Sidi Barrani

[ksl94]

Is there any way to save what I already did  ? Current real life only grants me very little time to use on mapping. By the way, here is my main reference:http://www.inilossum.com/2gue_image/2guerr467.gif I used a blurrier version, since this one was not available at the time of my original research.

[Ts4EVER]

You need to start new. You can't have a map with a completely flat heightmap. If you really want to make a copy of that area into a map, search it in Google Earth and draw a preliminary plan. Remember when I posted this picture in the conspiracy thread?



This was taken in Slovakia. So let's say I want to make a map based on that. You do it like this:

You make a plan on Google Earth. Make a big square for the map and then outline the playable area on it, with the flags in place. Something like this:



You can then use a program like geodem to import the google earth terrain into the map. You get a heightmap that looks like this:



Convert it to .dds and use it as a heightmap (the editor reads the whiter pixels as higher ground). Because one thing you have to realize: You can't have a map that is just flat. Even if that area is very flat irl, it is not as flat as a table. Just a quick glance at the are in google earth shows for example that the terrain slopes down to the sea.

Then you make a simpler plan of your chosen area and import it as a colourmap. It could look like this:



Note that the main emphasis is on roads and where the flags are.
This helps you to see where everthing goes, where the forests and building areas are etc. That's when you start to use the editor to place objects.

[Roughbeak]

To be honest, I do agree with Ts4ever here. Although I do use different techniques with heightmaps. Another thing to add to his posts:

Developing games whether it's mapping, modeling, texturing, coding etc will be one of the most difficult tasks out there. Even more so when you are just beginning. I remember I was just terrible at things, and when I started to quit, I somehow went back developing. My love for developing never left me. Maybe that's just me, I don't know.

One thing you have know in developing, it takes time; starting your map, model etc will look absolutely crappy, but with patience it will look a lot better. With time again, you will live to see the result of your very own project.

First things you have to do in your map in whatever game engine, is planning. Planning is everything, it might take the same time as you create your map.

You will learn many things as you go along, sure it's overwhelming but you just have to take a step at a time.

With these bumps along the road, you will gain experience, and that is one of the best things. More or less, without these bumps/criticism, you will never improve.



@Ts4Ever: I'm curious, did you Photoshop that T34 in?

[Mayhemic.MAD]

check out the area of ts4evers image in panoramio. you can find all sorts of equipment standing around there in the landscape.
http://www.panoramio.com/map/#lt=49.337771&ln=21.569220&z=3&k=2&a=1&tab=1&pl=all
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/10915224
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/10915202
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1530138
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/22255390
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8510029

[Matthew_Baker]

Soooo TS you gonna finish that?

[Mudzin]

Can you give a link to this program - Geodem? Because I can't find it somehow in the net...

[Roughbeak]

Can you give a link to this program - Geodem? Because I can't find it somehow in the net...

Perhaps he meant Geo Control 2 and Microdem.

http://www.realitymod.com/forum/f189-modding-tutorials/69889-how-make-awesome-maps-dem-geo2-image-heavy.html

[Mudzin]

Ah, ok thanks!

[PapillonFH]

Does the dem approach with google earth still work? Cause, I tried, but the kml plugin to download the data from Google Earth apparently does not work with the current version.

Which approaches do you guys take for real-life heightmaps?

[Ts4EVER]

http://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/SELECTION/inputCoord.asp