Modern Conflicts –Maps by Tomáš

[Tomas45]

Hello everyone — I work solo on map design and I’ve created a new scenario map called “Invasion of Crimea.” The map is 99% complete; it’s a pure map (no scenario scripts) and currently set up for Ukraine vs. Russia. After a long break I can’t quite remember the correct spelling for some city names, so I’ll polish those next.

I’m also expanding my work into a global map and planning additional conflict maps: Syria, Korea, China vs. Taiwan, and a Libya conflict for North Africa. If anyone is interested in using or improving the maps, I hereby grant full permission for edits, refinements, and integration.
I tried to make it as realistic as possible.
Thanks — Tomáš

[bondjamesbond]

When it will be ready and the unit park will be in the mood can safely put out to play we will discuss )

[Tomas45]

Hi, there’s plenty of Prestige money, so units can be purchased without any problems — it’s set up that way, I made it for myself.
Anyone who knows how to rename cities can do so; that’s just a small detail. It’s 100% playable, no scenarios or anything — ideal for 2 players, not for one.
It’s not a classic scenario or campaign.
As I said, anyone can adjust it as they like. I only know how to make maps, nothing else. I’m starting to work on a world map.

[Imeror]

This map is very good looking !
It can be used for many different scenarios : like a historical 2014 big scenario about the annexation of Crimea ; a reproduction on a bigger scale of the part of the NATO campaign where the player have to land on Crimea and advance towards Sebastopol ; or a contemporary scenario with an ukrainian player that have to use air and naval drones to target key infrastructures while russian player have to protect them.

I tend to prefer to continue my own project, but to see a map so well done yet unused give me some ideas and make me hesitate ...



You specified on your post on MC game forum that you don't know how to do scripts. If I can give an advice : it is more easy than it looks like.
You should try to do some basics things to get used on how it works, like making an unit or a message appear on a certain turn ; then complexify by giving a more complex condition (if the player capture one objective, it trigger an unit to appear as a reinforcement, etc,...)

That's how I learned ; and one year later, I'm releasing a map pack that include a scenario with base building mechanics
the key is to try


Do you intend to post links towards your works ?

[Tomas45]

Hello, thank you, that really makes me happy. Yes, literally anything can be created — any kind of scenario is possible. I personally enjoy focusing on details, not just cities, but also factories, power plants, fuel depots, and similar elements, as they give the game a true spark and make it feel alive.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any knowledge of scripting at the moment. I would need to watch video tutorials with subtitles to really understand. To be honest, I don’t even know English well and rely on a translator. However, if someone could guide me properly — for example, a one-hour detailed video tutorial covering the basics and then moving on to more advanced techniques — I would definitely consider giving it a try.

In the meantime, I am currently working on a full-world map, so there is plenty to look forward to in the future

Best regards,
Tomáš

[Tomas45]

Hello everyone,

I’m currently working on a world map project, and so far I’ve completed around 60% of the rough layout. It’s an extremely demanding task — even with a 300×200 hex size, smaller countries are a real challenge to represent properly.

Hopefully everything will turn out well in the end, though I can already tell it’s going to test my patience
Once I finish the rough version, I’ll share some preview screenshots, and then I’ll move on to terrain detailing.

Honestly, to make every country look truly large and realistic, the map would have to be something like 1000×700 hexes — that would be massive! I’m really curious to see how the final result will look.

I also plan to work on two regional maps later, focused on individual countries and their surrounding areas — so there’s definitely a lot to look forward to.

Thank you all for your patience and support.
– Tomáš

[Imeror]

I don't want to break your entouthiasm, but I've heard that huge maps tend to have problems and don't run well. 200x200 seems to be considered the usual maximum. I've never tried to do maps that big, so maybe I'm wrong and it's possible.
Maybe a more experimented modder could confirm or refute this.

But nothing prevent you to try anyway, I may have misunderstood what other people say.



If you encounter problems with 300x200 size, just know that 200x200 is already really big.

I started a map of France last year for a potential civil war grand scenario (a project that I indefinitely delay, unfortunately), and as you can see, you can do many details at a national level without going above 200x200.



Of course, if you want to represent a huge country, like Canada or Russia, it will be less detailled



PS : if you want to continue my map after you finish your current projects and improve it, I can make it downloadable. I fear to not find enough time to work on it again anyway ; so if you want to use it, know that it is available

[Tomas45]

Hi my friend,

You’ve made a really nice map — I’d be happy to improve it once I finish working on my world map. The largest one I’ve made so far was 500x300, and it ran perfectly fine without any issues. Usually, I work with 300x200, 250x150, or sometimes even 150x100 maps that I created earlier on an older PC, which wasn’t as powerful as the one I have now.

I’d like to enhance your map, but I’m not sure how to add city names in the editor — there’s only the “Clear” option, and I’d like to replace it with something like “Paris.” I’d also make it in a modern style, though I’m not sure if it’s possible to download or import new assets, such as extra city, nature, factory, or building images.

As for my world map, it’s coming along well, but Europe has been quite tricky — it doesn’t look as smooth or unified as large countries like your France. I’m doing my best, but it really requires a large, high-resolution reference image to make it accurate and visually nice.

Once the world map is done, I plan to make a detailed Syria map and another one for Ukraine. I’m also planning a big Pacific War map — China vs. Taiwan, the USA, and Japan.

It would be awesome if we could have a Discord server for MC. If you or Stormbringer created one, it would make it much easier for us to share screenshots, discuss progress, and exchange ideas more quickly.

Thanks a lot,
Tomáš

[Imeror]

The largest one I’ve made so far was 500x300, and it ran perfectly fine without any issues. Usually, I work with 300x200, 250x150, or sometimes even 150x100 maps that I created earlier on an older PC, which wasn’t as powerful as the one I have now.

Oh, nice. I guess it's a combination of other factors that tend to make 200x200+ maps to have problems : if there are a lot of units + lots of scripts + a huge map, its certainly then that things get complicated. Since you don't make scripts at all, I guess it facilitate the work of the game engine... Or maybe it's an old legend that we all believe, and the engine is in fact fine with 200x200+ maps

I should also try

but I’m not sure how to add city names in the editor

To name a place is easy. No need for an hour long video ; 3 minutes for reading and experimenting is enough

The basic : In the scenario editor, look at the top of the screen. Select "Edit", then "strings" on the drop-down menu.
Right click on a tile that you want to name, and you can simply write the name in the box that appear once you have right-clicked.

2nd functionnality : Once you have created the name, you have certainly saw that it appear on the map, but also on the left side of the screen. You should refresh the menu by clicking on "Edit" and "strings" again to see it, however.
Click on the name that appear on the list that is at the left side of the screen. Once highlighted in blue, every tiles where you left-click will have this new name. So if a city is on two or more tiles, you just have to "paint" the area with the name without the need to write it, again and again.

3rd functionnality : If you made a mistake in the name, select "Edit", "Map Strings..." (not just "Strings"). It will open a box. This box allows you to add a name (without the need to place it on the map immediately), remove a name, or change it ("edit").


You know everything, happy naming... or whatever it is called

Europe has been quite tricky — it doesn’t look as smooth or unified as large countries like your France.

A problem in your map project is that Europe is rather small while being the main focus of the mod.
Unfortuntaly, there are no African nor South American armies (unless we count the Argentinian 82' army, but it's not the contemporary one and I don't think you'll use it) in the mod, so it would have make sense to reduce their countries size a bit to make an artificially bigger Europe (where on the contrary everyone is included) ; and thus a more interesting main frontline.
In a gameplay perspective, I think it could have been a valid choice to reduce the size of the Southern hemisphere to make the Northern bigger, and thus Europe less cramped.

But in the end, that choice depend if you favor gameplay or accuracy.
In a world map with realistic proportions, unless we are able to reach a 400x400 size, Europe will always be a mess

Cizilization games had the same issue with most of their "True Start Location Earth", where players with european civs have no place to expand since their starting continent is both small and filled with other rival civs
Kongo, Australia, or America can prosper in peace for entire eras while european civs are usually locked into wars until only one remain

It would be awesome if we could have a Discord server for MC.

On the other hand, staying on forum allows newcommers to see that this old 2011 niche game is still well alive with an active community, and that they can join at any moment. I think it's more welcoming than a Discord.

[Tomas45]

I’ve decided to pause work on the world map for now, because it would need to be at least 500x300 hexes to look right — and that’s just too large to make properly. A 300x200 or 200x200 map doesn’t work either, since the European countries end up way too small.

So I’ve moved on to a new special project instead — a map of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. I’ve been working on it since yesterday and already put in about 12 hours of work. I estimate that by Sunday it might be playable; the terrain and detailing are progressing slowly but nicely.

My Europe–Middle East–North Africa map is 300x300 in size and will be packed with detail. I’ll share the first three screenshots soon.

I’d really appreciate your feedback.
Thanks,
Tomáš


I was working on Greenland in this photo.


Here is Iceland.


Here is a part of Morocco. Once I finish the whole map, I’ll start adding the details. I hope you’ll like it.

[Tomas45]

Hi there, I’ve roughly finished Spain. I’ll fine-tune everything later. For now, I’m sharing two preview photos from the editor.

[Imeror]

I think that I will repeat often : but they looks both nice and accurate.


Just a suggestion about Spain : Some regions north of Madrid are still very dry and could have some desert tiles instead of clear ones ; I think about around Valladolid and West of Saragossa.
It's not as dry as Southern Spain, but I think it also deserves a few desert tiles

[Tomas45]

All of this is just rough work for now — I’ll still spend a lot of time refining it. I’ve roughly done France, parts of Austria and Slovenia, and also the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where I live I hope you’ll like it.

[Tomas45]

Hi friends,
I’m adding a few more countries in rough form — I’ve now got Turkey, Greece, and Syria done as well.
I’m attaching a photo, and I hope you’ll like it!
If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them.
— Tomáš



Here I have a part of Greece and Turkey.



Egypt and part of Israel.



And here I’m working on Syria.

[Tomas45]

Hi friends — I’m asking for advice and help: is there a guide or video tutorial that could help me with something I need?

I’m working on a map of Europe that also includes the Middle East and North Africa, so there are additional countries on it. I would really appreciate the simplest possible instructions because I don’t know how to create units and states.

For example, I’m from Slovakia and on my map Slovakia currently has no army. It would be enough for me to be able to transfer or move soldiers to Slovakia — for example infantry from Russia, some tanks, aircraft, and maybe an artillery piece. I need a tutorial on how to give a country equipment: how to transfer units/vehicles to a state, assign them a flag, and make their inventory as realistic as possible.

I’d also like to make Slovakia a BRICS member. For that I’d create a kind of shop where I could “buy” equipment in a Slovak store — I would put Russian weapons there as if Slovakia had purchased them. I also need to know how to create new states — for example Morocco, Egypt, etc.

Thank you, Tomáš.

[Tomas45]

Hi, so roughly I already have Moldova and Ukraine included — it’s a huge map and a lot of work, but it’s slowly coming along

[Tomas45]

Hi friends!

I’ve created a community server on Discord where we can chat, share ideas, and help each other regarding the Modern Conflicts game mod. I would be really happy to see our community grow there!

Here’s the link to join: https://discord.gg/8duUXzzP

Thank you all, and I look forward to seeing you on the server!

[Tomas45]

Hi, so I’m continuing — I have rough Russia done, and now I’m moving on to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, then I’ll work on the details.

[Imeror]

Hehe, that's on the contrary quite fast.

Ukraine is big enough to contain a scenario on itself, at that size.

[Tomas45]

Hi — I estimate the map will be finished maybe by Monday, at the latest by Wednesday; only the details will remain. Otherwise it’s completely done: I’m adding factories and various objects. Unfortunately, in the places where I don’t have flags yet they’re just white — once I finish them I’ll publish an updated version of the map.

And yes, the countries are large so anything can be done, any scenario. We have Greenland where I placed oil rigs with a white flag, which could make for an interesting war over oil and fights in Greenland. There’s one airport there and several ports; administratively it belongs to Denmark — an occupation by the USA or the Brits might not be well received by Denmark, and they might call on Russia for help.

Fighting can also take place in North Africa or the Middle East over oil. Maybe a test invasion into “ruka” if someone can pull it off It’s all about imagination — who fights whom and where is up to you.