Proposal for mod compatibility of new maps

[unmerged(164423)]

I've had this idea concerning AoD and one or more map mods:

I could code a converter for the province id's from old map to a new map, e.g. E3 or Mexbuild's map.

So you load the revolt.txt, the country definitions and all other files into the converter and the program changes the id's so the game keeps the proper borders of the countries.

I don't know if it is easy to code, it's just an idea ... maybe some of you want to help.

 

[Inner Circle]

I don´t have any experience in coding but i would help you!

 

[guardian21]

I've had this idea concerning AoD and one or more map mods:

I could code a converter for the province id's from old map to a new map, e.g. E3 or Mexbuild's map.

So you load the revolt.txt, the country definitions and all other files into the converter and the program changes the id's so the game keeps the proper borders of the countries.

I don't know if it is easy to code, it's just an idea ... maybe some of you want to help.

If you believe this is possible this could be great, but I am afraid there are way too many parametres involved ( for example there will be different number of provinces, so, for example, how "transfer" a province that has been split in 2? since the countries are different there too?)... Anyway, since I am not experienced with coding, if this is doable, I would really like it...

 

[Amallric]

for example, how "transfer" a province that has been split in 2? since the countries are different there too?)...

That's not really the problem, with some low-quality custom maps like the one that was being sold out there recently you can easily solve those problems because every province in vanilla corresponds exactly to 2 or more provinces on the new map.
Good maps like the E3 map however are not based on the HoI2 vanilla province layout. That basically means that for instance an area occupied by one province in vanilla is divided between several provinces on the E3 map, and in the same time every E3 province overlaps parts of several vanilla provinces. So you can't just do i.e. convert province idXXX to YYY and ZZZ, which is done pretty easily with a computer program but you need do some some more advanced checks, more like if XXX and YYY and ZZZ and AAA are in the same state, then add BBB to that state(and then the following check would be for instance XXX and CCC and DDD).

Also some events will probably remain screwed up whatever you do. For instance if we have some script that converts this stupid Danzig province of HoI2 to two separate provinces, the event that makes Germany annex Danzig will be converted to annex the polish corridor too, although it was meant to only annex Danzig itself.

Now the idea is good. I think many good mods still stick to the old map because they don't want to rewrite all their files. If a converter was to be done, even with all unavoidable fuck-ups, it will still get like 80 - 90 % of the job done. So I'm fully in support of this ColonelReed. What I would suggest is that you create some kind of interface so people out there can begin to create the database. But as I said above the conditions for the converted must be quite sensitive, not just "remove XXX - add YYY and ZZZ" thing.

 

[unmerged(164423)]

So you can't just do i.e. convert province idXXX to YYY and ZZZ, which is done pretty easily with a computer program but you need do some some more advanced checks, more like if XXX and YYY and ZZZ and AAA are in the same state, then add BBB to that state(and then the following check would be for instance XXX and CCC and DDD).

Don't get your point in that one.

I want to create some kind of a table (id on old map - id on new map) so it simply converts. That does 80 - 90 % percent of the work, I guess. The rest can be done "by foot".

Helpers without coding experience could make some of the table or the small adjustments after converting ( esp. @ Inner Circle and guardian21, thanks for your enthusiasm )

My exams are finished at the beginning of March, so there is much time for me and you to think about it, before I can start working

 

[guardian21]

Don't get your point in that one.

I want to create some kind of a table (id on old map - id on new map) so it simply converts. That does 80 - 90 % percent of the work, I guess. The rest can be done "by foot".

Helpers without coding experience could make some of the table or the small adjustments after converting ( esp. @ Inner Circle and guardian21, thanks for your enthusiasm )

My exams are finished at the beginning of March, so there is much time for me and you to think about it, before I can start working

What we mean is that the number of provinces between the vanilla and the map mods can be completely different and thus creating many problems... See the picture to understand what I mean:

(The red are for example the old (vanilla) map, and the blue the new (mod) map. So, to what will you really convert the ID of province 1? Since parts of it are in many different new provinces, each of which has also parts of other "old" provinces?


@amallric: Thats what I meant, not that a mod splits for example provinces in two, but that parts of it are in different provinces (supposing a complete redrawn of the map)
(Offtopic: Yeah, I know I can't even draw properly, but, who cares )

 

[unmerged(164423)]

We can convert the provinces countrywise (I don't see so much problems yet; maybe when I start coding). I know there is no perfect solution in there, but it will definitly help.

 

[Inner Circle]

Why don´t you just rearrange the province id´s instead of keeping the same layout?