How to make maps! - Page 3

How to make maps!

Discuss maps & map creation - from concept to execution to the ever elusive release.

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Gurkha
Posts: 81
Joined: 31 Aug 2004, 01:53

Post by Gurkha »

ok, map 'compiled' and I've modified the gods of war .sma for my own purposes. 2 problems:
1) No water.
2) too many trees, my commander can't move for them.

help

-Gurkha
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Redfish
Posts: 289
Joined: 27 Feb 2005, 16:12

Post by Redfish »

You'll prolly have to change the x and n values. Use at least for n something that's negative to get water.

Too many trees means you have a lot of green on your texture map. Reduce it or shift the color as was done with the Redhaven map.
Tangaroa
Posts: 77
Joined: 17 Aug 2004, 04:50

Post by Tangaroa »

No, BMP provides too little detail and causes ugly overcurved edges in metal maps, I want to see if using 16 bit heightmaps will prevent this.

Edit: think ive fixed it, just removed the -l form the command, sharper corners now.

heightmap needs a bit of fixing up though
mufdvr222
Posts: 681
Joined: 01 May 2005, 09:24

Post by mufdvr222 »

Stealth870 wrote:Kool...

Red, how do you smooth out the Gow heightmap? Did you remake the whole thing? Because scaling in Photoshop will cause the height map to give these funny stretch out pixellated lines across the map, even with blur, they still show up a little bit. I pretty much got Coast to Coast done, but just need to fix some water depth and shore issues :-)
Use the moire pattern removal filter in paint shop pro.
set "fine detail" to 2.
In paint shop pro in the effects menu,, enhance photo,, moire pattern removal.
This will fix your height map.
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Caydr
Omnidouche
Posts: 7179
Joined: 16 Oct 2004, 19:40

Post by Caydr »

Tangaroa wrote:No, BMP provides too little detail and causes ugly overcurved edges in metal maps, I want to see if using 16 bit heightmaps will prevent this.

Edit: think ive fixed it, just removed the -l form the command, sharper corners now.

heightmap needs a bit of fixing up though
What does the -l do?
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zwzsg
Kernel Panic Co-Developer
Posts: 7049
Joined: 16 Nov 2004, 13:08

Post by zwzsg »

from mapconv --help

-l, --lowpass
Lowpass filters the heightmap

A lowpass filter is something that remove the high frequence, high frequence means quick variation around an average value, so it's what you'd call smoothing.
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Gabba
Posts: 319
Joined: 08 Sep 2004, 22:59

Post by Gabba »

I looked at the source code for the mapconv program, and it would be:

1/ VERY easy to remove the code that generates trees and grass, so you people can make maps that are green but don't have trees everywhere

2/ moderately easy to create a new parameter that toggles the above

3/ moderately easy to create trees and grass based on color dots in the metal map - just as geovents are created with green dots. I suggest two different values of blue for grass and trees. You could create some brush in your paint program to apply these conveniently.

So my questions are:

a) Is it worth it? And which option do you prefer?

b) Would someone be able to compile the program for me (I'll send him the modified FeatureCreator.cpp file)? I don't have VC++ installed right now, I'll just edit the file using some text editor.
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[K.B.] Napalm Cobra
Posts: 1222
Joined: 16 Aug 2004, 06:15

Post by [K.B.] Napalm Cobra »

Yes
Yes
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zwzsg
Kernel Panic Co-Developer
Posts: 7049
Joined: 16 Nov 2004, 13:08

Post by zwzsg »

Yes too.
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Storm
Posts: 443
Joined: 12 Sep 2004, 22:23

Post by Storm »

Also yes.
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Gabba
Posts: 319
Joined: 08 Sep 2004, 22:59

Post by Gabba »

I posted a how-to for the first, simple fix in a new thread.

So, you're welcome to compile and test it. Hopefully I understood the code well.
mufdvr222
Posts: 681
Joined: 01 May 2005, 09:24

Post by mufdvr222 »

[quote="zwzsg"]Yes, my method may seem long, but since I treat all patches at once, it in fact save lots of time. Using a few filter and blurring on the whole map takes less time than individually placing a gazillion metal spots.

Or you could just open the map in TAE and click "mission" - "export PCX of map" and you will have a full resolution .pcx image of the map WITH FEATURES. :lol:
SporkNinja
Posts: 18
Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 01:44

Post by SporkNinja »

i get an error message when i type in all tha -x 200 -n -50 -m metalmap.bmp -h heightmap.bmp -t thecoldplacetext.bmp -o outputfile.sm2 -c 1.5 and the i error i get many times is failed to open DIB file thecoldplacetext.bmp and many others like heightmap yada yada i also get this to
Image[/img]
SporkNinja
Posts: 18
Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 01:44

Post by SporkNinja »

mufdvr222 wrote:
zwzsg wrote:Yes, my method may seem long, but since I treat all patches at once, it in fact save lots of time. Using a few filter and blurring on the whole map takes less time than individually placing a gazillion metal spots.

Or you could just open the map in TAE and click "mission" - "export PCX of map" and you will have a full resolution .pcx image of the map WITH FEATURES. :lol:
guess i need to do that :P annihilator does save the whole map with the features just without them :P
SporkNinja
Posts: 18
Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 01:44

Post by SporkNinja »

Double post ..delete :D
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zwzsg
Kernel Panic Co-Developer
Posts: 7049
Joined: 16 Nov 2004, 13:08

Post by zwzsg »

You should not have removed the nvdxt.exe that is contained inside the map tool package. That or you path isn't correct. Indeed it is not. Type:
c:
cd/
cd Program Files
cd TASpring
cd MaEditor

and then only type mapconv.exe -t texture map1.bmp -a he.....
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Storm
Posts: 443
Joined: 12 Sep 2004, 22:23

Post by Storm »

Bah, here I am explaining on MSN and zwz fliks in anyway...

Image

Image

Here, also with screenshots.
SporkNinja
Posts: 18
Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 01:44

Post by SporkNinja »

thnx to storm and the hammer in his hand i was able to catch on 8)
but now i have a question how would get the right coordinates for the player spawn? eh? and what encoding do i use when i save a smd?
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Storm
Posts: 443
Joined: 12 Sep 2004, 22:23

Post by Storm »

smd is just a text file. Edit it in wordpad. You set start positions in that one too.
SporkNinja
Posts: 18
Joined: 28 Apr 2005, 01:44

Post by SporkNinja »

i got a question how to import bmp of features i noticed in both metal heck had metal steam vents since im remaking King of the hill i kinda want a mars vent on there
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