Topographic to CM map tool... info needed

[Almaniac]

I am sitting here with a 1:25000 map of the Canadian sector around Juno beach and Caen and I want to turn it into a set of CM missions.

While thinking about how to do it I had an idea for tool to help me turn that topo map into Combat Mission maps. To really get the most benefit I'd like this tool to output CM map format files to use as a starting point for scenario creation.

Does anyone know the format for map/scenario files?

[Pyewacket]

Scenario files are encrypted, so that way doesn't work.

But there're two other ways to communicate with CM:

1. MM: Mapping Mission from L.Tankersley

2. MC: Map Converter (from me)

Both are able to write data to the CM editor and both can open and save their own files. So if you're able to write a programm which translates an original map into a 3rd party CM structure (MM or MC) then it should work. Contact me if you want to use MC.

[simovitch]

You actually have a topo, so you are miles ahead of alot of "historical" map designer's already. Incidentally any map scale over 1:50000 and you may as well fuggetaboutit.

draw a 100m X 100m grid, scan it, and print a large version out so you can transpose the map manually into the CM editor wihthout going blind.

I use Autocad to bring in a hi-res scan, and grid it with fine gridlines and print it to my printer. Sketching the "contours" in the Map editor takes a steady hand on the mouse and a lot of patience, but it's worth it.

Ive never tried mapping mission, am I really missing something?

[Pyewacket]

'Ive never tried mapping mission, am I really missing something?'

I think so. I am not a designer, but some say that you can put the topo (or whatever) map scan in the background of Mapping Mission, what probably helps a lot (MM is a map editor which is running under windows, and a finished map can then be exported to CM).

[Almaniac]

I think I'll take a look at the two editors Pyewacket suggested before I run off and start programming. Of course, the advantage to writing a new tool is that you could make it general-purpose, say for SPWW as well.

Anyway, I'm off to get MM and MC....

[Almaniac]

BTW, are the files actually encrypted or are they just binary?

[Pyewacket]

encrypted!

[Pyewacket]

...as far as I can see..but I am no expert.

[Pud]

Hi all

Would you have a link to Mapping Mission?

Thanks

[Pyewacket]

somewhere here

[Almaniac]

So, I decided I won't write my own software for converting the topo, but I have come up with a pretty good way to do it by hand.

I'm in the process of writing it all down here:

http://www.schoonerproductions.com/allan/combat_mission.html

BTW, there are some huge pictures on that page... sorry dial-up users.

[ January 17, 2005, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: Almaniac ]

[simovitch]

Nice work Almaniac.

I wish others would care so much as to represent accurate vertical relief with their "historical" scenarios.

Good quality topo is not that hard to get ahold of for most people, and using it to generate an accurate map with accurate vertical relief should be as important to the designer as historical TO&E and an accurate breifing, imho.

"McAuliffe" has a good mapping tutorial as well, still found at his exceptional site here

[magomar]

Hi,

I've released a tutorial on using Digital Terrain Elevation (DTM) models to automate the generation of the vertical relief, using Mapping Mission and the Global Mapper tools.

I'm sorry that the tutorial is entirely in spanish. Nevertheless, you can get a look at the images to get an idea of the things you can do with a program like Mapping Mission, a general mapping tool and an image editor

http://academycm.goldeye.info/maps-tutorial/index.htm

some screenshots of the first scenarios developed with this method:

http://academycm.goldeye.info/maps-tutorial/screenshots.htm http://academycm.goldeye.info/maps-tutorial/screenshots3.htm

I'm very bussy now developing a tool for handling CM multiplayer campaigns, but I would probably translate the tutorial to english in a near future, specially if there are people interested in it, I don't know whether there are other tutorials en english covering the same topics.

By the way, the multiplayer tool will be all in english!

[ April 25, 2005, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: magomar ]

[Pzman]

That looks good, but maybe take some time to work on getting the roads flat... not many roads like that anywhere in the world.

[magomar]

jaja, yes, my maps tend to show bizarre roads,

but using a realistic map is difficult to avoid such roads with unlikely angles,

In scenarios with a plain relief this is not problem, but in mountains, in CM it's impossible to represent roads in slopes, you know... and what about houses! some of my villages tend to show big holes in sloped areas, and this is just annoying, but... its the prey of using an accurate representation of the relief... while it doesn't affect the playability of the game I prefer that bizarre roads placed accuratedly that smooth roads with no plausability (in historical scenarios, obviously)

[simovitch]

I have run into the same problem with roads on my Ardennes maps, "digitized" in a similar yet more tedious manner. I choose to alter the accurate relief in the hillside road areas to make them a bit less "bumpy". I feel that it's a small trade off for the masses who prefer the cleaner map to the nuts-on historical relief, and I don't think it will ever be questioned, even by those who are intimately familiar with the terrain.

What you have brought us here is pretty fecking bueno though magomar.

[magomar]

My "methodology" is designed to develop realistic maps in a very short time, since my first purpose was to develo maps for a multiplayer campaign (http://academycm.goldeye.info/campaigns/index.html), that is currently running. Nevertheless, I agree that single scenarios deserve more work to give it a better feel, and the payoff is worth trying.

[ April 26, 2005, 11:03 AM: Message edited by: magomar ]

[Zveroboy]

Magomar stop teasing and release some of them maps !!

How is the campaign going btw?

[magomar]

Hi Zveroboy, are you willing to try a river crossing in the Flix sector?

http://academycm.goldeye.info/campaigns/images/maniobras.JPG

Then try this: http://academycm.goldeye.info/escenarios/flix-en.html