Altas Extension

[Foen]

This extension (posted over at the Wiki) allows maps in reference modules to have hotlinks between them. It differs from the standard image windows by limiting other user interaction (such as placing tokens) and making the hotspots respond to mouse hovers (instead of having to press CTRL).

The atlas entries look like:


<map-001>
<librarylink type="windowreference">
<class>referencemap</class>
<recordname>..</recordname>
</librarylink>
<image type="image">
<bitmap>maps/World Map.png</bitmap>
</image>
<hotspots>
<id-00001>
<class type="string">referencemap</class>
<recordname type="string">library.reference-001.entries.map-002@Atlas</recordname>
<name type="string">Country of Mehwar</name>
<highlight type="string">squarehighlight</highlight>
<position>
<left type="number">761</left>
<top type="number">331</top>
</position>
<size>
<width type="number">115</width>
<height type="number">89</height>
</size>
</id-00001>
</hotspots>
<name type="string">World Map</name>
</map-001>
<map-002>
<librarylink type="windowreference">
<class>referencemap</class>
<recordname>..</recordname>
</librarylink>
<image type="image">
<bitmap>maps/Mehwar Political.jpg</bitmap>
</image>
<hotspots>
<id-00001>
<class type="string">referencemap</class>
<recordname type="string">library.reference-001.entries.map-004@Atlas</recordname>
<name type="string">Mathana Province</name>
<highlight type="string">hexhighlight</highlight>
<position>
<left type="number">563</left>
<top type="number">274</top>
</position>
<size>
<width type="number">317</width>
<height type="number">201</height>
</size>
</id-00001>
<id-00002>
<class type="string">referencemap</class>
<recordname type="string">library.reference-001.entries.map-005@Atlas</recordname>
<name type="string">Jihana Province</name>
<highlight type="string">hexhighlight</highlight>
<position>
<left type="number">303</left>
<top type="number">274</top>
</position>
<size>
<width type="number">317</width>
<height type="number">201</height>
</size>
</id-00002>
<id-00003>
<class type="string">referencemap</class>
<recordname type="string">library.reference-001.entries.map-003@Atlas</recordname>
<name type="string">Rhavina Province</name>
<highlight type="string">hexhighlight</highlight>
<position>
<left type="number">0</left>
<top type="number">-2</top>
</position>
<size>
<width type="number">317</width>
<height type="number">201</height>
</size>
</id-00003>
</hotspots>
<name type="string">Country of Mehwar (Political)</name>
</map-002>

The thumbnails show a world map with a square hotspot for the country, then the country map (having clicked the hotspot on the world map) showing one of three regional hotspots using a hex frame (Rhavina Province, top left), and finally the regional map.

Foen

[Oberoten]

Wait wait wait... Back up here... You have hexes on the map? You have FG generating hexes? Isn't that like a major breakthrough?

- Obe

[Foen]

Nope, the hexes are on the underlying image. I *am* generating a hex frame for the overlay, however.

[Oberoten]

That alone would be very useful. I assume the code for this is in the extension? *hhmmmmm*

- Obe

[Foen]

It is a hex tiling framedef, called hexhighlight, if you are looking for it. If the PNG file is changed, it can be extended to include internal hex borders (it currently only draws a border around the outside of the area).

[Sorontar]

Wait wait wait... Back up here... You have hexes on the map? You have FG generating hexes? Isn't that like a major breakthrough?

- Obe
I could almost hear the FG GURPS fans out there falling off their chairs :D

[Oberoten]

It is one of the holy grails. :)

- Obe

[Spyke]

I could almost hear the FG GURPS fans out there falling off their chairs :D[THUNK!]

Spyke .....

[sondermann]

I can't get the Atlas Extension to work.

I have placed the .ext file in the extention folder and the sample .mod file in the modules folder. When I start a campaign, I can select the extention but once FGII runs there seems to be no change (not even the sample mod showing up). I'm using the Savage Worlds v3 ruleset.

What am I doing wrong?

[Sigurd]

Are you going to the available books and enabling the atlas for the module?

You have to enable the atlas and then open it to see the extension at work. This is a great extension but it is more of a 'How to' than a new tool. The extension references the atlas in the mod, thats it.

To take advantage of its potential you have to make your own atlas, presumably after understanding the code in the extension example.


Sigurd

[sondermann]

Thanks Sigurd. I'm working on my own Atlas module as we .. err .. I write. :D

BTW I have now created a .mod with only one map in it. And while it works perfectly for me, my players, when they click on the map link in the library only see an empty window. Do they have to install the extension as well?

[DNH]

This is good and I now have it set up to show most of the regions of Mystara but I have a couple of questions.

1 - I can normally move image windows about using the middle button but I can't do that with these maps. Is that functionality that you can put back in/implement?

2 - Is there a way of defining the initial focus of a map? I have a map of the Known World of Mystara which I would like to be centred on Karameikos when anyone opens it, instead of "top left corner in top left corner".

Thanks.

[Foen]

Hi DNH

I can't reproduce your first issue because I'm using Windows Se7en and it hijacks the middle mouse button :(

I have amended the extension to implement your second request, the revised version is now on the FG Wiki (https://oberoten.dyndns.org/fgwiki/index.php/Atlas_Extension).

Hope that helps

Foen