. It will be interesting to see whether there are more than 256 of them. Most scenarios have less than 100 of each type. 6.3 "It's impossible to draw these maps without seeing the graphics!" This is an ultimate test for any game: if it's really worth the trouble, someone, some day will program an editor which outclasses Blue Byte Inc.'s own. Not me, rest assured. Luckily, the roads for example, can be drawn with a single character. You don't have to choose from 8 different directions (plus all possible junctions). 7. STANDARD DISCLAIMER BATTLE ISLE 2 is a registered trademark of Blue Byte Inc. This software is provided without any guarantee for its usefulness for any purpose. I will not take responsibility for any damage that its use, invalid or not, may cause. No liability for consequential damages. In no event shall I be liable for consequential, incidental or indirect damages of any kind arising out of the delivery, performance or use of the software, even if I have been advised of the possibility of such damages. IF YOU CAN NOT ACCEPT THESE CONDITIONS, DELETE THIS SOFTWARE IMMEDIATELY. BI2 MAPPER V 1.00 is NOT shareware - it's freeware. Please distribute like crazy. 8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many thanks to o Tuomas Kivel� who programmed the key parts of MIS2MAP and helped me in the very beginning when I was stuck. Without his help, I'd still be there. o Paolo Baiardi who provided me with most useful information about the unknown parts of the container segment data. He first discovered the production menus. o Everyone, who stated their interest in this program and thus gave me inspiration to go on. o The people in Blue Byte Inc., for making an enjoyable game. I hope the chance to create one's own maps will increase people's interest in this product. Those guys have earned every Deutch mark they get from this and, who knows, maybe even more. SPECIAL THANKS to Pasi Ahopelto. Without his documents, BI2 MAPPER would not have been possible. APPENDIX A: Vehicle codes (by Pasi Ahopelto) Code Description -------- ----------- 00 nn Planum construction vehicle (road/rail) 01 nn Regio constr. vehicle (forts) 02 nn Sinus repair vehicle 03 nn Ranger recce vehicle 04 nn Buggy recce vehicle 05 nn Orion radar vehicle 06 nn Demon light robot 07 nn Imperator 08 nn Technotrax light tank 09 nn Snake armored transport 10 nn Sting rocket tank 11 nn Samurai 2 main battle tank 12 nn Pulsar artillery 13 nn Nashorn assault tank 14 nn Spring transport tank 15 nn Elixir 16 nn Troll battle robot 17 nn Archimedes rocket launcher 18 nn Algol tanker vehicle 19 nn Alcor ammunition transporter vehicle 20 nn Rune radar emplacement 21 nn Medusa AA-gun 22 nn Skull gun tower 23 nn Ionstar gun tower 24 nn Supervirus mine 25 nn Atlas transport vehicle 26 nn Dolmen transport train 27 nn Anaconda rail gun 28 nn Excalibur rail gun 29 nn Menhir fast train 30 nn Monolith repair train 31 nn Uhu recce plane 32 nn Ghost stealth fighter 33 nn Thunder 34 nn Stormbringer bomber 35 nn Dragon battle helicopter 36 nn Genom fighter 37 nn Exterminator fighter/bomber 38 nn Sperber torpedo bomber 39 nn Spectrum tanker plane 40 nn Crux transport plane 41 nn Guppi transport helicopter 42 nn Rex repair ship 43 nn Moeve speedboat 44 nn Patrix patrol boat 45 nn Titan aircraft carrier 46 nn Nautilus transport sub (Shell in manual?) 47 nn Orca hunter submarine 48 nn Polar cruiser 49 nn Zenit battleship 50 nn Hydra torpedo boat 51 nn Vader amphibian 52 nn Comet AA-tank 53 nn Aldinium crystal