How Do You Convert Ubisoft TOTE Maps For Editing?

[rdeford]

I've expanded the Data/Maps folder. I see some cryptic .xdb files that I assume are the map files, but how do I open them with the editor? There are people out there who know how to do this feat because someone has converted the H5 maps into the .h5m format that can be edited. Please, share the knowledge.

[Apocalypse]

A quote from another post in the MOD section:

The "hard" way but the simplest imo, i've said it many times but i'll tell it again.

Go to C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\Heroes of Might and Magic V\profiles and open the editor_a1.cfg file and then change the setvar map_editor_mode value to any number but 1. For example setvar map_editor_mode = 9.

Btw if you have never done this you have to know that the normal version of the editor is a very limited tool compared to the advanced map editor you get when you change the editor mode.

Then open the editor.
Go to View->Game Database -> Game Database Window 0
If the Window that just appeared is completely empty :
Go to Resources -> Select Tables and check "AdvMapDesc" then click OK
You should see in the game database window 2 folders : maps and test. Open the map folder then explore the official maps .

The same can be done for H5 standard map editor.

[sfidanza]

If you didn't solve your problem yet, ToE maps as .h5m are available on
http://www.heroesofmightandmagic.com/he ... maps.shtml

[rdeford]

Thanks guys! I love this community.

@ Apocalypse-- I haven't tried this yet, but it looks like it might be what I was looking for.

@ sfidanza-- I picked up on the link to Neckie's work in another post. Now I don't have to do the work myself, but I remain ignorant. Decisions, decisions...

[sfidanza]

Ok then, let's add a few more explanations (I always support education).

To open the "internal" maps in the editor (and many other internal resources), just follow the procedure in Apocalypse's post. I don't think it's that useful for maps, but there are a bunch of interesting things that can be viewed in the editor in a similar way.

To work on maps specifically, I think it's better to first package it as an .h5m, and work from there. To do that, you don't need the editor, only winrar (and a text editor to view the contents of .xdb files if you're curious).
All you have to do is extract from data.pak (which is actually a zip file) the map files, and then place them in their own archive (.zip, renamed to .h5m), respecting the exact same folder structure.
For example: Maps\Multiplayer\M1\
this is the folder containing the "Mystic's Vale" multiplayer map.

All the texts are stored in the corresponding folder in texts.pak (there's one texts.pak for each localization). This is how you can learn that M1 is "Mystic's Vale" (in english). It is specified in texts.pak in
Maps\Multiplayer\M1\name.txt
(it is usually name.txt or something similar). The exact text file containing the map name is always (except in early 1.x versions) pointed to in
Maps\Multiplayer\M1\map-tag.xdb

To wrap it up, what we did to package "Mystic's Vale" (or any other map) as .h5m is extract the map folder from data.pak, add the english texts, and re-package these files in a new zip (the M1_Mystic's Vale.h5m or M1_toe_Mystic's Vale.h5m) that you can find on AoH. Just open the .h5m with winrar to check it out.

To add a little more, things so far are easy once you get around them. What's more tricky is adding in the dialogscenes (from H5/ToE singleplayer scenario for instance, to play them under ToE). To do that, you need to follow references inside .xdb files, and add to the package everything that's not included in ToE. Or that has been updated and creates an incompatibility. Unless the update is actually a bug fix... You get the point.

[rdeford]

@ sfidanza

Thanks.

"To be ignorant is not a fault, however, the desire to remain so is."

[ransomdl]

[quote="Apocalypse"]A quote from another post in the MOD section:

[quote]The "hard" way but the simplest imo, i've said it many times but i'll tell it again.

Go to C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\Heroes of Might and Magic V\profiles and open the editor_a1.cfg file and then change the setvar map_editor_mode value to any number but 1. For example setvar map_editor_mode = 9.

Btw if you have never done this you have to know that the normal version of the editor is a very limited tool compared to the advanced map editor you get when you change the editor mode.

Then open the editor.
Go to View->Game Database -> Game Database Window 0
If the Window that just appeared is completely empty :
Go to Resources -> Select Tables and check "AdvMapDesc" then click OK
You should see in the game database window 2 folders : maps and test. Open the map folder then explore the official maps .

The same can be done for H5 standard map editor.[/quote][/quote]

----------------------------

Apocalypse,

Attempted to utilize your instuctions to change the "setvar map_editor mode", but the editor_a1.cfg file would not allow me to open the file. What application can I use to open the file?

ransomdl

[rdeford]

Attempted to utilize your instuctions to change the "setvar map_editor mode", but the editor_a1.cfg file would not allow me to open the file. What application can I use to open the file?

ransomdl

You can use any plain text editor such as Notepad or WordPad. For example, right-click on the filename and use Open With --> WordPad.

[ransomdl]

[quote="rdeford"][quote]Attempted to utilize your instuctions to change the "setvar map_editor mode", but the editor_a1.cfg file would not allow me to open the file. What application can I use to open the file?

ransomdl[/quote]

You can use any plain text editor such as Notepad or WordPad. For example, right-click on the filename and use Open With --> WordPad.[/quote]

-----------
rdeford

Thank you for your reply,

Tried what you are suggesting, but when saving the change, it wants to save as a ".txt" file rather than a ".cfg" file. Will this make a difference in how the program operates?

[rdeford]

it wants to save as a ".txt" file rather than a ".cfg" file. Will this make a difference in how the program operates?

OK, I just tried it myself again to make sure.

I right-clicked, did Open-With WordPad, made the change, and did a plain Save.

It saved it as a .cfg file.

You may have been using Save-As or something.

And, I have a hunch that is has to remain a .cfg file based on my experience with other programs, but I haven't actually tried it with the this editor.

[ransomdl]

[quote="rdeford"][quote] it wants to save as a ".txt" file rather than a ".cfg" file. Will this make a difference in how the program operates?[/quote]

OK, I just tried it myself again to make sure.

I right-clicked, did Open-With WordPad, made the change, and did a plain Save.

It saved it as a .cfg file.

You may have been using Save-As or something.

And, I have a hunch that is has to remain a .cfg file based on my experience with other programs, but I haven't actually tried it with the this editor.[/quote]

------------------------
rdeford

Thanks for the quick reply.

Do you know where the map folder files are located for Tribes of the East within the data.pak file, I have not been able to find them when that file was extracted?

[ransomdl]

[quote="rdeford"][quote] it wants to save as a ".txt" file rather than a ".cfg" file. Will this make a difference in how the program operates?[/quote]

OK, I just tried it myself again to make sure.

I right-clicked, did Open-With WordPad, made the change, and did a plain Save.

It saved it as a .cfg file.

You may have been using Save-As or something.

And, I have a hunch that is has to remain a .cfg file based on my experience with other programs, but I haven't actually tried it with the this editor.[/quote]

---------------

rdeford

Followed your directions using wordpad to open the"editor_a1.cfg" file and change the "setvar map_editor_mode" to a value of 9, but when I attempted to save the change, I received a message that said "access denied" and it would not let me make the change.

Any suggestions?