Starters guide to Mapping

Detailed explanation. Do you have any plans to continue this series?

I have made a first attempt at creating a map. I am now at the point that I have placed all decals for mass and hydrocarbons.
I want to make my map 'adaptive', I have linked all mass- and hydrocarbon markers to the appropriate ARMY_#. Do I have to link the mass & hydrocarbon deposit decals to the appropriate ARMY_# too?

WIP - Adaptive Switcheroo

It could be of much help to see this series continued with explantations of 'props', 'decals' & 'units'. There is some detail and explanation on the help page for the editor, unfortunately some import subjects are left untouched. Thanks for your work thusfar.

I used Ozonex map editor.

These posts touch a bit on the subject, they really delve into a more detailed aspect but don't seem to explain how the decals interact with the markers.

Decals Intro
Custom Decals

between me and jip we are going through what tutorials are available and whats missing and updating as needed so there will essentially be a master guide in one place (soon ) In answer to the decals i don't believe its possible to make them adaptive i.e. you can't link it to whether the resource spawns or not, i don't think the code is currently in place to allow this, but would love to be proven wrong on this tho. Your map is looking good, but i'd go careful with the narrow paths they will cause path finding issues

You can spawn decals dynamically and you could theoretically place them adaptive too. The code doesn't support it in its current state, I'm experimenting with dynamically placing decals in one of the Nomad missions .

Good to hear! I am eagerly awaiting..

So how do the 'adaptive' maps work then? Mass decals with no markers?

they are technically props that are placed where the marker is and you choose through the options which ones spawn here's the relevant code

function spawnresource(Position,restype, spawnhpr)
    --check type of resource and set parameters
    local bp, albedo, size, lod;
    if restype == "Mass" then
        albedo = "/env/common/splats/mass_marker.dds";
        bp = "/env/common/props/massDeposit01_prop.bp";
        size = 2;
        lod = 100;
    else
        albedo = "/env/common/splats/hydrocarbon_marker.dds";
        bp = "/env/common/props/hydrocarbonDeposit01_prop.bp";
        size = 6;
        lod = 200;
    end
    
    --create the resource
    CreateResourceDeposit(restype, Position[1], Position[2], Position[3], size/2);
    
    --create the resource graphic on the map
    if spawnhpr then
        CreatePropHPR(bp, Position[1], Position[2], Position[3], Random(0,360), 0, 0);
    end
    --create the resource icon on the map
    CreateSplat(
        Position,                # Position
        0,                       # Heading (rotation)
        albedo,                  # Texture name for albedo
        size, size,              # SizeX/Z
        lod,                     # LOD
        0,                       # Duration (0 == does not expire)
        -1,                      # Army (-1 == not owned by any single army)
        0                        # Fidelity
    );
end

Ok I might've bitten off too much to chew, I will be visiting the discord for further assistance.

you don't really need to know the code to much to or at all really all your doing is changing variables, copy pasting code and making a table which by the sounds of it you've already done. here's my updated guide to adaptive maps https://forums.faforever.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=19242

Thanks for this. It seems I did not search the forums well enough.

The decals & props for both 'Mass' & 'Hydrocarbon' deposits are automatically placed on the markers when you have the 'adaptive' script enabled', I did not have to align them manually in the editor. Possible obvious mistake but maybe this will save someone some time.

Thanks again for the guide MadMax, I followed it step by step and have my first 'adaptive' map working now

i see you meant the stock decal and props and there was me giving you the complex answer when the simple one was what you wanted

Happy accident

@Stealth9 said in Starters guide to Mapping:

The decals & props for both 'Mass' & 'Hydrocarbon' deposits are automatically placed on the markers when you have the 'adaptive' script enabled'

It does this regardless if you have the script or not.

Ok, so when using Ozonex Map Editor I only have to place markers for resources. Is this the same in the gpg map editor?

yes but gpg lacks the mirroring functions of ozonex