Naming and Distribution - [EBPEdit Help Contents]

Every EBP game take place on a map, which defines the geography and other game elements. Each map is uniquely identified by its three-character name. These three characters appear at the start of the name of each of the files that define the map, for example USA and USAMAP.EBM. When you start a new map, EBPEdit asks you for its name. Choose a name that reflects the content of your map. You can also save an existing map under a different name (use the File, Save Map as pull-down menu). For best operation across device types and operating systems, employ only letters and digits in your map names.

VERSIONING

During development of your map, or if your simply want to tweak an existing map for your own use, it can be helpful to track and maintain different versions of it. Starting with EBP and EBPEdit version 2.0.1, at your option you can append up to two additional characters to the name under which you save your map. For example, while creating map ABC, you might save the first version under the name ABC01, the second ABC02, etc. That will create separate map files named ABC01MAP.EBM, ABC02MAP.EBM, etc.

If you use such versioning, it is important to note that to find related external multimedia (the background, load icons, etc.) both the editor and game will look for files by their 3-character base map name. The means, for example, both maps ABC01 and ABC02 will employ the same ABCbgnd.jpg and ABCicons.gif for graphics.

When playing in EBP, the ebp.ini file saves a copy of your preferred Game Options and settings for each map by its 3-character base name. So, for example, for both ABC01 and ABC02, EBP will use and save your preferences under the name ABC.

IMPORTANT: If you release your map to others, as your final map version for release, use File, Save Map As and remove the versioning characters, for example, the final release of the map described in this topic would have the name ABCMAP.EBM. To avoid conflicts with other maps, do not use more than three characters (ABC) in the map name for what you distribute as your final version. In these examples, upper/lower case is not significant.

RESERVING A MAP NAME

If you wish to avoid creating a map with a name already in use by someone else's map, contact us to reserve a map name. There is a small fee associated with reserving a name. When you reserve a map name, we will grant you the exclusive right to use the ebXXX name format for your map.

DISTRIBUTING ALTERNATE MAPS

We recommend you compress the .EBM files and any picture (background and icon) files for your map together into a .ZIP file. For example, if your map is named ABC, you would ZIP compress together the files

ABCmap.ebm

ABCbgnd.jpg (or .gif or .bmp)

ABCicons.gif (or .jpg or .bmp, or ABCiconspecial.gif, etc.)

You should not distribute the ABCmap.cor file because EBP generates it automatically on the end user's computer.

If you would like us to distribute an alternate map you have created, contact us for details.

Your map may qualify for listing on our Web site (ask us).

OWNERSHIP

Please note that while some existing alternate maps are considered freeware, others are shareware, and still others may not be redistributed. If you have copyright and/or restrictions on the use of a map you create, you should note this in the designated fields on the Edit, Map Info window.