Larger Map screen shot

To install just copy the files texas.xs and new england.xs over the existing files in your RM directory in the AoE3 install directory.

Also included in the zip file are the two original files (located in the backup directory) in case you want to revert back to the original maps without reinstalling the entire game.
I haven't had any problems at all playing on the modified maps so hopefully noone else will... enjoy

-->Download LargeMapMod<---

Also if anyone wants to know how exactly to make these changes just ask and I will write up a quick post explaining how to do it.

*Acknowledgements to friendlyfire for initially finding out how to edit map files*

------(Very) rough tutorial on how to edit map files yourself!-----

Here are some of the settings I have found to have the most effect, the numbers show the default values supplied by ES, in my custom files I pretty much just tripled all the values that affect the map sizes.

int playerTiles=10000;
This affects the map size only (doesn't scale the sizes of forests rivers etc)
If you only increase this value you simply get a large map that is mainly empty space (boring!)

The remainder of the file that contains important information related to map size are:

Any entries which have the label rmAreaTilesToFraction...

eg:
rmSetAreaSize(smallPondID, rmAreaTilesToFraction(600), rmAreaTilesToFraction(700));

Simply changing the values from 600 and 700 to 1800 and 2100 you can now triple the size of the ponds.

rmSetAreaSize(cliffEastID, rmAreaTilesToFraction(350), rmAreaTilesToFraction(400));

Similarly this just changes the size of the cliffs.

The easiest way to edit it is to simply open the file in a text editor and search for the text rmAreaTilesToFraction and just scale the value as you want. Usually you can guess what the value does by looking at the "ID" part of the line, eg smallPondID changes the small ponds.

Increasing the number of mines is slightly more tricky and the method is slightly different for both maps.

For the texas map:

Search for the following section and you will see the following repeated 3 times. Which essentially creates 2*3 (6) mines in the middle of the map.

for(i=0; < 2)
{
middleMineType = rmRandInt(1,4);
middleMineID = rmCreateObjectDef("center middleMine "+i);
rmAddObjectDefItem(middleMineID, "mine", 1, 0.0);
rmSetObjectDefMinDistance(middleMineID, 0.0);
rmSetObjectDefMaxDistance(middleMineID, rmXFractionToMeters(0.10));
rmAddObjectDefConstraint(middleMineID, coinAvoidCoin);
rmAddObjectDefConstraint(middleMineID, avoidImportantItem);
rmAddObjectDefConstraint(middleMineID, avoidImpassableLand);
rmAddObjectDefConstraint(middleMineID, avoidTradeRoute);
rmAddObjectDefConstraint(middleMineID, avoidAll);
rmAddObjectDefConstraint(middleMineID, avoidCliffs);
rmPlaceObjectDefAtLoc(middleMineID, 0, 0.5, 0.5);
}

In my custom map I simply changed for(i=0; < 2) to for(i=0; < 4) to give me 4*3 (12) mines.

For the new england map:

This is much easier, just search for the text:

int silverCount = cNumberNonGaiaPlayers*3;

And change cNumberNonGaiaPlayers*3; to the number of mines you want
eg
int silverCount = 20;

*note* (don't forget the semicolon at the end for all you non C programmers out there, I'm not sure what happens if you forget it, but it can't be good...)

This is a very rough way of editing the files and I am sure pretty soon someone will come up probably a 3rd party utility to edit the files much easily, I unfortunately don't have the time to do something like this but hopefully someone who does have the time will implement it soon. Until then I hope this serves as a quick fix for all you custom map fans.

I am notoriously poor at explaining stuff to other people so if it is unclear let me know and I will try and explain it, if you totally don't get it then its best not to mess with it.

Also make sure you back up the original files before you edit them .

----------------------------------------------------
For more custom mapping also check out MontyPython's thread for his cool DeathMatch mod!

http://aoe3.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/forums/display.cgi?action=ct&f=1,23782,0,10

[This message has been edited by Ceres629 (edited 09-10-2005 @ 10:48 AM).]