[REL] Experimental Connectors for combining 1:1 Map Mods

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bricksathome
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[REL] Experimental Connectors for combining 1:1 Map Mods

#1 Post by bricksathome » 25 May 2022 00:00

Recently I've been experimenting with connecting various 1:1 maps together so that multiple different 1:1 maps can be played on the same profile at the same time. Essentially just like a 'map combo' except it's based on 1:1 maps rather than being based on the default Europe map.

At present I've created connector mods that allow you to use Pomezania and the FSG Map in combination with the Grand Utopia Map, see the image below:
[ external image ]
(from left to right, FSG -> Grand Utopia -> Pomezania)

How does this work?
To briefly summarize how maps in ETS2 work, each map is built on a .mbd file ("Map Binary Data" file iirc). The Defualt Europe map is built on europe.mbd, and any map mod that connects to/edits the default Europe map is also built on the europe.mbd file. Basically, if two maps both share the same .mbd file, they can both be loaded at the same time. This is how 'map combos' for the default map work, they're just a collection of maps all based on europe.mbd.
So with that knowledge, the same technique can be applied to standalone maps, as long as the both share the same .mbd file name then they can both be loaded at the same time on the same profile.
So to make FGS and Pomezania work with Grand Utopia I've simply changed the .mbd file of FSG and Pomezania to be the same as Grand Utopia's .mbd file. (grandutopia.mbd) Add in a few ferry connections and the result is the ability to play Grand Utopia, FSG and Pomezania at the same time, on the same profile. simple!

How can I, the player, make this work?
To make use of the connector mods I've made, you'll need to have a game profile that is running 'grandutopia.mbd'. If you've used Grand Utopia on a profile before, you're all set up and good to go. If you've not used Grand Utopia before you'll have to make a new profile and enable Grand Utopia on it. (There's probably many tutorial videos on YouTube for this if you need help)
Once you've got Grand Utopia running, Download the original Pomezania and/or FSG mods from their respective download links, and download my connector mods for the map mods you wish to use with Grand Utopia.
Then you simply have to enable all the mods on your grand Utopia profile in the correct order (info below)


Connector Downloads and Information:

Pomezania - Grand Utopia Connection:
DOWNLOAD (Google Drive)
Created for ets2 version 1.44, other versions may be compatible but there is no guaranteed support for this

FSG Map - Grand Utopia Connection:
DOWNLOAD (Google Drive)
Created for ets2 version 1.44, other versions may be compatible but there is no guaranteed support for this

How to install
The original mods (Pomezania, FSG and Grand Utopia) are required in order for this mod to run. Please download the original mods from their official download links.
You can use just one connector if you just want to use one other map in combination with Grand Utopia, or you can use both connectors at the same time in order to run all three maps at once.

Recommended Load order for Pomezania & Grand Utopia ONLY:
[top]
Pomezania - Grand Utopia Connection
Grand Utopia
Pomezania
[bottom]
Pomezania can also be placed above Grand Utopia but the background map will look worse

Recommended Load order for FSG & Grand Utopia ONLY:
[top]
FSG - Grand Utopia Connection
All 4 FSG mod files
Grand Utopia
[bottom]

Recommended Load order for FSG, Pomezania AND Grand Utopia:
[top]
FSG - Grand Utopia Connection
All 4 FSG mod files
Pomezania - Grand Utopia Connection
Grand Utopia
Pomezania
[bottom]
Pomezania can also be placed above Grand Utopia

Please Note!
This is still very experimental, I've done a few test drives and the map appears to be stable without crashes. You may find that the maps aren't completely compatible with each other. (Pomezania changes some vanilla assets which causes said assets to change in Grand Utopia/FSG areas too which may create some bugs)
There may also be an increased amount of vegetation based bugs in FSG, this is due to the FSG having to be moved East of it's usual location which affects the game's random vegetation distribution (trees and ect may overlap the road more for example)
Please do not report bugs to the original map authors when using the connectors, check that the bug still occurs on a profile with just the original map mod active first. If you do experience a bug caused by the connectors, post a reply here and I'll see if I can do something about it.


Disclaimer:
This mod only contains map sector files and definition files. No copyrighted content from Pomezania, FSG or Grand Utopia is included in this mod.
The original mods (Pomezania, FSG and Grand Utopia) are required in order for this mod to run. Please download the original mods from their official download links.
All credit goes to the respective mod authors, I do not claim credit or ownership for the work included in this mod or the original mods (Pomezania, FSG and Grand Utopia)

If any of the Authors of the original mods are unhappy with this concept, please reach out and I will be happy to discuss it or remove the mod files.
Last edited by bricksathome on 25 May 2022 02:17, edited 1 time in total.
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Digital X
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Re: [REL] Experimental connectors for combining 1:1 map mods

#2 Post by Digital X » 25 May 2022 00:06

I remember you speaking about this on Discord a while back, this is incredible!

How easy would it be for the average joe mapper to do this with other standalone maps? If you rename for example, mymap1.mdb and mymaps2.mdb to the same and both occupy the same sectors what would happen?

You mention moving the maps, how exactly is that done? I recall you spoke about moving one sector over to another but not the specifics of what you said.

Or do they simply occupy a distance far enough to not conflict and thus making it easy to add a simply ferry connection? I may be overthinking all this.

I might give it a trial and error on my end.

So for example if I made a map in sector -0001-0001 and another map in sector +0000-0001 each with the same .mbd name, and loaded them up together, they would occupy different spaces to their respective sectors and thus I could make a road or ferry it would technically work like above?
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Re: [REL] Experimental connectors for combining 1:1 map mods

#3 Post by bricksathome » 25 May 2022 00:20

Digital X wrote: 25 May 2022 00:06 If you rename for example, mymap1.mdb and mymaps2.mdb to the same and both occupy the same sectors what would happen?
if they both occupied the same sectors, you'd simply end up with one map overwriting the other depending on which had higher priority in the mod manager load order.
Digital X wrote: 25 May 2022 00:06 You mention moving the maps, how exactly is that done? I recall you spoke about moving one sector over to another but not the specifics of what you said.
I tried the sector renaming thing I mentioned a while ago and that didn't work, so I ended up moving FSG manually. Fortunately FSG is quite small as far as map mods go, I'm not sure how well it would work for big map mods.
To move the map I loaded it in the map editor, zoomed the camera all the out and enabled the sector borders, I then click-dragged the mouse over a whole sector to select every node in that sector. Holding CTRL I continued selecting whole sectors worth of nodes until I'd selected every node in every sector of the map - basically I selected the entire map.
I then used CTRL+X to cut (copy and delete) the whole map, before moving the camera to where I wanted the map to get moved to. I then used CTRL+V to paste the whole map in a new location and saved the new sectors under grandutopia.mbd.
The trick to moving a lot of objects at once is to avoid using the move tool - copy what you need moving, delete it and then paste it back into a new location instead. The map editor can cope with mass-deleting and creating much better than it can deal with mass-moving items
Digital X wrote: 25 May 2022 00:06 Or do they simply occupy a distance far enough to not conflict and thus making it easy to add a simply ferry connection?
Pomezania and Grand Utopia didn't occupy the same area by default, so that was just a case of simply re-saving Pomezania under grandutopia.mbd and adding a ferry connection
Digital X wrote: 25 May 2022 00:06 So for example if I made a map in sector -0001-0001 and another map in sector +0000-0001 each with the same .mbd name, and loaded them up together, they would occupy different spaces to their respective sectors and thus I could make a road or ferry it would technically work like above?
Yup, exactly that ;)
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oyer24
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Re: [REL] Experimental Connectors for combining 1:1 Map Mods

#4 Post by oyer24 » 25 May 2022 05:52

I like it.

I already tried to do that with MyGodness and Mac Adam beetween FSG Map, Grand Utopia and Bartoland. (I haven't enought time so I abandonned.)
But there was an incompatibility beetween Bartoland and Grand Utopia (custom terrain profile in both with the same ID). But maybe they can fix that? at the time they were interested in that.

To move the map, there is an Export/Import map tool. Export the map, and then import it in an other place
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bricksathome
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Re: [REL] Experimental Connectors for combining 1:1 Map Mods

#5 Post by bricksathome » 25 May 2022 11:55

Ah I'd forgotten about import/export - that's probably a better way of doing it indeed
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Re: [REL] Experimental Connectors for combining 1:1 Map Mods

#6 Post by bogdac » 25 May 2022 15:40

Thank you bricksathome, working fine for me👍
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Re: [REL] Experimental Connectors for combining 1:1 Map Mods

#7 Post by MyGodness » 25 May 2022 21:22

Hi brickathome,

Thank you very much for your work and for sharing it with us. I think you will make a lot of people happy!
I just have a small remark about the connection points on Grand Utopia. In my humble opinion, it would be better to use the port of Iliffe to go towards Pomezania (this will avoid having the ferry line crossing the island, not very realistic 😂) and the railway station of Tours (which is already existing) to go towards FSG 😉

[ external image ]

[ external image ]
Map Maker | Creator of Grand Utopia
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bricksathome
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Re: [REL] Experimental Connectors for combining 1:1 Map Mods

#8 Post by bricksathome » 25 May 2022 23:06

Between taking the screenshot of the map and uploading the files I did switch the FSG-Grand utopia connection to use the Railway Station in Tours. I forgot it was there when I first made the connection but once I realised I switched it over, but the screenshot is outdated. If/when I update the Pomezania-Grand Utopia mods I'll switch the ferries over ;)

Offtopic: If anyone knows of any other 1:1 map mods that run on ETS2 v1.44 that I can try to integrate as well, let me know! :)
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Re: [REL] Experimental Connectors for combining 1:1 Map Mods

#9 Post by LAFAYET47 » 26 May 2022 07:17

Hello @bricksathome you may try to integrate Bartoland. Not really sure if this map is updated to 1.44 though (the 1.43 version might work on 1.44 not really sure).

Cheers and thank you so much for these connectors :)
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Re: [REL] Experimental Connectors for combining 1:1 Map Mods

#10 Post by DeurPost » 26 May 2022 16:43

Very cool! I immediately downloaded it to test it out. But as soon as I get a delivery from GU to Pomezania and then open the menu, the game immediately crashes.
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