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Hacking the TBL files

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Originally posted by Fate
Have you discovered the location of this province or why it's not visible to the user?
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There are 2 "provinces" which are not really provinces: the first in the list (province 0) and the last in the list (the one you quoted, 1614). In the boundbox file, they both have a boundbox that covers the whole map.
Province 0, the TI (or rather PTI) province, is probably used to catch the space where there are no other provinces defined. That way, they only have to specify one TI province instead of several small ones.

Originally posted by Fate
There are a few of these "filler" provinces... is it possible to create a province from them?
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I don't know why they are there. There's no evidence of those provinces in the other files (or not that I have found). I should try removing them and see what happens. :)

Inferis.
 
On another note have you been able to extract the text separately from the map. They must be in separate layers since they are localised.
 
Inferis have you discovered sthing new??
 
what original prog?

Originally posted by Inferis
Can't say that I have...
I've had little time (due to other "projects") lately, and the lightmaps are incredibly hard to figure out.

Anyway, when I find out more, I'll keep you posted!

Inferis.
Click to expand...

can't help but wonder if you aren't actually hacking a mapping program? whatever program the game's creators used to make the maps? i'd assume that, since they're using Excel files, that they must have used something equally generic for their graphics?

mike
 
Re: what original prog?

Originally posted by oranjemike


can't help but wonder if you aren't actually hacking a mapping program? whatever program the game's creators used to make the maps? i'd assume that, since they're using Excel files, that they must have used something equally generic for their graphics?

mike
Click to expand...

Nice idea, but try finding out WHAT mapping program. It's not easy, either.
But still, I don't think they used an existing format. The format is too tied to the province structure, it is not just a generic map.

For example: the map consists of 32x32 blocks, and each block contains a reference to the provinces that are part of that block. I don't think you'll find those "ties" in a generic map format.

Inferis.
 
Re: Re: what original prog?

Originally posted by Inferis


Nice idea, but try finding out WHAT mapping program. It's not easy, either.
But still, I don't think they used an existing format. The format is too tied to the province structure, it is not just a generic map.

For example: the map consists of 32x32 blocks, and each block contains a reference to the provinces that are part of that block. I don't think you'll find those "ties" in a generic map format.

Inferis.
Click to expand...

yah, but it looks like several GIS tools can do this sort of dynamic changing. but, that would mean that there was a interpreter coded into EU, and i haven't found a GIS with an exportable interpreter. if i had...
 
For those interested: take a look at the following screenshot...

sameblocks.gif


You can see the 32x32 grid, and the various blocks in the grid. The funny thing is, the 5 "different" blocks you see ALL contain exactly the same values. All of them. :confused: The blocks in between are only different by one byte.
They are clearly not the same, but you can also so a few similarities: the "artifacts" are more or less the same.

Anyway, things like this keep me puzzled. And this is the simplest form of block I could find. :(

I'm suspecting a sort of JPEG like compression, although I'm not sure if that's it. I mean, those blocks you see are stored as 4 bytes (that's FOUR).

Johan, any hits or tips? :D

Inferis...
 
Originally posted by Fate
I hope this helps:

Programs used to make the map:
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Johans RAW to MAP converter. The Photoshop file is approximately 6 meters wide in 72 DPI and the Illustrator map is virtually impossible to open without 1 GB ram or more.
Click to expand...

It sure does... Opens up new ideas. :)

Do you have any idea what program is used for what?
I'm guessing:
* photoshop for the map image itself
* illustrator for the logical division of the provinces in the map (?)
* the convertor to convert the image formats to the tbl format

Right?

Inferis.
 
There are often comments in beginning of the raw-data-files that can be used if you don't know the filetype. I have used it to work out which compression utility that was used.
I haven't tried it though on the EU2-tbl files.
 
Originally posted by Aetius
There are often comments in beginning of the raw-data-files that can be used if you don't know the filetype. I have used it to work out which compression utility that was used.
I haven't tried it though on the EU2-tbl files.
Click to expand...

The tbl files are definately not RAW files. I'm absolutely sure of that. It is interesting however to know that Paradox uses RAW files as a base to generate the map.

I've been wondering: How do you know this info, Fate?

Inferis.
 
Just had to add my voice to the chorus of praise for your work to date. Excellent detective work, keep it up.
 
Originally posted by Castelion
Just had to add my voice to the chorus of praise for your work to date. Excellent detective work, keep it up.
Click to expand...
Well thank you (also everybody else of course). But i'm afraid that the easy part is done now, and the lionshare of the tough work is still left. :(

Maybe i'll create a document/web site with the information I've found so far, so that others can help. :D

Inferis.
 
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