Questions about Maps

[AodhanW]

Good day to you ladies and gentlemen.

I have a few questions regarding the maps in UO.

1 - How many total maps are there in the UO stock release?

I believe I've read there are 5, is this correct?

2 - How many total maps can you have simultaneously on your shard.

I am wondering because I have a use for additional maps to be discussed in a seperate thread.

3 - What are the advised programs for creating personal custom maps.

I have looked at a couple, including Worldforge and DragonMod, but haven't had a satisfactory experience with either of them.

4 - Where are a good set of instructions for doing this?

Similar experience to the one noted above. Mostly I need to know what the steps are, how to go about them, and what software to put to this use. Additional useful information would be about linking them together and variations on ways of doing this.

[Lord_Greywolf]

1 - How many total maps are there in the UO stock release?
I believe I've read there are 5, is this correct?
this is a 2 fold answer
pre 6.0 patch:
5 Facets with 4 maps (tram/fel use same map)
6.0 patch
5 facets and 5 maps (they split fel/tram apart)

2 - How many total maps can you have simultaneously on your shard.
depending on the patch (see above) 4 or 5 maps (also they can nopt be modified in size with out having to make a some big alowances/changes)
but can have virtualy unlimited facets that play off of these same maps
i.e. can have a different ish for each season, etc
just the facest sharing the same map - also share same static files, etc

I am wondering because I have a use for additional maps to be discussed in a seperate thread.
3 - What are the advised programs for creating personal custom maps.
I have looked at a couple, including Worldforge and DragonMod, but haven't had a satisfactory experience with either of them.
OrBSydia DevNet has UO Landscaper, etc, plus they are developing new versions also - UOL supports the newer size maps also

4 - Where are a good set of instructions for doing this?
orb's web site has some tutorials on how to use thier software, plus a decent community support also for it

Similar experience to the one noted above. Mostly I need to know what the steps are, how to go about them, and what software to put to this use. Additional useful information would be about linking them together and variations on ways of doing this.

the maps are "not linked" together mapking 1 big map - they are 5 seperate "worlds"
and because of their size difference, would basicaly be almost impossible to make them into 1 big one

most of the modifying for them script wise lies in the mapdef file (misc directory), regionl.xml file (city/area infos) and scattered through out the scripts in many different places

chaging a map itself isnot to hard, it is modifying the regions, public moongates, and other files that "creep" up on you, that get to be fun

no making the map - that can be very fun - terrain file, altitude file - then fixing it all up when done - but it can be worth it whne you have your own special world

[AodhanW]

Originally Posted by Lord_Greywolf

1 - How many total maps are there in the UO stock release?
I believe I've read there are 5, is this correct?
this is a 2 fold answer
pre 6.0 patch:
5 Facets with 4 maps (tram/fel use same map)
6.0 patch
5 facets and 5 maps (they split fel/tram apart)

I think splitting Fel/Tram was probably a good move, especially for those of us who want to get rid of Fel in its current incarnation and use it for something completely different.

2 - How many total maps can you have simultaneously on your shard.
depending on the patch (see above) 4 or 5 maps (also they can nopt be modified in size with out having to make a some big alowances/changes)
but can have virtualy unlimited facets that play off of these same maps
i.e. can have a different ish for each season, etc
just the facest sharing the same map - also share same static files, etc

Where would you find and modify the different facets?

Bigger question:
I know the answer is 'Modify the Core', almost positive. But does anyone actually know *WHAT* you'd have to modify and where its located to add MORE maps?

OrBSydia DevNet has UO Landscaper, etc, plus they are developing new versions also - UOL supports the newer size maps also

4 - Where are a good set of instructions for doing this?
orb's web site has some tutorials on how to use thier software, plus a decent community support also for it

I'll check these out.

the maps are "not linked" together mapking 1 big map - they are 5 seperate "worlds"
and because of their size difference, would basicaly be almost impossible to make them into 1 big one

Right, so main method would be to include Moongates as the western/eastern most parts of the map that let you move onto the next set of 'continents' for instance. Point being, would have to use Moongate tech.

most of the modifying for them script wise lies in the mapdef file (misc directory), regionl.xml file (city/area infos) and scattered through out the scripts in many different places

chaging a map itself isnot to hard, it is modifying the regions, public moongates, and other files that "creep" up on you, that get to be fun

I actually have someone who is responsible for map development, just trying to figure out what we can do with it all.

[Lord_Greywolf]

modifying the core will not allow more maps (like i said can have more facets based off of the maps)
that is a client limatation - so you would have to make/modify a new client, and they is a no no to do i believe

so until osi supports new maps, runuo can not support them either

[AodhanW]

Originally Posted by Lord_Greywolf

modifying the core will not allow more maps (like i said can have more facets based off of the maps)
that is a client limatation - so you would have to make/modify a new client, and they is a no no to do i believe

so until osi supports new maps, runuo can not support them either

Can I get confirmation on this? I want to check before I proceed with it one way or the other.

IE - If this is true, and I can't add more maps w/o modifying the client which is a bad thing, then I won't. But I don't want to assume it is and find out it isn't.

Thank you Wolf!

[Lord_Greywolf]

i cannot confirm this with the new 6.0.17 patch - but i know up to patch 5.0.91 - there was only the 4 maps (tram/fel being same map for 5 total) that the client would reconize

like i sad - can have more facets fo those mape - look in the mapdef file - says how to add one in - so can have a 2nd fel that is always summer time instead of just devastation
can not have different static than the fel map - but can have its own deco (just not to much to lag it out) and different spawners, etc etc

[AodhanW]

Originally Posted by Lord_Greywolf

i cannot confirm this with the new 6.0.17 patch - but i know up to patch 5.0.91 - there was only the 4 maps (tram/fel being same map for 5 total) that the client would recognize

Emphasis Mine

Thats what i was looking for. So its built into the client to only recognize four maps.


Wonder how hard that would be to change.

[Vhaerun]

Depends on how good your skills in programming are. I don't know how many people have tried modifying the client, though I only know of one that was moderately successful.

Check out the third party utilities here in the forum for Krrios's client. I've personally never used it, but it's the only custom client I know to exist.

[HellRazor]

The regular UO client only knows about the maps it knows about.

Some custom clients might allow for more maps. Server side will support as many maps as you can get the client to recognize.

As an alternative, some simple hex edits can allow you to edit the map sizes. Check over at Ryandor.com, there is a thread on how to do this over there.

[HellRazor]

Originally Posted by AodhanW

Emphasis Mine

Thats what i was looking for. So its built into the client to only recognize four maps.


Wonder how hard that would be to change.

It would be extremely difficult even for an expert in reverse engineering and assembly language. It would not be a simple edit.

[AodhanW]

Originally Posted by HellRazor

It would be extremely difficult even for an expert in reverse engineering and assembly language. It would not be a simple edit.

Good to know, will have to just do what I can with the existant maps.