Hello hazed
Ive never used the terrain editor and I would like a simple guide or tips on how to get started.
First off, HTC has made excellent changes to the Editor along the way from the first one ( I believe it was version .92 ?) to now.
The first thing is, did you read the help file.
You can select it while in the Editor or by double clicking on the Ahtehelp file located in your C:\Program Files\HTC\aheditor.
If there are certain hurdles you have got over whilst learning it could you post them here so that all of us who are new to it can read them?
Well the ownly major one to me is that first tower that you see at grid box 10.24 / 10.24.
All I do is select it and delete it. Then place a Field ( Airfield, Depot, Port or Vehicle ) somewhere on the terrain and set it as New1.
Fields are placed in numeric order and you can't break that order by delete a field.
Meaning if you have 10 fields numbered A1, A2, D3, A4, V5, A6, D7, A8, D9, V10 and you want to get rid of A4 you just can't select it and delete it unless you replace it with another Field. If you want to remove it forever then what I would do is Swap V10 with A4 which then would give you V4 and A10. Then delete A10.
best sized map to start with
I would say build a small terrain for the H2H form for now but it doesn't really matter. Larger scale requires more work.
Just remember that if you put enemy bases too far away people won't have any fun if it takes to long get to it, to attack it. Lets take 200mph for the C47A troop transport plane because thats usually what's required for field capture. That mean it travels roughly 3.5 miles in 1 minute ( once in the air ) and you'll have to decide what's the maximum time most players would want to fly to reach the enemy base. 5 minutes?, 10 minutes, 15 minutes? etc, as for the fighters, well lets use 330mph ( 5.5 miles in 1 minute ).
Plus for those who would use the terrain for FFA, sometimes things get out of control with 8 people taking off from 1 Base. If the nearest base to it is to far away you'll have the same problem with time. How long does someone want to fly to get into a dogfight.
Good Luck working this out.
what items to add first
Like I said earlier about dealing with the first tower. After that it does really matter what order things get placed, as far as I know.
what items are an absolute must for each map as in HQ's etc
Just place 1 StHdq-S object group for each country and at least 1 field group for each country and I quess you'll have reached the minimum requirements. As for trying for a terrain to be summited to HTC for online play then you'll need more than that.
As for a Fields you'll need at least
1 tower
1 hanger ( and I don't mean the hanger building I mean a ENTPNT set as Hanger )
1 maproom ( and I don't mean the MPRM1 shape, I mean the MAPTBL1 shape set as Maproom )
1 ENTPNT for either a Fighter, Bomber, Ptboat or Vehicle
There's another way to build your terrain which works with the Editor, I linked both of these to my ftp site.
This is a .bmp 2 map program by AKWabbit (excellent little program)
http://accesswave.ca/~tscott/AH-stuff/AH-Editor&Stuff/AKBmp2map/akbmp2map.exeThis is a help file that I put together to help use it. I have a good memory but its short.
http://accesswave.ca/~tscott/AH-stuff/AH-Editor&Stuff/AKBmp2map/AKBmp2Map-Help2.zipPokie
