The Map

The map is the most important piece of information into game. Determines ditances, determines the type of terrain and with in the speeds of units and also the atrition (its not defined here but linked to type of terrain).

So whats the problems with map? Less than prevois HOI versions, but even its easy to modify, the problem is that many maps would be incompatible.

We must understand the elements of the maps:

• Provinces: Minimal unit. Define type of terrain. Usualy they are quiet small areas (except sea). Only can build naval base, defenses.

• States: the states defines de resourses, th building slots, the population. Is defined by a group of provinces. Also defines the slots for infraestructure, airbase, antiair, radar station and other modded buildings. Also sea areas work as states but this doesnot contain any resourse or building.
• Strategic areas, defines areas for aerial combat.

Well were's the stuff?

The mod compatibility. Some elements could be changed without break a mod. Changing land conections (island conection wich needs no ships transports) or sea-doors as strights like Gibraltad.

But adding a province will need the inclusion of this id in many files incluiding the states files incluiding it in one of them or creating a newone.

You can split a state into 2, this also means you must change events and other files.

Stategic zones are more complex becose are linked to supply lines system. We will not develop this point now becose its more related to game engine than the moddeable elements, but this areas are linked to states definitions.

So in this earyl aprouch we should say that a Great Campaing or century mod needs that all mods incluided in the pack not only were linked and using similar ideas/laws systems and politic table definition. They must have the same map.

The map also is linked to resourses and them resourse events, crucial for a century mod.

Actualy the most important mods "Great war", "road to 56", "Keiserrich", BICE and "Cold War: Iron Courtain". I exclude modern day becose it have extended complication, even with yugoslavia disolution it split in many parts into balcan region let some restriction for post 1993 mod.

Posible the cold war mod that needs more state division (North Korea and Vietnam requieres provice changes, Yugoslavia and Afrika minor States).

Great War needs colonies coast in India and China, Eupen provonce as a state and posible minor changes. You can see some of this in the image.

A key for dont lose performance is not split states into a big number, becose ai should admistrate building and other stufs related. Also more calculation are needed if more states are deployed.

Once built the states couldnt be changed on running game, so this is only declared on file dont on events.

So, what we have here? The requeriment of a common map for the mod wich compose a century map. The the fist step is the normalization of request from every mod timelapse.

We will talk some about this in nest post.