finished custom map! (first try)

[jarnomodderkolk]

I just finished making 2 custom maps for 0ad, so i wanna hear you opinion about them. you like it? or do i need to change or add stuff?

[FeXoR]

Welcome to the 0 A.D. Forum

The maps looks nice to me.

The second one seams to grant little space for buildings (but I guess that's intended).

[Yves]

I like how you have taken care to make the maps playable. Many people make the mistake that they just try to make good-looking maps, which are unfortunately not fun to play.

Well done:

• Both players seem to have more or less even chances on your maps
• The maps are laid out so that the terrain contributes to gameplay (narrow gaps, potential locations for expansion etc.)
• Terrain textures fit well. You adjust them to altitude and environment
• You use different trees for different environment types (palm trees on the shore, conifers on the east side where the terrain looks more rocky and the terrain is less green, burnt trees close to the vulcano)
• Terrain elevation makes it interesting but still in a way that should not infer with gameplay negatively
• I think it's by purpose that there's (apparently) not enough room for a civic center on the islands in the middle of the second map? That could be interesting because it requires players to gather resources using docks first, I like it!

Possible improvements:

• Terrain texture tiling is very visible on some places (especailly the grassy part in the middle).
• Could probably use some more eyecandy bushes and things. Would also help to hide the texture tiling.
• The seams between textures are too visible.

Keep up the good work!

[niektb]

I more or less agree with with Yves said above.

In addition to that I think you can push the look further by changing stuff in the Environmental tab (like water color, sun angle+color etc.). .

Check out Sporades Islands for an excellent example of that (I really love how the creator combined the water color with the sun color!)

Some other examples (just picked two):

http://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17326&page=3#entry305493

http://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17326&p=306278

(Make sure you turn on the graphics settings in the options menu)

Edited June 14, 2015 by niektb

[Zhyyra]

The second one has quite a large sea to land ratio but, they do both look quite good. I would imagine on the second one that all inland structures are attainable for destruction by a strong naval fleet.

[wraitii]

I think you could improve the look of your oceans a bit.

On your first map I'd increase the murkiness a bit and use a slightly more natural color for the deep water. On your second map I would also tweak the color and reduce the waviness.

[jarnomodderkolk]

Welcome to the 0 A.D. Forum

The maps looks nice to me.

The second one seams to grant little space for buildings (but I guess that's intended).

Yes i ment to make the building space limited so u have to think about what your gonna build

[jarnomodderkolk]

I like how you have taken care to make the maps playable. Many people make the mistake that they just try to make good-looking maps, which are unfortunately not fun to play.

Well done:

• Both players seem to have more or less even chances on your maps
• The maps are laid out so that the terrain contributes to gameplay (narrow gaps, potential locations for expansion etc.)
• Terrain textures fit well. You adjust them to altitude and environment
• You use different trees for different environment types (palm trees on the shore, conifers on the east side where the terrain looks more rocky and the terrain is less green, burnt trees close to the vulcano)
• Terrain elevation makes it interesting but still in a way that should not infer with gameplay negatively
• I think it's by purpose that there's (apparently) not enough room for a civic center on the islands in the middle of the second map? That could be interesting because it requires players to gather resources using docks first, I like it!

Possible improvements:

• Terrain texture tiling is very visible on some places (especailly the grassy part in the middle).
• Could probably use some more eyecandy bushes and things. Would also help to hide the texture tiling.
• The seams between textures are too visible.

Keep up the good work!

Yes i would like to make tiling less visible but i do not know how to make that smooth, and more eye candy.. i tried to make a lot of it (rocks at the vulcano and bushes. i placed almost every fauna structures that is in the editor.

and there is enough room in the middle for a civic center, but i agree the small middle island is to small..

but one thing with the second map, is that the enemy bot doesn't really know what to do. he doesn't build stuff and only gets resources. its prop cuz of there are only pigs and crates on that island for food resource.

Edited June 16, 2015 by jarnomodderkolk

[jarnomodderkolk]

I more or less agree with with Yves said above.

In addition to that I think you can push the look further by changing stuff in the Environmental tab (like water color, sun angle+color etc.). .

Check out Sporades Islands for an excellent example of that (I really love how the creator combined the water color with the sun color!)

Some other examples (just picked two):

http://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17326&page=3#entry305493

http://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17326&p=306278

(Make sure you turn on the graphics settings in the options menu)

the only way to make differed water colors is to change the ground underneath it right? i do not put the graphics settings up (only shadows) because otherwise when i play normal games after 10 minutes the game starts lagging at 20-40 fps cuz of all the units

The second one has quite a large sea to land ratio but, they do both look quite good. I would imagine on the second one that all inland structures are attainable for destruction by a strong naval fleet.

yes thats true, i could not test that tho because the bot doesn't seem to work...

I think you could improve the look of your oceans a bit.

On your first map I'd increase the murkiness a bit and use a slightly more natural color for the deep water. On your second map I would also tweak the color and reduce the waviness.

i have been playing with some of those settings. but i do not see any difference on some of them

Yes i would like to make tiling less visible but i do not know how to make that smooth, and more eye candy.. i tried to make a lot of it (rocks at the vulcano and bushes. i placed almost every fauna structures that is in the editor.

and there is enough room in the middle for a civic center, but i agree the small middle island is to small..

but one thing with the second map, is that the enemy bot doesn't really know what to do. he doesn't build stuff and only gets resources. its prop cuz of there are only pigs and crates on that island for food resource.

and its annoying to add more rocks and bushes because they prevent u from building there

I just finished making 2 custom maps for 0ad, so i wanna hear you opinion about them. you like it? or do i need to change or add stuff?

i need some inspiration of what environment i have to create next, does one of you have any idea

is there a way i can putt the files in here?

[niektb]

It might be nice to enable those settings when you are working in Atlas (so that you can show off with a nicer looking map (which people with a faster PC can play of course))

The fact that you don't see a lot changing when you try Wraitii's suggestion is likely caused by the fact that you didn't turn on those settings too.

You can alter the water color by going in the tab with the sum icon:

There you can change water color / sun color + angle etc. etc.

There is a way to place bushes without having obstruction/resources called actors.

They are only visual and have no influence on gameplay.

(You can select them after you placed them by selecting the Move tool and by holding the Alt button)

You could check out an old Mapping Contest (it has a list of possible themes): http://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19230

You also could consider to join up here: http://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19860

[mimo]

but one thing with the second map, is that the enemy bot doesn't really know what to do. he doesn't build stuff and only gets resources. its prop cuz of there are only pigs and crates on that island for food resource.

Strange. Which version of the game do you use ? svn or A18 ? and does the bot build only a few building or none at all ?

[jarnomodderkolk]

Strange. Which version of the game do you use ? svn or A18 ? and does the bot build only a few building or none at all

i got the newest 0ad version and the enemy doesn't build anything just gets wood

It might be nice to enable those settings when you are working in Atlas (so that you can show off with a nicer looking map (which people with a faster PC can play of course))

The fact that you don't see a lot changing when you try Wraitii's suggestion is likely caused by the fact that you didn't turn on those settings too.

You can alter the water color by going in the tab with the sum icon:

There you can change water color / sun color + angle etc. etc.

There is a way to place bushes without having obstruction/resources called actors.

They are only visual and have no influence on gameplay.

(You can select them after you placed them by selecting the Move tool and by holding the Alt button)

You could check out an old Mapping Contest (it has a list of possible themes): http://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19230

You also could consider to join up here: http://wildfiregames.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19860

thank you for your help

[niektb]

no problem.

[jarnomodderkolk]

no problem.

i am sorry but i can't enable those settings in atlas its lagging like crazy :|

[jarnomodderkolk]

smoking vulcano thanks for the tips. now i have more things to work with

Edited June 16, 2015 by jarnomodderkolk

[niektb]

Hmm, what GPU do you have?

BTW, under the tab misc hacks in your title bar there is an option to do a screenshot (so you can make a picture of your map without the interface of Atlas)

[jarnomodderkolk]

Hmm, what GPU do you have?

BTW, under the tab misc hacks in your title bar there is an option to do a screenshot (so you can make a picture of your map without the interface of Atlas)

i have got a NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 512 MB video card

[niektb]

Then you'd better check if 0 A.D. really runs with your NVidia card and not on your Intel Integrated GPU since I have no problems (true, I have some lag but not unworkable) in Atlas with a 610M (though mine has 2GB VRAM it is a lot weaker).

[jarnomodderkolk]

Then you'd better check if 0 A.D. really runs with your NVidia card and not on your Intel Integrated GPU since I have no problems (true, I have some lag but not unworkable) in Atlas with a 610M (though mine has 2GB VRAM it is a lot weaker).

yea ur GPU got 4times the vram if it has 2GB. and i don't think its running on my intel GPU i have a mac with a basic i5 so i don't think so. and ok its is workable for me.. but the lag is really annoying. but in 2 months i will get my new pc that has got a MSI Geforce GTX 980 gaming card so thats gonna be no problem

and do u have any idea of a map type that isn't in the game yet? i wanna make one thats not in the game yet so its more special

and btw your dutch? because ur name sounds dutch

Edited June 17, 2015 by jarnomodderkolk

[jarnomodderkolk]

i am thinking about making maps that exist in Age Of Empires III that i really liked, the maps i wanna make are :

- amazone

- swamp

- rocky mountains

I'll copy almost everything of those maps from AOE so they are really playable

Edited June 17, 2015 by jarnomodderkolk

[jarnomodderkolk]

emm ok, who made this structure..... Welcome to airfield 0ad xD

and some one have any idea for eye candy here?

Edited June 17, 2015 by jarnomodderkolk

[jarnomodderkolk]

mineworker hideouts

[sanderd17]

These structures are used in the plane demo map (yes, 0 A.D. has airplanes, and they shoot burning ballista balls).

[niektb]

[...]

and i don't think its running on my intel GPU i have a mac with a basic i5 so i don't think so.

[...]

I have an i5 in my notebook too but normally it runs on my Intel HD4000 (till I changed it to run on my NVidia).

You're invited to participate in the Trade Route map team (which is currently a 1-person team) if you like to.

Do you need to find your files? If you already found them you can zip them and upload them here (Using 'Use Full Editor' button when posting)

Yeah, I'm Dutch too

Edited June 17, 2015 by niektb

[jarnomodderkolk]

I have an i5 in my notebook too but normally it runs on my Intel HD4000 (till I changed it to run on my NVidia).

You're invited to participate in the Trade Route map team (which is currently a 1-person team) if you like to.

Do you need to find your files? If you already found them you can zip them and upload them here (Using 'Use Full Editor' button when posting)

Yeah, I'm Dutch too

what does it mean i am invited to participate in the trade route team? that i can can help make the map?