17 replies to this topic

[LuD]

Maybe I'll be a nostalgic, maybe I'll also be a purist, but I think that the BG1 map remains unsurpassed. If it were up to me, i would install BGT forcing it to not change in any way the original maps, but this is not possible. There remain two only options: either accept the BP-BGT default worldmap or... draw a new one by myself and put it in the Worlmap so that it may recognize it.

Now, given that I really don’t like the BP-BGT graphic style and i really want a general map in the sepia and old scroll style of the first BG, I need to know these three things:

 

1) in which files of the mod the map is and how to replace it.

2) where the landmark icons are put in and how to replace them with others of my creation. The new icons will be drawn to more correctly blend into the background and not to resemble foreign objects badly stuck on it.

3) how to eliminate that horrible red-flashing disco light effect that starts by moving the mouse cursor on the icons, and how to replace it with a more serious and discreet highlight by consistent colors.

 

The end use of the new map would be very personal, but if other people are interested in having a BG1-style map and the authors are available to integrate a new alternative map option into BP-BGT, we can discuss of making it a public domain.

[The Imp]

Looking at the files in the original game, I came to this conclusion:

 

1) The SoA map is called "worldmap.mos", and the ToB map is called tobmap72.mos .

2-3) The SoA map icons are all in set to the "mapicons.bam" file, they also have the red icons, so setting the frames color to a different one would eliminate the disco effect. You have got to remember to keep the frames in the current order so the icons apply to the right spots. I also believe the mapico2.bam holds the ToB icons.

 

If it's off, you'll just have to kill me...

Edited by The Imp, 27 January 2015 - 10:10 AM.

[LuD]

I will make a few attempts in the days ahead. If any problem, i'll make myself heard.

[Miloch]

3) how to eliminate that horrible red-flashing disco light effect that starts by moving the mouse cursor on the icons, and how to replace it with a more serious and discreet highlight by consistent colors.

What would you propose as a replacement? A different color, subtler red, different effect etc.?

 

The quick and easy fix to BG1-style worldmap icons is to use just a single sepia/greyscale icon per sequence instead of the 15-40+ in the BG2 style (compare the mapicons.bam from BG1). But then you lose out on the BG2-style selection effects (some of which, perhaps, can be a bit overbearing).

[LuD]

I just checked the BG1 map and verified the lighting type of the icons. I did not remember it, but the icons here are just as red flashing as those of BG2. So i conclude that the bad visual outcome of BG2 icon's effect depends primarily by the detachment that exists between the icons and the background, and that the flashing light ends to make more obvious. This leads me to two possible solutions:
1) simply make BG2 icons more blended with the background, so that the flashing light, although present, results not so bothersome.
2) entirely replace the lighting effect with something more serious. In this case, we could evaluate a simple alternation between two different icons depending on whether the mouse is over or not, with a gray-sepia icon for normal landmarks, and a slightly amber-lighted fixed icon for the selected ones.

 

Regarding the first point, I want to clarify that my idea is not to simply change the color palette of the map, but completly redraw a new one in the paper and pencil style of BG1. The general idea of how the map should be is clear in my mind, i just have to understand how to realize it.

[Miloch]

I just checked the BG1 map and verified the lighting type of the icons. I did not remember it, but the icons here are just as red flashing as those of BG2.

That is correct, but whereas in vanilla BG1 that red flashing effect seems to be hardcoded, in BG2 derivatives (including BGT etc.) it is specified in the actual icon file. So for example, open up 25mapic.bam with an editor (the vanilla ToB icon file), select cycle 5 (the first real one) and frame 4 within that cycle. The red effect begins there and goes to the end of the cycle (frame 42, with some frames being repeated). So you can edit all those frames if you want a subtler effect. If you're remaking the whole map, I suspect you'll be remaking all the icons as well.

[LuD]

 If you're remaking the whole map, I suspect you'll be remaking all the icons as well.

 

Of course. I will get to work and I'll keep you updated if anything good comes out.

[Salk]

I totally support LuD's opinion about maps.

 

If you ever manage to come to a result, I'll be the first one downloading and using it. 

Thanks!

Edited by Salk, 29 January 2015 - 12:36 AM.

[Picollo]

If you are going to make new map, could you please also consider placing areas in proper place? Trademeet is placed in random place in vanilla game, as well as Umar Hills, and some more areas.  

 

I'm not mentioning ToB map, because it looks like map was done by somebody who had never seen Forgotten Realms map.

[Miloch]

Let us not forget that Ulgoth's Beard is actually west of Baldur's Gate, not east of it (with a rather lame arrow pointing to the west because they ran out of map space, at least in BG1 and Tutu).

[Miloch]

From Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast:

The Forgotten Realms Atlas is probably the best general reference. Here's some maps showing the Sword Coast, Amn and Tethyr/Calimshan.

[LuD]

Another aspect that I don't love of the BGT's map system is the dispersiveness. To gain access to only a small handful of places while in front of you there's a giant but inaccessible worldmap is just frustrating and giving a bad feeling. I really prefer the original map system, where the geography is limited to those few actual places that you can reach in that moment of the game. The existence of dedicated maps, like those of vanilla games, also transmitted in some way a feeling of completeness that the unified BGT's map destroys in favor of a dispersion that overwhelms the player and makes him feel somewhat lonely and exposed.

Then, the help I need is: how can I break the BGT's unified map into two separate and localizied maps (one for BG1's portion of the game, the other for BG2's one) as it was originally intended?

[Picollo]

I can upload map with marked places visited by CHARNAME in BG, with spots where they should be actually located. But will do it later today, when I'll have access to my personal computer.

 

Regarding to using diffrent maps for BG1 and BG2 I guess It isn't possibile. Engine can display diffrent map for ToB, but I don't think, that you can change map to another when transitioning to SoA.

[Miloch]

Check the .chu files, which define GUI element layout (and point to .mos files etc.). But you should be able to scroll the map, so I guess I'm not understanding the issue.

[LuD]

But you should be able to scroll the map, so I guess I'm not understanding the issue.

 

To put it simply, this is how the map looks:

 

This is how I wish it to appear:
 

 

Regarding to using diffrent maps for BG1 and BG2 I guess It isn't possibile. Engine can display diffrent map for ToB, but I don't think, that you can change map to another when transitioning to SoA.

 

I'm not sure. Do not forget that the "BP-BGT Worldmap" mod allows you to carry the ToB landmarks into the Trilogy's unified map. To achieve this, I guess the modder is intervened in the game files to reroute the links of the places toward the unified map: why shouldn't it be possibile to do the opposite, rerouting the links from the unified map to a distinct and personalized one ?

Edited by LuD, 05 February 2015 - 11:52 AM.

[Salk]

Please somebody help this guy to make this happen!