Height Adjusting Maps

[para]

Hi all

Ain't got my manual yet and it's my very first time at making a map so please be patient. I'm trying to adjust the height of various types of ground in the map editor. I want the ground to start at say 20 then gently rise up for a distance then reach an embankment then a sheer rock face.

How do i do this? Every time i try, it adjusts all the map areas ground levels. If you get what i mean?

cheers

[George MC]

Hi Para

Try painting the height spots on as contours like you would see in a map. The closer the contours the steeper the slope - that's a good start point. If you email me at georgemc at coldclimbs dot com I'll send you the (slightly out of date but still covers the main points) CMSF secnario design manual. The main points in that still hold true for CMBN as they are the same game engine.

Cheers fur noo

George

[para]

Hi Para

Try painting the height spots on as contours like you would see in a map. The closer the contours the steeper the slope - that's a good start point. If you email me at georgemc at coldclimbs dot com I'll send you the (slightly out of date but still covers the main points) CMSF secnario design manual. The main points in that still hold true for CMBN as they are the same game engine.

Cheers fur noo

George

Sorry George MC

I have no idea what that means lol. I have emailed you though as per your suggestion.

Really appreciate the offer of the design manual will come in very handy :-)

ps i am trying to create a Omaha Beach map, so if anybody with lots of knowledge regarding the US landings want to contribute advice or info on any aspect of the battle. i would really like to hear from you.

[George MC]

Hi Para

Manual on it's way through cyberspace

[Agua]

George, I want a copy of that manual as well.

[Broadsword56]

While we're on the heights topic...

I understand that the fewer "black spots" on my map, the better (for faster framerates and less strain on the computer).

But once I have my contour lines all drawn in, should I actually go in and remove parts of the lines (to make them more of a dotted line)? Should I not be drawing them as solid lines? Or is it generally OK to have solid contour lines?

[Agua]

Thanks George!

[hoolaman]

While we're on the heights topic...

I understand that the fewer "black spots" on my map, the better (for faster framerates and less strain on the computer).

But once I have my contour lines all drawn in, should I actually go in and remove parts of the lines (to make them more of a dotted line)? Should I not be drawing them as solid lines? Or is it generally OK to have solid contour lines?

I don't think it is the black spots themselves that strain the system, but the effects of lots of elevation changes will make a map more calculation hungry than a flat board.

having solid contour lines is not neccesary and can result in weird looking artifacts from the pinning effect they have. Generally the same result can be achieved with a sprinkling of black spots and it will look more natural.

IOW if you are happy with them the way they are just leave it.

[hoolaman]

Hi all

Ain't got my manual yet and it's my very first time at making a map so please be patient. I'm trying to adjust the height of various types of ground in the map editor. I want the ground to start at say 20 then gently rise up for a distance then reach an embankment then a sheer rock face.

How do i do this? Every time i try, it adjusts all the map areas ground levels. If you get what i mean?

cheers

Use "direct" to set the elevations. The black spots "pin" the map at certain heights and the editor will smooth out the elvations between any two pinned points. Just one pinned point won't do, you have to mark out a line that you want to pin at 20, then mark out the next line at say 28. To get a gentle slope you put these points further apart, to get a sheer cliff, put the two elevations right next to each other. The general effect is like contour lines on a map. You'll get your head around it eventually and realise just what a good system it is.

[para]

Thanks George

[para]

Is my attempt at a map achievable?

In my 1st attempt at a map i want to make a Omaha map. So far i have a large map that is wide and long. It starts at deep water and then goes to shallow as we near the beach. This will be the allied set up zone.

Then for quite a distance it is fairly level sand covered with hedgehogs AP mines and and barb wire rising slightly till it will reach a sea wall. Which I'm hoping to make only passable when blasted by engineers.

Then there will be 3 available exits to the cliffs these will be covered and by bunkers with Mg's and AP mines and barb wire. Once on the cliffs the bunkers will be linked by trenches and more barb wire and more mines.

I want the German AI to occupy the bunkers and cliff top area, trenches and to straith with mg fire, drop arty and mortar the beach constantly.

The allies will obviously be infantry with engineers and have arty support. DD tanks didn't make it to Omaha afaik. Then after a set period of time the 2nd wave will follow and then another wave. Their objective will be to exit the beach and mop up all resistance beyond the cliff top and then to exit at the rear of the map.

thoughts

[Hawkmek]

@Para - sounds like the [thread=97466]Pointe du Hoc[/thread] map already out.

Have you seen it?

[Agua]

I was going to say it doesn't sound like it includes any elements which aren't in the PdH map, so it should probably be doable.

[para]

@Para - sounds like the [thread=97466]Pointe du Hoc[/thread] map already out.

Have you seen it?

Yeah have seen that great map ain't it? I think mine is different in so far, that mine will be part of the actual beach landing.

Point Du Hoc was a special mission to silence guns which they believed would be raining fire down on the ships and the beach. Having thought about it, PDH is a completely different map. Rangers scaling cliffs and attacking 1 specific target. Where as hopefully mine, will be something akin to the private Ryan beach scene..fingers crossed

[MikeyD]

I suggest if you find a standing map that you like write down its name and open it in the editor so see how they did it. See how the elevations were placed. It could be simpler than you anticipate.

[para]

I suggest if you find a standing map that you like write down its name and open it in the editor so see how they did it. See how the elevations were placed. It could be simpler than you anticipate.

That is a great idea :-)

thanks

[para]

OK fellas I'm having a bit of trouble here and need some help.. I'm trying to adjust the elevation on my map for certain parts.

I have selected the elevation tool and the direct tool to paint. Then i set the elevation with the -/+ keys to say 23. I zoom in to the map and when i left click the mouse button every square on the map is changing to the number selected (23)

what am i doing wrong? thanks

[Pete Wenman]

Like this

If interested drop me an email addy and I'll send the file

P

[Broadsword56]

Change your tool to "direct" when you just want to assign an elevation to a single clicked tile at a time (or to draw a line of that elevation by dragging with the LMB).

Question about your map -- how do you plan to get soldiers onto the beach, since there's no landing craft? If they start already on the beach, that battle becomes a bit odd since the germans have no chance to kill Americans in the water and disrupt the landing. If you do start units on the beach, I'd recommend that you so a lot of reductions in strength, limit ammo, and reduce their morale and stuff to simulate all the disruption of having just hit the beach under fire.

It would be fun if you set up just about all the US units to arrive as reinforcements, with some variation in when/where they appear, so that even the US player doesn't quite know where the troops will debark.

[Broadsword56]

Oh, I see -- of course! With "shallow ford" as your water you can actually have the Americans wade ashore (don't forget some mines on the beach obstacles!)

[para]

Oh, I see -- of course! With "shallow ford" as your water you can actually have the Americans wade ashore (don't forget some mines on the beach obstacles!)

Already thought about the lack of delivery craft..Allies have to wade a fair distance ashore then have to get across a big open beach with lots and lots of AP mines/hedgehogs/barbwire and TRP's to contend with.

In the meantime the Germans from their elevated concrete bunkers and MG nest's will be machine gunning anything that moves then there will be constant mortar fire.

It will be very important to keep engineers alive or they allies wont breach the wall.

I intend to represent the 29th and 1st infantry divisions, one will be vets and one will be greens as was the case on the day.

Follow up waves will come at differing intervals so if they are stuck on the beach and have lost their go forward it should be a turkey shoot for the the MG's.

[para]

Like this

If interested drop me an email addy and I'll send the file

P

Hi Pete

Mine is very different to that so far.. I would like a 2nd opinion so if your up for it?

[para]

i shall post a pic of the little i have done so far. which is the water, the beach and part of the sea wall.

There was apparently a road behind the sea wall which then led to 4 exits. These exits will be in the map but will be well defended well that's the plan ;-)

[Cull]

George, I want a copy of that manual as well.

Me too, please and thank you!

blackjohnflint @ gmail dot com

[para]

ignore this sorry