Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword

Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword

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(Mapping) Using the map editor
By ratkus
Learn the basics of mapping from ratka. Created for Dynsquads server.
   
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The basics of M&B Map Editor (WFaS)
1- Launching the game in Edit Mode
  1. Open your Mount & Blade: With Fire and Sword
  2. Open configuration window ("Configure").
  3. Select the Advanced tab.
  4. Click the box with Enable Edit Mode.
  5. Launch Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword
Notice: Recommended to make another module. How? Open your WFAS folder (mostly in steam, if you don't know where your steam/steamapps/common/mount & blade with fire and sword is, then i don't know.) and copy paste the module Ogniem i Mecziem, rename the folder to something else as "Mapping". Why? so you can play the servers with normal WFaS maps without needing to downlaod them.

2- Starting the Editor
  1. Go to Multiplayer, click Host a game
  2. Select a map that you'd like to edit.
  3. Launch the game, Stay in spectator.
  4. Press Left ALT + Enter to enter windowed mode.
  5. Press Left CTRL + E to get the editor window
3 - Basic things about things

Camera Movement:
A,S,D,W: Moves the camera.
C,E: Increases/decreases the height of the camera.
Ground Texture Painting:
Pick 1 out of 11 textures for ground and paint with it. if you want to cover whole map with snow for example, you should set Radius to 100 and just brush the entire map. Weight and Hardness just stand for the strength of the paint, you should go weak where textures mix/change.
There is no grass texture, you should try to mix some textures on weak levels and you might get it. altho if youre starting a fully new map you just press button Clear All and it gives map natural elevation and its base texture (most maps have grasslands).
Ground Elevating
Ground elevating is quite simple, raise up the land, drop it down, smooth it or set it to certain level, for example 5 (Water level is around 0). To flatten entire map you just set radius to 100 and select a level then brush it entirely.
Ground Color Painting
Ground Color painter is added in, not really that useful. standart color (everything is at) 255 255 255 (RGB system - Red Green Blue), you can change it down there, for example set it to 190 190 190 and brush to sand underwater so it will be more dark.
Editing Objects
Just click Add Object, most are in scene props.
banners are around banner_(2letters for example aa)
castle pieces are around castle_(for example f then the name of the part)
snowy things are with snowy_
oim_ things are some cool unique things, for example oim_gamata is a cannon. They do not work in WFAS... (Or things like warsaw walls, or things like warsaw palace).
siege_ has some good things too.
earth_ has wooden fort pieces.
You just place the object, hold:
  • U Rotate the object, slide mouse sideways.
  • T Raise or push down into ground the object, slide mouse up and down.
  • X Rotates object in X-angle.
  • Y Rotates object in Y-angle.
  • Z Rotates object in Z-angle.
  • R Resets the object's rotation.
After placing the object, hold:
  • The same buttons to rotate object their way.
  • G to slide entire object/ move it.
  • Delete to delete the object.
  • B to scale selected object.
    Also Entry points, their IDs, the ones that you need to know:
    From 0 to 31 Team 1 spawns
    From 32 to 64 Team 2 spawns
    Passages are from SP, for example if you press F in a city on a tavern door it teleports you to tavern. they're completely not needed for MP.
    If the spawns are not set players spawn somewhere around the map randomly
Editing AI Mesh
This is the hard part, but you must know it! The server artificial intelligence will rely on whatever you made on AI Mesh mode. So heres quick explanation: AI mesh is like snow, you can look to the prev maps you edit, its covering everything above walkable space, ending at walls and invisible barriers (oh please make those visible/a sign that theyre here like on crevasse i made with rocks).

First of all, you click the Create ai mesh button. it will form a AI mesh by your terrain. but obviously, there are buildings that have walls and block the passages, and you have to delete the square the building is in, move the side verticles around in the form of building, maybe extrude/subdivide one edge if you need, and that building will be sucessfully AI meshed when ai will see that there is no ai mesh there and think they cannot travel thru it.

Verticle - A pyramid form dot, on edges of a face (Square/triangle area).
Can be welded - will make 2 selected vericles (LSHIFT for multiple selection) into one verticle.
Can be connected - makes a edge between them, useful if you need to make two triangles out of a square, sometimes a square is irregular and must divide.
Can be filled - select 3-4 verticles (Corners) and they will be formed into a face.
Edge - A line between two bordering verticles.
Can be subdivided - the edge will get a verticle in the middle, and the verticle will be connected to verticles on opposite side of the face automatically.
Can be extruded - very useful tool, it makes another face pop out of that edge.
Can be removed - sometimes you need a square.
Face - A area that has Edges as its borders which ar
Basically, you just press Create AI Mesh button. it meshes the terrain, but not the objects. just delete the faces near walls, try to extend the ones nearby.

Some videos about AI Mesh, teaching you:
First glance at AI Mesh, he just does it and you look.

For controls
G, T, X, Y, Z, B and Delete can be used in this mode.
Editing Weather
Weather is not going to change, if you save it, open it again you will see the old one. it's a bug. Actually, edit on Duel mode, to see real weather you will have.


Some things that you should know!:
  • You can save your changes only when you leave the edit
    mode.
  • You can not undo your works, you can only discard changes
    while leaving the edit mode. So you should save your work
    occasionally by leaving the edit mode and re-entering it.
  • Scene files are located under [Current Module]\SceneObj
    foler. When you save your changes, the related scene file
    under this folder will be updated.
  • Create AI Mesh button works only on outdoor scenes.
4 - Saving & Exporting the map
  1. You just press Left CTRL + E to disable the edit mode, then press Save button.
  2. Open C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Mount & Blade With Fire and Sword\EditModuleName
  3. There is a scenes.txt file for the terrain etc. map size and other. and outer terrain
  4. Ctrl+F (Search) the map's name, i don't know all, but theres common and known ones: Arena, Marketplace, Hill Road, Village by the river for me.
  5. Create a new txt document. it should have something like this:
    scn_mp_arena mp_arena 256 none none 0.000000 0.000000 100.000000 100.000000 -100.000000 0x00000000d007abd20002c8b1000050c50000752a0000788c 0 0 outer_terrain_desert
    Edit: The 0x000 part in other line shouldn't be there. It should be on first line.
    Outer Terrains (I might be wrong!):
    outer_terrain_plain
    outer_terrain_desert
    outer_terrain_beach
    outer_terrain_snow
    outer_terrain_steppe
  6. Also add scn_mp_xxxxxx.sco file, it can be found at Mount & Blade With Fire and Sword\Modules\EditModuleName\SceneObj
  7. Zip up those two files in a folder or something and give it to the server owner that wants the map.

Well done! you learned alot of basics in M&B Map Editing.
Dynamic Squads server things
Mechanical things:
Beds: bed_a; bed_b; bed_c; bed_d; bed_e.
Horse heal: straw_a; straw_b; straw_c; feeding_trough_a
Ammo boxes: oim_trench_box; oim_trench_box_set
Place them all around map, but not everywhere, so i would know that i can take cover and refill somewhere.

Hidden things:
These 2 flags must be hidden somewhere (Under/in) the map.
ctf_flag_kingdom_1 Scale: 10, 10, 30 - Boss Flag
ctf_flag_kingdom_2 Scale: 40, 40, 40 - Dest Flag
Also a prisoner_cart, as both of its doors that do not need to be placed in place, just they have to be somewhere on the map.
Entry Points:
Players 0-64 (Possibly 65-69)
Cart 70-75 (Possibly 76-79)
Default enemy spawn points: 80-87
VIP (Assasinate): 80-87
VIP (Defend): 88-107
Escort start/end point: 108-117
Escort Stop-by points: 118-127

Do not forget to detail your maps!

Additional tips to improve your map.
  • Tip 1: Random supply objects
    Everyone has supply! Wood piles, boxes, barrels are recommended near buildings. on them you can add some other tiny details like a saber.

  • Tip 2: Weapons
    Putting a rifle on something like a table or box adds great detail, you do not need to add it everywhere, try doing it on the most common spots.

  • Tip 3: Markets
    For this tip i have some models at the end. basically you put some little stores in the streets, some sell food supplies, others sell weaponry & armor, etc.
    village_stand
    wood_stand
    thatched_stand

  • Tip 4: Rocky clfifs
    After creating a cliff you just see a weird line, or if you paint it with rock it seems like it got some paint but complete detail-less, thats what is used for long distance. Altho we have a way to fix these cliffs: use rocks from plants category, don't forget to add some snowy rocks at top and between on snowy maps. Leave no hole in the cliff until you reach the flat terrain again, takes time but you can pull off some great terrain with it.

  • Tip 5: Build the settlements
    In eastern Europe, at any open plain you should expect to find at least 1 wood hut or something, btw! you can connect buildings, not only those european big squares but oim_ttr_halupa too! mix in some tatar_ houses for the richer! (like in the screenshot on this guide)

  • Tip 6: Leave some nature in towns
    While creating towns, dont make everything dirt without grass and any plants or trees. Nature was growing thru cities, only the busiest paths were paved (village) and others were just pressed dirt (path)

  • Tip 7: Barriers on floors
    Barriers are not only used to prevent players from passing into places where they should not be, but you can also use on floor & staircases, because at some areas players get slowed, and on staircases you cannot ride horse, if you put a barrier a bit above you will be able to ride a horse over it.

  • Tip 8: Details behind borders
    You might have a side/border that ends the walkable area, but you could plant a house behind that wall or something you have, so players see it's roof, not much but good thing.

  • Tip 9: Training camps
    Since wars were ravaging eastern europe a lot, training camps with dummies and targets (under arena_archery) were important thing. They can be used for detail near barracks or something else you made in town, some private citizens own their rifles and own their own little wood targets.

  • Tip 10: Unique maps
    Make your map look unique! if players play a big castle map, after another big castle map, they'll bore to death for sure. altho if they get to play in a town, castle, village, fort, forest, camp they will enjoy the map.

  • Tip 11: Realism
    Sometimes you should not go into crazy fantasy, you can fix that insanity with some things that make it real. Example, if you have a platform, you cannot have it floating, you should have it with at least crude_fence sticks holding.

  • Tip 12: Good first view
    After you join a game, your camera gets placed into somewhere in middle looking to one direction, you should add some detail there, to give them a good impression while at first screen.

  • Tip 13: Add lights in dark areas
    Add lights. Normally you create a interior area in a map, but you keep it dark. You can add torches, braziers, lamp_b's then add Light_red on them. Notice: You will not see changes until you will reload your map.

  • Tip 14: Enlargening small passages
    Sometimes if you have a small passage it might just clog. There should be alternate routes to the target area and it should be thick enough to support charges and assaults. Having not wide paths might just basically not let people swing their long weapons.

  • Tip 15: Siege stuff
    From siege_ tab you can get some ladders, and equipment. also as you can get trebuchets, cannons (oim_gamata) and other.

  • Tip 16: Some weak defenses
    You can get some weak defenses easily.

  • Tip 17: Easter eggs
    Adding name of a helper or someone suggesting to you do the map, or something else that players wont look at common but still could find it. Write text with crude_fence stick or oim_trench_wood stick. They're the best for it.

  • Tip 18: Look at realistic pictures of similiar things
    Taking some inspiration from something in real life is a good idea, but you cannot copy it completely since you do not have custom models for it.

  • Tip 19: Fill back of map for spectators.
    Between buildings or other things you might keep empty area, at least throw some random houses so when you take pic from sky it looks full as other parts of map (especially city).

  • Tip 20: Map did change alot! Expect bugs!
    If you did follow guide all the way to there while editing, expect some bugs allowing players to reach places where they should not be etc. re-check for bugs.
➤ Please Upvote/Like and Favorite the Guide if it helped you!
10 Comments
Sethias 1 Jul, 2018 @ 2:23pm 
10/10 Do more guides!!!
catric 1 Jul, 2018 @ 12:48pm 
this is my favorite guide ever! Perfectenschlag.
Remo 1 Jul, 2018 @ 12:38pm 
Impressive!!!! You should write more guides:)
DoDoCat 8 Nov, 2017 @ 2:14am 
Thanks, very good tutorial
Fakri 26 Jan, 2017 @ 2:10am 
thx but something is wrong why tere his floating boat in my map ?!?
WaC | Ka3aHoBa 25 Jan, 2017 @ 4:11pm 
nice
DangerousElusiveFarts (Def) 2 Aug, 2016 @ 2:04am 
9.8/10 :P
MacGyver_ 25 Jul, 2016 @ 3:40pm 
Thanks men
Fakri 25 Jul, 2016 @ 6:33am 
WOW THIS IS THE GUIDE M8 AND THATS SO GR8 M8 GR8 JOB!!!!!
dum monke 27 Nov, 2015 @ 2:19pm 
Thx Brah