Custom Minimap Thumbnails... how?

How does one make a custom minimap image that actually shows up on the OpenRA Resource Center?

Information and discussion for custom maps and mods.
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ajaxfrog
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:40 pm

Custom Minimap Thumbnails... how?

Post by ajaxfrog »

I've searched high and low for an answer to this and I cannot figure it out. How does one make a custom minimap thumbnail that actually shows up on the OpenRA resource center (for example, a preview thumbnail that has custom text on top of it?). I can take the map.png out of the .oramap no problem, I can edit it in paint or photoshop, no problem, I can put the map.png back into the .oramap file and it will show up in-game, no problem.

BUT! It will not show up on the OpenRA Resource Center. Where am I going wrong? I've done searches on this forum and can't find the answer to this secret. Please help! What am I doing wrong? Apologies if this has come up before.

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milkman
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2021 5:33 pm

Re: Custom Minimap Thumbnails... how?

Post by milkman »

Modifying the png and putting it back into the .oramap archive is what we've done for the last few ladder map packs and they show up just as expected on RC as well as in game.

The one step you do not explicitly mention - probably because it's so obvious - you upload the map to RC after changing the png file, right?

ajaxfrog
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:40 pm

Re: Custom Minimap Thumbnails... how?

Post by ajaxfrog »

milkman wrote:
Fri Jan 13, 2023 6:36 pm
you upload the map to RC after changing the png file, right?
Thanks for the response, it's most appreciated. Yes, I've deleted and reuploaded many times to try and resolve this.

That's interesting. Maybe it's the programs I'm using?

What are you using to extract the map.png and put it back in? And also, what are you using to edit it? I've tried using Winrar and 7zip for extracting/repacking, and then I've tried using Photoshop CS6 and Paint for editing the image.

Here's my maps, you can see all the ones I've tried to edit the thumbnail on (that say "no minimap)!
https://resource.openra.net/maps/uploader/2347/

Something I did fail to mention is that I've done this on maps that have a mod installed, which I've done by frankensteining another map with my own. I should probably test changing the png without any mods and see if that works.

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milkman
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Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2021 5:33 pm

Re: Custom Minimap Thumbnails... how?

Post by milkman »

I've used gimp for image editing and Ark archiving tool, on linux though

Might it coincide with the parsing errors shown in the resource center? From the last batch of your maps it seems to be that when there's a "fail" designated on the mid-right side of the page, the minimap does not show either. Maps that passed the lint check on the other hand seem ok... ?

ajaxfrog
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:40 pm

Re: Custom Minimap Thumbnails... how?

Post by ajaxfrog »

milkman wrote:
Fri Jan 13, 2023 10:29 pm
Might it coincide with the parsing errors shown in the resource center?
Entirely possible! It fails the lint check whenever there is a mod built into the map file. I figured this was normal since other maps that have a mod also fail the lint check, but they still have their minimap present, such as this one: https://resource.openra.net/maps/46327/

I just did a test with an un-modded map, and the custom minimap works just like you said it should.Image

Sooo.... there is probably a better method of packing up mods into a map that I'm unaware of. I've been doing it by splitting up other modded OpenRA maps and then putting my own map into it. Thanks so much for the help dude. Just eliminating possible causes is helping me hone in on what the issue is! I'll update if I figure out how to mod a map *and* have a minimap work :lol:

maceman
Posts: 79
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2017 7:49 pm

Re: Custom Minimap Thumbnails... how?

Post by maceman »

I've done a little investigation on the Resource Center and it seems as though it's struggling to extract your zip file properly. If I download it and try and extract it with unzip, or 7z I'm also getting issues.

As it can't extract the zip, it can't pull out your minimap image.

Are you able to provide a copy of the of the original map from your machine? That would help figure out if the RC is corrupting it or if it was corrupted before uploading.

Would you also be able to confim how you are zipping it all up too?

Edit: Just to say, this is the map I was looking at https://resource.openra.net/maps/49654/. Also, we were discussing this in the resource center channel on discord if you wanted to respond on there. If not I'll keep an eye on this post too.

maceman
Posts: 79
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2017 7:49 pm

Re: Custom Minimap Thumbnails... how?

Post by maceman »

Just an update on this. It's due to the game creating badly formatted zips when they have sub folders. A fix has been added and will be in the next release.

The issue happens when you follow this process:
1. Make a map.
2. Open the map outside of the game and add sub folders to it.
3. Save the map as a new name inside the game.

The folders in the map seem to get converted to some sort of binary object, which most zip programs, and the resource centre, don't understand.

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