SE5 Map Creator

"SE5MapCreator" is visual GUI to create and edit (previously created by the same application) maps for SE5, and generate random maps. It can't edit the maps generated by the game, as the encryption used by Malfador hasn't been released.
Log: http://personales.ya.com/ergie/Log.txt
Actual version: 0.4.4

Download here: http://personales.ya.com/ergie/SE5MapCreator_0.4.4.rar

ScreenShot: http://personales.ya.com/ergie/ScreenShot.JPG

If the App doesn't work: This is the Vb6 runtime download web, it just install the basic support to run VB6 apps. If you can't make it work directly with the released rar, give a try installing this:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=bf9a24f9-b5c5-48f4-8edd-cdf2d29a79d5&DisplayLang=en

SE5 Map creator / Editor GUI
Created & developed by ergie272

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Important NOTES:

* Configure MapCreator.ini for the first use with the correct paths
* Delete the previous versions Folders, as there are some structural changes
* Before compile a new map, check your regional settings. They must be English-US to make it work properly
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Thanks to
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This Map Creator couldn't have been written without the base put by Rick (rick@gibbed.us) and his map creator for Space Empires 5 ((c) Malfador Machinations 2006), and specially the classes in jewel (www.jewe.org) developed by him (more info on http://www.spaceempires5.com/en-US/project/rmg), that have been used in this program to organize the information of the maps.

And of course thanks to Malfador Machinations for making this marvellous game, and his MapCompiler... Now we need a Decompiler ( )

The newest Map Compiler can be found in the last patch (1.66 by now)

Purpose
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"SE5MapCreator" is visual GUI to create and edit (previously created by the same application) maps for SE5. It can't edit the maps generated by the game, as the encryption used by Malfador hasn't been released, or at least I don't know it.

It can also generate random maps, parsing the appropiate data files. Although the System types and objects distribution are taken from these files, the Quadrant shape is partially taken from the files.
If there are locations, the Application uses them, and after that applies a random generation if neccesary.

How it works
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- Check the "MapCreator.ini" so the paths are correct. It won't work if the Map compiler path or the maps folder path are not correct.

-"SE5MapCreator" creates one output file: A "txt" file, really a map in ascii with the structure used by SE5. This file is the input for the map compiler released by MM.

- Also, it can read a map in the same "txt" format.

- Can use different "*.txt" from the Data folder of the stock game or mods Balance Mod. The path to these files is in the "MapCreator.ini",and can be changed with the button Change in the main screen. By default, it uses the "standard" directory, that contains the stock game files. If you want to work in another mod, just change this setting with the path where this files are located and reset the program.

Limitations
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- As stated before, "SE5MapCreator" can't edit maps generated by SE5.

Using it!
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Just use the mouse. (lol)
Some tips anyway:

- In the Galaxy View Right Click Call the Systems menu, to create and delete Systems. One left click on a System will enable the system view, showing all the Objects in that System.

- In System View, Right Click Call the Objects menu, to Add and Remove them (Stars,Asteroids,Planets,Storms and Warps). Drag'n'drop an object to move it around.

- Double clicking on an Object allows to edit it.

- "Save Map" only saves the map in construction; "Generate Map" Saves the map and calls the MapCompiler with the mod settings selected.

Future
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My sons don't leave me much time, so we'll see.