Problem with Maps in Multiplayer sessions

[Nike-Ajax]

Hey

 

I am working on a number of scenarios and are a bit under timepressure. 

But I have run into a wall which my incompetence does not allow me to scale. 
Plus it is annoying as f*** feeling helpless

 

So background:

 

In two different circumstances I have experienced the issue that the people I play with can not see the map I am using.

In the first instance I got this error message:

 

 

I finally fixed it by publishing the map. Not certain that is the permanent fix though?
Or why I needed to publish a map that was already part of the standard map package?

 

The other issue persists in multiplayer. I have made a new scenario, which worked. Then chose to test the functionality of replacing the map - which I need to be able to do for another reason.

But it does not work.

They get this error message basically:

 

So my actual challenge here is that I need to make a scenario to host for players I have mnever met with before.

So do I make a Map Package and compress it and send it to them like @chrisreb did or what is the best and/or easiest solution here?

 

Thanks in advance for all answers...

 

 

[Gibsonm]

Well "publishing" the map will help with the first issue, but yes you'll need to send it out to those using the scenario.

 

You can no longer embed the map area into the scenario file.

 

As to how you distribute it you can either:

 

a. Share the map yourself (send a zip file), put it on Dropbox (or similar) or

 

b. Upload it here:

 

https://www.steelbeasts.com/files/category/137-map-packages-41/ or

 

c. Get it uploaded to the eSim map server (for want of a better name).

 

As to why you had to publish a map that was already part of a "standard map package" - do you mean it is installed as part of these:

 

SB Pro PE Maps Installer – to install, download all the archives below to the same folder, along with the maps installer executable.  Then run the maps installer executable once all the files have finished downloading,.

• Maps Installer Part 1A
• Maps Installer Part 1B
• Maps Installer Part 1C
• Maps Installer Part 2A
• Maps Installer Part 2B
• Maps Installer Part 2C
• Maps Installer Part 3A
• Maps Installer Part 3B
• Maps Installer Part 3C
• Maps Installer Executable

If you "customised" one of those maps in any way (added a building, changed a road, etc.) them I'm afraid the resulting map would need to be "published".

 

I think that is similar to the second issue - in that your customer doesn't have the same map packages as yourself.

 

I have experienced similar issues, in terms of distributing the map required before we run the session with a scenario that might use a "non standard" map.

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Gibsonm

[Ssnake]

Yeah, the old ways were much simpler, but error-prone in different ways, and above all, with high-res terrain data (which can be effin' huge) the method to embed the data doesn't scale well for internet game sessions. So we had to take the detour of developing the concept of published vs unpublished maps to assure that if a map package isn't embedded anymore but merely referenced, everybody is working from the same referenced map (which requires that the map is protected against further edits), and be given a unique identifier to make sure that maps aren't being mistaken just because they have the same file name.

And then there needs to be a way to distribute the map packages to the session participants.

 

We THOUGHT that it would be safe and simple enough to share FOLDERS of map packages rather than individual files. But we have come to realize that this still is too error prone. Which is why we're setting up the infrastructure of map servers. Unfortunately, because this is the internet, you can't just set up a public hosting site and call it a day. The morons and criminals will just take over, abusing the site for sharing their illegal materials. So, in order to use the eSim Map server, we're screening your submissions (which annoys us at least as much as it does you), and that takes time. The alternative is to set up your own private map server. The tools are all there, and we'd provide assistance to you if you want to set one up. And in order to communicate with such a map server, we developed the Map Package Transfer Manager.

 

I hope it makes more sense now, at least in providing context.

[chrisreb]

Interesting stuff - need to make sure I keep re reading this as the package of maps I converted from previous versions and uploaded was done before the new Map Package Transfer manager etc

[Froggy]

Darklabor and I made a maps server for 507RCC.

We can host your maps the same way they are host here.