Height Maps
 

Hello, I'm kind of new to the map making scene. Right now I'm working on a map that involves a battle that ended just a few days ago and need some help when it comes to mapping. I just can't get the heights right! I tried using Google Earth but without contours I'm afraid I'm at a loss. Is there any program or addon that allows me to see height mapping or contours on Google Earth? Thanks!

Re: Height Maps
 

Yeah, but I suggest satellite view, then you can use the zoom and change the altitude to get perspective.

There's a program called Microdem that will help develop the map from Google Earth and other sources. This thread by MarkSheppard may help you.

Re: Height Maps
 

Thanks for the help! The only issue I have now is that the SP color mapping does not go above 340 apparently. Anyway to fix this issue?

Re: Height Maps
 

Due to the way the game (and it's engine) works there is a maximum height.
Think of it as height above (or below) the average terrain height NOT above sea level.

Re: Height Maps
 

Sorry not to be specific about that. I mean the SP color coding for MicroDEM doesn't go above 340. In the map the height 490, the lowest, will be 0, but I cannot get the color mapping correct since the DBF files don't go above 340 maximum height.

Re: Height Maps
 

I do not know...however, I suggest you post on the MarkSheppard thread and he may respond with a definitive answer. I recall discussion about map height and color but I honestly do not know the answer to your question.

Re: Height Maps
 

I managed to fix the problem by getting a DBF viewer. Thanks to your help I'm on the way to creating my first -real- scenario. I might as well let the cat out of the bag at this point! The Battle of Kobani is coming to Steel Panthers within a month!

Re: Height Maps
 

You think the Kobani battle is a done deal in the Kurdish forces vest pocket? Hmmm... might be interesting in the coming weeks. I'll look forward to your scenario with much anticipation.

Anyway, glad you got that problem fixed! Congrats!

Re: Height Maps
 

This might be of interest: https://github.com/tvenhola/SPMBT-maps

A Perl utility for map generation from SRTM3 data. Requires Linux at this point.

Re: Height Maps
 

Here's another utility I'm packing in the hill generator:

http://www.venhola.com/maps/geo.html

You get the hex grid placed on top of the openstreetmap tiles so you can draw the hexes straight to the map!

Re: Height Maps
 

in 25 words or less how do you place the hex grid ?

Re: Height Maps
 

Currently it's static. I have plans to have a system for that (and automagically downloading the map file as well) but I just wanted to present it at it's current state.

Re: Height Maps
 

Mean while, try less user friendly option of entering them on a HTML form. Try for example
38.8897
-77.0111
for Capitol Hill

Re: Height Maps
 

Oh, the URL is http://www.venhola.com/maps/

Re: Height Maps
 

Do I take it this is a work in progress by yourself? Has the potential to be a very useful tool.

Re: Height Maps
 

Yeah, I'm building it for myself but also for all the winSPMBT players and map makers out there. I'll try to push it forwards when I have free time at my disposal, which unfortunately isn't too often.

After some code cleanup I'll commit it to the github where everyone can download (and then modify the code on their computer if they want) it.

Re: Height Maps
 

New version in:

You can rotate the map by shift + alt + mouse drag (should also work with touch screens with pinch + rotate) and you can re-center the hex grid using the #-button on the right edge of the map. If you have rotated the map you can reset the rotation but the hex grid stays the way it was put.

Enjoy, report any problems you find.

Re: Height Maps
 

very nice !

Re: Height Maps
 

I've moved this thread to the "sticky" area as I feel this is a very valuable tool for anyone building a map for the game

Don

Re: Height Maps
 

OK, I'm REALLY impressed with this. One thing that would be useful is if after rotating the map to the orientation you need if it might not be possible to regenerate the hex grid so you get the flat sides of the hex grid to the "left" and "right".

Currently the grid is correct when you use the correct earth orientation but rotating changes it.........it would still be possible to use it as a guide but having the grid set up like the game AFTER roation would be a plus so perhaps allowing the map to rotate while the grid stays fixed would be possible ?

But once again..........REALLY impressed with your work.

Don

Re: Height Maps
 

Rotate first, then set the grid

Re: Height Maps
 

Ah ! :doh:

Re: Height Maps
 

I have been trying to get the latitude/longitude correct for Valencia, Spain - with a little trial and error I manage to set the box near PONTE-DE-SOR, PORTUGAL but when trying to move it further east the map will not show..., I assume my numbers are wrong:

Latitude: 39.2811
Longitude: -08.0005

Re: Height Maps
 

try

39.4667
-0.3833

Re: Height Maps
 

Perfect!

...I think this program is gonna' be my new best friend. :D

Re: Height Maps
 

Just about any Lat/Long co-ords can be googled with something like

valencia spain latitude

and it pops up as the first entry

Re: Height Maps
 

Let's try another one:

SALLA, FINLAND (previously called MÄRKÄJÄRVI).

Latitude: 66°49′59″ N
Longitude: 28°40′00″ E

What numbers to punch in? I end up in the Atlantic... :)

EDIT: Got it! This centers on SALLA:

Latitude: 66.8300
Longitude: 28.650

Love it! :)

Re: Height Maps
 

There are some bandwidth limitations with openstreetmap where the images are loaded if they're not found in local or web site cache.

A new version will be available soon (hopefully) where you can just download the terrain map right away after placing the grid. It needs still some coding and testing and may not work in every location of the world.

Re: Height Maps
 

If there's anybody interested in helping it'd be much appreciated. Some things to consider:

• User manual
• Testing
• Debugging

Especially some help file on how to enter coordinates, how to use the web app (entering coordinates on decimal format, rotating map, placing the grid on current location, what do all those buttons do etc.)

The map download system is getting pretty much ready soon, but will need some testing.

Re: Height Maps
 

New version is out!

On the left hand side there's the zoom in/out control (mouse wheel works also, as does shift + mouse select)
On the right there's 5 functions from top to bottom (not all visible, hidden if they won't do anything):

• Return the map to normal orientation (north is up)
• Place the map grid on the current view center
• Turn map so that the grid is not tilted (game view)
• Download this map terrain file (see previous messages on how that works)
• Get link to this current grid placement (for bookmarking or linking)

It's now reworked so that it will use Google API for terrain data but Google limits the amount of requests so please don't use it too much. It also limits concurrent requests so map generation is limited to 1 map at a time. Creating a map takes roughly 30 seconds and it'll always be a 160x200 map. Downloading a map does not destroy your current view unless something goes wrong (and you're shown the error message).

Other controls: shift+alt+drag = rotate map (grid stays put unless you replace the grid)

http://www.venhola.com/maps/

Feedback is welcome!

Re: Height Maps
 

Sweet!

Re: Height Maps
 

This really is breathtaking to anyone making maps but anyone trying this needs to be aware that when it generates the map for the game when you display it in the editor you will see nothing but flat green......BUT you WILL see what's "hiding" when you look at the mini map and the work I did to add colour to every contour height is paying off. What you need to do is select the "page2:" grass......that's the one that follows contours in terrain. Set FILL RANGE to something like 400 and then press fill and it will automagically reveal all the contours. All a map maker need to do next is add trees buildings and whatever else you want to dress the map up but this program does all the heavy lifting .

REALLY NICE WORK !


Here's a snippet
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attac...1&d=1450729971

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attac...1&d=1450729971

you can see a section of the map that the program works from and a section of the map.......the river bed is clearly visible

Re: Height Maps
 

This ones for Ulf as an example of the usefulness of this program

The Hochwald gap contour

Map 322 for SPWW2

I CANNOT tell you enough how this has brightened my day

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

Re: Height Maps
 

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Re: Height Maps
 

What is 'too much'? :D

Re: Height Maps
 

Google has the following limit enforced: https://developers.google.com/maps/d...n/usage-limits

2500 elevation API requests per day, 512 locations per request (we're using 480 per request) and 10 requests per second.

Every map has 31284 hexes to fill and it needs 66 requests per map. Therefore, my site can give you 37 map downloads per day, no more, unless I start paying google for the service. If you need more (like you created 40 maps a day... ;)) you can always download the code yourself from https://github.com/tvenhola/SPMBT-maps - it's free as in beer - and try it out. You need to apply your own Google developer API key, free of charge.

The new version that uses Google API isn't yet documented in the README (so it's not mentioned on the github page) but it's a completely new approach: no downloading of satellite data files, no need to install image magick and no west-east constraint, but you need the Google api key. And still Linux or some way to make it work under Windows.

Requires: Perl, some Perl libraries such as libcurl-perl.

Map output will do some automagic stuff which should be mentioned in the user manual:

• The lowest point on map will be made "level 0"
• If anything is over 150 meters high from the lowest point, it's clipped
• Resolution may be poor, Google API gives lowest resolutions of "152 meters" for my neighborhood: that means that the distance between points of interpolation may be up to 3 hexes away and the result is lacking detail.
• At some points it may be overspecific, giving resolution between 2-8 meters. Then the point selected on map may affect too much the hex by picking some random rooftop or excavation and not the general terrain. If this happens, I'll give your money back.

Re: Height Maps
 

Oh, wow, this is really nice! Just one question! Do I have to add the water manually myself?

Re: Height Maps
 

Yes

Re: Height Maps
 

For the time being. It's on the road map to add automatic water hex generation as well as the proper hill levels and hex tiles. When that will be ready I really can't give any estimate.

Re: Height Maps
 

Don't worry about rushing man. The sheer amount of effort this must've taken, along with how easy this makes it to make real life maps now is simply mind-blowing. Thanks for this! Seriously, thanks!

Re: Height Maps
 

Just tried to generate a map and get this error:

Anybody know why?

Re: Height Maps
 

My bad, I was developing and debugging a new version, which placed a temporary map file in a directory the download process couldn't overwrite.

It's fixed now. Note to self: don't use the same server directory for development versions.

Re: Height Maps
 

I just figured this out (I'm dense with some things) and.... Oh My!

Wonderful tool that takes an avid map maker like me to the point of saving weeks of effort.

Fantastic work!

Tom

Re: Height Maps
 

Yeah, it's really, really nice work.

If anyone builds maps from this post them and I'll get them into a patch

Re: Height Maps
 

Wow, we sure could have used this tool many moons ago.

Re: Height Maps
 

So if it takes 66 requests to build a map...

The Google Maps Elevation API has the following limits in place:

(snip)

$0.50 USD / 1000 additional requests, up to 100,000 daily.

I certainly can transfer a few bucks a month for this tool. :angel

Re: Height Maps
 

http://www.venhola.com/maps/geo.php?...9111328&rot=75

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/j...lc-6535671.jpg

Miyazaki was to be one of the invasion beaches for DOWNFALL/OLYMPIC/MAJESTIC in November 1945.

Re: Height Maps
 

Well, the problem is that it'd be a hassle to handle everything. Chipping in $5 a month is no problem, handling the payments etc. is. Currently there is no such traffic that there would be any problem with this free service.

Re: Height Maps
 

Tried making a map with this location; got a uniform flat map.

http://www.venhola.com/maps/geo.php?...89355469&rot=0

This was something I had problems too with making maps via MicroDEM too -- the difference between a near sea level map and one at 400m above sea level; meaning I had to keep a set of MicroDEM terrain level tables for each altitude.

Re: Height Maps
 

I'll take a look at it.