Company of Heroes

Worldbuilding: Starting Out
A noobs guide to the galaxy of making maps.
By: Supaunknown

This guide will cover the basics of worldbuilding, including all of the different tools you'll need to be using, and helping you get on your way to become a professional mapper.


First of all. If you are the person that knows nothing about making CoH maps and would like to get into the subject keep reading. If you know what the basics are and efficiently know how to use most of the WB tools then stop reading now because this guide will give
you little or no help at all. Also, you will need to Go into your Company of Heroes->WW2->Data->and add a Scenarios folder, and then add a MP and SP folder in the scenarios folder. This will be where you save your maps. The MP ones will go into the MP folder and the SP ones will go into the SP folder. Also a loading folder should be made inside the MP folder which will be required because you will need to put your loading screen files into this folder.Onto the guide.

The Basics

Hotkeys:
Shift+H change height of objects.
C+Move Cursor copy an object or decal/splat
Shift+Move Cursor rotating objects or decals/splat

1.Finding the Worldbuilder.

The worldbuilder can be found in the company of heroes folder which is probably located in your program files folder.
Look in the THQ\Company of Heroes folder and you will see a file called Worldbuilder.exe open that file and your in the worldbuilder.
I know, it is easy, but you wouldn't believe how many people don't know where the worldbuilder is. From now on other than in titles the worldbuilder will be referred to as WB.

2. Setting up your Map.

Once you have the worldbuilder opened it is very easy to create your map.
Go to File->New and then a screen will pop up asking you some questions.
Depending on what type of map you want to make the size of the map will vary.
The Terrain size will always want to be bigger than the playable area because if they are the same
then the map will look like it is being played on a chess board and there will be no out of bounds.
A decent size for a 1v1 map is about 256x256 playable area and 512x512 terrain size.
Once you choose your map sizes you will need to choose the mod you want to use, and the default mod the game uses is Invasion of Normandy.

3. Putting Starting Positions

In order to play your map you will obviously need to have starting positions for your players, but you will also need to have map entry points for calling in units such as the pershing or tiger. You can see where your boundaries are for your map by going to Overlay->Toggle Show Playable Area. First, click on your object icon shown here. Look to the right, and click and double click ebps->gameplay and look for starting_position. There will be starting_position_2 through 6. All of the starting positions look different in game, but dont look any different in the worldbuilder. Click on the starting position and place is where you want your players bases to be, but make sure you assign them to players 1 and 2. Also look for the object named map_entry_point and under gameplay and place those where you want the callin units to come into the game. Onto the different tools.


The Tools

1. The Object Tool.

The object tool is used to place all different kinds of objects such as trees, buildings etc. The only way to really get to know the object tool is to experiment with all of the objects simply because of the fact that there are so many of them, but I will give some general information on what types of objects can be found where. All of your territory points can be found under ebps->gameplay as with your starting positions and entry points. If you are looking to put trees in they can be found unber ebps->environment->art_nature. Buildings can be found under ebps->environment->art_ambient->buildings, and your general objects for details, finalizing etc can be founder under ebps->environment->art_ambient->objects.

2. The Splats Tool.

The splat tool allows 2d textures to be placed on the ground to allow for you to add detailing to your map to make it look more random. Below are some examples of splats.






As you can see there are various ways to use splats which will be referred to from now on as DS. If you look at largest 2d texture it is a normal DS placed on the ground unedited, but the smaller versoin of the farm DS has been changed to be Optimum Size. There is a button above the selection screen named Optimum Size that changes DS to the size recommended for them to look good. Because I'm sure you'll agree that the smaller farm DS looks better than the larger one. There is also another way to edit DS. Below the Optimum Size button is an opacity bar which can change the opacity of the DS you placed. As you can see I made the mud puddle less opaque so it is harder to see.

3. The Tile Tool.

The tile tool is a very important tool in the worldbuilder. It allows for you to change the default ground texture and allows you to blend your terrain so it looks more realistic. Below is a picture dealing with the tile tool.

Pick a tile from the list and click icon circled in black to make a new layer of the tile you selected, and click on the tile you want to delete and click on the icon circled in yellow to delete the selected layer. The Strength bar is kind of like the opacity bar. You can move it up and down to set the opacity of the tile that you paint.

4. The Heightmap Tool.
The heightmap tool is used for making hills, valleys, and carving out rivers. There are 4 different main functions to the heightmap tool, additive, subtractive, set value, and smoothing. Additive is obviously for adding slopes, and subtractive is obviously for adding valleys. If you insert the number of the height of the terrain you want you can use the Set Value tool to make set heights, and the smoothing tool is used for make nice, realistic looking hills.

5. The Spline Tool.
The Spline Tool is a very useful tool and can be used to do many different things, such as making hedgerows, walls, roads etc. You can also combine objects and textures into the splines, and you can change the height on them. In order to place a spline you need to pick a texture or object, and click in 4 different places illustrated in the picture below.





Once you place your four different points you are able to make your spline by pressing enter. If you press the spacebar you can edit the indivdual parts of the spline by clicking on the circles and moving them to your liking.

Added on:
I am going to go more in depth on explaining how to use the Spline tool because it is such a big part in maps. Many hundreds of splines can be used to make a map look very professional. Just take a look at the relic maps.
Texture Splines


Texture splines have many different uses. They can be used to make an apple orchard, or can make a field or corn rows. It can be used to make roads, or tracks can be made. I will be explaining splines more in the picture below.





As you can see I circled three points of interest. When you look for a texture and find the one of your liking, you have to click assign and then there will be a green check mark next to the texture you are using. I circled a join on the spline to show that I have selected that and that I can move it around to my liking. In order to view the joints on your spline you have to select it and press spacebar. Make sure you check the texture box and the texture box only at the top of the spline tool.

Object Splines


Object splines can be used to make things such as fences, walls, hedgerows, etc. Object splines are made differently than texture splines but can still be moved and their joints can be changed in the same was as texture splines. Check out the picture below.





If you look at #1 I circled the box that says Random. If you are using multiple items in your object spline you can change order to random so they will appear randomly in the spline, but normally they will appear in the order that they appear in the list of objects.
#2 is the box where you will see the different objects in your spline, and if you in wall mode or not. I'm not to sure what wall mode is about but I normally check the box when I'm making walls. #3 shows the spacing between each of the objects in the splines. If you are making hedgrewos you need to make sure the spacing is -.500 to -.500 so their are no gaps in the hedges; last but not least #4 shows the button that you need to click to add the object you picked to the list of objects that will be usd in the spline. Make sure you check the object box and the object box only at the top of the spline tool.

Object Splines Continued: This part of the object splines guide will go more in depth on the step by step way to make object splines working. I got a PM from Kleatus requesting that I go much more in depth by explaining the small baby steps you need to take to get your object spline out, so in the pictures and descriptions below you will know EXACTLY how to make an object spline.

First! You will need to select the spline tool and you will need to click on the object button at the top. You will need to look at the picture below as a reference to what you will be reading in the next paragraph or you will be totally lost. You will then need to select and object from the picture, circled in Red. Once you find the object you want in your spline you need to click the Add Object To List button circled in Black. Your object should appear in the box circled in Blue. If you are making a wall, you will need to check the Wall Mode box circled in Yellow. From my knowledge you will be able to add as many objects to the object list as you want. Though, if you want the objects to be in a random order change the Placement Type: to Random as seen circled in Brown. Then, you will check the box Directly under the Object button at the top. You will then place your object spline in the same way you would place your texture spline by clicking in 4 different locations and pressing enter, and if you press spacebar you will be able to see the different joints and click and move them to your liking.






Object-Texture Splines


Combined splines of objects and textures can be very useful. Check out the picture below.





As you can see I combined the farm spline I made and the fence spline I made. In order to make a Object-Texture Spline you have to check both the texture and object boxes shown in the picture below the Object-Texture Splines title. Check those 2 boxes and then draw your spline like you normally would.


6. The Terrain Tool.
There is a link below to an in depth guide to placing your territories into your map. It can be very helpful and make your map professional.
GUIDE

Other Links
Eyecandy Guide: ShizzlePizzle - Here
Viewing Retail Maps: Pickitup - Here
Editing Buildings: XavierXI - Here
Custom Map Installing: Maxxim - Here

Make sure you SAVE your map before you exit the worldbuilder, and if you wish to play your map make sure it is saved in the MP folder and you have -dev into the target line of the CoH shortcut.
This concludes the noobs guide to the galaxy of map making. I hope it will be helpful to all you would be mappers. If anyone has any questions you can direct them here:
email: snyeli@gmail.com
xfire: snyelifryloc
Tell me what you think!

This post has been edited by Supaunknown: May 17 2008, 19:16 PM

Do you want any money for this?

How's a C-Note sound?

Pinned tbh.

Great work.

I'll be assuming that this will get more detailed and elaborate and comprehensive as time passes/you have time?

Of course, I am still learning about the worldbuilder and everytime I find something new I will add to it, and if any other mods here want to add anything they are welcome to do so.

Ok, I added more information about the different splines.

I Need help with setting up the territory sectors. i think the territory i outline is invisable or somthing.

and can you show me how to test out the map? i go to "play senario" but nothing happens.
am i doing somthing wrong? i have the territorys set up (I think) and i have the staring points and map entry points set up.
but i cant play the damn map.

To see the drawn sectors you have to toggle "Overlay/Draw Overlay Map/Draw sector Map"

To test the map simply click "File/Export map", then start CoH. You will find the map in the dropdown menu, where the other maps are.

thanks for the guide, I'm all new to this map builder and it helped me out with most of my questions, but i have a problem with asssigning the starting points and entry points to players.

you say that it's important but could anyone tell me how it's done?
i can't save before i have at least 2 starting points. so please ASAP.

You should place starting headquarters by using the objects menu and take "ebps/gameplay/starting position", in addition you need to place a map entry point which you can find in the same folder as "ebps/gameplay/map_entry_point". once you have placed them for each player you need to select them and assign them to Player 1 - Player X. For this you find a drop-down-menu on the right site, while having selected the objects. its under "current" and is called "player Assignment". It is on "world" at the start and can be switched to Player 1 - Player 8.

Hey, im new to this also, but I
have a problem at the start to assign the strting points to players. Everytime I assign them to ''player 1'' all of the objects turn to player 1 and if i change one object to ''player 2'', all objects are ''player 2''. Please help the noob that I am.

This post has been edited by DeltaForceBravo: Apr 26 2008, 01:35 AM

i know this is a stupid q, but how the hell does one assign anything lol?

Rightclick

ok, so I've created a map, I know how to lay-down splines for roads and stuff. However, when I put a road down, and zoom in to look closely, there is that 'thin layer' of grass over the top of it. It's not a smooth road. How do i put a road down using spline tool, and not have it appear grassy?

how do you creat a loading screen for your map??? I made the loading folder now what?
please explain step by step.

Thank You

The thread in this forum does not help you?