Author Topic: Mapmaker & terrain editor help  (Read 442 times)

Offline spora

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Mapmaker & terrain editor help
« on: September 12, 2000, 04:10:00 PM »
After seeing Finnish airforce practising low level flying in Lapland last week I decided to try to create an AH terrain of the same area.

Mapmaker is a perfect tool for that.  I think I followed the instructions, but I still do not have any recognisable terrain for AH.  I must have made a mistake somewhere.

Here's what I did:

- loaded data into Mapmaker.  Mapmaker shows everything OK.
- exported data from Mapmaker
- created directory 'lappi' under aheditor/terrain.
- copied contents of 'blank' directory to 'lappi'
- copied Mapmaker *.typ *.elv files to 'lappi'
- changed file prefixes in 'lappi' directory to lappi
- started aheditor, set terrain name from editor to 'lappi' and restarted aheditor

As far as I can tell, terrain does not resemble the terrain in Mapmaker.

Also, the AH clipboard (ESC key) shows the default terrain.  Should I create this picture manually?

Offline Ogre

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Mapmaker & terrain editor help
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2000, 08:22:00 PM »
Hey Spora,

It sounds like you followed the correct procedure.  Just curious, what makes you think it is wrong?  All flat, all water?

A couple things to check first.

1.  When you go into the AHeditor it sometimes makes you think you are looking at the entire terrain.  You are really only looking at a small part, the terrain is actually very large.  It should take you about a minute at full speed in editor-eye to reach the end of the map (whole world goes blank when your run too far).  When you enter the AHeditor you will be in the centre of the map you created with MapMaker.

2.  Look in your AHeditor folder for a file called "terr.bmp".  This file is created by the AHeditor each time you enter the program.  It gives you a picture of the terrain it just loaded.  Does the terr.bmp look like the area you created with MapMaker? (it can look a little dark, but do the major features look like they are there?)

3.  When you created you terrain in MapMaker do you get correct maps in relief, cover, and elevation? (just checking to see if the elevation file loaded correctly)

4.  Under aheditor/settings look for a file called "curter.cfg".  It contains the name of the directory it is loading terrain from.  Make sure it says lappi.

Regarding your map, you have to create one yourself.  If you search through this forum, someone wrote a very nice discription on how to make the clipboard map.

Hope something in here helps.  If not, give me the lat/long/range you are using and I'll test for a problem.

-Ogre


Offline LLv34_Camouflage

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Mapmaker & terrain editor help
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2000, 05:59:00 PM »
Hey Spora. I'm working on a Finland terrain.  Here's an early pic, I've done some work to it afterwards.  The area is the same, however.

 

I'm waiting for the shoreline textures until I finish the map.

Good luck!

Camo

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Offline spora

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Mapmaker & terrain editor help
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2000, 06:39:00 PM »
 
Quote
Originally posted by Ogre:

1.  When you go into the AHeditor it sometimes makes you think you are looking at the entire terrain.  You are really only looking at a small part, the terrain is actually very large.  It should take you about a minute at full speed in editor-eye to reach the end of the map (whole world goes blank when your run too far).  When you enter the AHeditor you will be in the centre of the map you created with MapMaker.

Thanks, item 1. helped.  Since I originally selected rather a large piece of terrain from northern Finland, the map was quite large too.

I expected the plane image on the clipboard to reflect also the true limits of the map.  As you instructed, I spent a little more time 'flying' with the terrain editor and found what I expected (coast line, for example).

I'm yet to identify any actual locations, though...  Tried the 'spike' method (elevate ground in Mapmaker, spot it later in AH editor), but my 1500 metre mountain was nowhere to be seen.

Anyway, map conversion seems to work.

It would be nice to know how to set AH clock, though.  I always seem to have a sunset while working with the map (I don't want to change the computer time - it'd mess up some other things).

Offline Ogre

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Mapmaker & terrain editor help
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2000, 07:49:00 PM »
Glad to hear it is working.

Regarding the end of the terrain not lining up with your plane icon on the clipboard....in the AHeditor you need to select a map size of 512x512 miles (this is the terrain size that MapMaker creates, the default in the AHeditor is 256x256 miles).  The Map Size button in the top left of the AHeditor will give you the choices.  When you do this the "end of the world" will match the map limit in the clipboard.

-Ogre

[This message has been edited by Ogre (edited 09-14-2000).]

Harppa FM

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Mapmaker & terrain editor help
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2000, 11:13:00 AM »
Hey Spora, Camo,

I'm too busy with RL to create any terrain of my own, but your projects really made me interested   Lapland area would be very suitable for my squad, thinking of it historically  
-ehh, how about creating a winter terrain, is it possible actually ?

Keep me informed, please

Harppa
III/JG5

Offline Snoopi

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Mapmaker & terrain editor help
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2000, 12:34:00 PM »
Spora:
To set the time....
type   .time HH MM XX
 
in the radio buffer
HH=hours
MM=Minutes
XX=time speed multiply (rate at with time passes)

i.e.   .time 12 00 01
sets the time at 12 noon with normal speed

Harppa:
Winter terrain is possible.
You just have to set all the ground textures to snow.