Maps from BMP-images

MartinS · May 25, 1999, 17:16

A couple of months ago, somebody posted a site where you could download a program called "bmp2map", with which you could make civ2-maps from bmp-images. I wonder if there is anyone who has had any expirience with it?

I have only been able to make one playable map with it so far, and then I still had to a lot of editing with the map-editor.

Biggles · May 25, 1999, 19:06

Sounds like it could save a lot of time, even if it only gives you the outline to work with.
Please post any developments.

May 25, 1999, 19:17

Sorry, I can't help you, but that sounds really neat. I'd really like to hear more about that too.

May 25, 1999, 19:18

I think this is it
It's not linked from anywhere, but I remembered it was somewhere on the site...

http://apolyton.net/civ2/misc/bmp2mp12.zip

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Markos, Apolyton Civilization Site

Gothmog · May 26, 1999, 07:55

I have used it and it IS good for setting up the coast lines. However, it tends to mess up any rivers you put in your bmp. But this is understandable because what it is doing is transforming a sqaure grid, the bmp, to a diamond grid, the civ2 map. It turns 1 pixel into 1 diamond. Another limitation is that your bmp can only be 10,000 pixels (e.g. 100 by 100 bitmap). Your bitmap cannot be very detailed.

I have also found that it helps to scale down the width of your bmp to 50%. Otherwise your civ2 map turns out really wide.

MartinS · May 27, 1999, 06:04

Great point; the 50% scaling. Never thought of that. Thank´s. I´m gonna try it right now and see if my maps turn out better.

Mercator · May 27, 1999, 14:58

I thought it was wonderful when I heard about this thing. But now I have it, I hardly ever use it. I find it nearly useless...
I am planning to make my own program though (within the next 10 years or so), that can convert BMP to MP and vice versa. That would be especially useful for cutting and pasting different maps.

Masis · May 28, 1999, 08:16

Help Me!

I want to create a scenario using the "Mediteranean" Map, but when I use Map Editor, the map comes out a complete and utter blank, maening that I would have to create from scratch all the terrain types.

Has anyone else encountered this fault?

Yours sincerely,

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MRP

Allard HS · May 28, 1999, 09:26

Mercator, do you know anything about programming and doing this? If you could make a program like this, it would be wonderful.....

Bizmut · January 5, 2000, 11:05

Masis, I beleive you must make the map 16 or 256 colors (read the .txt file PLEASE)

Bismuth

Mercator · January 6, 2000, 15:54

Masis: That's a mistake from Microprose, they didn't put any terrains on it. This is what you should do:
1. Start the Rome scenario (one of the two original crap scenarios that came with the game),
2. Save a game on it,
3. Load this savegame with the MapEditor...

The Rome scenario uses this same mediterranean map except it does have terrains.

Allard: I can program a bit actually (Prolog, C and Visual Basic), but I'm not really an expert at any of them. I'm quite sure I won't ever make the utility howver, especially now the "MapUtility" has come and will be capable of more than I ever planned.

January 7, 2000, 08:29

Is it just me or does anyone else notice that this thread is about 7 months old?

Mercator · January 12, 2000, 15:36

Yes, I do. Apparently Bizmut has been digging through the forums, bringing this thread back up, and attracting my attention (although a little late). MartinS has probably already forgotten about it.

January 12, 2000, 19:42

He should at least resurrect an interesting thread!

MartinS · January 14, 2000, 17:47

It´s so nice to see that this old thread has come to life again. Mercator, I haven´t quite forgotten all about it. Actually I use it a lot. Instead of letting the computer create a random map when I start a new game, I download a small picture from somewhere on the net. Then I take it into Paint Shop Pro, where I decrease the number of colours to 16. Then I just save im bmp-format and run it through bmp2map. Sometimes I get quite interesting maps. The last one I made came from http://greetings.yahoo.com/g/img/am/2009665/thumb.gif This turned out to be a really interesting one. There are five big areas with good terrain (the turtle´s spots) with lots of hills between them. Everything is surrounded with tundra. I´m thinking about playing a game with 5 civilizations and raging hordes on this map. The hills should make it very difficult for the 5 civilizations to go to war with eachother, at least until someone discovers Flight. And all around them, on the tundra, huge hordes of barbarians will appear.

Is there anyone else who uses bmp2map in this way?