15 November, 2005 Jeffrey "stickman" Stickley

PLACING MULTIPLE OBJECT "TEMPLATES"

The procedure is the same as with placing single objects, except for a few differences.
I have added notes and details in an attempt to avoid questions, so is longer than needs be.

1. MAKING a multi-object "template".

   a. Go to the street or farm, village texture where you wish make the template.
      Note: I make my templates on fully mapped textures. Most can be found near London.
   b. Place the objects desired using the standard single object placement method.
   c. Once finished, they will be a "new" file in the ObjectAdds folder.
   d. In ObjectAdds folder, open the "new" file. I remove the date stamp.
      Give the objects list a description after the first line. For example here,
      I placed two 54 terraced houses butted up end to end, a 63 trees, and two more 
      54 terraced houses joined. A small multi-object template.
     
      OBJECT_ADD 20663742,28939428,64.000000,54 #twojoined54_63_twojoined54
      OBJECT_ADD 20665620,28940311,65.000000,54 
      OBJECT_ADD 20657019,28936237,64.000000,54 
      OBJECT_ADD 20658888,28937163,63.000000,54 
      OBJECT_ADD 20661319,28938587,-196.000000,63

      Note: The first two numbers are BoB World coordinates. 
      The third number is a degree of rotation number. Not sure of the six zeros. 
      Fine rotational tune? I never tried to change them yet. Rotation is not quite fine enough in game.
      The last number is the object shapenumber.

   e. Save text and close. Rename this file with a number. 
 
      Note: I use one that I can remember and that somewhat describes what it is, and 
      what kind of texture it is likely to be placed upon. These four terraced houses with tree
      are rather generic and could be used any where, so I named it 546354.
      If it was a file to be mostly used on img0023 textures, I would name it 23546354.
      For my Full multi-object template that covers a fully mapped im0023 texture, I named that 2300.
      For each street section smaller multi-object template, 
      I named them 2301, 2302, 2303, 2304, 2305, 2306, 2307, 2308, 2309, 2310, 2311, and 2312.
      After placing objects for 1 year, I see that Rowan mirrored the im0023 texture that you see in the Landmap2
      folder 80% of the time, so, I made mirrored templates for each street also. 
      I named the mirrored ones 23001, 23002, 23003, 23004, 23005, 23006, 23007,23008, 23009, 230010, 230011, 230012.
      On the full template on a mirrored img0023 (There is one south London, south of Battersea near Baltham?)
      I named this full one 23000. Just my method. You can use what numbers you like.
      If you forget what the number of a file signifies, open it and see your #twojoined54_63_twojoined54 descriptor 
      (for example) to see better what it is. 
      Templates need to be named with numbers only!

   d. Cut the newly renamed template and paste into the BoBII root. Ready for use. :)

2. PLACING a multi-object "template".

   a. Start game and navigate to your placement target area. Zoom in a bit and cam so that the template 
      will be placed at center screen. 
   b. Press the NumPad-Insert key. (This is the other difference from single object placement).
      Window appears, then type in the file number. (546354 in the above example).
      Press OK. If the number is wrong, and lives not in the BobII root, you will CTD. ;(
     All of the objects will be placed at once. They will all be flashing. 
      One will flash faster than the others. This rapid flasher is the "center of rotation" object,
      when you use the 8 or 9 keys to rotate the entire multi object template.
   c. Rotate and move the flashing multi-object template into place. Same keys used as in single placement.
   d. Press Tab or Shift-Tab when happy that it is lined up and where you want it.
      The template is now PLACED. Now you have only one flasher.
      You can now press Tab or Shift_Tab to cycle through all of these new objects placed and
      manipulate them just the same as with single object placememnt. NumPad Delete will delete unwanted ones.

      Note: If you find that the Tab press laid the template badly, and 100+ objects are out of alignment
      with streets or village roads,
      it is faster to quit, delete the "new" file just made, and place the template again using greater care. ;)

   e. Your newly placed template will be in the ObjectAdds folder, named "new". Rename for the town or village
      of your choice. BunkerHill, Cowpens, Trenton, Saratoga, Yorktown, etc. :))
      Keep the numbered file that you used to do this in the BoBII root for further use.

4. EDITING a multi-object "template".

   a. Much the same as editing a file using single object placement. 
      You can edit the text file itself, and
 
      THIS IS ADVISABLE:
      You will want to to get the "center of rotation" object on the LAST line of the list,
      (this is usally one of my central objects of the template)
      and the object that will be placed at screen center when you press OK button to place, 
      on the FIRST text line. 
      (also a central object that I can remember, and is usually an object that sits on a texture spot I remember)
      This means cutting out some lines within the text and placing them at the first or last lines.
      I use "uncommon" objects for these to help me remember what and where they are.
 
      You can edit the file in game. 
      If you wish to change the file that is in the BoBII root with an edited one, 
      replace the BoBII root file with the edited one.

5. QUESTIONS?
  
   a. I have tried to be detailed here, to avoid questions, but I expect something may be left out,
      and my instructions are unclear, so hesitate not to ask for clarification. 
   b. Ask me at the Shockwave Battle of Britain forum. I visit it daily.  

Aloha!  

 
      
      



     
   