#0027: Dominions 4: Thrones of Ascension map creation guide

Otto

#0027: Dominions 4: Thrones of Ascension map creation guide

Preamble

This is a quick bullet point style guide to how I create maps for IllWinter’s game: “Dominions 4: Thrones of Ascension”. Note: I will henceforth refer to the Dominions 4 game binary as “dom4”.

Map creation steps

Step 1: acquire or create a base image to use as the map.

I created an image using the GIMP image editor, and saved the multilayer project file (.xcf).

Step 2: use an image editor program to alter/create an image to conform to a standard that the dom4 executable can recognise.

Image specifics:

  • image must be in the Truevision TGA (.tga) or Silicon Graphics Image (.rgb) image format
  • minimum image size: 256×256 pixels
  • recommended image size: 1600×1200 pixels
  • image must be in 24 bit or 32 bit colour depth
  • image must be either uncompressed or using run-length encoded (RLE) compression
  • image must use a white single pixel as a province marker
  • white = HEX:#ffffff, RGB:(255,255,255)

Step 3: using the image editor, export a correctly formatted image.

I exported a TGA image file to specification, with a size of 256×256.

Example image file name: “tutorial_map_256x256.tga”.

Step 4: copy that image file to the dom4 working directory.

Working folder directory:

  • Linux: ~/.dominions4/
  • Mac: ~/.dominions4/
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\dominions4\

Step 5: boot up the dom4 game, and navigate to the game’s internal map editor.

Menu navigation: Game Tools > Map Editor > New map > (enter image file name)

This will automatically create a map. By populating it with provinces (one at each white pixel), then guess at the links between the different provinces.

Step 6: use the in game map editor to edit the map data.

This includes: mapping links between provinces, formatting link types (mountain, river, ground); terrain types (forest, farm, sea); throne sites, special sites, and so fourth. Its important at this stage to generate random names for each province, this is in order to populate within the .map file relevant code for the province names.

Example: #landname 1 “Deepmount”

  • example with no province markers
  • clean map
  • name edit
  • saving map name
  • example with imported image

Step 7: save the map. This will generate a .map file in your dom4 working folder.

tutorial_map_256x256(newly_created).mapDownload

Step 8: using a text editor: edit the .map file data such as the in-game map name, map description, and province names.

tutorial_map_256x256(customised).mapDownload

Step 9: test play the map, and troubleshoot errors.

If the dom4 program crashes as soon as you load up the map. Then it is indicative of a hard fault. For example, the tutorial map here crashes if you try to add more than 4 nations to it. Other crashes like this can be caused by the dom4 binary being unable to find a resource. E.g. the user renamed/edited resource files, then tried to load into a game that uses them.

Step 10: backup and archive your map

Example archive contents:

  • GIMP project file (.xcf)
  • original image file (.png)
  • processed image file (.tga)
  • map source code (.map)

Map files

tutorial_map_256x256Download

Closing thoughts

This method is probably the simplest way to actually create decent playable maps. By using the built in map creator tool, a user can bypass a lot of the tedium involved in coding. Such as learning the meanings of various symbols used for variables and game function, or learning the specific syntax used to generate a viable .map file. This is because the in-game visual editor automatically populates the .map file with viable code. All the user has to do is use the visual editor to assign all the functionality that they require for each province by checking menu boxes. Save the map. Then circle back to the .map file to fill in a couple of titles (in game text fields) after that.

Ultimately, I think that this quick guide provides a good framework. One that an aspirant map creator can build on further by reading IllWinter’s map making manual. Which in turn will allow them to gain further insight into the mechanics of map making; including the ability for more advanced functionality. In the mean time, just these simple steps will enable users to create perfectly playable maps. Ones that should satisfy most.

Thank you for reading.

Links, references, further reading

manual_mapeditDownload

http://www.illwinter.com/dom4/manual_mapedit.pdf <<< MAP MANUAL
http://www.illwinter.com/dom4/index.html
https://github.com/Narroe/Dominions_4_custom_maps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truevision_TGA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Graphics_Image
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run-length_encoding