Map upload details

General map upload process

1. Map author creates a map using the FA Map editor or the Ozonex Editor
2. Map author uploads his map using the FAF client or the Ozonex Editor
3. faf-java-api takes the files and unpacks it
4. faf-java-api renames files and paths so that they match the map name and the latest version
5. faf-java-api publishes the zipped map files in the vault and on the content server
6. User download the map from the map vault using the FAF client
7. User starts a new game using this map in the FAF client
8. FAF client starts the ForgedAlliance.exe and tells it which map to load

Map files & structures

A correct map file should look as described:

• The final map file is a zip file named <normalized-name>.<version>.zip
• The zip file contains a root level folder named <normalized-name>.<version>
• In this folder you have at least 4 files:
  • <normalized-name>.scmap containing a binary file for the map
  • <normalized-name>_save.lua containing a lua file describing props, decals and wreckage
  • <normalized-name>_scenario.lua containing metadata of the map
  • <normalized-name>_script.lua containing additional map scripting code

Adaptive maps also contain the following files:

• <normalized-name>_options.lua
• <normalized-name>_tables.lua

If the map brings custom textures, they are usually in an extra subfolder.

The normalized name is derived from the map name in the scenario.lua file. Only alphanumerical characters, whitespaces and the - are allowed in the name. During normalizing the whitespaces will be replaced with _.

The version number is derived during uploading by the API. To prevent version collisions, the map author will never be able to choose the version himself.

Common issues

• After selecting a map and launching the game "Four Corners" map is loaded instead --> This happens on issues with wrong paths. Check the scenario.lua file.
• My map zip has the same version twice in the name --> This happens, when the map folder already has a version suffix on uploading. This should be removed before uploading.