[MAPS] New Terror Mission Map Blocks

[luke83]

Well after almost 20 years i am sick of only seeing the same group of map blocks on terror missions as such i am starting to make my own to add into the mix.

All my mapblocks will have ground level on level 4 allowing me to have plenty of room for the occasional basement for extra variety. Also there will be a few Taller Buildings to make it look more like a city. I want to make a heap of different ones to get me through the next 20 years of my life with OPENXCOM.
 To start with i wont be over decorating the rooms as in the future i need to work out how to add NEW images into the Tile-sets but first i want to have openXcom 1.0 before i even see if there is software to easily do this.

Target for this project is 33 modified map blocks size 10x10 or 20x20 ( this number includes the original map blocks), i have been thinking about adding some 20x30 or even 30x30 blocks but smaller blocks are better for Random map generation so for now i am forcing myself to stick to this ( Yes i have some interesting plans for bigger map blocks but i must resist  ) . With the Height restriction removed in openXcom it allows me to add basements to some blocks so as such i have added XBase1.PCK to the original Urban .PCK files so i can have a block that represents underground Earth. This extra block will be the only non-original urban PCK blocked used until i figure out ( or get told) what openX will be able to handle ( Worse case if openX never reaches V1.0 it wont be a huge job to make these compatible with the original X-com again).

I already have all the original LIFTED to the new levels so now i just need New ones. Here are my First 3 work in progress ( as usual , what ever i create will be uploaded when done).

You will notice none of these are finished so don't point out flaws yet The plan is to get all blocks roughly designed , then fine tune and details then LAST add all the Nodes for Spawn points and AI movement.


UPDATE:
 Thanks to Warboy keeping the dream alive, these files are now LIVE on the MOD site and working for OXC V1.0, check them out here:https://www.openxcom.com/mod/lukes-expanded-terror-mission

[michal]

Good work I would love to see them ingame.

[kkmic]

Looking good. Can't wait to try them in-game too.

[luke83]

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement.  To use in game we need SupSuper to finish his Rulesets so it knows the correct MCD to use. Also Dalky needs to continue his excellent work

This is a idea i did tonight, to make it look better i will need to make a Better Railing later on but for now the white fencing will need to do.

Added 2 new small houses

[luke83]

Here is the startings of a motel. I still need to Change the rails as it kinda looks like a prison

Change to White Fence , just to see if it looks better, i think long term i will need to make a proper railing graphic and stop using fences

[luke83]

OK so i now have a few different map blocks but i am finding i need to tweak a few graphics to make everything look good so tonight i duplicate the Furniture file (.Tab, .Mck, .pck) and gave it a different name to see if the Mapview would load both into the same Tile. It all appeared to work until i saved it and then re-opened the map block , at this point it had changed into a different .image   If anyone has any experience with this can you send me a PM

[luke83]

I did one little test last night with a copy of the furniture files and this is what i found when i jumped back on tonight Took me a while but i think i fixed it ( im not sure what i did  but a fresh install of Mapview and reloaded the maps and then it works).

[luke83]

More Houses

[Conti-k]

I like CF08 and CF15 very much. Would be pretty cool to use them with huge crossroad surrounded by huge amount of small-ish houses, with some backyards, and perhaps small shop(s). I made a quick concept to show what do I mean (see attachment). Is this possible with random building from blocks, or perhaps whole, pre-defined map would be needed?

[luke83]

Taken From PM from Daiky "the order the map is built: the UFO is placed first (if any), the XCOM Craft is placed (if any), then the roads are placed, then the rest is filled with small blocks if a large one does not fit, a large OR small block if a large block fits (about 50/50 chance).
2. yes, the map area is not hard coded, currently its limited to 100x100, but needs to change still, so it will be unlimited eventually"

Above is the placement rules for map generation as per Daiky, so Without any coding , if you remove all unwanted block types from the selection options you should be able to get roughly what you want to achieve. If you or someone else starts doing some custom scripting for map block placement ( once its supported) you should easily be able to achieve what you are after.

My original Target value for this map blocks set was 33 different map block , i am actually almost there so after i finish off the first 33 designs i get to start the spawn nodes ( will take a lot of time to do) i most likely will add more small ones as i love variety.

[luke83]

Toying around with some other maps blocks again tonight , not overly happy with these so i am not sure if they will be Keepers, i guess i will see how they finish up .

[AlienRape]

Having a firefight in a cities CBD would be tiresome.... all those elevators that you'd need to use to sweep each floor.

[luke83]

Yes i know some people feel this way, so IF you ever use my map block , dont add the large Buildings 

What would be cool would be if i could group buildings into groups. Have open/empty blocks as group1,Small house blocks as group2 and Have all the large multi story buildings as group3. Then say to mister map generation i want 30% of map to be group 1, 50% group 2 and and 20% group3.  This way Everyone can tailor a map to there own personal taste.

I dont play a game to finish it , i play for a challenge. That being said if i normally play X-com for one or 2 missions these days , i dont do all nighters any more ( the joys of being a father) so for my style of playing, a CBD could be very challenging and enjoyable map to play (Also note, the Rooms in these larger buildings are very basic and open to minimise searching for a needle in a hay stack). ALso Correct alien generation on these larger buildings will help minimise having all the aliens in the upper levels) . Also worth noting , none of these buildings are any higher than the original game ( i think  )

At this point  i still dont like CF09 so he will most likely get scraped as the only thing i like is the car park under the building 

[luke83]

Redone CF09

[luke83]

OK i have one more map block to go to reach my target amount , any suggestions ? Another park , More Houses ?

Im open to suggestions  ( especially since my brain is hurting trying to think of one more tonight  ) so what else do i need to balance out my map set ?