Install instructions:
This is a tileset package for map designers / mod makers. Anyone who uses the map editor should put all extracted # tilesets from 2nd UBUCNew.rar file in Data/Tilesets folder. The set.dat file goes in Data/BinaryData folder. But make sure your ja2.ini is pointing to Data-1.13 because the editor needs to find all the new medium and small item pics there. Extract all the default maps from Data\maps.slf to a Maps folder. Snap's unslf utility does this automatically. Just follow his readme. This and other freeware programs from him are included in several of the downloads.
The game reads all maps, tilesets, b_map.pcx and the ja2set.dat file from Data (1.12) when using the editor and playtesting. If the game/editor finds it there it doesn't look in 1.13. Especially the #50 and higher tilesets plus the ja2set.dat included here need to be in Data or the editor will shut down when one of them is loaded.
Only the end users of new map packs/mods need to all tilesets and the set.dat file in the correct folders in Data-1.13 only. I'm wondering if you have to copy-paste the 4 small gun /item .sti's from Tileset #0 to #50 so the correct pics show up. I believe #50 reads from #0 if it needs something. It is my wish for the final version of this project to be in Data-1.13 as part of the official release enhancing the other great stuff as a base for all future mods. Then only the new (radar) + maps, new item pics, B_map.pcx (see below) and any tweaked .xml files need to be included in a mod distrubution.
This readme is included in the JWmaps.rar along with my top 3 map picks that I have done. aGolfcourse uses Queen's Airport, aIslandHospital my #69 tileset included, and aRebelFarm uses the Farm2 tileset. The farm map was used in Urban Chaos and I even got a kudos email from Batman himself about it. 3 screenshots from each one will be on the website to check out. The a prefix is to minimize those down arrow clicks in the map editor. Or just type the map name.
The new editor's change tilesets button works properly now without any crashes. All tilesets loaded correctly using this in the 1.13 687 editor version. Consider this the main release version. New custom tilesets will be released as an update with only the new tileset folders and a stand alone ja2set.dat file to replace the original one. When I think I've reached my creative limit for tileset ideas I will put everything into 1 package again.
Here are the tilesets available below.
(10) Snap's UB addon pack -- Heavy Snow thru Lowest Level Complex. I imported his set.dat entries into my file, numbers #50-59. His original tilesets included.
| Name | Theme |
|---|---|
| CUSTOM 03 | UC Airport |
| CUSTOM 05 | UC Convoy |
| CUSTOM 06 | UC Subway Station |
| CUSTOM 10 | UC Town1 |
| Cambria Hospital | UC Hospital |
| CUSTOM 19 | UC Town2 |
| CUSTOM 26 | UC GovtFaction |
| CUSTOM 49 | UC Town3 |
(3) My custom tilesets, numbered #68-70. -- more on the way. Fixed some errors by moving some .sti entries around. In the debris, tree, rock and Barrels/OtherStuff sections I selected each individual .sti by group and using page up/page down to toggle thru them made sure that each one displayed correctly on the cursor and after placement on the map. Each map uses a different camo theme shown below:
ARMYAIRSAM --Urban
ISLAND HOSPITAL --Wood
MINE PRISON --Desert
Two small tilesets included but not listed above, Palace and Queen's Tropical have p-furn3.jsd fixed from 1.12. In future tilesets I plan to mix ground terrains in a more realistic way so adjacent map sectors blend together better as seen on the strategic world map (see section C, editing B_map.pcx) while playing the game. Let me explain this better.
I'm going to put the fourth from the right ground texture (Mountain) in the ArmyAirSAM tileset in other new terrain theme tilesets except SnowMap and Swamp. It is dark green. It will be the default tile (First one from left) in any Falltown, Farm and Desert map themes. To start with a different one than the default Shift-click on another terrain tile, then click the change ground texture button and the entire map will convert. In the Coastal, Lush and Tropical it will be placed second from left. ArmyAirSAM and other transitional maps have a snow grass, fall, farm and desert tile. A farm tile will go in FallTown and Lush, 1 FallTown in Farm, Desert and Coastal one of each other, and Tropical will include 1 Swamp tile.
I created this for myself to speed up making custom tilesets using the included STI View. I have placed each main .sti picture in it's own category folder on my harddrive. When looking at tilesets in the editor you can see how everything is sorted by which button is pushed on the terrain or buildings tab. For editor newbies, L-click to select button, R-click to open the selection window. Any suggestions please put them in my 1.13 Extended tilesets thread. I will make a ja2set.dat and tileset for you. When it's done I'll send them back. Any new configured tilesets (mine or others) will be included in future releases. I'll edit my 1st post and list all changes under the current date. Let the mapmaking begin!!!
Ja2set.dat format:
Ground textures--9 slots.
These pics may be freely swapable between the 3 preceding areas because they require a shadow file and the other ones do not.
An easier way is to list what landscape theme and map category you want and I'll put it together. Do you want lots of foilage or none at all? Prefer a clean map or debris and junk everywhere? It can have wood, desert, urban or snow (hopefully soon) climate camo scenery featured in the map. Tell me what # the tileset is if your set.dat differs from mine so your maps show up the the editor correctly.
Lanscape theme--Coastal, Desert, Fall, Lush, Mountain, Snow, Swamp, Tropical
Map category--Airport, Basement, Casino, Cave, City Sector, Faction HQ, Farm, Snow Base, Golf Course, GovtDistrict, Hospital, Industrial, Inner City, Junkyard, Military Base, Military Town, Mine, Power Plant, Prison, Public Park, SAM Site, School, Sewers, Shopping Center, Ski Resort, Subway, Underground Complex and Wilderness Area.
I will volunteer to do this step for anyone's mod. Just send me your radarmaps. I figured out how to do this because I am not a good artist or painter.
Click on the world map website link below this readme link and check it out. You can see it very good in Paint also. I put some of the reduced size original ja2 radarmap pics into the overhead world map. I changed the town sectors for a quick example. I can finish the surface sectors and put it up for download if anyone is interested. This B_map is included with the Tileset Editor download since I did this after I .rar packed and put on disk the tileset package.
Double-click the Generate Radarmaps button and all the small maps(88 by 44 pizel size) will be created in Data\radarmaps folder. For just 1 or a few at a time I use a older version of the radarmaps utility. To change the sector world map view in game, I click thru each radarmap.sti in STI View(a copy I put inside the radarmaps folder) and save it as a .bmp.
I use Paint Shop Pro to load the .bmp's one at a time. I resize the image to a 41 by 30 pixel (uncheck both boxes at bottom of dialog screen), then Edit--Copy. I click over to a 2nd window of PSP that has a extracted B_map open. I'll copy over one from Nam or UC for all the ja2 surface maps because they have the letters and numbers showing. I zoom in to 10:1, click selection tool and draw a box just inside whichever map grid's outer boundary I want, then Edit--Paste into selection. Save B_map as .pcx format in Data/Interface folder.
Click back to open the next .bmp and repeat. I can do this one or a few at a time for each radarmap that I finish or extract so this process is spread out over a big timeframe. The UC campaign editor showed the B_map.pcx as it's being updated so hopefully this editor does too. If it doesn't tell me the location where the picture is drawn from. It appears to be the one from UB.
The maps can show up dark in game because your mercs have not got there and conquered it yet. A function of game progress. Tropical, desert, lush, coastal and snow display the best. Mountain, fall, farm and swamp are usually darker. For these four I usually save a different named map copy and add several clicks of level 8 bright light all over. (Same tab as teleports and entry points, 2nd from right.) This is just for the b_map sector pic used in the world view, not the actual game/radar map. Redo procedure. The maps can be seen much better.