11 replies to this topic

[Mordeus]

This post is outdated. I've created a better one with the methodology of how I did this plus with a drop box of files. Mods feel free to delete this one.

 

Posted by: Mordeus

Date posted: June 23, 2013

Help offered: Map Resources from "Lionheart"

Details: I've managed to make copies of the area maps and of specific map objects from the game "Lionheart". I'm not going to be able to use them myself because I've dedicated my time to a rather large spell mod. But I've noticed that there has been a desire among some modders to use the maps from "Lionheart" like in this thread from 2008:

 

http://www.shsforums...cting-the-maps/

 

I'm originally from the BG:EE forums where I've originally brought this up, however they recently enforced a copyright rule that forbids such a thing. So I figured I'd ask here since there seems to be no such rule and a stronger modding community to offer these to.

 

I've included a selection of the maps I've extracted, or rather compositied from various screenshots. I have higher definition versions tucked away because there are still some editing left to do to get them ready for infinity engine games. I can easily edit out certain objects (like the glowing crystals) with code.

 

 

My personal preference would be for these to be used for BG2:ToB as a way of expanding the Tethyr region, since that was my original intention for extracting these but I'm open to them being used for something else.

 

If you are interested in collaborating or using these resources you can contact me over at the BG:EE forums, I'll be stopping by here infrequently, so it's easier to contact me over there. I use the same username for both forums, here is a link to my profile over there:

 

http://forum.baldurs...e/14528/Mordeus

Edited by Mordeus, 01 October 2013 - 07:18 AM.

[Mike1072]

My personal preference would be for these to be used for BG2:ToB as a way of expanding the Tethyr region, since that was my original intention for extracting these but I'm open to them being used for something else.

 

If you are interested in collaborating or using these resources you can contact me over at the BG:EE forums, I'll be stopping by here infrequently, so it's easier to contact me over there. I use the same username for both forums.

Maybe you could post a link to your profile there.

 

Is this just the area artwork, or has any work been done to make them into .are files (with doors, etc.) yet?

[Almateria]

Man Lionheart was such a great game for the first part.

[Mordeus]

At the moment it is only area artwork because I would need to know the context of the maps before spending the time getting them ready with the proper files. Especially since I could get all 50 or so Lionheart maps ready, with probably only a handful of them actually being used. It could eat up alot of time.

 

I had started work on developing the context of the maps and have found 10 Lionheart maps that would be good candidates for the Tethyr region of Throne of Bhaal. I could get those completely done but it would depend on if they'd be used or not. Some of the Lionheart maps don't have things like night or day versions, or are so boxed in that they don't have any room for entry points. I could add those in but I would need to know details like what direction the entry point should be created.

 

 

Here is the rough plan of what I was intending to do with the ToB map (blue for existing regions, red for new ones). The areas are all based on regions described in the Lands of Intrigue d&d supplement. I've got at least one desert temple map that could work for Shoonach, enough resources to make a city (in the style of Athkatla) known as Darromar, a map that could be used for the elven/gnome settlement of Myth Dyraalis since in Lionheart forest maps are really dark, a region for Beholders and Twisted Rune servants from the Minthrux Vale, etc... Also there's some maps that could be used for random encounter maps of the relevant terrain.

 

As long as I know how the maps will be used, the more customized I can make them. I could just rip them straight as they are from Lionheart and send them out without any alteration but I could take that extra step to have them introduced properly into the environment of whatever game they are modded into.

 

So I'm just seeing if there is any interest. I don't know what mods are currently in need of maps, if any or if I should  make the 10 regions I mentioned but just fill them with monsters and release it separately without NPCs or quests. For now I'm just going to sit on this a bit until I get contacted by an interested party. I set up notifications to my email so any reply to this thread will alert me, be it tomorrow, a month or even a year from now. I just feel like I should offer my services for whoever will need it in the future rather than to have them search around for the proper resources.

[Mordeus]

Here's a rough look at what maps are avaliable from Lionheart. House Interiors not shown.

 

[Kulyok]

I like the idea. Never played Lionheart, myself, but the areas look lovely.

 

Mike1072's excellent question about coding the doors was kind of my concern, too. I'm a quest modder, myself, but I really can't work with areas - even adding a door is a problem for me, and I suspect there're a few others like me around.

So I believe that when the area is small enough but fully coded and already playable(say, one empty city area+interiors, one outlying area, two dungeon areas) + possibly introducing changes to the textures(just enough so it's not an exact copy of Leonheart map) may generate more interest. It's just my experience that when someone says "hey, I've got a ready area!" people tend to grab it right away. When only .bmp's are available, it doesn't produce that much activity.

 

And speaking of starting small... experience shows that BIG BG2 projects often end up dead, very dead, or unfinished. DLTC is dead. Classic Adventures is playable, but unfinished(unfortunately, I never was able to finish the download for some reason, so I can't judge the mod's quality). Blades of Brynnlaw (ahem, I tried to write for it, too) is up for grabs. Ace's G3 project is unfinished. And I'm not sure any of the finished huge mods(hello, TDD) are... well... crash-free or well-written or otherwise well-executed. So maybe smaller is better.

[Mordeus]

I can get the .are files sorted but the question that needs to be answered first is which maps. So for me, it's not simply a matter of getting something like a cave map completely done because the map might be something like a city map. I'll need to know what people want first before being too presumptuous about it. Not to mention that if people want a map to have terrain changes or other alterations, I would need to know exactly what before preparing it.

 

Yeah, I figured that if I was to prepare 10 maps in the above plan that there would be a big possibility of a project becoming dead or unfinished. But I figure that if I could get them all sorted with .are files and maybe monster spawns that would be a pretty big development. Especially when ToB already has a number of detail quests, that all it is really missing is regions in the style of BG1 that "pad" out the world map. They probably wouldn't even need their own quests but rather just townspeople NPCs and shopkeepers to make the areas come to life at the very least.

 

For example the bare idea would be the following.

 

Survale Ford - Just a regular plains map with regular enemies

Gorge of the Fallen Idol - A series of caves full of orcs and goblins

Myth Dyraalis - A town of gnomes and elves

Myth Unnohyr - A forest map that causes a wild magic zone during the day, dead magic zone during the night (Possible underground dungeon)

Magis Tor - A tower complex that is impossible to enter without a "key"

Barakmordin - A giant fortified church that acts like BG1's temple map

Ithal Road - A crossroads map

Darromar - A big city that could be closed off to the player via the city gate (Could be opened if quest modders want it)

Shoonach - A desert map and temple with undead enemies

Minthrux Vale - A mountain map with beholder and illithid enemies (With the possibility of a dungeon called Shangalar's Pyramid)

 

So mostly they'd just be "filler" maps that pad out the regions. So for example to get to Agazigal's Lair, you'd have to pass through a mountain map full of beholders instead of just teleporting there. Something like Barakmordin or Myth Dyraalis could be void of quests but simply just be there to replace Saradush as a rest map. The rest could just be dungeons that contain treasure at the end of them.

 

If someone wanted to add a quest, then all it would take is for a door to be unlocked or a portal to be added to the map. I could get this "world" sorted myself and leave the possibility of quests being added for anyone who wants to contribute. So if they want to make a quest around the mage towers of Magis Tor, then the key could be added and the region could be unlocked for the modder to play with. But if no quest modders decide to contribute then at least there will be extra regions with monsters there for ToB.

 

To me that seems like the most pragmatic way to approach this. For me to build up the canvas for modders to work with, and if they don't then there would be still alot to do with the maps. Even if it is just slaying beholders and undead. So it would be a relay, where I build up all the foundations, then a quest modder contributes a quest or some background NPCs, then another, then another. And when it does eventually stop, then there would be at least something at the end of it all. I'm not really into the idea of creating a mod with intricate questlines with their own party members that require long term planning or dedication, but just creating something that augments ToB and helps to fill in gaps in the worldmap. Where the quests are really just a couple of throw away lines with maybe a boss at the end of it, ToB could use some of that since it already has enough dialogue heavy quests.

 

Idk, does this sound reasonable? If so then I could get to work converting the above 10 regions to .are files and have them done in probably two months from now. From there if quest modders want to contribute short quests or content then they could do so. With most of the foundation work done, I'll then go on standby mode ready to help those quest modders with alterations or additions to the maps.

[Kulyok]

It sounds absolutely reasonable, yes. I'm up for contributing a few subquests, naturally.

 

And, yep, I agree that this way it's possible to get the mod finished.

 

 

EDIT: Although when it comes to city areas, you wouldn't believe how much filler dialogue it may take to make it "alive". Merchants, commoners, slaves, prostitutes, innkeepers, ambient dialogue, minor quests... I got pretty exhausted when I wrote for Sellswords. But dungeon/wilderness areas? Piece of cake.

Edited by Kulyok, 24 June 2013 - 10:06 PM.

[Mordeus]

I'll make sure to minimize any city/townships. I've picked out 12 maps (not including possible interior or dungeon/cave maps) that would be enough to flesh out the ToB worldmap.

 

Here's the break down of the town maps:

 

Barakmordin

- 1 temple

 

Ithal Road

- 1 cabin

 

Myth Dyraalis

- 6 Gnome Huts

- 3 Elven Houses

 

Survale Ford (Knights Kuldan settlement)

- Around 5 decayed ruins

 

Darromar Caravan District

- 10 buildings with doors

 

The rest are pure wilderness areas. So there shouldn't be too many NPCs needed, I can edit out some buildings to help bring it down a little. Darromar is a fairly big city but I can close off sections with the rationale that the Bhaalspawn Crisis has forced the more wealthy North to shut off entry, while the South decides to take in refugees from Saradush. If there is a need to add another district I can simply open up the gates to allow entry.

 

The only problem I think may arise is the difference in appearance between some maps. The Lionheart ones fit in well amongst Amkethran, Sendai's Lair and the Siege Camp but they aren't as vibrant as Watcher's Keep, Oasis or the forest outside Saradush. I'll see what I can do in photoshop to make them more vibrant.

 

I've already got half the maps extracted, I'll do the other half this weekend and get feedback on what should be removed or added from them. Then I'll be able to start converting them into .are files.

[Daulmakan]

Very nice. I figure there'll be much interest in this.

[Jarl2]

If possible i would like to see a complete package of all Lionheart maps and tiles. 

[leahnkain]

The Classic Adventure team is still alive. We are getting organized and might ask for a few of these maps. I have made from screenshots of the game maps using some of the tiles and also took the time to make door tiles.