Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Terrain Editor => Topic started by: MWL on November 12, 2007, 08:59:28 PM

Title: bmp Map artist
Post by: MWL on November 12, 2007, 08:59:28 PM

Greetings,

  I am doing my best at modifying the generated .bmp map.  However, it  looks like....uh well, . . . not good.  I am currently using Gimp 2.0 to try and refine it.  What programs to y'all use?

Regards,

Title: bmp Map artist
Post by: NHawk on November 13, 2007, 06:37:57 AM

The 3D relief CB maps such as the one in Compello are done with Photoshop. It's a somewhat involved process using the elevation BMP that becomes easy once you've done it a couple of times.

The color CB maps such as the one in Montis are done with a program which I do not have permission to distribute.

If you're ready to submit your terrain, I'd send it and let Skuzzy fix the CB map.

Title: bmp Map artist
Post by: Ghastly on November 13, 2007, 06:50:58 AM

I didn't modify the map generated by the TE at all.

I used Gimp, coupled with a program I wrote that will let me convert a greyscale bitmap to a indexed color bmp using the color palette of my choice, which I ran against *(an appropriately sized version of) the heightmap for my terrain to make a color terrain map to use as the graphic for my in-game map.

Then, in Gimp, I layered on markers for fields, bridges, and rivers, as well as the grid and the grid cell numbers, and saved the composite to a indexed bitmap.

I'm not quite sold on my current color scheme for the terrain map, and had intended to refine the color choices before submission so they don't look quite so "harsh", but generally am sastisfied with the process if not yet the results.  



Guy

*(If you are making a 256 mile map, you have to cut out the center of the heightmap, scale it by 2, and use that, since the ingame map is a 1024x1024 indexed bmp).

Title: bmp Map artist
Post by: Easyscor on November 13, 2007, 11:22:11 AM

Quote

Originally posted by Ghastly
Then, in Gimp, I layered on markers for fields, bridges, and rivers, as well as the grid and the grid cell numbers, and saved the composite to a indexed bitmap.

A small word of caution might be in order. Watch that your sector grid lines align with the bar dar sectors.

Title: bmp Map artist
Post by: Ghastly on November 13, 2007, 04:22:30 PM

Ok, I will.  

Funny you mention that, because I had trouble with alignment when I created a grid myself in Gimp (and I wasn't sure why), so instead I stole them off of an "empty" 256 mile water-only terrain that I created just for the purpose.

Title: bmp Map artist
Post by: Denholm on November 14, 2007, 10:12:58 AM

Quote

Originally posted by Ghastly
Ok, I will.  

Funny you mention that, because I had trouble with alignment when I created a grid myself in Gimp (and I wasn't sure why), so instead I stole them off of an "empty" 256 mile water-only terrain that I created just for the purpose.

I did just that with my Malta terrain (Made for H2H). Had no issues with the grid and the Dar Bars were showing in the correct places.