Dune 2k map editor - painting sand vs my eyes

[Carnildohtar]

Greetings to everyone.
I wonder: making maps is a fun and relaxing activity until it comes to paint sand on maps in dune 2k editor.
Since the base color and the sand tile have very small differences in color, tone, and so on, especially in edges tiles, I wonder, I am the only one who is losing his eyes on these tiles, or it is a common problem?

The dune2k editor had a nice automated border editing feature that solved the problem, but since openRA is missing this feature, there is any workaround to easily recognize the tiles orientation?

[Adrian]

If there is no one better than me here, in the topic, still (since yesterday)... I mean the developers of OpenRa and so on...
Then I'll have to do it, a humble user. (oh, with my pooor English, with vocabulary... a dictionary, I mean)
.

The dune2k editor had a nice automated border editing feature that solved the problem, but since openRA is missing this feature, there is any workaround to easily recognize the tiles orientation?

A workaround.
Actually, theoretically, you can create a map in the dune2k editor and then convert it for OpenRa.
Do you mean "D2K Editor" for original Dune 2000, right? Under Windows.

I use Linux now. So I cannot give you exact command.
But I can test command ending, at least.

You can use utility for OpenRa.
Some of them are here (but not all)
https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/wiki/Utility

In our case, this is something like

Code: Select all

--import-d2k-map Name_of_your_map Tileset

Your must run it in "command line interface" in OpenRA directory.
Copy your map first there, from "D2K Editor" (or from Dune2000, etc)

In my case, under Linux. Working example:

Code: Select all

./utility.sh d2k  --import-d2k-map H8v1.map Bloxbase

or

Code: Select all

./OpenRA-Dune-2000-x86_64.AppImage --utility --import-d2k-map H8v1.map Bloxbase

Where: Bloxbase, Bloxice, Bloxtree, etc are names of tilesets from Dune2000 for a map.
Your can see the names in "D2K Editor", I suppose.

For Windows, the command is something like

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OpenRA.Utility d2k --import-d2k-map H8v1.map Bloxbase

or may be

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.\OpenRA.Utility.exe --import-d2k-map H8v1.map Bloxbase

I cannot say exactly. Just test it.

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I wish someone would explain it to me in such detail about
utility --remap
from this topic:
viewtopic.php?f=83&t=21972&sid=7a4dbd29 ... 4bca55cced

I cannot work with --remap at all.

[Carnildohtar]

You can use utility for OpenRa.
Some of them are here (but not all)
https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/wiki/Utility

I know, and i have already converted a bunch of my best old maps from that editor with the .map extension to .oramap.
it is a tedious process actually, since you have to make a pre-map in .map, then convert in .oramap, modify it.

I hoped that there would be an answer like "in a future implementation"... Because OpenRa is, in my opinion a great implementation to the original Dune 2k in many ways, and it's a bit of shame that some aspects of the editor are unimplemented, and difficult to use.

[Adrian]

Hm... I tried to convert mission with ice on the map, i. e. "Bloxice" tileset.
Unfortunately it choose wrong tileset.

Code: Select all

./OpenRA-Dune-2000-x86_64.AppImage --utility --import-d2k-map A4v1.map BLOXICE

It is interesting to read explaining from developers.

[Carnildohtar]

I had same issues with some maps, it has some problem for a complete conversion, and genrally the maps have to be retouched in the OpenRA editor, some very little, some more (the ice tileset have to be redone entirely).

Considering that the OpenRa editor make possible to use all the tilesets in a single map is anyway a good chance to add diversity to the map appearance. But in the tecnical aspect this is an issue that need to be resolved, sooner or later.

Another detail I have noticed is that on the infantry ramp tiles the building area is too near to the edge, making the AI to build just at the start of the ramp, blocking it and forcing the mapmaker to put the rough terrain to prevent the AI to block the ramp with buildings.