================================================================ HOMEWORLD MAPMAKING HELP AND FAQ V2.0A
================================================================

(Written By Obithrawn)

This is the second version of my help file, and it is more of a FAQ than the previous version. Anyway, first, go to Jason's site (http://www.strategyplanet.com/HWMaps/) and go to the editing section, then print out all the editing files there. I mention them a lot, and they helped me (I should explain a lot of things in those, but its nice to have them anyway). Also, I would like to thank Jason (BPLlama), TAKER, Hellhawk666, Skywalker, Jacelor, and anyone on the Relic board I didn't mention (especially the makers of all those kick-ass Homeworld web sites out there). And I would like to thank my parents, and my cats, Zoe and Stanly, and KoRn, and RatM, and pr0n, and potatoes...oh, and the guy who first decided to squeeze cow utters, and drink what came out of them. Especially him. All these questions fit into the category "How do I make a map?" which is the most FAQ of all! To the questions, batman! And this time, don't forget my pants! 

Updated for Cataclysm from the original Homeworld orientated document by Dylov - December 21, 2000
 
1 - I can already map for homeworld, how different is Cataclysm?
Then you will be most pleased to hear that both Homeworld and Cataclysm are identical bar a few key differences. All the Objects have changed, and they are already listed and available for your perusal inAppendix A of the Primer. Several new objects such as Slipgates, MeteorStorms and Crystals have been added. And the multiple map folders have been completely done away with, due to the fact that player starting positions are random, only a single folder is now required for each map.

2 - What do I need to make my own maps?
To make/edit maps, you need either MissionMan, or Notepad (which, I think, comes with Windows). Actually any text editor will do, just remember save it your files in plain text format, not one of those "fancy-pantsie" formats. The best discovered so far being Textpad, which is free. Another alternative to MissionMan and Notepad is Excel. Homeworld map files can be loaded and saved with Excel if you use the "Comma Separated" or "CSV" spreadsheet format, and it really lines those columns of numbers up nicely. Once again Excel isn't a must, any spreadsheet or database program that supports CSV should work fine.

3 - Where can I get MissionMan?
It comes with Homeworld, in the installation menu (when you put the CD in, the installation menu should pop up). But, personally, I think using Textpad is much easier (will be covered later). 

4 - Are there any other mapmaking programs?
Not as of Christmas '00. There are several tools that were designed for homeworld, including the Random Derelict Placer, the Ringmaker, and the JUICY .dist file creator, that might help you out. They're available on the editing section of Jason's site. There are really none more out from when this document was first written but for everything there is, see also Project Red: Engineering - The Map and Map Makers Archives.

5 - What does MissionMan do?
MissionMan creates a bunch of text files when you generate missions, and they all can be opened using notepad. As to how to open using notepad: Open any map file, like from 'Iron Curtin'. When the window that say 'what do you want to use to open this' pops up, select notepad. It should then open in notepad or better still Textpad, and you should be able to see all the text. This is how most people edit maps, straight from a Text editor. (I know it looks confusing at first, but we'll cover it all).

6 - How do I make distribution files, and what do they do?
You have to have at least one .dist file for every type of resource you have on your map. (ie; one for all the asteroids, one for the dustclouds) What they do is tell Homeworld how many of each size of asteroid/dustcloud/nebulea to put in. For example, say this was testmap2. When you opened it up, it looked like this: 

	Asteroid0	 0 
	Asteroid1	 1 
	Asteroid2	 2 
	Asteroid3	 4 
	Asteroid4	 0

What that means is that there will be twice as many asteroid2's as asteroid1's. And there will be twice as many Asteroid3's as Asteroid2's. Asteroid0's are the tiny, unharvestable dust particles, while Asteroid4's are missile destroyer size. Also, it is all relative, so Asteroid0 0 Asteroid1 10 Asteroid2 20 Asteroid3 40 Asteroid4 0 would have the exact same distribution.

7 - Why do the directories end in a number?
The number at the end is the version for that many players (IronCurtin2 is the 2 player version).

8 - What does the Desiption.txt do?
The description file just has the information that goes in the menu, font and colour of writing, for the map description. For all the details, see the Primer, Chapter Two.

9 - What does the Resource.missphere do?
The ResourceSphere just has all the resources, and any derelicts or ships. When ships are placed in the ResourceSphere they go under AI hold, even when playing with no computer players. This is also where the .dist files are linked to. For all the details, see the Primer, Chapter Five.

10 - How do I add crystals as resource?
Crystals are not controlled by dist files, yet they are still added to the resourcesphere file, they are regarded as Derelicts and are placed singly on the map, in exactly the same way as you would add any Derelict ship or object.

11 - How do I add Slipgates?
Slipgates are added into the resourcesphere file and are controlled by their own special label; "Slipgate". They will always come in pairs, as they are two connected points in space, each point of entry/exit is added separately. They are easily separated into pairs as they are read one after another, and have 1/2 and 2/2 clearly labelled sub-attributes values. See below. Lastly, the slipgates must always be the same size, be it small medium or large.

	Slipgate ,-122629.0,-37941.0,-70799.0,1/2,100.0,dSlipgateLarge 
	Slipgate ,91967.0,-60000.0,-28823.0,2/2,80.0,dSlipgateLarge.

12 - How do I add MeteorStorms?
Meter Storms are controlled from single lines in the resourcesphere, ie;

MeteorStorm -5000.0,0.0,10000.0,Cylinder,met.dist,16,750.0,1500.0,500,500,500

Meteors are basically Asteroid volumes. You enter the number of rocks you want in a volume, you set a distribution (you can use the same ones as you use for you harvestable asteroid volumes). The only differences are the last three sub-attributes, velocity, horizXvelocity, and horizZvelocity. (all three are set at '500' in our example up there). Change those values, and you change where the rocks will wander and how fast.

13 - What Does The Mothership_#.missphere do?
The Mothership files are the ships each player starts out with, and where they are. Guess what? For all the details, see the Primer, Chapter Four.

14 - Why do players never start in the same place twice?
Cataclysm swaps the player positions around every time you start a map. Frustrating, but BD has decided this is in our best interests. It swaps the player starting positions at the level file, so will retain your carefully designed positions and fleets as added to the mothership Missionsphere files, but you will never know just who will end up with it.

15 - Do I need one Resource Sphere file?
Yes, you need one, even if your map doesn't have resources. Well, actually you can have more than one, but usually there is no point in having more than one, unless your ResourceSphere_#.missphere file is bigger than 64K (See the final question in this FAQ).

16 - Do I have to have the Mothership Missionsphere files?
Yep, you have to have one for the maximum amount of players on that map.

17 - Why should I exclude things from my map?

	1. To go along with the story line, or just to create an interesting map (my map, The Strike, for example, only lets you build strike craft)
	2. To reduce loading time, if you exclude all the races beside RACE_SECT and RACE_BEAST, the loading time will be significantly less.
	3. If you don't load something, the RAM will go to using something else, and this will reduce lag.
	4. If you include too much stuff some of Cataclysm's graphics start getting screwy...

18 - Do I have to exclude things individually?
No, you can exclude an entire race by using the exclude ships command in the Level file, i.e.:

ExcludeShips Race (RACE_SECT, RACE_BEAST, RACE_P1 etc.), ALL.

19 - How can I exclude most things, but not all?
You can put: 	

	ExcludeShips RACE_BEAST, ALL 

Then below it put:

	IncludeShips RACE_BEAST, bMissileCorvette.

This will exclude all Beast ships, except for the Missile Corvette.

20 - Do I have to include the comment lines on my map?
No, but they help so things are grouped, and easier to edit.

21 - Why doesn't my map show up in the game menu?
Probably because you don't have the folder name, and the name in the .level file the same (remember to put the number at the end).

22 - How/where do I put in the description for my map?
The description goes in the description.txt file. Where it says Description about 5 times vertically (it has to be within those description lines followed by a tab spacer).

23 - I can select my map, but when I try to load it, it crashes to Windows, what's wrong?
There are many reasons. Remember the stuff you printed? Read over theHW Errors file written by TAKER.

24 - When a map crashes, will it screw up Homeworld?
Luckily, no (my computer wouldn't work if maps screwed up your game by crashing).

25 - Where else can I find help?
Relic's forums are good. The Project Red Engineering forums are good too.

26 - For practice, can I edit other people's maps?
Sure, thats what I did for a loooooong time. Try testing different variables one at a time to see what they all do.

27 - How do I put together the files to post to a site?
Download either WinRAR, or WinZip. For these programs all you have to do is put all the files (the folders and a readme usually) into 1 folder, then tell the program to zip everything in that folder.

28 - How do I make sure my map will work?
Test it, play on WON, play against the computer with every possible number of players. If you can't play over WON, send it to some other people, and have them tell you what to change. I didn't do this for my first map, and as a result I had to keep re-releasing it to fix a number of problems.

29 - If I try to play my map over WON, when downloading, it crashes. What's wrong?
WON has a size limitation of 64k, if your map has any files larger than 64k it won't auto-download over WON. If you can't split up the big files (see question 11) then just have each player download the map regularly (from your website, over ICQ, or whatever).
