To Lands Unknown 3.9

Discussion and development of scenarios and campaigns for the game.

Moderator: Forum Moderators

Post Reply
Soliton
Site Administrator
Posts: 1679
Joined: April 5th, 2005, 3:25 pm
Location: #wesnoth-mp

Re: To Lands Unknown 3.1.3

Post by Soliton »

guidobartoli80 wrote: April 2nd, 2020, 7:11 pm Wooooo, TLU works fine with Steam version, many thanks for the suggestion!! :mrgreen:

So, apparently the flatpak version has some problems with this add-on on my PC, I hope my report can be of any help for developers to solve them.
I was expecting to see more JPEG errors in the full output but since there are none I can only assume the issue is specific to the TIFF images with JPEG compression. No idea what that exactly means and why it works for some and not others were really the same SDL_image version is supposed to be loaded.

If there is no special TIFF feature used I would suggest that those images are simply converted to plain JPEG images to avoid this issue.
"If gameplay requires it, they can be made to live on Venus." -- scott
User avatar
gwen42
Posts: 43
Joined: May 30th, 2018, 3:31 am

Re: Black background in TLU

Post by gwen42 »

guidobartoli80 wrote: April 2nd, 2020, 3:12 pmWith development version 1.15.3 the situation is even worse because it cannot even be started:
Image
I'm encountering the same problem in 1.15.3 on Catalina (Mac).
The text error it gave me:
The following add-on had errors and could not be loaded:
/Users/jenny/Library/Containers/org.wesnoth.Wesnoth/Data/Library/Application Support/Wesnoth_1.15/data/add-ons/To_Lands_Unknown/_main.cfg

Please report this to the author or maintainer of this add-on.

Details:

Macro/file 'MENU_IMG_TXT' is missing
at ~add-ons/To_Lands_Unknown/scenarios/00_Prologue.cfg:1008
included from ~add-ons/To_Lands_Unknown/_main.cfg:80
User avatar
Pentarctagon
Project Manager
Posts: 5496
Joined: March 22nd, 2009, 10:50 pm
Location: Earth (occasionally)

Re: To Lands Unknown 3.1.3

Post by Pentarctagon »

The MENU_IMG_TXT and MENU_IMG_TXT2 macros were removed in from 1.15.1, so that will require an update to the add-on in order to work.
99 little bugs in the code, 99 little bugs
take one down, patch it around
-2,147,483,648 little bugs in the code
User avatar
Ravana
Forum Moderator
Posts: 2934
Joined: January 29th, 2012, 12:49 am
Location: Estonia
Contact:

Re: To Lands Unknown 3.1.3

Post by Ravana »

You need to use 1.15.1 or earlier.
Siosanzi
Posts: 4
Joined: April 30th, 2020, 6:22 pm

Re: To Lands Unknown 3.1.3

Post by Siosanzi »

Hi guys,
any clues about the sequel/prequel of TLU? Iv heard about a prequel but that was years ago. I really like this campaign and the characters and i would like to play more of it as soon as possible.
User avatar
BTIsaac
Posts: 428
Joined: December 7th, 2017, 7:30 am

Re: To Lands Unknown 3.1.3

Post by BTIsaac »

So I noticed the Issue I reported on last time isn't due to the android version after all.
User avatar
inferno8
Art Contributor
Posts: 974
Joined: February 18th, 2008, 5:32 pm
Location: The Abyss

Re: To Lands Unknown 3.1.3

Post by inferno8 »

To Lands Unknown 3.1.3a is now available for BfW 1.15.3!

This is a tiny update - it fixes the "MENU_IMG_TXT" issue, so you can finally test the add-on for 1.15.3+.
Siosanzi wrote: May 20th, 2020, 11:21 pm any clues about the sequel/prequel of TLU? Iv heard about a prequel but that was years ago. I really like this campaign and the characters and i would like to play more of it as soon as possible.
Information about the future of TLU will be revealed soon.
Creator of Era of Magic
Creator of To Lands Unknown

Support me on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/inferno8
User avatar
AOW
Posts: 67
Joined: August 23rd, 2019, 4:33 pm
Location: China(Mainland)

Re: To Lands Unknown 3.1.3a

Post by AOW »

I've published modify portrait about the protagonist of this campaign here, but I don't know how to directly @ the original author, so... ;)
https://wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php ... 28#p649428
Siosanzi
Posts: 4
Joined: April 30th, 2020, 6:22 pm

Re: To Lands Unknown 3.1.3a

Post by Siosanzi »

So... when are we getting some leaks about the future of TLU?
User avatar
inferno8
Art Contributor
Posts: 974
Joined: February 18th, 2008, 5:32 pm
Location: The Abyss

Re: To Lands Unknown - 10th Anniversary!

Post by inferno8 »

To Lands Unknown – 10th anniversary!
tlu-evolution.jpg
This month was special because ten years ago on the 1st of October 2010 a unique experimental campaign called “To Lands Unknown” was released for Battle for Wesnoth 1.8. And what a revolution it was at that time – especially that no one expected it. The usage of multihex terrain elements on a previously unimaginable scale lead to creation of an add-on that had never existed before. But TLU is not only about graphics – it is set in a rich alternate world, has quite an intriguing story and memorable characters. It has also become an inspiration for many players and content creators for the past decade.

Here are some numbers that help quantify the add-on's journey so far:

116735+ total downloads
8 languages
157,2 Mb of content
24 scenarios
2 story modes
1297 frames of cutscene animations
22600+ forum thread views
1014 posts since the premiere
4 stable BfW releases in the meantime

There are far too many people to thank individually for supporting me and keeping the project alive, but please know I appreciate every single one of you. To everyone who has helped me or sent me messages of support and admiration for my work, I thank you!

To celebrate the occasion I collected some rare images, materials and facts related to TLU, most of which have never been publicized before:
To Lands Unknown extras!
tlu3introwip.jpg
(the process of creating the Prologue scenario terrain)

tlu-s01wip1.gif
(an example of TLU scenery as a 3D model)

alkamija-sketch-small.jpg
(an ancient terrain sketch from 2009 used to create the final art)

tlu_rashti_poster_.jpg
(a TLU wallpaper for some Rashti fans - and there are many! )
Did you know that:
• all 8 factions from Era of Magic appear in the campaign?
• some character names are anadromes?
• TLU was really difficult to upload to the add-ons server back in 2010 due to its size?
• TLU’s art was made using 100% open-source software like Gimp, Krita and Blender?
• until TLU 2.0 all multihex maps were drawn on a paper, scanned and digitally colored in Gimp using a mechanical computer mouse?
• originally there was a late-game scenario, where the main protagonist had to betray his allies to fulfill a promise made to his own people? (some veteran TLU players still believe it was an amazing turning point in the story, which was actually cut to make room for 2 previously absent factions – and people loved that decision too)

_____________________________________________

Many of you have been asking, 'what’s next?'. Well it's been almost 10 years since the release of the campaign back in 2010, so I think it is a good idea to share some of my thoughts about the future of TLU’s universe in general and why there has been no prequel or sequel yet.
The past, the present and the future
The past, the present and the future
Initially I planned to release multiple campaigns set in the universe of TLU (each for one faction), but then I dropped this idea as a result of BfW's declining popularity. Because I put so much effort into designing the world of TLU/EoMa, I have never resigned of developing it further. This development lasted the entire decade. Here is a list of my personal projects I worked on during the last 10 years:

3D experiments aka "Project ITA" (2012 - 2015) - discontinued

The peak of Battle for Wesnoth popularity was between years 2005-2008. This was the golden era of this game. Since that time things have started to slow down. Knowing the risk of BfW’s declining popularity I left in search for a different platform to host my ideas. In 2012 I started learning game design to see how far my experiments would have gone in a completely different environment... and I think they went pretty far. In 2015 I ended up with some of the Summoners faction units converted to 3D models. The results of this you can see here:
Project ITA previews
Image

Image

Image
Unfortunately due to lack of spare time, the project turned out to be too ambitious, so I decided to cancel it. Nevertheless I used many of the project's resources to graphically enhance some of EoMa units and TLU sceneries. Fire and Air Elementals as well as rotating 24fps magical circles under Summoners' feet are just a few examples.

TLU 2.0-3.0 (2015 - 2018) - completed
Between 2015 and 2018 together with ForestDragon, Chewan and others I was working on TLU/EoMa preparations for the BfW Steam release. The developers’ decision to make the game available on such a platform, changed my opinion about BfW at that time. I saw this as an opportunity to popularize the game to a wider audience and to resurrect my initial idea of series of campaigns for each faction. That’s why I used literally everything I had at my disposal at that time to make TLU great. The ending result wasn’t of course perfect, but was enough for the campaign to be mentioned in the Battle for Wesnoth official trailer, which I consider a huge success.

Broken Steel – a Runemasters' campaign (2018) - abandoned
Based on the initial hopes of successful reception of BfW Steam release I decided to focus on creating a prequel for TLU. The next campaign called “Broken Steel” was meant to tell the story of Runemasters encountering Destroyers, their heroic defense against them, the fall of their kingdom, true motives of Destroyers and an explanation of how dwarves had stopped and trapped the invaders.
60% of the conceptual work was done. I prepared special documents describing locations, characters, items and events. Unfortunately Broken Steel never reached its production phase. This happened because of my loss of initial optimism – since BfW’s Steam release, the game’s popularity started do decline again to a point I simply gave up. I abandoned the project, but the really good thing about it all was, that it gave me enough power to finalize the whole story concept for the world of the Era of Magic.

Here are a few rough sketches I drew for that canceled project for those who are interested:
Broken Steel story art
Image

Image

Image
The Story (2019 - present)
Knowing that BfW won’t gain as much popularity in the next years as I initially desired, I’ve decided to only maintain the add-ons I made in the past. At the moment I have no plans of creating a new content of TLU’s caliber for this game. Maybe things will get better in the future, but for now this is it. I decided to switch to something different ...and actually this is a good news.
I am proud of the story I have written, the characters I created. To Lands Unknown is just a small chapter of what I have to offer and I’d love to show you the whole book. Will this ever happen? Will your favorite characters return? Will some of the mysteries be solved? I hope so. I've realized that the most important thing right now is "to tell the story" rather than design a complicated medium to use it for telling the story. Probably it won’t take a form of a BfW campaign but there are a few other more “conventional” options I haven’t tried yet, so expect an update on that matter in the near future.
_____________________________________________

To wrap things up, the last 10 years was an amazing time for me. To Lands Unknown has inspired thousands of players during that period and today it is considered one of the very best additions to the Battle for Wesnoth – I am really proud of it. But it wouldn’t be as good as it is without your amazing feedback. For this I thank you all from the bottom of my heart :) The next 10 years will definitely be different, but in a good way – I am sure of it.

TLU is going to be maintained and improved as long as needed. If you have any questions, feel free to ask here or via PM.
Creator of Era of Magic
Creator of To Lands Unknown

Support me on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/inferno8
Konrad2
Forum Moderator
Posts: 3330
Joined: November 24th, 2010, 6:30 pm

Re: To Lands Unknown - 10th Anniversary!

Post by Konrad2 »

This was an interesting read. You have my thanks for creating this story.
User avatar
Heindal
Posts: 1343
Joined: August 11th, 2011, 9:25 pm
Location: Germany, Karlsruhe
Contact:

Re: To Lands Unknown - 10th Anniversary!

Post by Heindal »

Happy birthday :D.
The future belongs to those, who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Developer of: Trapped, Five Fates, Strange Legacy, Epical, UR Epic Era
Dungeonmasters of Wesnoth, Wild Peasants vs Devouring Corpses, Dwarf Dwarfson Dwarvenminer
User avatar
Helmet
Posts: 641
Joined: December 19th, 2006, 5:28 pm
Location: Florida, USA

Re: To Lands Unknown - 10th Anniversary!

Post by Helmet »

Thank you for creating To Lands Unknown!

I am working on a small campaign and, like many designers, I've been inspired by To Lands Unknown in many ways. For example, I like how, in the beginning of your campaign, animated lines and text appear which say, "inferno8 presents." I examined your code to see how you animated it and discovered that "inferno8 presents" is a unit. Wow!

One thing I can't seem to figure-out, however, is how you were able to employ illustrations as maps. I'd like to do that in one particular scenario in my campaign. Would you make a step-by-step tutorial for all your fellow designers showing how such a thing is done, and post it in the WML Workshop? You needn't create a breathtaking work of staggering genius for the tutorial. In fact, something simpler might be better, as it would likely be easier for inexperienced WML coders like myself to understand. For example, you might create a map that is nothing but an ocean of deep water, and in the center is an illustration of a raft that covers around 4x6 hexes. Don't even bother making a pretty illustration of a raft. A solid brown rectangle is fine, or a PNG of a playing card.

Anyhow, thanks for posting such a thorough update and for including those nifty sketches. And congratulations on your campaign's 10th anniversary!
Author of:
DIY Campaign, Confederacy of Swamp Creatures: Big Battle 1, Confederacy of Swamp Creatures: Big Battle 2, Frogfolk Delivery Service, The Pool of Ek.
User avatar
inferno8
Art Contributor
Posts: 974
Joined: February 18th, 2008, 5:32 pm
Location: The Abyss

Re: To Lands Unknown - 10th Anniversary!

Post by inferno8 »

Helmet wrote: October 31st, 2020, 7:43 pm One thing I can't seem to figure-out, however, is how you were able to employ illustrations as maps. I'd like to do that in one particular scenario in my campaign. Would you make a step-by-step tutorial for all your fellow designers showing how such a thing is done, and post it in the WML Workshop?
I'll think about it :) It is fairly easy once you get familiar with the process. Before TLU ever existed I used this ancient tutorial by Ayin. It nicely explains how terrain visuals in BfW work. Studying it may give you a general idea, but the easiest way to learn this stuff at the moment is to download my Visual Map Pack and study the code.

In short:
You just need to create your own unique [terrain_type] and use it inside a [terrain_graphics] tag in your scenario file. This custom terrain_type is used as an anchor to place your multihex image, which you define in terrain_graphics. The hardest thing to do is to write "map rules" - this is an array of *,*,* etc. They just tell the game which hexes are used to display the image (it is a sort of a mask). Ayin's tutorial explains this topic pretty well. Alternatively you can just copy these rules from my Visual Map Pack and trim them to your desired size. :eng:

You are not the first person to ask for the tutorial, so I think I'll make a more detailed one in the near future ;)
Creator of Era of Magic
Creator of To Lands Unknown

Support me on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/inferno8
User avatar
Helmet
Posts: 641
Joined: December 19th, 2006, 5:28 pm
Location: Florida, USA

Re: To Lands Unknown - 10th Anniversary!

Post by Helmet »

I bet your tutorial would be awesome, inferno8. I hope you make it. I studied your terrain code in Aethermaw. A lot of it was baffling, and the rest made no sense at all. I enlisted the help of the person who helps me learn WML, hoping the two of us could figure-out why your code does what it does. But nope. Why is there a "1" in the map data? was one of our many questions. Even though we virtually coped your code line-for-line into our test scenario (with appropriate substitutions), my illustration of a boat never appeared on the lake on our test map.

We studied the code in Secrets of the Ancients, which has a ship, and we read Ayin's too-brief tutorial. No luck.

You wrote, "It is fairly easy once you get familiar with the process": that was extremely encouraging to hear. Right now, the process is an ordeal which produces no positive result. I look forward to eventually understanding the process. It's kinda frustrating, having an idea but not being able to implement it.

To Lands Unknown comment:
Spoiler:
Author of:
DIY Campaign, Confederacy of Swamp Creatures: Big Battle 1, Confederacy of Swamp Creatures: Big Battle 2, Frogfolk Delivery Service, The Pool of Ek.
Post Reply