Jeff,

Merle has the file format info on his web-site:

http://wallace.net/darklands/


Note that the "map" file itself does not have any of dynamic elements in it.
Those are inserted into the array in memory at runtime and preserved in the
saved game file.

-mwirkk

----- Original Message -----
From: quadkorex
To: darklands@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 2:51 PM
Subject: [darklands] Re: DC's Character Editor


There was some map decoding instruction discussion a few years ago. I
think several of the directories in the groups 'files' section have
map info and tools.

I don't know if this is as powerful as what you have in mind, but I've
got some tools + source in "Files > Quadko's Files > Tools and Info"
that might get you started with what you want to do. There is a
MapViewer1.zip and 1a, and a DarklandsResourceViewer.zip that have
code that can get you started.

Also, in "Files > Quadko's Files > Remake Prototype" there is a C#
project that includes map decoding (not sure it has all the transient
locations, it seems like there was the 'map' and then 'additional
locations on the map' in separate files).

I haven't run any of these in a few years, so no promises about
exactly _what_ they do, but with the code you can hopefully get a
start and get the necessary 'comprehensive info on parsing' for at
least portions.

Look in some of the other Files sections for tools and code, too.
There are some other cool things that might be what you are looking
for, or at least have more information than I've got.

And by all means, keep posting questions and results as you work on
it. It usually stirs up fun discussions and inspires other people, too!

Best of Luck,
Quadko

>-- "Jeff Donville" <jtdonville@...> wrote:
>
> Hey Dan!
>
> First, thanks for your Character Editor and World Regeneration tool.
>
> Would it be possible for you to create a standalone World Map
> application that would display the contents of the current game world
> map in a resizable and zoomable window?
>
> No? How about publishing comprehensive instructions on how to "parse"
> the world map file so that I could take a crack at it?
>
> I was thinking about having toggles for cities, villages, mines,
> dragon lairs, etc.
>
> (My old Delphi compiler is just sitting around getting no respect
> lately. Or I could cut my teeth on the c# compiler I recently
> downloaded from MS.)
>
> -Jeff
>





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