Historic Map Considerations

[Stoney74]

Gentlemen,

I'm curious as to what considerations have to be made when creating a new SEA map.  Specifically, how you scale down distances, place airfields, etc.  I'd personally like to see a couple of maps we don't have and am interested in taking the effort to create some.  In order to do so, I'd like to know the constraints necessary before I begin, and whether or not unsolicited maps would even be welcome from someone not a CM.  Weather effects are also an interest of mine and was just curious as to what considerations are made to balance the eye candy with whatever computer performance baseline is used to determine suitability.  

Anyway, I'd like to pitch in if it'd be welcomed.

[TracerX]

Stoney, there is a whole team of map makers on the CM team, and it takes several months to crank one out.  I have no clue what it takes to make one.  The Terrain CM's work in a secret room with no windows, and Dux only lets them come out at night to keep them from socializing with everyone else.

If you are interested in making a terrain, the best CM to talk to is Dux.  Usually an interest in making terrains puts you on the fast track to becomming a CM, but I warn you, you will have to brush up on your Rocket Science, because I think that is what they discuss at lunch when they want to take their minds off work.

[Dux]

Heya Stoney, thanks for showing interest.

It pretty much boils down to 2 things:
1. You need to be interested in making terrains.
2. You need some experience in making terrains.

It seems you have plenty of #1... what can you tell me about the second one?

[Stoney74]

Originally posted by Dux
Heya Stoney, thanks for showing interest.

It pretty much boils down to 2 things:
1. You need to be interested in making terrains.
2. You need some experience in making terrains.

It seems you have plenty of #1... what can you tell me about the second one?

#2 equals none.  I was a military history major in college, and focussed primarily on late 20th century--WWII to Vietnam for the most part, and mainly the Pacific for WWII.  Anyway, I was just curious as I know the time requirement is large, which means the more folks working on things the better?  I know a lot of people ask for certain maps and certain setups and that you guys probably have more great ideas than you have time or bodies to develop.  Therefore, before I asked for a certain setup, I figured I'd need to be willing to pitch in.  Especially since I've been giving Drone such a hard time about visibility settings.  I don't feel I should criticize without knowing what it takes to create maps and weather.

Curiously, this game has stoked a much higher interest in WWII history than I ever had when I was actually studying (cough, cough) it in school.  Mostly the courses were all big blue arrow type stuff, and not detailed aircraft knowledge like we geek out on.  Regardless, I learned how to make skins without any prior graphics experience so I figured I should be able to figure out how to work the terrain editor.

I suppose ultimately, all I bring to the table on question #2 is a desire, not experience.

[Dux]

Stoney, you've got the right mentality... I like that. I only ask for some experience because, despite the "whole team of map makers" that Tracer mentions, we are only a handful of dedicated builders, less than half a dozen... so we're all pretty busy, and don't have time to take anyone under our wings as such.

The TE community is small to begin with. The portion of the TE community that has built SEA- or MA- ready terrains is even smaller. A lot of guys build for H2H, but unfortunately those terrains don't give you much experience building for an HTC server, something that Skuzzy will approve. Also, building for H2H can also instill many bad habits. So it's critical for me to bring someone on who can demonstrate really learning how to use the TE properly.

If you're interest is truly in building something for us, then download the software and start building. Take baby steps through the learning process, don't jump ahead to the cool stuff. Build a simple yet thorough SEA-quality map to learn the process... we'll be glad to help you all you need. But there is no other way to learn than by doing it. Be patient... much of it doesn't make immediate sense, but after a while it will all start to click.

[Stoney74]

OK.  I'll start my "science project" and will stay away from the vinegar and baking powder volcano.  I'll see what I can come up with.

[Dux]

Great.

Do you have one in mind...? Something that we might have some pieces of already to help your project?

[Stoney74]

This is obviously rough, just what I did tonight.  The island shapes are just place holders until I draw them properly.  But, the entire map is to scale on a 512X512 map, mileage, basic dimensions, and placement of the island centerpoints (marked by white cross) are all to scale as well.  You'll probably see where I'm going with it...



I figure 3 frames would be the 15th, 18th, and 19th June, 1944.  Not sure feasibility of the setup given the planeset available, but could have some potential, and given the complexity of the map (lol), I could probably bang this out.

[Dux]

Cool... I may be able to get some accurate elevation data for you... standby...

[Stoney74]

Map updated with scale drawings of the individual islands...

[Stoney74]

Is this scale too huge?  I could chop it down to 256X256...Just thought you might need all the space for maneuvering the ships...

[Dux]

No, 512 is a good size for SEA... as you say, more room for the CVs; figure 10 per country, we can disable the ones we don't use.