Get it here (upload courtesy of GenXgamer, during my time of odd mediafire issues):
https://www.mediafire.com/file/b1u8v8u13tt9jgu/Singapore+green+version+of+Cyberolas.7z/fileFrom the included readme file:
Singapore map (by Cyberolas) retexture
INTRODUCTION
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(This !_Readme.txt file is included also in the Singapore map folder.)
This is a self contained map mod that creates an entirely new pair of maps (Singapore_green and Singapore2_green) having a greener overall hue and a somewhat darker tone. They augment Cyberolas' wonderful maps, being identical except for color and tone--and a few minor alterations noted below, many of which apply to Cyberolas' original.
And materially different in this respect: I include no BumpH textures! I find that BumpH map textures actually detract from the in-game appearance, for several reasons:
- Unless specially designed, the simple technique of using the terrain texture itself (either as a positive or inverted) too often results in odd inversions of what is supposed to be raised to cast shadows.
- The shadowing is always too strongly exagerrated.
- The overall impact is a darkening that adds to the already present landscape dimming with lower lighting angle.
- The grey hue of this faux shadowing makes things a bit 'muddy'.
- There can be an excessive amount of 'detail' that partly obscures the underlying texture detail. A 'lemon peel' dimpling is a not uncommon eyesore.
And so I DO NOT supply BumpH textures! Trust me, the map is the better for it.
If you have a game version NOT including Cyberolas' original, this could be considered your introduction. As offered here, these maps will not replace the old stock map nor Cyberolas' original work. But you could easily make these the new stock maps, as it seems all stock runway, road and bridge placements are retained, making the new maps fully compatible with old missions/campaigns.
B.A.T. has Cyberolas' maps included already. His original maps could be considered as representing a dry season, with these being more appropriate for a wetter clime. Or you could make this map pair effectively the new stock ones.
I wanted a map that looks like the greener landscape I see in Google imagery. But I did not go to an extreme, merely making the existing textures reasonably greener and a little darker.
I made pop-up trees also greener and darker, better matching the general forest appearance.
I changed the shallows texture a fair bit.
I created a new texture (Generally_pairfield2_green.tga) that's used at numerous airfields and upon which runways, etc. sit. The original was of distractingly busy and contrasty detail.
I removed a bunch of 'floating' buildings and trees on the river mouth at Port Swettenham; hence the need for the two revised actors files.
I fixed terrain heights for a few river segments that passed over a bump in the terrain, hence the need for the revised height map file.
I removed a number of 'floating' pop-up trees in the wide river estuaries around Port Swettenham, hence the need for the revised type map file.
INSTALLATION
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As noted, this is a completely self contained pair of maps. All landscape textures included are unique to these two maps by being given altered file names, with no conflict with the existing map versions.
If your mods section (MODS, #SAS, #WAW3, etc.) contains a MAPMODS folder, drag this Maps folder into your MAPMODS folder. This should place all files in their correct folder.
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If you already have my rotated Moon texture mod (having a set of folders of Moon images rotated as more appropriate for a few ranges of latitude, including folder Moon_30), you may omit the folder
/MAPMODS/Maps/_Tex/Moon_30
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If you already have my own favorite 2048 pixel high clouds texture (and cloudsnoise texture), you will get a prompt to overwrite or skip; either is OK.
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In folder
/MAPMODS/Maps/Singapore
are all files needed for a standalone map. These two green versions share all files with Cyberolas' originals; the only really unique ones are the two load.ini files. As mentioned, I made a few fixes to objects, terrain height and texture tile RGB values. And so if you already have Cyberolas' original, the only files you need are:
- load_green.ini
- Load2_green.ini
- actors1.static (removed 'floating' objects at Port Swettenham)
- actors2.static (removed 'floating' objects at Port Swettenham)
- map_ag_h.tga (small fixes for a few rivers)
- map_T.tga (removed 'floating' pop-up trees near Port Swettanham)
All other files are unchanged from Cyberolas' original (as well as the whc_load.ini for Whitecat's repaint of the old stock map), and can be deleted if desired.
Now, if you should decide to make these the new default maps, then you must retain all files presented here if your game doesn't already have Cyberolas' original present in SFS archives (B.A.T. does have this SFS).
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Add to all.ini:
Singapore_green singapore/load_green.ini
Singapore2_green singapore/load2_green.ini
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Optionally, add to i18n/MAPS.properties:
Singapore_green Singapore green - Cyberolas (WxTech)
Singapore2_green Singapore 2 green - Cyberolas (WxTech)
The second part of each line is what you see in the map list in the FMB. You can write whatever you want. If you have established your own scheme, then by all means adhere to it!
INCLUDING IN EXISTING QMB AND OTHER MISSIONS
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Due to the new load.ini file names, if you want to use these new maps in an existing mission, simply rename the [MAIN] section's MAP entry in the .mis file. For instance, an old .mis entry might be
MAP singapore/load.ini
Rename it as
MAP singapore/load_green.ini
Unless you decide to make these the new default maps...
MAKING THESE THE DEFAULT MAPS
=============================
If you want to keep the numbers of maps in your game as small as possible, and if you find these are your preferred version of the Singapore maps, you can make these the new default. Here's how...
- Do not make a new entry in all.ini. In other words, the original entries from day one are retained as is.
- In the /MAPMODS/Maps/Singapore folder, rename
load_green.ini to load.ini, and
load_green2.ini to load2.ini.
That's it! These maps will now replace the ancient stock horrors and Cyberolas' originals.
This work exists only because of the efforts of Cyberolas and others, upon whose shoulders I stand. It is offered for use by any and all, for whatever purpose, without restriction.
WxTech
Oct 16, 2022
Author
Topic: Singapore by Cyberolas made greener (Read 2034 times)
