Contour Maps

[We Build We Fight]

I am looking for a tool that would take a CM map and output a contour map. You can do it manually but it's very tedious to enter the elevation of each block.

Planning missions/movements with a better understanding of the terrain would be great. Ideally, this tool could be produced by Battlefront quite easily.

[junk2drive]

If you really need it, you could open the map in the editor, hit print screen, paste it into ms paint, save it as a jpeg, then print it out in greyscale. Unless you can afford colour ink.

[We Build We Fight]

Your idea works somewhat. Still nothing is better than contour lines on a contour map.

Legally, only Battlefront (or somebody they sold the rights to) could penetrate the games code to output the contour matrix, contour the this output, and display/print a map.

It's not a matter of 'need' it's a matter of want.

[hoolaman]

Has anybody thought of doing a contour map mod? You could colour each elevation to make it esy to change in paintshop. Or you could make it black and white with grid overlay, and symbols for the trees, houses etc.

[JonS]

Making a contour map is actually quite easy - if you have PaintShop, or something like it that does layers.

1) Go in to the scen editor

2) Load the scen you're interested in

3) Go into the map editor

4) Ensure 'Height is ON'

5) Press "Print Scrn" (the key on the keyboard, not a button in the CM interface)

6) Start your drawing program

7) Paste your "Print Scrn" as a new layer or new image.

8) Create a new layer

9) Draw lines that 'connect the dots' at specific height intervals. Remember that good quality 1:50,000 maps only have contours every 20m, so there is no requirement for too many contour lines. In fact, depending on the step set in Map Contours of Parameters (in the Scen Editor) there may only be a couple of lines to draw.

10) Add other layers for other geographic features - roads, buildings, woods, etc.

11) Turn off the layer that had the screen capture from the scen editor on it.

12) Save as something useful, print it, and you're done

Hmm. Ok, with 12 steps, 'easy' maybe isn't quite right. But it isn't hard, though it can be time consuming. I did it for my CMBB scenario "Pt 238", available at The Depot, and the map is included in the download there.

Regards

JonS

[dieseltaylor]

Lovely map JS. very much appreciated.

This looks like it will be me against the AI. It is the kind of thing that the folks at MZO War College might like. All players go on the same amp and compare tactics afterwards.

I will do a review once I finish.

[We Build We Fight]

Very nice JonS, a bit tedious but not bad at all. I would be tempted to refine the contours a bit more, perhaps 10m intervals (more work but more telling). Depends what you want, realistic battle map or the best map to help approach unseen. Will be giving this a try. How long would you say you put into the PT238 topo map?

Thank you very much for sharing.