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Author Topic: Possible solution for making MP maps
AndiNo
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posted December 30, 2006 05:46     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Hi KKND-community
Although I'm not sure I think that nobody here (including me) has managed to export a multiplayer map with KME. The reason is that minimap.exe always crashes, no matter what version of Windows I use. (the good thing is that I can use KME on WinXP by running it in VMWare, which is a "virtual machine" on which you can install WinME for example)
I found a "fixed" KME.exe here on the forum but it doesn't help much as far as I can tell. I looked at it with a hexeditor and the only difference from it to the standard KME.exe is that it changes the parameters which are given to minimap.exe while exporting a MP map [minimap.exe export.lvs export.mis 8 (only one 8 instead of two)]. However this small change will prevent minimap.exe from crashing so that the map gets exported. As far as I can remember the game either crashes or the map gets screwed up when starting a multiplayer game with it.

That's the point where I began to play around with the parameters for minimap.exe. My brother quickly built a Delphi-program with which I could set the params for minimap.exe when exporting a mp map. The only difference between a single- and a multiplayermap is that KME adds two 8's to the parameters when calling minimap.exe, so I wanted to find out what they do. I experimented around for two days and I may have found a solution (btw: I first wanted Nahoo to test my "solution" but he doesn't seem to have enough time - no real response after half a week...).
I changed the parameters which are given to minimap.exe so it uses the same as when exporting a singleplayer mission (simply remove the two 8's at the end). The map however can still be selected from the multiplayer screen, so I tried to start it but the game crashed while loading. I found out that a side-effect of the changed params is that there are no starting points in the map (although at least one appears to be at the top left corner of the map, but out of it's map-bounds). Then I found out by luck that the starting points are taken over from a previously selected map. So I first selected a normal mp map and then switched over to my map. It then had the same starting points. And then I could play with my own map. One thing is that the created map has to be large enough to contain the spawnpoints from the other map (so that they don't get out of the map-area). So you can not place your own starting points but you have to select a standard mp map to get the SPs from it, then perhaps give your map a name so it appears right after the map you want the SPs from (I hope you understood this^^).
I'm not sure if this works with players connecting as clients because they might have the map, too, but they still don't have spawnpoints on their map. I don't know how KKND handles how players get their starting position, but to avoid crashing the game it might work that the clients first start their own mp-game with the user-created map (of course with previously selecting the map with the wanted starting points), then immediately close that game and then connect to the server they want (if it works it would be the same "bug" as when using user-created unit stats).

The new minimap.exe can be obtained here:
http://www.file-upload.net/download-30.12.06_s323y.zip.html
(the upload service changed the filename, but what the heck^^)


It has become a bit too long now but if it works I hope that there will be more multiplayer maps soon
let's hope for the best...

[ December 30, 2006: Message edited by: AndiNo ]


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AndiNo
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posted January 11, 2007 16:01     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Wow. Didn't think that the KKND2-community would be THAT dead...
Well, I'll check here some more times to see if anyone uses and tries this out. (if so then please post your experiences with it)
cya

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Strongbee
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posted January 17, 2007 20:24     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
BUGGA!! I was hoping I wouldn't have to think the same thing, but looks as though a large (very large) percentage of the kknd community has died. Not to worry, I am here and am downloading yon file as I type.

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Strongbee
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posted January 17, 2007 20:28     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Quick Question - do we need VMware for this to work? Is it even meant to make the KME work properly? because I am still way back at that stage.

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AndiNo
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posted January 18, 2007 07:09     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
No, you don't need VMWare for this to work. It was just a note from me about how I made KME work under WinXP.

With the new minimap.exe you can adjust what parameters are given to the original minimap.exe (which is always executed when KME exports a map). As I stated in my first post, using the new minimap.exe may give us an opportunity to export multiplayer maps as well. However, testing this is your task

PS: I didn't really expect anyone to post here anymore^^


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Strongbee
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posted January 18, 2007 09:39     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Understandable, I was actually not too sure if you were gonna come back, but I thought there was a fair chance you would, given your last post on the 11th. Looks to me like we ARE the community now, unfortunately. even more unfortunately, I am not quite clear on what is happening here - I cannot get KME to work at all - clearly something you have managed, which has gone right over my head. Any suggestions(please?). I saw you mention summat about a 'fixed' KME somewhere on this site?
Oddly enough, I understood the whole spawn point bit, and would be more than happy to test it out (provided I can find some willing players - I know at least one person joined today though, which means they should be eager), it is just a simple case of actually making a map without it, well, dying on me

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AndiNo
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posted January 18, 2007 10:00     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Well, the "fixed" KME is not a patched KME in any way but only a hardly changed version of the normal KME. The only difference is that it calls minimap.exe with different parameters than the normal KME does. However even this doesn't make it export the maps right.

On my computer (WinXP) KME starts normally but it crashes when I click on any of the tabs at the bottom (tiles, attributes etc.). The rest however works just fine.
What is the problem with your KME? Does it crash while starting? If so the only solution I know is to either use VMWare in order to emulate WinME or to install a second partition (not sure if that's the right word^^) with WinME on it. There are some threads about this problem here on the board.

[ January 18, 2007: Message edited by: AndiNo ]


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Strongbee
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posted January 18, 2007 22:15     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Actually, the problem is identical to yours - when I click one of the tabs at the bottom, it dies on me. I always thought you needed the tabs at the bottom though - I am assuming that you can work your way around them though, given that you have (from what I understand)

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Strongbee
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posted January 19, 2007 06:30     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Where are the posts? Because, though I hate to be totally useless, but I can't make mountains and etc, and can only do desert settings.

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AndiNo
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posted January 19, 2007 10:02     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
After that storm-thing in our region yesterday evening some parts of our current/electricity were gone so I could not come here^^

The only tileset that comes with KME is the desert one. On some of Nahoo's pages you can download the pictures belonging to the other tilesets (urban and grass). They are however not in a kp-file as far as I know. There was a user on this board who created another kp-file with textures based on grassland.

As I said before, my "solution" or workaround for KME was to use VMWare where I could install a version of WindowsME on. This way I could use KME as normal.
If that doesn't work for you you have to dust-off some old WinME CD and install it on another part of your HD
I don't know any other way of getting KME to run than using an older version of Windows, especially WinME...

[ January 19, 2007: Message edited by: AndiNo ]


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Ness
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posted January 19, 2007 22:20     Profile for Ness     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I just recently joined the KKND2 Community. This is my favorite game. I can't stop playing.

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AndiNo
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posted January 20, 2007 07:19     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I'm new to this forum (community^^), too. It's always nice to see new persons playing "old" games.
However, I can't find any relation between your post and the topic

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Strongbee
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posted January 20, 2007 09:27     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Come now, any activity is good activity, considering this site was dead about a week ago. Alrighty then, taking your VMWare course, how the hell do I use VMWare? I think I have the dsl-n version, and I have the VMWare player, but I have no idea how to place windows me/98 in it. If you wouldn't mind helping me out, I would appreciate it.

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AndiNo
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posted January 20, 2007 12:46     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Okay, I looked around for a while and found out some things.
With VMWare Player you can only run pre-configured packages made by the VMWare people (at least I think so). edit: there are packs made by the community, but there are none with Windows on them. [some infos Wikipedia ]
btw: I don't know what this dsl-n version may be...

As far as I know you have to use VMWare Workstation to create a VM and use WinME. However you will only obtain it per illegal download if you're not willing to pay so much money

But there was another info on wikipedia which might come in handy. I read about VirtualPC from Microsoft which seems to offer similar possibilities. See here: wikipedia

However, I can't give you more infos on that as I have no experience with that up to now. There is a download link from wikipedia, see if it works: Microsoft

If you managed to install it there are some infos about setting it up here (a bit down the page): Infos

whew... hope that helps you a bit. Let me hear if it works. It might be a substitution for VMWare... I hope you don't have to fiddle around with the installation too much. btw: I also hope you have a WinME CD around somewhere


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Strongbee
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posted January 21, 2007 09:05     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Unfortunately, I do not have a windows ME cd in the house (or indeed in the block, so far as I know), but I am downloading the virtual PC dealie as I type. With any luck, said CD will not be needed, and yours truly will not be screwed.

PS Do you think the site moderators come on anymore? I get the feeling the don't, which is a real shame.

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AndiNo
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posted January 21, 2007 09:58     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Nope, they seem to have lost interest or have no time anymore. I contacted Nahoo about this possible mp map fix (he is the one who created several singleplayer missions). All he responded was "Ok, thanks. I'll talk later." Later seems to be more than 3 weeks though...

@WinME
Perhaps you have Win98 which might work also with KME. Otherwise you could just buy an old ME CD. *checks Amazon* Wow. Such an old WinME CD costs about 50 bucks (in that case EUROs)...

I'm not sure, but are there any packs that come with VPC? As far as I know you can select different systems while installing, don't know what this means though...


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Strongbee
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posted January 22, 2007 23:35     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Well, I took the easy way out in relation to windows operating systems. I downloaded a windows 9 ISO file and mounted the image. So, I can get the virtual pc to windows 98, now all I have to work on is actually running the KME (or indeed any program) in it

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Nahoo
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posted January 23, 2007 14:00     Profile for Nahoo   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Another idea is to run Windows 98 from a memory stick - this is now possible!

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Strongbee
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posted January 24, 2007 08:17     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Nahoo! Great to see admin back! So, uh, how do you do that? because, let's face it, I have no idea what the hell I am doing with this virtual pc

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AndiNo
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posted January 24, 2007 13:29     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Yeah good to see you back (dunno if you had really left though )
btw: Have you tried to make a mp map now? As I told you about this "fix" some time ago you might have already tested it...

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Nahoo
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posted January 24, 2007 14:21     Profile for Nahoo   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I did fix that invincible unit bug in the Water World map...

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Strongbee
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posted January 30, 2007 08:58     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
ahhh, could we have a suck-up here? Andi-no? nudge-nudge
Erm, anyway, back to the question, how is the running of the Windows acheived through a memory stick?

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AndiNo
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posted February 01, 2007 06:37     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
erm yes I actually didn't know what to write...
Nahoo seems to always give some weird answers when talking about multiplayers maps with him. There was at least one other person here on the forums who got an answer from Nahoo where he stated he didn't know what the person was talking about although it was absolutely clear that he had asked something about multiplayer maps...
I think he makes a fun out of it.

@topic
I can do nothing more than say that I use a "virtual machine" for my WinME. I have no experience with booting memory sticks...
It does now all depend on you ALONE!


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Strongbee
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posted February 01, 2007 09:11     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
By you you mean nahoo, yes?

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AndiNo
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posted February 01, 2007 16:17     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Nope
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Strongbee
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posted February 13, 2007 04:26     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Ah. Well, in that case, things might take a while. A long while.
I'll see what I can do

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AndiNo
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posted February 15, 2007 07:22     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Well, I have long moved on to other projects but I'm still looking here regularly. So if you find out whether it works or anything like that I will notice it...
I don't really understand what is so complicated about this virtual stuff but anyways,
Good luck

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Strongbee
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posted July 16, 2007 23:56     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
I'm baa-aack!
I trust I am not too late, and you are still regularly checking back here.
Just want you to know, I was inspired overnight, and as such, by the end of the week hope to have this whole thing sorted out.
I do agree with you, I was quite wussy in attempting to understand the virtual talk, and, having spent a week with some computer techies, am going to create a virtual windows 98. The only thing stopping me from doing it right now is the simple fact that I must obtain a windows 98 cd, which unfortunately means ordering online. Never fear though, for no cost is too great in this case!
I should return by the end of the week.
Look forward to a response, or some sign of activity

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Strongbee
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posted July 22, 2007 22:47     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Ok, I can load the KME in my windows 98 virtual machine!
I have one last problem now, and I realise it is quite a long shot to be answered here, but I'll give it a go. My virtual win98 only seems to support a 16bit colour resolution, with no choice, yet I believe krossfire needs 32bit resolution. anyone know how I could possibly enable the 32bit option?

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AndiNo
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posted March 08, 2008 07:16     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Wow it's been quite a while
Does anyone still read this?
If you can start and use KME in Win98 then there is no problem^^ Just use KME to create your mission, then copy it over to your normal Windows or KKND folder. Play the mission by running KKND from your NORMAL Windows installation. You only need Win98 to run KME.

PS: I don't really know why I just came back here


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Strongbee
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posted May 05, 2008 17:55     Profile for Strongbee     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
c'mon! It's always worth coming back here!

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AndiNo
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posted May 06, 2008 13:59     Profile for AndiNo     Send New Private Message   Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote
Well I just received an email about your post so I came back again^^
But unfortunately I don't think there will be anything new in relation to mapping... or did you give it a try some time ago?

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