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Anyone tried the Map Overlay Editor Feature Yet?


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I just tried it and it is very easy to set up. The only thing I am not sure about is how to take an image from Google Maps or Google Earth that is to the same scale as the editor map. I used to have some tool that drew a grid on Google Earth of the same sized squares as the editor but can't remember what it was. Anyway, that might not be the best tool now for the overlay. Any thoughts?

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I just tried it and it is very easy to set up. The only thing I am not sure about is how to take an image from Google Maps or Google Earth that is to the same scale as the editor map. I used to have some tool that drew a grid on Google Earth of the same sized squares as the editor but can't remember what it was. Anyway, that might not be the best tool now for the overlay. Any thoughts?

Well, don't know if this helps, but I learned this from StoneAge's help.htm file that came with his HTML Mapping Tool:

A Google Earth image shot at 1599 pixels x 1599 pixels @ 72 dpi with the ground scale set to 95m will be the correct scale when imported into CM when the Map Editor scale setting is at its second-largest size button.

[stoneAge, if you're lurking, please chime in here and help us!]

I also recomment you download this useful file because it has an appendix that describes several useful tips and tricks that CM mappers should know when using Google Earth. For example, you can use the free software GE-Path to automatically draw a precise grid of any size over your GE imagery, simply by specifying the SW and NE lat-long coordinates. Then any screenshot you capture will have the grid already on it for scaling purposes.

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..you can use the free software GE-Path to automatically draw a precise grid of any size over your GE imagery, simply by specifying the SW and NE lat-long coordinates. Then any screenshot you capture will have the grid already on it for scaling purposes.

I remember now - that GE-Path application was the one I used to use for CM:SF scenarios.

I suppose if you create a single large rectangle using GE-Path, of the same dimensions as the map in the editor, then make that the border of your image, it should result in a slice of Google Earth which is the same size as the map you want to make in CM:FI. I will download GE-Path again and try it out.

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I just tried it and it is very easy to set up. The only thing I am not sure about is how to take an image from Google Maps or Google Earth that is to the same scale as the editor map. I used to have some tool that drew a grid on Google Earth of the same sized squares as the editor but can't remember what it was. Anyway, that might not be the best tool now for the overlay. Any thoughts?

I've used it. It rocks, and it's far far easier than you'd think.

Step 1: decide /exactly/ how big your CM map is going to be.

Step 2: crop an image (from Google Maps, Google Earth, some map you found somewhere, aome aerial photo, whatever) to /exactly/ those dimensions. In Google Earth you can use the ruler tool to help here.

Step 3: name your image from Step 2 correctly (I forget what that is - special_editor_overlay.bmp I think), and place it in your Z folder

Step 4: open up CMFI, go to the Editor, go to Map

Step 5: you will see your overlay, but it'll be compressed. Use the + buttons to stretch your map to the desired dimensions, and the overlay image will strethc right along with it. Once you get to the right size map, there should be no distortion in the overlay image.

hint: use the o (lower case 'oh') to alter the transparency of the overlay when you're adding map elements.

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how to take an image from Google Maps or Google Earth that is to the same scale as the editor map.

A simple solution might be to use the Google Earth measuring tool to draw a line to an exact width (say 100 meters). Take a screenshot of the screen with the measuring tool line in place. Crop the picture to exactly the area you want, rename it and bring it into the game. Off the top of my head a 100 meter long line would stretch for about 12.5 terrain tiles or so. So you adjust the dimensions of your 2-D map up or down until the line in the background image is 12 terrain tiles wide. Done and to scale! :)

(EDIT) Ha ha, JonS is a faster typer than me. He should yell "First!"

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Thanks Jon.

I just tried using GE-Path for the map overlay and it was a doddle.

First of all, I put down 2 "pins" in Google Earth, a fair distance apart horizontally and vertically, and in the same "folder" in the Google Earth "My Places" panel. I then selected the folder and saved it as a "kml" file. I then opened GE-Path with the "create grid" option checked and "distance between lines" set to .32 (it's in km, so this equates to 320m). I then loaded the kml file and ran GE-Path. It created a grid of 320m squares between my two points in Google Earth. I then took a screenshot (alt-Print Screen) and pasted the screenshot into "Paint.Net" (my preferred paint program), then cropped the image so only one 320m square was visible. I then just saved this as "special editor overlay.bmp" and put it in my Z folder in CM:FI. Bingo, the image was in the editor just as it had appeared in Google Earth! This image was designed for the default map size of 320m x 320m but the same principle should work for larger maps, and even non-square ones depending on how you crop the image.

Now I just need to find some interesting places in Sicily to map!

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The way I did it was pretty easy. I over nuked it at first, but just keep it simple.

1) Find your area in google earth and mark a corner with a pin.

2) Use the measuring tool to find your other 3 corners. It's hard to get a perfect rectangle but do your best.

3) If you have windows 7, use the snipping tool to get your cropped map.

For elevations, I used the polygon tool in google earth and raised it so it was barely showing. Then I used the line/path tool and traced the contour. Then I would bump up the elevation of the polygon 10m and trace another contour. I labeled each contour with a pin and the elevation. Once in the editor and properly sized, the elevations are really easy to trace using the direct elevation option. I was able to get map contours looking very realistic using this method.

I hope this helps!

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I simply don't understand why you don't use the integrated scale of google map screenshot,

513322CMFortressItaly2012080221000471.png

In this example I have a 50 meters reference, I extend the map so I have a little less than 6 squares (6X8=48).

Then I use the circle at the top left corner to adjust, as it is a perfect circle, I just extend it so the diameter is right.

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