MapPacker

[Gobalopper]

Stealth has finished of his program called MapPacker. It makes it easy for you to compress your map files once you finish a map and it handles maps you want to install/uninstall. Here are some more details from the readme file:

MapPacker is a utility for users and creators of Emperor Maps. This application makes it easy for a map creator to pack his map files into an archive file for distribution and easy installation by the end user. It also allows a rudimentary form of Map Managing on a users computer by allowing them to repack, and delete the files from Emperor, which can later be reinstalled with a few simple steps.

MapPacker does not create "ZIP" files. Rather it creates a compressed archive, something similar to Emperor`s RFH/RFD files. The similarity is the compression scheme used, they are the same. The header in the file is something of my design. I will make the format available for those that may be interested in making other applications.

After watching some of the message boards about map making, and distribution of maps. I decided to make this utility to take some of the guesswork out of what files were needed and how to pack them up for distribution. In order to create consistency in what the end user gets and what webmasters will also expect. This application will not create an archive until all the requuired files are available to it, in the map directory.

Ok that means in simple terms, you will have to create 7 specific files before it will pack them. This is done to create consistency between the maps, so when you get one of these files you have a reasonable expectation of what your getting or have made.

The archive file it makes is called " *.CMF " (Compressed Map Files). I know not cryptic at all :-) It is a compressed file, and can be distributed as is. It will only open with this application, Ie you cannot open it with winzip or another similar archiving application. The CMF file is slighlty smaller than a zip file with the same files in it. At least in the ones I made.

Since MapPacker ensures that all the correct files are in the right place we will eventually be using it as the standard file type for submitting/downloading maps. It is a small download, 384 KB, and is really easy to use so get it now. Keep watching for future updates to the program as well.