Tutorial: Mapmaking for Civ 4

[Ramkhamhaeng]

My advice for future map makers:

Avoid outdated mod versions for the final map making. Older versions might have different starting techs, starting units etc.
The most stuff can be simply fixed by creating a second scenario file with a proper setup of the players. Open this file in a text editor and copy the "BeginTeam … … EndPlayer“ block into the other file.

[RefSteel]

That's excellent advice, and will hopefully be easier when a "standard" RtR stabilizes so that a new mod isn't needed for each game and an an up-to-date mod exists more than a few hours before game start! There's another step (that I missed in PB49) though, since the map is usually generated before civs are chosen: Double check all starting units (which are not in the "BeginTeam … … EndPlayer“ block) to make sure that the approrpiate civs and leaders have the right UUs and promos on their starting units (e.g. Tracker vs Scout in recent RtR, C1 vs no promos on Warriors in BtS, and so forth, depending on the mod). Note that this applies in both directions: If your randomly-generated units prior to civ picks included Native America and in RtR, you might accidentally give a Tracker to some other civ, so do check them all!

[Ramkhamhaeng]

In RB43 and an other running Pitboss game players found a graphic bug nearby the origin plot (0,0).
   
This is a part of the RB43 map with width 42. Increasing the width to 43 increases the problematic patch on 3x3 size.

After testing a bit around I strongly recommend mapmakers following: Use a multiple of four for the map width.

[Charriu]

I've converted all the data in the BonusInfo.XML into a nice spreadsheet. For anybody trying to make a very natural map you can take this as a reference.

BonusInfo.XML

[Charriu]

How to setup a map or sim with advanced start:

1. Just start the game without advanced start first.
2. When you are done save in world builder
3. Open the file in any text editor. Add this line between "BeginGame/EndGame" into your WBSave file:

NumAdvancedStartPoints=XXX

XXX is the amount of points for Advanced Start. Please keep in mind that this value is modified by difficulty later. For example 556 gives you 500 points on a small monarch. Adjust this value according to your needs.

4. Delete the player information from the WBSave file. They should look like this:

Code:

Code:

BeginPlayer

    Team=0

    StartingX=14, StartingY=10

    Handicap=HANDICAP_NOBLE

EndPlayer

The Advanced Start centers around the StartingX and StartingY coordinates and is equivalent to 4th ring culture borders, 61 tiles total (NOTE: this center tile can be water).

5. Load this file as a new scenario via "Custom Scenario" and enable "Advanced Start"

Note that the Advanced Start area does distort to account for proximity of adjacent players if the areas overlap ... however that distortion is a dead giveaway that another player is in that direction, and settling on the limit in that direction and popping borders is still allowed.