Alexspeed´s MIP - Map Improvement Package for Victoria 2

[Alexspeed]

Alexspeed´s MIP - Map Improvment Package for Victoria 2

Also try out:
Alexspeed´s Untransparent Map Mod for Victoria 2.


Ladies & Gentlemen,
some of you requested it, and i am now able to present you the MIP, the first Map Improvment Package for Victoria 2!
This Mod Package will give you a new Victoria 2 experience.

This mod combines:
- My Sexiicolors Intense 1.3
- My Canvas Worldmap 1.1
- My Clear Map Overlay 1.3 (including takedown47´s parchment overlay)
- Danevangs V2 Map Fertilizer 1.01
- CaptRobau's Map Font Mini-Mod 1.0

and it adds a customised "terrain_2_0.fx" file,
that adjusts the Fog of War to be less dark in all mapmodes!

for deatailed information about the included Mods,
please visit their respective threads.

You could try to use only the customised "terrain_2_0.fx" file without this package.
If you do that you will notice that the brigtness is way too high, so i advise against that.
I will release a modified "terrain_2_0.fx" file sometime in the next days
that you can use to lessen the Fog of War even without this package.

Big thanks to Danevang, CaptRobau and takedown47 for their agreement to include their mods in this Package!

I hope you will enjoy the Map Improvment Package


The Mod:

This Mod Package replaces all world textures (near and far zoom) and the world colormap with modded ones,
it replaces also the Ocean Map with one that has a depht texture, and it gives the diplomatic map view a parchment texture.
Alternatively there is also a clear texture overlay included.
Further changes are that all countries get recolored like in the Sexiicolors Intense Mod
and the Fog of War got lessened in all mapmodes.

1.1

I have included the dark texture overlay as another alternative from my Clear Map Overlay 1.3 Mod.
Also i have included CaptRobau's Map Font Mini-Mod 1.0 if you prefer his fully colored map font.
If you have problems with the large water texture file, theres now an alternative for that included that should allways work.

1.2

Version 1.0 - 1.1 should only be used with Victoria 2 - Version 1.1.
therefore i updated the mod to:
Version 1.2 which is intended to be used with Victoria 2 - Version 1.2.

This mod is tested and works fine with Victoria 2 - Version 1.2!


You dont have to rebuild your cache for this package,
but please make backups of all your files before you replace them,
just in case you want to revert the changes.

If you want to give feedback or encounter any problems with this modification, please let me know in here


About the integration of this Mod Package in other Projects:

If you want to integrate this Mod package into your Mod you can do so without asking.
All you have to do ist to name the Mod Package and the Autors in the description/credits/readme.
If you would set a link to this thread it would be nice too, but thats not mandatory.
You can let me know if you integrated something in your mod, i would be happy to see it
If you do have further questions just ask me here or via Private Message.



The Work:

The first Version of this Mod was created on Sept. 08, 2010
It is intended for use with Victoria 2 1.2
(Version for Victoria 2 1.1 in older versions section)

You are free to use this mod with your original of Victoria 2
You may redistribute freely, but dont claim it as your own work nor charge money for it.

The latest release is MIP - Map Improvment Package 1.2

Included in this Release:
- 1 "Victoria 2" folder with several subfolders
- 138 country-.txt files in "\common\countries"
- 1 terrain_2_0.fx file in "\gfx\FX"
- 3 .dds-files & 2 .tga-files in "\map\terrain"

- 1 "optional" folder with subfolders
- 3 .dds-files
- 1 .tga-file

- 1 readme.txt file


Please note that this mod is currently untested with the Victoria 2 Expansion - A House Divided.

As Paradox changed alot on the UI and some of the map modes, its likely that it wont work as its intended to if you use it with the Expansion.
So if you choose to try it out, do it on your own risk and be prepared to reinstall the game/uninstall the mod in case it dosent work.
If you do try it out, please report back if you had any issues.

I plan to get back on the mod eventually to make it work with the expansion if its needed, but i have no timefrane yet for this in mind.
Thank you in any case for your interrest and support =)




The Download:

click here: Map Improvment Package 1.2

Mirror1.2 (not jet ready)



To Use:

- Go to your "..\Victoria 2" Folder,
make backups of the files in "..\common\countries", "..\gfx\FX" and "..\map\terrain" Folders,
save them at a secure place, in case you want to revert to the original files.

- Then copy the "Victoria 2" folder from this archive over your original "..\Victoria 2" Folder.


Alternative Files in the optional Folder:

- If you want the Clear Map Overlay Texture instead of the Parchment Overlay Texture,
take the "map_overlay_tile.dds" from the "optional" folder to replace the file in "..\map\terrain".

- Or if you want the dark parchment texture instead of the Parchment Overlay Texture
take the "map_overlay_tile.dds" from the "dark parchment" folder to replace your original file in "..\map\terrain".

- If you want to use CaptRobau's Map Font Mini-Mod instead of the regular Map Font,
go to your "..\gfx\fonts" folder and make a backup of the "mapfont_56.tga" file.
Then copy the one from the folder "\optional\Alternative Map Font" in your "..\gfx\fonts" folder.

- If you have a problem with the sea terrain texture file (ugly stretching, does not fit, game runs much slower suddenly),
Use the one from the "\optional\Smaller Water Colourmap" directory instead, that should work for sure.

- If you dont want country color changes leave out the "..\common\countries" folder from this mod when you install it.
France, Japan and the Ottoman Empire have alternative colours in their country files.
To change them just erase the "#" in front of the alternative colour and put it in front of the primary colour.


Launch Victoria 2 and enjoy!



Changelist:

1.0: initial release

1.1:
- Included the dark parchment optional file,
- CaptRobau's Map Font Mini-Mod file
- and a lower size alternative "colormap_water.dds" for anyone that has problems with the bigger sized original.

1.2:
- updated the whole mod to Victoria2 1.2 compatible versions



Old Versions:

Version for Victoria 1.1:
Map Improvment Package 1.1
Map Improvment Package 1.0, Mirror1



Images:


Near Zoom:




Medium Zoom




Far Zoom





New in 1.1:

Optional Dark Parchment Overlay:



Optional CaptRobau's Map Font:

[Alexspeed]

reserved =)

[Alerias]

Well, (sexii)color me impressed.

Going to try that right away.

[Alexspeed]

Well, (sexii)color me impressed.
Going to try that right away.

Do that and report back, i hope you will like it

[seattle]

I'll just list the two things I don't like (why waste anyone's time with nuthugging?):

1. The mud instead of lush green look takes it too far. Now the map looks more realistic, but come on! It should also feel warm and cozy and not like November in Germany all the time.

After all, this is Victoria! It's a game that plays in the most glorious and optimistic of ages. You should feel the imperial splendour of that time. This map reminds me of WW1. It doesn't represent what Vicky stands for though. I'd like to imagine that it was always sunny in that time.

-> I would tone down the muddy look and settle for a compromise between this and vanilla comical green


2. The far zoomed out political map (not the terrain map) is too bright. Where's the water? I can only see a bright cloudy white-blue. There's probably nothing you can do about it. It's related to your map overlay and making the water darker would have a nasty zoomed in look to it.

[Alexspeed]

Thank you for the feedback

1. The mud instead of lush green look takes it too far. Now the map looks more realistic, but come on! It should also feel warm and cozy and not like November in Germany all the time.

After all, this is Victoria! It's a game that plays in the most glorious and optimistic of ages. You should feel the imperial splendour of that time. This map reminds me of WW1. It doesn't represent what Vicky stands for though. I'd like to imagine that it was always sunny in that time.

-> I would tone down the muddy look and settle for a compromise between this and vanilla comical green

Its not only a "muddy" look, it should also represent a kind of parchment on that you are playing, thats why it has a parchment texture on it.

Try it out ingame, it looks alot brighter when you play with it for a while, i dunnow why it looks so dark on the screens i made, but its really not that bad looking ingame. At least thats my opinion

I really dont want to brighten the terrain textures up very much further (i allready brightened them in Version 1.1 of the Canvas Worldmap) , but i respect your opinion and i can see the reasoning behind it.

Maybe the Canvas Worldmap is not for everyones taste, thats fine too, you can easily leave it out of this mod package, if you leave out the "texturesheet.tga", the "texturesheet2.tga" and the "colormap.dds" in the "\map\terrain" Folder, from this mod when you install it. EDIT: Altough then the Fog of War will be very bright... hmm... i have to look into that.

Hopefully in the future we will have more options for terrain, that i can include in this mod package, then maybe something is in there thats for your taste too

2. The far zoomed out political map (not the terrain map) is too bright. Where's the water? I can only see a bright cloudy white-blue. There's probably nothing you can do about it. It's related to your map overlay and making the water darker would have a nasty zoomed in look to it.

Well for that you could use the optional Clear Map Overlay instead of the parchment overlay, that will get you the vanilla look without the map grids.

I might be able to provide a alternative darker parchment look too for a next version

Thank you again for the feedback

[Alexspeed]

I created a quick "dark parchment map overlay" file that should fix things for those that find the regular parchment overlay too bright

Click here: dark parchment map overlay

Thats how it looks like:



I will include it in the next update

[NobleJms]

Seeing how few feedbacks there are, Alex, I just wanna say this is a fantastic job, even though i myself only use part of it (clear map with parchment with vintage color mod).

I'm pretty certain that 90% of people who see this will use your mod, even though only 1% of them will come back and thank you for this awesome work.

[pixies57]

Super mod!!!Can i incorpore in my mod.?

[Inner Circle]

Super mod!!!Can i incorpore in my mod.?

You should ask first the Authors of those mods since this is only a package of mods


b2topic: It looks really good but I´m using most of these mods already but it will save me time, if i have to reinstall V2 because of something

[Alexspeed]

First thing, i added a Mirror download

Seeing how few feedbacks there are, Alex, I just wanna say this is a fantastic job, even though i myself only use part of it (clear map with parchment with vintage color mod).

I'm pretty certain that 90% of people who see this will use your mod, even though only 1% of them will come back and thank you for this awesome work.

Thank you for the nice words, jeah its good to hear them sometimes when you have spent hours on something

I designed everything to be as modular as possible, so anyone can customize it as he wants to as easily as possible

Super mod!!!Can i incorpore in my mod.?

You can incooperate my work in your mod if you find it suitable of course, with any degree you want to, as long as you give credit (a link would be nice too but only if you want to)

For the part from Danevangs V2 Map Fertilizer (that is the "colormap_water.dds") and takedown47´s parchment overlay (that is the "map_overlay_tile.dds" in the main victoria 2 folder) you have to wait alittle, i asked for permission from both to let pepole include them in their mods.
I dont think they will have anything against it, but i have to ask them first, i will let you know as soon as i have a answer

(...)
b2topic: It looks really good but I´m using most of these mods already but it will save me time, if i have to reinstall V2 because of something

Thank you Inner Circle, glad you find it usefull,
and good to hear youre allready using what i have provided

[Manifestant]

Respect

[Sentinal 6]

You are a busy fellow - thanks for the work.

[Alexspeed]

Respect

Thank you

You are a busy fellow - thanks for the work.

Thanks for the comment, i guess i am yeah

---

Keep the comments comming, tell me what you like or dont like.
If you have ideas or wishes concerning this package, share them.
Ask your questions if you have any

And most important, download and enjoy it

[Bamilus]

I like it. Thanks for incorporating the mods together. I really appreciate it when people do that!

[Alexspeed]

I like it. Thanks for incorporating the mods together. I really appreciate it when people do that!

Youre most welcome, i hope to expand and integrate even more mods to give the users more choices in the future, but it will take time, mods have to be made

[pixies57]

You can incooperate my work in your mod if you find it suitable of course, with any degree you want to, as long as you give credit (a link would be nice too but only if you want to)

For the part from Danevangs V2 Map Fertilizer (that is the "colormap_water.dds") and takedown47´s parchment overlay (that is the "map_overlay_tile.dds" in the main victoria 2 folder) you have to wait alittle, i asked for permission from both to let pepole include them in their mods.
I dont think they will have anything against it, but i have to ask them first, i will let you know as soon as i have a answer

Ok thank!Danevag talk me that it's ok for him!!I wait the response of takedown47

[Alexspeed]

Ok thank!Danevag talk me that it's ok for him!!I wait the response of takedown47

I have responses of both of them, and its okay to integrate it for you, credit me and Danevang, takedown47 said he dont need to be credited further.

About the integration of this Mod Package in other Projects:

If you want to integrate this Mod package into your Mod you can do so without asking.
All you have to do ist to name the Mod Package and the Autors in the description/credits/readme.
If you would set a link to this thread it would be nice too, but thats not mandatory.
You can let me know if you integrated something in your mod, i would be happy to see it
If you do have further questions just ask me here or via Private Message.
Autors to credit are at the moment: - Alexspeed & Danevang

[shorty84]

Hi guys, first off: great mod, I like the look very much.

Unfurtunately I've got a problem with the underwater structure (pretty cool idea though).
It doesn't show the relief at the right positions.
Perhaps I did sth wrong with the installation? (used jsgme tool)

screeny:


As you see there's sth like a cut and the whole map seems to be displaced - dunno how to fix this, propositions?
Thanks in advance

shordy

[sagji]

Hi guys, first off: great mod, I like the look very much.

Unfurtunately I've got a problem with the underwater structure (pretty cool idea though).
It doesn't show the relief at the right positions.
Perhaps I did sth wrong with the installation? (used jsgme tool)

screeny:


As you see there's sth like a cut and the whole map seems to be displaced - dunno how to fix this, propositions?
Thanks in advance

shordy

Actually it looks like it is being scaled up horizontally by a factor or 2. The edge you see is the start of the map, and if you look you can see the shadows for the island chain in Dutch Harbour are about twice as far from the line as they should be, and when you get to the end of the map the shadow has only got to Greenwich.