Battletech Hex Maps?

I'm wanting to create some standard 17 hex high x 16 hex wide Batteltech maps. For those maps the hex faces are oriented top -to- bottom for the Highest side. I did some googling and found this ]post here from 2016: http://forum.profantasy.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=6128. I downloaded and installed that linked template. The template shows up in the New Drawing Wizard listing, but when I select it most of the bitmaps don't display correctly. The bitmap tiles are definitely being found in the tiles folder, but most are a mess of scrambled colors and the one used at the tile in the default map is too. I noted that the template was originally created for CC2 and that the bitmap tile files are BMPs. I'm guessing them not being PNGs, or possibly an older bitmap format, is why the tiles are not correct? Unfortunately I don't have any apps for converting such files.

I'm wondering if anyone knows of another template or a way to correct the one I downloaded?

Comments

  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 46 images Cartographer
    I am not sure why, but there are some old .bmp files modern CC3+ doesn't like.

    Since these are all used as fill styles in the map, I would probably just convert them to .png format using an image editor (there are free ones on the net, as well websites that does free online conversion without installing anything), and then in the bitmap files tab of the fill style dialog in the template, simply edit each of these fills and change them to point ot the .png instead of the .bmp. That is the quick simple solution.
  • kronovankronovan Newcomer
    edited April 2019
    Well I converted them to PNGs, but that made things worse. Instead of bitmaps with scrambled colors, I now have the "x" error symbol that occurs when a bitmap can't be located. However, if I import those converted BMPs as fill styles and change the fill style for the sheet to one of them, it displays fine. Based on that, I'm guessing that the problem is with the actual CC2 template.

    TBH now that I have usable Battletech tiles, I'd be happy to create my own template as that's something I'd like to learn. However, I don't know what the correct map dimensions should be. I went through that CC2 Battletech template and recorded the Drawing Units, Snap Grid Settings, Grid Overlay and Print Scaling settings. So if they're correct in the template I have those. This is what the template contains:

    ------
    Drawing Unit Settings
    Drawing Units=Inches; Inches per unit=1.00000; Rescale=enabled; Distance Display Format=Numeric; Decimal Places=5; Bearing Angle Display Format=Decimal Degrees;
    Angle Width Format=Decimal Degrees
    ------
    Snaps Grid Settings
    Grid Name=Standard Rectangular (Snap divisions=4; X spacing=2.59806; Y spacing=1.50000; Grid center=0.73204,1.43750; Square grid=disabled; TriGrid=disabled)
    Switches(Grid=disabled; Snap=enabled; Cursor snap=enabled; Ortho=disabled); Grid Style="default"
    ------
    Grid Overlay
    Hex Grid=(Horizontal; Square Grid=disabled; Isometric [3D]=disabled);
    Grid Size (Grid spacing=1.00000; Even columns are higher=disabled);
    Labeling (First X label=0; First Y label=0; Labels outside=enabled; labels in cells=disabled)
    Set snap grid=enabled; Draw Centers=enabled; Snap Centers=enabled; Draw Corners=disabled; Snap corners=enabled; Draw Midpoints=disabled; Snap Midpoints=disabled
    ------
    Print Scaling
    Fit to page=disabled; Scale Factors=enabled; Paper distance=0.85000; Drawing distance=1.00000

    Is there a way to determine what the original width and Height dimensions were for a drawing? I looked on the Info menu, but couldn't find anything.

    [Edit] I did a Info > List on the main background sheet and this is what I got:

    +--Sheet: BACK ----------------------
    |
    |2D Polygon: color 0 (black) layer 6 (BACKGROUND)
    | line style 0 (Solid) fill style 259 (Grasslands)
    | line width 0.00000 tag # 10297 pen :0.000 mm 2nd color 0
    | smoothing method: No Smoothing
    | start parameter 0.00000, end parameter 4.00000
    | length 96.03305, area 574.17139, with 4 nodes:
    | node 1 at -0.13398,0.68750
    | node 2 at -0.13398,26.18750
    | node 3 at 22.38255,26.18750
    | node 4 at 22.38255,0.68750
    |
    +-----------------------------------------
  • Red Xs are because the software can't find the png or bmp.
  • kronovankronovan Newcomer
    edited April 2019
    Posted By: JimPRed Xs are because the software can't find the png or bmp.
    Yep, I was aware of that. I'm following the instructions in the downloaded template's readme file, and placing the bitmap tiles in the "Profantasy\CC3Plus\Bitmaps\Tiles" folder. However, the template or drawing doesn't seem to be able to find them there?
  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 46 images Cartographer
    edited April 2019
    As long as the .png files have exactly the same names as the .bmp's, and as as long as you put the .png files in exactly the same location as the bmp files that "worked" and then edit the fills from the fill style dialog, replacing just the .bmp part at the end of the filename with .png it will work. If you get red x'es, then there is an error with one of those steps.


    Since this template is old, there is a few quirks you can address, but nothing that is required for it to work:
    - The template uses # in the fill style paths. This points to the installation directory. In modern CC3+, you should use @ instead to point to the data directory. However, to make old maps compatible, if there is no file at that path in the installation directory, CC3+ will automatically use the data directory instead. And since the bitmaps did turn up (allthough with weird colors), this isn't the issue.
    - Modern CC3+ uses a 4-resolution system, with 4 files in different resolution for each fill instead of just one. The additional resolutions can be generated by importing the files using Tools --> Import Bitmap Fill Styles (But this will create new fill styles in the drawing, leaving the old ones to still show red X'es.
    Posted By: kronovanIs there a way to determine what the original width and Height dimensions were for a drawing? I looked on the Info menu, but couldn't find anything.
    Use Info --> Distance to measure the map.
  • kronovankronovan Newcomer
    edited April 2019
    I tried renaming the file extension and that doesn't work; even if I import them as bitmap fill styles they're displayed as red X's. What does work, is opening the bitmaps up in Windows Paint (I'm using Win7 Ultimate) and saving them as PNGs.

    [Edit] What I actually should have said, is that the above works if I import the new PNGs as bitmap fill styles.

    I did try the Info > distance earlier, but the results didn't make sense to me. That's no doubt just me not understanding CC3+ distances and scales to the degree I need to - trust me that I've tried, but it seems to be a steep hill to climb knowledge wise. The distances the tool give me are:

    Wide = 22.43, High = 25.41

    That's for a map that supposed to print out as a 18"x22" sheet and have a hex grid of 16 hexes wide x 17 hexes high. If anyone could suggest what type of overland map I should use and what the width and height dimensions for it should be, I'd love to here about it.

    I've now got a bigger issue; when I create a new overland drawing and try to create a hex grid based on the Grid spacing of 1.00000 I listed above, CC3+ crashes! I can successfully set hex grids with 10.00000, 20.00000, 50.00000 or 100.00000 spacing, but not 1.00000?
  • I'm glad someone else here plays MechWarrior, or BattleTech! That's something I need to do, create a few BattleTech maps. I've never done that before.
  • MedioMedio Surveyor
    Played alot myself Battetech from 1988 to 1995 or so, read most of its books aswell, both game and novels. Still follow its new. One of the games i most enjoyed ever (we had aBIG Battletech community here in Santiago of Compostela )
  • I have a MechWarrior game running right now. It's our best friend's favorite game. In fact, the Capryse, and Cantebury maps I posted were for the MechWarrior game I'm running.
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