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After doing some research, it is currently not possible to create or edit a custom map that works with AI players!
Notice, first and second thread posted on Steam by Mann Of Security on 28th July 2021 @ 9:59pm and Shackleford posted on 12nd February 2021 @ 10:30pm have received zero (zilch) replies from the official team of developers as of 13rd August 2021.
In itself, this deafening silence says a lot.
Meanwhile, on another forum, there is a video link and a downloadable zip file[drive.google.com] link.
Finally, in the 4th thread as reposted below:
by LouisJGStone » Sun Feb 28, 2021 3:52 pm
I am having an issue when I try to make a new ownership vector It is marking out the territories perfect but I have the USSR building in South America and Africa building in the NATO territories is there any way to fix this my guess is a new AIConfig but upon trying that it's not fixing the issue I have attached an image showing the issue along with my awesome Microsoft Paint Skills/
Sun Feb 28, 2021 5:04 pm
You need to regenerate the AICache. Uncomment the "generate" part there and check your AIConfig to not reference the names you don't have on your map.
In short, it is explained, that one has to use the "????.txt" file in the "MAPS" folder as template, and generate by steps, 4 new series of modified files by removing the comments "//" in fronts of the lines:
As a demonstrator, this author used the "Empires" MAP MOD with 9 players, therefore step one was not needed using also the same default "TextureMap".
OwnershipMap used to draw the boundaries of the factions was modified and generated with success.
CitiesMap was also generated with success.
[img]http://web.archive.org/web/20210813214345/https://i.imgur.com/GdVjtFe.jpg[/img]_[archive.ph]_[archive.ph]
Then the final step AICache failed with a Crash To Desktop (CTD) when reaching the critical "Computing satellite trajectories" threshold.
Conclusion, as of ICBM V1.1.2, it is possible to play with new custom map but only with human players if adding another MOD's "ai_cache.bin". AI opponents would build on wrong territories and not protect their own homeland.
If you share the half-baked map, I could look.
https://discord.gg/n89H8gBQbJ
https://discord.gg/PMSpQEMYnF
Here the links to not one but even two different PNG images used to generate twice with success the test OwnershipMap:
*1[web.archive.org], 2[archive.ph]
*1[web.archive.org], 2[archive.ph]
And the fatal final step before crash to desktop:
1[web.archive.org], 2[archive.ph]
Here is the Map Template archive created by TAR5US:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LKItoImDTbGi9zHETJ79swpb9-NN5EPZ/view?usp=sharing
There is also a brief instruction inside.
Having no doubts and no need to post here.
As stated in the first post, during the investigation, all promoted discord sites have been visited. And several times.
But no mention of the "ai_cache.bin" generation could be found there.
Moreover, only modders suspected to have deep connections with the developers team could create custom maps, such as TAR5US.
All the others "real" amateur modders such as "Shackleford", "Mann Of Security", "LouisJGStone" or "T4rget" are not known to have been able to post a finished working map that includes an "ai_cache.bin" file.
All the files will soon be available to download, when added to the next update of the super mod.
So no need to send the still messy map TXT file right now, as the generated map after 3 steps is perfectly functional in human multiplayer mod, only lacking an appropriate "ai_cache.bin" file.
Landlocked nations including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Laos, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are certainly not the cause of the crash to desktop.
And well, what was first suspected is now confirmed. To demonstrate that the "ICBM.EXE" was at fault, the following test was conducted today.
By using the "Empires MAP MOD by TAR5US" from the steam workshop, all steps have been reproduced simulating the generation of a new map mod.
First we deleted all the files to be generated later from the "Maps/empires.virtual" folder: ai_cache.bin, earth_cities.csv, ownership.vec, watermap.vec
For the first step, we uncommented the first line of "Empire.txt"
Then we used the "ICBM.EXE" program and obtained the first reconstructed file: "watermap.vec"
For the second step, we uncommented the second line of "Empire.txt"
Again we used the "ICBM.EXE" program and obtained the second reconstructed file: "ownership.vec"
For the third step, we uncommented the third line of "Empire.txt"
Note the minor correction in the last line, needed after a crash to desktop due to the program's inability to find "cities.csv". We simply copied the said file directly in the "Maps/empires.virtual/SRC/" folder.
And this resulted in our third reconstructed file: "earth_cities.csv"
For the fourth and final step, we uncommented the last line of "Empire.txt"
Upon reaching the very same critical "Computing satellite trajectories" threshold, the program crashed. Again unable to recreate the "ai_cache.bin" file.
https://archive.ph/1lVLM/28d196b15f5d185a85d0a94ec3a196a9a2848e3d/scr.png_[web.archive.org]_[archive.ph]
This clearly proves that the program and neither the PNG map image nor the "Empire.txt" files can be the cause of the crash!
Conclusion, as of ICBM V1.1.2, it is possible to play with new custom map but only with human players if adding another MOD's "ai_cache.bin". AI opponents would build on wrong territories and not protect their own homeland.
QED
Also, once again - there is a HOLE in the Europe part of your map, specifically Switzerland. It has nothing to do with the inland. It is just HOLE in otherwise solid Europe - this is NOT supported.
You can download it here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SeCAopVqsHQsyxPXMPcTZI0FYotgqbk3/view?usp=sharing
This means either your map.txt file contains something wrong OR your AIConfig.txt file is wrong.
That's why I ask to share ALL your mod files, otherwise I just cannot help you :(
BTW - I am the only developer, there is no "team".
Thanks again for your reply.
Unfortunately, the "ai_cache.bin" you reverse-engineered had without the list of nations some 3'628'800 combinations possible.
Therefore this was impossible task for a human. Nice try again but sorry, and alas as feared, the territories are still all messed up.
Very sorry for making you waste your time but I did all my best to clean, test and edit the files overnight.
As a result the experimental map has been just been uploaded in the DEW SATELLITE ARRAYS SUPERMOD.
Everyone can now have access to all the files including the ai_cache.bin file taken from dounttron's 10 players map.
Once again a crash to desktop when trying to generate an independent ai_cache.bin file. Can someone else succeed perhaps?
Meanwhile, as there is a second map, from a still in the making MOD, here as previously posted the PNG image:
*1[web.archive.org], 2[archive.ph]
And here the relevant list of factions:
The AIConfig.txt is not mine but from the template or other semi-official modder's map folders (i.e TAR5US, Tolis, dounttron).
Even the map.txt is based on the same sources, and only slightly edited, but not the cause at all for the crash when computing the satellite trajectories for the aicache.
This suggest that the tool used by them can not be the same as the one we common amateur modders use.
We don't want to give the false impression to the readers that we are playing H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan engaged in endless rows of time-consuming hard bargaining and difficult demands, when seeking the procurement of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters, at the condition the United States shares the most secretive software source code for the F-35.
Thanks.
I've just subscribed to your mod, found it's sources, opened ModernWorld.txt file, uncommented AICache generation, started the game from Steam, opened the "2019-2049, 10 Human Players" map and successfully generated the ai_cache.bin file. Finally I've checked that the AI places everything correctly by starting the AI-only game in Spectator mode.
No problems at all. Anyone could do the same. I've even filmed the whole process here:
https://youtu.be/VU4EECFhyhg
There are several possibilities:
1. Your computer cannot normally handle 12 computational threads set in AIConfig.txt you took - lower the number
2. Your computer has some hardware issues (memory?) - do a hardware check
3. You are using some modified version of the game - please use the original one from Steam
Please if you really want me to help you, just send me (ufnv@mail.ru) your work-in-progress mod files (all of them) indicating the problem.
In the case of crash it would help to send me the files Fatal.txt and any crashdump you find in /Documents/My Games/ICBM/ folder. This way I could check what is going wrong.
PS: There is still a problem on your ownership map with Switzerland.
Another VERY serious problem is too many cities in some regions (like Turkey, India) - there is just no space for AI to place units.
Unfortunately, we tried all the solutions you presented only to end up in the invariable crash to desktop.
As a last resort, we will seek the help from other modders to generate that bottleneck ai_cache.bin file on their computers!
For some reason you have not tried the most simple, logical and the most correct solution - sending me your mod to check it. And I absolutely cannot understand why you still refuse to do this.
Here is the generated ai_cache.bin from the video.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f5koX0lG5zroCQU8yqaAjxDf08DBbJZw/view?usp=sharing
I repeat, if you send me the file called Fatal.txt and crashdumps from your Documents/My Games/ICBM/ folder, I will be able to check what is causing the crash on your computer.
Please send them to ufnv@mail.ru
I personally think and all readers of this forum will concur, that the last 14 replies have greatly contributed to reveal the mysterious process of map making in more detail than in any other threads posted previously whether here, on youtube or in Slitherine's forum (excluding part 1, the totally new generation of a map not based on the vanilla Earth plate carrée map projection, of course).
From start, my contribution was solely motivated by the desire to help fellow amateur modders "Shackleford", "Mann Of Security", "LouisJGStone" and "T4rget".
Consequently, this is a mission largely accomplished as any reader could testify, therefore to be praised.
Meanwhile, prolonging unnecessarily further the discussion would not be of more educational value to the mainstream modding community.
Did someone expressed some grievance or worse some verbal or written threat against the supermod in the past? Should we check the past comment section of the supermod page?
Who on Earth would want to sabotage the supermod? Could jealousy be the main motivator behind such a hypothetical heinous and criminal act?
Was hacking the reason for the slowering of the development of the supermod? Who could have illegally tampered with the registry to park half of the CPU?
Of course, while important to investigate, and this will be done in due time, all these questions would be too off-topic, and of no use to the readers.
Again, thank you for generating the ai_cache.bin, but let's not forget the topic of the OP, my contributions in this thread are over.