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The Full Map Developers Handbook

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Map Developers Handbook

Author: Skarth

Introduction
Welcome to my Map Developing Guide. This is about the best way to learn how to make map aside from getting a personal tutor. In this guide we will cover everything there is to map making. You will learn everything from using YAMMI to the Map Editor, Generating Minimaps, and more.


Table of Contents:
1- Starting Up
2- Using YAMMI
3- Map Editor use
4- Generating a Minimap
5- Adding to server
6- Publishing
Credits


Chapter 1 - Starting Up
To start up this chapter, this will tell you everything you need to do before making a map!

Lesson 1 - Things you will need
- YAMMI
- Unused Client Files
- Map Editor
- Server Files
- Client Files
- Compiler
- A Brain

Lesson 2 - Keeping Neat
To keep everything neat start with this
Go to desktop and create a folder called "My Map"
Inside it make 2 more folders called
"Client Side"
and 
"Server Side"

Inside Client side make a folder called
"map"
and 
"minimap"

Inside Server side 
make a folder called

"Map Files"
and
"Scripts"

All of that is optional, just there if you want to keep everything neat!
So I highly recommend doing this because I will be telling you to place files
in these folders later in the guide!

Lesson 3 - Setting up YAMMI
To set up YAMMI [Yet Another Map Manager Innovation]
Go to ServerDev Release Section and download the tool, or

simply click here! Yammi v0.6.2.zip

After that its a pretty simple installation.
Once that is done
Open YAMMI and it will ask you to find your files
Simply find your Unused Client Files folder and hit ok!

If this doesn't work then run YAMMI as Admin,
Note: If you run as admin when finding the files you will always have to run as admin for it to work the same each and every time!

Now close out of YAMMI
Congrats, you have set up YAMMI!

Lesson 4 - Setting up Map Editor
This part is easy all you must do is go to your Unused Client Files.
and make a new .txt file.
Now once you have that new .txt file open
Paste this code into it

system\game.exe startgame editor

Then go ahead and
Save it as
editor.bat 

Congrats, now you have a map editor.



Chapter 2 - Using YAMMI
This chapter will explain all you need to do with YAMMI to create a map!
It will also explain all of YAMMI's Features!

Lesson 1 - YAMMI's Tools
YAMMI has a ton of useful tools you can use to create a map!

SIELCzK.png


Plugins
Texture Blending: Blends Textures so they are not blocky.
Height Map: Creates the height modifications for your map.
Isle Generator: Generates an Island.

Layers:
Use the Layers Tab's Checkboxes to filter out the colors and definitions that are presented on your map.
Using fewer layers reduces lag on Yammi.
Note: NEVER CLICK "Height Spot Map" It will bug your map and will force you to return to your previous save!

Just do a little exploring!

Lesson 2 - Your first map!
Alrighty, time for your first map creation!
Start by going to FILE> NEW PROJECT
A window will pop-up asking for a size
To get a good idea of this
the size will be maxed coords!
I'm going to go ahead and
and make a 128x128 map
for time's sake!


Next zoom into about 400% and
Select "Define Land Area"
and use the Square making tool and make a small box on the blue screen.
The Blue area is water!

Your product should look like this
6APxcNX.png


Now, lets add some texture!
Click on Texture button and find a texture you like!
and place it all over that land area!
If you want, go to Plugins and Apply Texture Blending!
This is best if you have 2 Textures.

Next, let's add some borders!
Click on the Define a zone that can't be crossed and outline your map with it!
Make sure there are no gaps!
Your finished product!

SPoMY8I.png

Next, let's add some height!
Go to your height tool and select the desired height!
25 is the max height a character can walk on! If higher then your character will disappear!

Now that you have added height lets finish up here

Make sure every time you're editing the map, when your done do this!

PLUGINS>HEIGHT MAP GENERATOR
If you do not do this, your map will be underwater!
ALSO, DO THIS AFTER ANY HEIGHT MODIFICATIONS!

Now that that is done

File>Export Top/Pko map file
find your folder that you made earlier!
save it in

My Map> Client Side> map

save it as
garner.map for now

do not worry we will change this later but for now, it must be garner.map!
KEEP YAMMI OPEN FOR THE REST OF THE GUIDE, DO NOT CLOSE! You will need it later on!!



Chapter 3 - Map Editor Use
Oh wow, you're getting pretty far! Good work! Now, this part will explain all you need to do for Designing the map with map
editor!

Lesson 1 - Getting Ready for Map Editor!
The first thing we do is find that file we saved as "garner.map"
Copy it and go to your Unused Client Files
then click on the "map" folder and paste it
replace the old one!

then find garner.obj and delete it!
when we start editing a new one will be generated!

Lesson 2 - Map Editing
Now open on your map editor.bat that we made earlier.
You will get a couple errors! Don't worry those are normal.
Just click through them and a Client Screen should open up!

If you did it right you should see a bunch of blue screens.

Now
Press "Tab" on your Keyboard
Now you should see an interface appear on your screen here is what the buttons on the top do.

 wXvftCQ.png

Now click the menu toggle button and a blue box should appear up!

But for second lets go back to YAMMI that should still be open with your map in it.
Look for the Window titled Views that should be on your screen when YAMMI is open.
Click map info on it then place your mouse on your map [Orange Part] and you should get
coordinates in the Views window.
It should look like this.

A5fNKet.png


Now, remember those coordinates you found because you will need to use them to edit your map!

Now go back to Map Editor and see that blue box that opened up?

Click on Instant until the cursor for typing pops up
and type your coordinates in it like so!

bhmPpTL.png

After that is done press enter and you will teleport to your map!
Now to place objects See the big taskbar to the left of your screen with all those folders?
Well open them up and find objects you want to place on your map
You will get errors but that is normal just click on them!
Once done click on some of the boxes that appear up and move your mouse to the screen and an object should be following your mouse
just click to place the object!
It should look like this!

  oUUQSML.jpg


Map Editor Commands
a = raise object
z = lower item
l = move right (east)
j = move left (west)
i = move up (north)
k = move down (south)
h = hide
u = unhide
f5 = show grid
f9 = make object unpassable
f12 = change look of character
g = lock object/unbind object
q = display surrounding auto stats (whatever this means)
ß = turn around an object left without moving it
´ = turn around an object right without moving it
altgr + 1 - 0 = shows emote-icons
crtl + f1 = enter function key mode
In function key-mode:

f5 = gives some info about char position, char angle etc.
f4 = hide/unhide user interface
f6 = reset camera
f8 = hide all objects


If you press "Ctrl + F1" and then you press "C" you can use free camera mode(control it with e,s,f,d) and if you press "P" its zoom out or "O" zoom in,
also, you can use right click on mouse and camera will move faster, to restore press "C" again.


IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THIS PROCESS A LOT EASIER ADD THIS TO YOUR CLIENT FILES! IT WILL
GET RID OF THE ERRORS AND MAKE FINDING MODELS A LOT EASIER

Thanks to Amu
CLICK HERE

Now go back to Unused Client Files>map
find these three files
garner.map
garner.obj
garner.rbo

just copy them!
then go to

Desktop>Your map> Client Side> map
and paste them there!

Then right click and rename them!
I'm going to rename them to
map1.map
map1.obj
map1.rbo


Chapter 4 - Generating a Minimap
Easy so far huh? Well, it should be! This part is for making a minimap and this part is quite easy
all you will need is
Map editor and a calculator!

Lesson 1 - Making a Minimap
Start by going to
Unused Client Files>texture>minimap>garner
and deletegarner.pk

Now open up Map editor
and have a calculator on hand!

Remember the dimensions of your map?
Mine was 128x128
Take your calculator and
take X/25 and Y/25
so for me
128/25 = 5.12

Now open up map editor,
you don't need to go to your map just have it open and get that blue box up!
Instead of click on Instant, click on Minimap this time!

and type in

0,0,x/25,y/25
for me it would be
0,0,5.12,5.12

It should look like this

SDHWjEZ.png

Go ahead and hit enter and it will start the minimap generation process!
Depending on the size of your map will determine the time it will take
Just close out when it is done!

When it's complete
go to Unused Client Files
Create a new .txt file
inside it paste

call system\game.exe pack garner

then save as
gen.bat

When done click on gen.bat
Click through the errors.

Then go to
Unused Client Files>texture>minimap>garner
Inside you should see a bunch of pictures
Go ahead and delete them if you would like
but you should also see a new garner.pk
Copy that and paste it in
Your Map>Client Side>minimap
then rename it to your map name
for me its map1.pk



Chapter 5 - Adding to Server
Woohoo, you made it all the way to Chapter 5, impressive shit! Now in this chapter, you will learn how to add your map to your
server
You will need your Server Files
Your Servers patched client files
and a compiler!

Lesson 1 - .atr and .blk
You should have YAMMI still open, if you do then good. If you closed then get it open.

Go to
File>Export Top/Pko .atr file
File>Export Top.Pko .blk file

Go ahead and export them as your map name.atr and your map name.blk
and export them to

your map>Server side>map files

for me, I would export them as
map1.atr and map1.blk

Lesson 2 - mapinfo.txt and mapinfo.bin
For this part, you will need your servers mapinfo.txt and mapinfo.bin
Take you mapinfo.txt and add a new line to it
For me, it will look like this!

49 map1 My-Map 0 50,50

here is a code template

ID mapname Map-Name 0 50,50

best use ones you find in your mapinfo.txt

Go ahead and compile and then paste in your
Server Files and
Client Files

Lesson 3 - Birth_conf.lua
For this, you must still have YAMMI open!

Go to
Server Files>Resource>script>birth>birth_conf.lua
Copy a line for a base and paste it at the bottom and edit the map name and the 2nd map name[A.K.A. Map Title]
for me, it will look like this

AddBirthPoint("My-Map", "map1", 203,181 )

Now go to yammi and find the coords you want your player to start at.
and change the coords in the line to the ones you found!

So now my code will look like this

AddBirthPoint("My-Map", "map1", 71,62 )

Save and Close.

Lesson 4 - ScriptDefine.lua
Start by going to
Server Files> Resourse> Script> MisScript> ScriptDefine.lua
Copy a base line from whats already in the file and paste it at the bottom and edit it up.
For me, it will look like this

AddMap ( "map1", "My-Map" )

Save and close.

Lesson 5 - Map Files
For this it's pretty basic what you need to do.
Go to
Server files>Resourse
Copy a premade map
for instance copy and paste a copy of
leiting2
then rename it to your map name

so for me it would be
map1

Now open the folder
Complete this task
Rename every file that has the original map name with your new map name
Example: leiting2npc > map1npc
Open every file and find the original map name and replace with your new map name!

Now goto
your map>server side>map files
and then find your .atr and .blk files and copy and paste them into your map folder!
This is very important that you do!!!!

When your done
Go ahead and edit portal location, times, portal name, configuration ect ect all in the files.

Lesson 6 - GameServer
Now open up your gameserver.cfg and add this line

map = your map name

so for me it would be
map = map1

Save and Close

Lesson 7 - Client Side
Almost done hehe!
Now open up your Client Folder[The one you will use for your server!]
Go to the Client folder>map
and paste your
.map
.obj
.rbo
which should be located at
your map>Client side>map

Next go to your
Client folder>texture>minimap
and make a new folder titled with you map name
for me it would be map1

Now go to
yourmap>client side> minimap
find you .pk file and paste it in the folder you just made!



Chapter 6 - Publishing
Well your basically done but this is a little bit of info you could use!

Lesson 1 - Placing mobs and NPCs
To place mobs open your monsterconf.txt file which should be in you server side map files.
Open up Yammi and find some coords and paste a new monster line with them.
Same thing for NPCs!

changing city number and city name in the npc line doesn't matter!




Credits:
Skarth - Full Guide
MaTT - YAMMI
Alias - Map Editor Commands
Flashstep - Video Guide on old serverdev and .pk Generator
Others - For basic knowledge on map editing
Too many names to be listed.


Congratulations! You have created your first map. Sure it doesn't look great but we all have to start somewhere. Just keep working at it. Make more maps and you will quickly learn new ways to make maps on your own. You will develop your own theme of maps and that is something we can not even possible cover in this guide. Your theme is something that reflects upon you and your server. Good luck to you and I hope to see some of your maps hanging around the forum!

Notice something wrong? Want to add to the guide?
Message me and we will see what's up.

 

Edited by Foxseiz
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@Foxseiz

correction: Lower Object = z, in the guide it says y.

Edited by Shako

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@Foxseiz Hello! How come when I save a map, the size is much higher than the original?

 

Argent was 46 MB, saved with Yammi and became 246 MB.


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4 часа назад, Shako сказал:

@Foxseiz Hello! How come when I save a map, the size is much higher than the original?

 

Argent was 46 MB, saved with Yammi and became 246 MB.

 

I think Yammi can't do compression.

For example, at the begining of .map file there is a special table with offsets to sections with tiles. Section is a matrix of tiles 8 x 8, total 64 tiles. Section can be physically missing in .map file if all tiles in the section are sea tiles. So, offset to such sections in the table will be 0. But Yammu writes "sea sections" to .map file and they require more file size.

 

I can write a simple compressor for .map.

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8 hours ago, V3ct0r said:

 

I think Yammi can't do compression.

For example, at the begining of .map file there is a special table with offsets to sections with tiles. Section is a matrix of tiles 8 x 8, total 64 tiles. Section can be physically missing in .map file if all tiles in the section are sea tiles. So, offset to such sections in the table will be 0. But Yammu writes "sea sections" to .map file and they require more file size.

 

I can write a simple compressor for .map.

That would be great :D

 


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On 3/23/2016 at 3:29 AM, Foxseiz said:

Open YAMMI and it will ask you to find your files
Simply find your Unused Client Files folder and hit ok!

I'm having problems understanding on what unused client files i should find.

Should i have my own server and just find the client.

Or maybe any servers client.

And on what folder in client should i hit ok.

Just confused.


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31 minutes ago, Jap said:

I'm having problems understanding on what unused client files i should find.

Should i have my own server and just find the client.

Or maybe any servers client.

And on what folder in client should i hit ok.

Just confused.

 

u could just copy a map file from any client to ur desktop or something and open that one

 


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Quote

Now to place objects See the big taskbar to the left of your screen with all those folders?
Well open them up and find objects you want to place in your map
You will get errors but that is normal just click through them!
Once done click on some of the boxes that appear up and move your mouse to the screen and a object should be following your mouse
just click to place the object!

Im on map editor, when i drag objects, nothing follows my mouse. So basically i cant drag/place objects on my map. Any help pls?

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@Foxseiz

 

Is it possible to edit Original .map files?

Everytime I try to make an object unpassable (F9) I get this error.

error.jpg

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On 06/03/2017 at 2:06 AM, Yosef said:

@Foxseiz

 

Is it possible to edit Original .map files?

Everytime I try to make an object unpassable (F9) I get this error.

error.jpg

This is normal, if you can't make obj unpassable try move up or down (A/Z) and press F9 again. Some obj will not work, so you can use those dummy obj (Need F9 too).

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Hi,i found that,there's two functions do not work in my client

ß = turn around an object left without moving it
´ = turn around an object right without moving it

 

can you tell me which client do you use?or give me the download link

thank you very much!

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