Aces High Bulletin Board

Help and Support Forums => Help and Training => Topic started by: mensa180 on April 16, 2011, 07:07:32 PM

Title: Maps
Post by: mensa180 on April 16, 2011, 07:07:32 PM

Is there a way to see the bmp/jpg/png or what have you of the various terrains?  I have all the .res files, but would like to see their associated maps.  I didn't see these anywhere in my Aces High folder or sub folders.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: ImADot on April 17, 2011, 06:53:45 PM

As far as I know, the overall terrain map that you see on the clipboard is built into the terrain when submitted to HTC.  Up until then, it's a separate bmp file that the terrain's maker creates as a resource file during the actual build process.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: GNucks on April 17, 2011, 07:24:44 PM

I suppose you could take a screenshot of the clipboard and crop the edges in MS Paint.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: moot on April 17, 2011, 07:45:47 PM

So if you wanted to improve the clipboard map, the whole terrain would have to be resubmitted?

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: ImADot on April 17, 2011, 10:01:13 PM

Quote from: moot on April 17, 2011, 07:45:47 PM

So if you wanted to improve the clipboard map, the whole terrain would have to be resubmitted?

I'm not sure.  I'm not even sure anyone other than the terrain's creator can submit a new clipboard map and ask Skuzzy if he can rebuild the terrain using the new CBM.  Might be a question for Skuzzy.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: mensa180 on April 18, 2011, 06:22:34 PM

Taking a screen shot and cropping won't do, I need high res files.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: ImADot on April 18, 2011, 07:18:15 PM

I asked the question in this thread (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,311285.0.html) on the Terrain Editor forum.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: moot on April 18, 2011, 09:18:54 PM

Mensa - not sure what your objective is, but quick & dirty solution could be to just contact each map's maker.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: mensa180 on April 18, 2011, 10:26:22 PM

I was hoping to create an android app as a bit of practice with the language [java] and as something moderately useful.  Basic menu system, browse through all AH terrain maps, zoom in/out on maps, drag around them for precise view...ultimate ambition was to be able to select a plane/fuel load and based on whether at max/cruise/climb tap the screen and from the focus comes a circle of appropriate radius based on estimated flight distance possible.  Was just going to do the bombers at first.

Included would be the maps supplied by HTC of the dar/ack/troop/etc factories for quick reference.

I'm not much of a bomber myself, but the idea struck me and sounded fun enough to pursue. 

Of course I'd ask permission to use the varied maps, but wanted to see if it was even plausible first.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: moot on April 18, 2011, 10:51:47 PM

Sounds like a very good gadget.  You should post it even if you don't finish it.  If you dig that open source kind of deal.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: cactuskooler on April 18, 2011, 10:53:49 PM

You could zoom in on the map until you had it as large as you wish and take a screenshot. Since you can't fit the whole map on the screen, you would have to scroll the map around and take several screenshots, then stitch them together into a single image.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: FLS on April 19, 2011, 06:42:03 AM

Downloadable high res maps of each terrain would be a nice feature.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: ImADot on April 19, 2011, 08:22:23 AM

Clipboard maps are 1024x1024 indexed 256-color .bmp files...in case you were wondering.  :)

EDIT:
And they typically have no base/strat location information on them.  The game overlays the icons based on what you select from the in-game clipboard.  So, the CBM's that you're looking for will only have land/sea on them.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: mensa180 on April 19, 2011, 12:05:08 PM

Im thinking I will do what cactus suggested, although it will be a lengthy process.

Moot:  it will be open source and of course free to download if anyone wants it.  I'll keep you all posted, I'll make a mock up map with correct grid placement myself and use it to test the range radius feature.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: ImADot on April 19, 2011, 01:09:58 PM

According to Skuzzy's answer to my post in the TE forum, it is not possible to extract the CBM from the terrain.res file.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: mensa180 on April 19, 2011, 03:57:35 PM

Damn, looks like I've got a lot of work ahead of me then.

edit:  Kvuo75 made this extraordinarily useful chart: http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/9/13/2574152/PrecisionWebsite/ah2-fuelburn-v2.5.pdf (http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/9/13/2574152/PrecisionWebsite/ah2-fuelburn-v2.5.pdf)

Saves me a lot of time!  I'll still do the 25% increment numbers for bombers, but this is a fantastic resource.  I'll make a new thread with posted progress, he will definitely get credit for those numbers.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: moot on April 19, 2011, 07:49:30 PM

Mensa I think that the clipboard zoom exceeds the clipboard map's actual resolution.  Not sure, but it'd mean you don't have to spend as much time capturing the map texture zoomed all the way in.  Esp not if you set the game's resolution as high as your pc allows, and blow the clipboard up with its zoom button.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: mensa180 on April 19, 2011, 09:37:05 PM

Completely forgot I had the ability to make the clipboard larger, thanks.  Before that I had rushed together NDISLES:

(http://s1.postimage.org/5p0otc2uj/maptry.png)

Things were going swimmingly until I had to restart the game (accidentally closed it) and I lost what zoom I was at, so the 10.6-12.6 sectors had to be resized from my best guess at previous resolution.  Still looks good enough though, and should display/zoom well on most phone resolutions.  This sounds like a good excuse to get my hands on an android tablet :devil .

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: oneway on April 25, 2011, 04:33:33 AM

Mensa,

If you want a high quality background image use the Mission Editor...and do screen grabs in big chunks...icons off

The in game screen grabs can be taken in smaller bites, stitched together, and then overlaid on the quality image from the ME grabs to translate assets...the cave man method is then to drop graphic elements on the clean image using the tiled in game image as your road map...once all of the parts are on the map..you simply cut away the overlay in game tile grab and you have a clean back drop with clear elements

But there is more...

Shoot me a PM...I will share with you some of the stuff I have been working on

(http://www.cadframers.com/ah/mensa_treat.png)

Out

Oneway

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: mensa180 on April 28, 2011, 10:00:24 PM

You were actually the first person I PM'd asking permission to use their materials, I guess it didn't go through.

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: Blauv on April 30, 2011, 10:45:44 AM

Here is some terrains I put together for myself, feel free to download and use. They are printable size od 8.24 x 10.3. The larger map (Trinity) I also broke down into 4 pieces it was a bit small as a full map.

AH 2 Printable Terrain Maps (http://777thkicksass.info/modules.php?name=Downloads&cid=9)
 Hope these help.

(http://www.777thkicksass.info/Siteaddons/Terrains/Grinder.gif)

Title: Re: Maps
Post by: mensa180 on May 03, 2011, 03:55:35 PM

Thanks Blauv!  But when I click your link it says account suspended!  AP tests tomorrow and Thursday with a bunch of school work to complete after that.  I should return to work on the app after the 13th.  I graduate the 21st :) .