Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Open Beta Test => Topic started by: Max on April 17, 2016, 08:17:57 AM

Title: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Max on April 17, 2016, 08:17:57 AM
Sorry if I missed this previously, where-when will maps be available for field/twn layouts?
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Chalenge on April 17, 2016, 08:32:52 AM
Usually, as soon as someone says "I'm going to do it" someone else will rush it out just to be first, so . . .

What I usually do is film passing over the area you want to map. Then using your gun camera view in film viewer get a screen shot, desaturate the image, use a pencil filter on it so you can see the lines of interest, and then attach it to a CAD drawing for line work. Then in offline mode you can drive into the town and blowup the buildings one-by-one (arena setup is great for this) and designate them on the drawing.

Once that is accomplished you have a great layout for indirect shelling.

 :aok
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 24, 2016, 09:16:54 PM
First pass on a vehicle field map.  I don't know how to get it to load, though.  The load map function doesn't work.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/AH3%20vfield%20rev%202_zpssnyku1dn.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: NatCigg on June 24, 2016, 09:55:52 PM
nice map. the bomber lines are a nice touch.  :aok
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 24, 2016, 11:26:05 PM
This zip file will save the field and factory map makers some time.

These 18 bitmaps are each taken with a white background. They are sized to be clipped to 512x512 and still RGB.

Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 25, 2016, 01:49:49 AM
I don't know how to get it to load, though.

It works fine.
Create a new folder named maps, just like in AH2
Place your 512x512 indexed bitmaps inside
Launch the game.
Notice one of your maps is listed on the right, give a name in the box for it on the left.
Click Apply
Click Add and select the next map
Rinse and repeat.

When you're done, your [which terrain you were in].lst file will read something like this.

City,city1x1
City4,city4x4
vBase,vBase
etc (no spaces)

Now....
Are you done yet? :D

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 25, 2016, 07:02:33 PM
Easyscor that did save me a bunch of time, thanks.

Here's the large vehicle field, so far.  The maps are to scale, which is making the buildings and structures appear smaller as the map spreads out.  I tried using similar sized icons for the VH's, bunkers, etc, but they're overlapping each other.  I'll keep the text the same size across each map, and smear it with different colored highlighters like on the first map.  But like I said, using similar sized icons seems to clutter it up. 

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/vBase2%20TEST%20PAPER%20BLUE%20LINE%20SHRUNK%20512_zpsreupl12k.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 25, 2016, 08:08:00 PM
Always glad to help.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Chilli on June 26, 2016, 08:18:02 AM
I was getting an "invalid bmp" error message, UNTIL ..... I took your downloaded image and converted it to RGB and back to Indexed with my editing software (gimp). 

Thanks 8thJinx and Easyscor this was just the type of thing I was hoping to see.  Also, I noticed there are maps that show the gun positions on fields, but I could not find any actual bmp file to copy.  I wonder if there is a way to extract them?
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 26, 2016, 08:21:01 AM
Here's the version with background imagery and icons.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/paper%20background%20test%201%20REV%203%20PHOTO%20ICONS%20GRID_zpscfswcyqb.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 26, 2016, 09:12:48 AM
Blue line version with highlights and bomb runs.  This will be the final version for this one.

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/paper%20background%20test%201%20REV%203%20blue%20line%20hilite%20bomb%20runs_zpsfc10xjeu.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Waffle on June 26, 2016, 09:14:46 AM
If one of you guys has a complete set of these, would you mind if we shipped them with the next art build?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 26, 2016, 09:21:25 AM
I'm working on it.  Now that I have the base layers and fonts all set, I'm averaging a photo map and a blue-line map every 2-3 hours.  I don't mind if you include them in the build.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 26, 2016, 09:29:27 AM
I have a question, the single-VH motor pools with a maproom and village in CraterMA (such as V136), are they going to be part of the final build?  And does the village have any strategic purpose with the motor pool base?
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: The Fugitive on June 26, 2016, 09:31:33 AM
Nice job Jinx! Both versions look great! <S>
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 26, 2016, 10:55:09 AM
I have a question, the single-VH motor pools with a maproom and village in CraterMA (such as V136), are they going to be part of the final build?  And does the village have any strategic purpose with the motor pool base?
Yikes, I completely forgot about that one. Let me know if you need that one too.

What village? I suspect that you're seeing one of the terrains built-in villages of which there are four. I'll look though.

Yep, that is built into the terrain tile and not part of the base.

As for gun positions, screenshots of guns in the hanger is the fastest to identify them for bases. For strat, CMEye works best using the map view.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 26, 2016, 11:07:18 AM
I was getting an "invalid bmp" error message, UNTIL ..... I took your downloaded image and converted it to RGB and back to Indexed with my editing software (gimp). 

Thanks 8thJinx and Easyscor this was just the type of thing I was hoping to see.  Also, I noticed there are maps that show the gun positions on fields, but I could not find any actual bmp file to copy.  I wonder if there is a way to extract them?

That's interesting. I used MS Paint to clip them from the screen shots.

I can't get GIMP 2.8 to give me a proper version 1 indexed color bitmap. I'm forced to use iView for that but I haven't had any issues with Paint or GIMP in RGB output in any of my graphics viewers.

It would save me a lot of time passing my images through iView if I could get GIMP to export Microsoft version 1 indexed color bitmaps. What sequence of steps are you using? I'd like to try your procedure. btw I think Windows bitmaps are up to version 3 or 5 now and most games were still using version 1 last time I checked so it can be a problem.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Bizman on June 26, 2016, 11:34:28 AM
Way back in history Irfanview used to be very useful for converting image formats. Is it worth anything any more?
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 26, 2016, 12:39:04 PM
That's a good question. I wonder if a new version would convert a multi-gigabyte tiff file.
I'm still using version 3.21 on Win7. I have a newer version but I grabbed the wrong on when I did the last reformat. It works so I didn't bother to replace it.
I like both versions but AH bitmaps are the only things I use it for and I'd be lost without it.

Is it still a free download for non commercial use? I might wish to try an upgrade. Especially if it converts huge tiff files.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 26, 2016, 12:41:09 PM
I'm using paint.net, and it has a bunch of image effects tools and converting tools.  I'll have to check out irfanview.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 26, 2016, 12:43:56 PM
I'm using paint.net, and it has a bunch of image effects tools and converting tools.  I'll have to check out irfanview.

It's used to convert graphics formats, not for content creation as far as I know.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Bizman on June 26, 2016, 02:30:10 PM
Yes, it's still free. The 64 bit version can handle files larger than 1.3 GB. Both 32 and 64 bit versions can both read and save tiff files without notification about size.

It's basically a photo viewer with some editing functions. What I recall from the days of yore is that it didn't add odd colored pixels or break anything during the conversions.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 26, 2016, 04:26:06 PM
Thank you Bizman, I'll be downloading the new version soon. At 1.3 GB it might be strong enough to convert the GIS files I'm interested in making raw files.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Chilli on June 26, 2016, 04:42:13 PM
Hoping that Irfanview update will do the trick for you.  Just for comparison, I am using Gimp-2.6 and it took 2 steps to get the acceptable 1 layer indexed bmp file.  Step 1 was to change the mode to RGB.  Step 2 was to change mode to Indexed (this prompted a conversion menu box where I selected 256 colors).
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 26, 2016, 05:54:10 PM
Thanks Chilli

I've used both 2.6 and 2.8. I'll try again.

There are consequences to converting the whole project to indexed before I'm finished but I'll see how it goes.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 26, 2016, 10:20:08 PM
Large vehicle base:       (!!! NO 88'S ON THIS TYPE OF BASE !!!)

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/vBase2%20TEST%20PAPER%20BLUE%20LINE%20BMP_zps43kofrqh.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 26, 2016, 10:23:04 PM
I've always loved Color TV!
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 28, 2016, 08:49:12 AM
I made a change from a black and white photo to a washed color image.  As the bases got large, you lost terrain detail in black and white.  Here is the old black and white, and then the washed color maps for the small vehicle field, side by side.  It was also easier to add color detail to make the dirt roads stand out from the pavement using a color image.


Old black and white:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/paper%20background%20test%201%20REV%203%20PHOTO%20ICONS%20GRID_zpscfswcyqb.png)




Color:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/paper%20background%20test%201%20REV%203%20PHOTO%20ICONS%20GRID%20NEW_zps5m0dkuay.png)



And the blue-line map with bomb runs:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/paper%20background%20test%201%20REV%203%20blue%20line%20hilite%20bomb%20runs_zpsfc10xjeu.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 28, 2016, 10:04:00 AM
Large vehicle base, blue line:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/vBase2%20BLUE%20LINE%20FINAL_zpsjknqachy.png)




Large vehicle base, color:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/vBase2%20COLOR_zps9wiwq5am.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 28, 2016, 11:46:05 AM
Nice job!

Are the numbers the same as the object numbers in the Destroy Objects dialog?
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 28, 2016, 02:22:53 PM
Yes, I actually drove around and confirmed each object number as I clicked 'destroy'.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on June 28, 2016, 03:03:41 PM
 :aok
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 28, 2016, 03:48:12 PM
Port blue line map:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/port%20blue%20line_zps7tvffklt.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: bustr on June 28, 2016, 04:09:49 PM
The area for the port that would be water, can you lay a scattered pattern of light diagonal lines to contrast from the land and port structures? Or do that pattern for the land? Your line drawing maps with the most contrast of line depth are the fastest to mentally resolve the layout.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 28, 2016, 04:16:37 PM
Yes, I'll try that out this evening.

Port, color map:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/port%20COLOR_zps6y8audpj.png)


Blue line with water:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/port%20blue%20line_zpsxubkodgc.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: bustr on June 28, 2016, 04:29:23 PM
I like the line drawings because they don't make me have to look at the pretty colors other than where they do a good job telling me something is important to see. The lines work at the port.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 28, 2016, 04:37:45 PM
Yeah, my concern is the larger the base gets, the crazier the color maps are going to get.  I'm working on the small airfield now.  Maybe I'll do the large airfield first, and see how crazy it gets.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: bustr on June 28, 2016, 05:35:53 PM
Excellent job by the way.  :salute
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: JimmyD3 on June 28, 2016, 06:59:02 PM
Jinx, you may have already done it but, a legend for the color maps would help also.  :salute
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 28, 2016, 09:00:14 PM
I'll go back and add a legend once I have the full set complete.  I'm a little concerned the whole icon thing may not work on a large field, but I could be wrong.

Here's what the large field blue line looks like:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/large%20field%20BLUE%20LINE%20REV%200%20INCOMPL_zpsyf5qisas.png)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Oddball-CAF on June 28, 2016, 11:48:58 PM
  I'm not purposely being "negative" here, but if maps are being made for use in AH3 does that mean
we'll have the same "cookie cutter" design for all fields, bases, and ports?


Regards, Odd
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Chilli on June 29, 2016, 03:12:02 AM
Hello Odd!  I am going to say yes for the MA, with more variety added with Vehicle and Flak bases.

Events' arenas, I am guessing, could change things up and could mix in the old with the new or do custom fields (at the cost of the upload size).

Correct me if am wrong, but it seems that the terrain itself may vary.  What I mean, is it seems that hills and elevations are more tolerable with the new version.  So, I am guessing that the same field layout may look quite a bit different from the aspect of ground level.  Then again, I have very little with the Terrain Editor and I might just be injecting pure speculation.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 29, 2016, 05:04:02 AM
I think the terrain changes up at the fields.  I saw one GV field covered in snow in the CraterMA.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Oddball-CAF on June 29, 2016, 11:28:50 AM
Hello Odd!  I am going to say yes for the MA, with more variety added with Vehicle and Flak bases.

Hey Chilli! As always, great to "see" ya, sir. <S>
  Thanks for the input. I keep hoping that at some point, at minimum, the towns would be
a bit varied; reflective perhaps of the varying architectural styles of particular countries.
I can keep hopin', I guess. ;)

Best regards, Odd
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: KiLrGrampa on June 29, 2016, 11:48:05 AM
 :aok
<S>
Excellent work!

Making great use of the down time, 8thJinx!
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 29, 2016, 01:30:00 PM
Yep, thanks, I'm trying.  I tried flying today in the offline arena, trying to get my buttons workable.

I realized it would probably help folks if I explained how I got the color photos.  The actual terrain is a lot more detailed.  What I did was I ran the screen shot through a "cartoon-er" adjustment in the software, which turned realistic looking terrain into more of a cartoon image, and then faded it a little to wash out some color.  I had tried using the raw image but the level of detail - combined with the icons and such - was too much, I thought.  So when you get into AH3, the fields will look more realistic than what the color maps show, especially with the cloud shadows (which I turned off).

Here's the raw image:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/lfield%20raw%20700_zpslfdilcxo.png)



Here's the cartoon effect with washing:

(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy2/dtoakridge/lfield%20cartooned%20final_zpshsalmtxu.jpg)

Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: bustr on June 29, 2016, 02:55:12 PM
Jinx,

You know there is a second large airfield type patterned from an 8th Air force base in England with a sprawling village attached to it and a river that runs around it? Check out A1 on NDisles. There is 1 or 2 manned gun positions you can get into from the airfield's hanger menu. I'm not sure why Greebo didn't use some of this one on his CraterMA map. It will create a giant GV fight and furball trying to capture it. One of the manned guns in the village covers the map room.

I hope when the map is converted to AH3 which has a central island with three large airfields and all those GV bases into the center this giant airfield gets used. It will keep down the ability to over run the whole island which has some great furballs and tank battles other wise.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: HanzUp on June 29, 2016, 03:54:37 PM
8thJinx, these are great, and thanks for all the time and effort you're putting into this! I had started trying to do some, but I like yours much better.

Are you doing these maps at a larger size before reducing them to 512x512? If so, would it be possible to get full-size versions? (I'm putting them on a tablet instead of on the clipboard.)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: BowHTR on June 29, 2016, 03:57:21 PM
Jinx,

You know there is a second large airfield type...

There's also 3 different Vehicle fields from what I can find.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: HanzUp on June 29, 2016, 04:08:14 PM
There's also 3 different Vehicle fields from what I can find.

Yep, there's a small base with one (apparently indestructible?) vehicle hanger, two auto guns, no manned guns and no radar.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: BowHTR on June 29, 2016, 04:13:02 PM
Yep, there's a small base with one (apparently indestructible?) vehicle hanger, two auto guns, no manned guns and no radar.

I wasn't able to drop it either. Must be a hardness setting unless its meant this way.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 29, 2016, 05:10:54 PM
I wasn't able to drop it either. Must be a hardness setting unless its meant this way.

I'm calling that the single-hangar motor pool.  I'm not sure if it's indestructible. 
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 29, 2016, 05:12:18 PM
Jinx,

You know there is a second large airfield type patterned from an 8th Air force base in England with a sprawling village attached to it and a river that runs around it? Check out A1 on NDisles. There is 1 or 2 manned gun positions you can get into from the airfield's hanger menu. I'm not sure why Greebo didn't use some of this one on his CraterMA map. It will create a giant GV fight and furball trying to capture it. One of the manned guns in the village covers the map room.

I hope when the map is converted to AH3 which has a central island with three large airfields and all those GV bases into the center this giant airfield gets used. It will keep down the ability to over run the whole island which has some great furballs and tank battles other wise.

I thought I saw a base in AH3 with part of the runway crossing some village streets. 
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 8thJinx on June 29, 2016, 05:17:30 PM
8thJinx, these are great, and thanks for all the time and effort you're putting into this! I had started trying to do some, but I like yours much better.

Are you doing these maps at a larger size before reducing them to 512x512? If so, would it be possible to get full-size versions? (I'm putting them on a tablet instead of on the clipboard.)

Thanks.  I'm doing all of the image work at 1100x1100, with the final image work at 900x900, then reducing it to 700x700 for blue lines and text, grids and border text, then going to 512x512 for icons.  Adding the text and icons at 700 then reducing just gives you blurred icons.  I'll put together hi-res 900x900's also, but I'll have to loop back and do ones for the GV bases and port at then end.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 1ijac on July 04, 2016, 02:48:10 AM
Yeah, my concern is the larger the base gets, the crazier the color maps are going to get.  I'm working on the small airfield now.  Maybe I'll do the large airfield first, and see how crazy it gets.

  You have done some great work Jinx.  I love the blue line maps you did.  Simple, but gives all the info you need.  I had some trouble using colored terrain maps as clipboard maps, because you had to have them in 256 color.  I made all my printable maps in 24-bit color and sometimes appearance got funky when I converted them to 256 color.  I made maps for AH2 and I personally liked basic base layouts with white backgrounds and tried to de-clutter as much as possible.  What made that easier was that the HTC clipboard maps were simple and could be lightened and altered to show .dt object #s, etc..  Your blue line maps are really to my liking.

  Awhile back, I had started some maps for AH3, but slowed down some due to possible changes that HTC may make before AH3 is complete.  I assembled the maps from CM shots and TE shots.  My goal was to make the maps look like what the player would see in the game.  I'll attach the littler large base, medium base and the vehicle base from some of the maps I've put together.  The ones attached were made for printing on 8.5" x 11" paper in landscape format.  The maps themselves are 512 x 512 pixels with a legend off to the right.  If you set the vertical to 512 pixels and the horizontal to 690 pixels, you will get it fitting on a 8.5" x 11" with a .5" in border all around.  I also tried to make the map so I could remove the legend and it would be 512 x 512.  I tried to include the necessary data on the maps so just converting them then to 256 color, they would be ready as clipboard maps.  I'm not sure if the 256 color requirement is going to remain for AH3 or if it will be increased.  Anyways, the maps may give you an idea of the route I took and how they look on a colored terrain map.  You have some great ideas and I'm looking forward to seeing your work.

   BTW, I didn't label the auto guns on the large base because of clutter concerns.  The image I took of the HTC base layout, I think I turned off bump map and changed the time of day to sun overhead.  In doing so, all the gun pits showed up as white dots.  Myself or anyone else wanting to use the map can easily see where the auto guns are and I didn't think the actual gun #s were that important to know on the large base. 

1i
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Bizman on July 04, 2016, 03:10:29 AM
Excellent job, both 1ijac and 8thJinx!

Personally I like the coloured ones, although the background colour could be even more washed for clarity. Compared to the blue line maps the coloured ones tell a little more about the surroundings such as hills, woods etc.

The count of each target type on the legend is a very good idea!
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 1ijac on July 04, 2016, 08:31:29 PM
    Jinx,  I'm going to attach the AH3 small airfield map and an unfinished small town map.  Again, they are for printing with a vertical of 512 pixels x 690 pixels horizontal.  The town image I made at 393 x 393 pixels left plenty of room for text so I could list gun numbers at different size bases.  I also planned on listing an example of what to type to check downtimes of town objects, guns and whether the flag is white or not.  I feel players new to .dt commands will find that helpful.

    I also agree with you about the terrain being a bit busy.  I wanted to use white text and icons at times, so I was trying to darken mine a bit sometimes.  I like the route you are taking by sending the map through the cartooner in your software.  It seems to de-clutter and soften the terrain.  I like the looks of it and I wish I had done something similar before I threw these together awhile back.

    I'm posting these images so you can get an idea of what the maps look like with screen shots of terrains that weren't altered much.

1i
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: BowHTR on July 04, 2016, 09:45:32 PM
Here is a preview of the direction im headed in with making new maps. Keep in mind, these are not intended to be used in the clipboard. I chose to go the route of not covering any of the targets with some sort of box, to make it easier for recognition of targets, especially for new players. Some of these have bomber lines with headings, some don't. These maps are designed for the sole purpose of making it easier for our squadron to easily identify targets for the type of gameplay we use. You wont find gun markers and a few other things marked on some of our maps.

Here is a preview:
http://blackwidows.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Small-Airfield-v1.3.jpg (http://blackwidows.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Small-Airfield-v1.3.jpg)

http://blackwidows.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Small-Vehicle-v1.3.jpg (http://blackwidows.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Small-Vehicle-v1.3.jpg)

http://blackwidows.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Large-Airfield-2-v1.3.jpg (http://blackwidows.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Large-Airfield-2-v1.3.jpg)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 1ijac on July 04, 2016, 11:56:20 PM
     Bow, Nice images and easily readable.  Great job!  Where did you take those images from?

1i
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: BowHTR on July 05, 2016, 07:38:19 AM
     Bow, Nice images and easily readable.  Great job!  Where did you take those images from?

1i

I took the images myself in game. Here is a link where you can download/preview all of the current images I have. These are all blank with no text on them. As time goes, I'll have all the fields.

http://files.blackwidows.co/data/public/ahfieldmapsversion1.0 (http://files.blackwidows.co/data/public/ahfieldmapsversion1.0)
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: bustr on July 05, 2016, 03:04:03 PM
There are so many new objects that need maps. You guys should make map packs that go from the simple line drawing style of 8th's up to the colorfully exotic. POTW used to have a set of maps with everything numbered and a key orientation marker so we could call out target assignments on the fly for jabo. The line drawing maps are excellent for that especially if a primary feature is keyed to call target locations off that key point. The rearm on the small airfield will be it's biggest weakness for jabo orientation.

I will venture for awhile more players will run afoul of ack while trying to eyeball features at bases than anyone is prepared for. Waffle made an effort to place common field jabo targets in different orientations than in AH2.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Chilli on July 13, 2016, 03:27:19 AM
Bump.  I liked where this was going.  I got busy and was trying to find the thread again.   :rock  Nice job  :salute
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: JimmyC on August 25, 2016, 08:31:27 PM
Really like these maps, and they are much needed as dont seem to have clipboard maps in game..
I have dl and printed them off TYVM 1iJac and jinx,
but is there any way to add them in to clipboard, everyway I have tried has failed.
I dont think I even had a maps folder in AH3 to put them in..
anyway..great work, lets get em in game
<S>Jimmy
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Electroman on August 25, 2016, 10:38:29 PM
Hey Gang,

1ijac - LOVE THOSE MAPS!!! I had started to do screenshots and was going to build my own based on the old Panda Strat Maps but you've already done a lot of the work - Thank You Sir! <S>!

1 quick question -will you be modifying the large map to include the AA guns (gng 0 - xxx)? There are a heck of a lot of them and as I understand it for a base take they all gotta be down :) Having numbers showing where those are would be super helpful.

Looking forward to seeing more of these most excellent maps!

Cheers!
Elec1
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: BowHTR on August 25, 2016, 11:35:52 PM
Hey Gang,

1ijac - LOVE THOSE MAPS!!! I had started to do screenshots and was going to build my own based on the old Panda Strat Maps but you've already done a lot of the work - Thank You Sir! <S>!

1 quick question -will you be modifying the large map to include the AA guns (gng 0 - xxx)? There are a heck of a lot of them and as I understand it for a base take they all gotta be down :) Having numbers showing where those are would be super helpful.

Looking forward to seeing more of these most excellent maps!

Cheers!
Elec1

To capture a base, only the town guns and buildings (enough to white flag) must be down. Nothing on the field has to be down to take the base.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: JimmyC on August 26, 2016, 12:05:38 AM
except a V Base, where 6 Auto Ack need to be down..
minimum requirement
 :aok
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 1ijac on August 26, 2016, 02:32:37 AM
To capture a base, only the town guns and buildings (enough to white flag) must be down. Nothing on the field has to be down to take the base.

The extra-large base does need a few base guns down, because of the town proximity.  I have a map explaining that.



In AH2, clipboard maps had to be 512 x 512 pixels in size and in 256 color bitmap form.  Not sure in AH3 if the requirements have changed.  I am just about finished with the maps that I am putting together.  Maybe a day or two.  Mine are being made to print out and have laying on your desktop or kept on a reference computer, Ipad, etc. near your gaming rig.  Mine are saved in 24-bit color and most are larger than 512 x 512 pixels.   Jinx and HTC were working on some clipboard maps I believe.  I was merely trying to get as much information as I could on the map that I thought was useful.

Hey Gang,

1ijac - LOVE THOSE MAPS!!! I had started to do screenshots and was going to build my own based on the old Panda Strat Maps but you've already done a lot of the work - Thank You Sir! <S>!

1 quick question -will you be modifying the large map to include the AA guns (gng 0 - xxx)? There are a heck of a lot of them and as I understand it for a base take they all gotta be down :) Having numbers showing where those are would be super helpful.
 

Just town guns at airfields unless the town is really close to the field.  Then some base guns will need to be taken down.  If I marked all the Auto guns on the Large airfield, the map would look like it had pink dots all over it.  In the image on my map, the auto gun locations are the white dots all over the field. 

I'll need to find out from HTC when I can start releasing maps to anyone who would like them.  Before this recent pre-release version, we were supposed to keep the info within the beta forum and beta testers.  Everyone is welcome to them if you find them helpful.

1i
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on August 26, 2016, 04:01:34 AM
The map requirements are the same in AH3, so far anyway. It spits an error/warning if you try anything different. 512 and 256 indexed color.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 1ijac on August 26, 2016, 05:57:07 PM
Really like these maps, and they are much needed as dont seem to have clipboard maps in game..
I have dl and printed them off TYVM 1iJac and jinx,
but is there any way to add them in to clipboard, everyway I have tried has failed.
I dont think I even had a maps folder in AH3 to put them in..
anyway..great work, lets get em in game
<S>Jimmy
 

Jimmy,   I don't see a map folder in AH3 yet.  The clipboard maps aren't ready yet so.....but once you have a folder then you can replace the originals if that is what you want to do.  Easyscor said it probably is the same as AH2 as for the requirements of the maps.  If so, you need to maybe crop, resize or create a map that is 512 x 512 pixels in size when finished.  The color index needs to be 256 and it needs to be a bitmap. 
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on August 26, 2016, 06:11:57 PM
These will work for now until they're written over by the official release. I only cared about gun positions at certain fields.

Drop the maps folder into C:\Hitech Creations\Aces High III\[here]
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 1ijac on August 26, 2016, 06:17:58 PM
Thanks Easy
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on August 26, 2016, 07:26:26 PM
You're welcome.
btw, gun numbers change at the town depending on the number of guns on an airfield, the map is for a small airfield. Medium and large fields have different numbers of guns.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: BowHTR on September 01, 2016, 03:04:38 PM
Here is what my group will be using for field maps for AHIII. Take note it only has the essential information that we would use within our group. It's not going to have guns labeled and numbered and what not. These are not intended to be used inside of the clipboard. Feel free to use them.

This pack includes the following fields: Mega Airfield, Large Airfield, Medium Airfield, Small Airfield, Large Vehicle Base, Medium Vehicle Base, Small Vehicle Base, Large Town, Small Town, and the Port.

F= Fighter Hanger
B= Bomber Hanger
V= Vehicle Hanger
A= Ammo Bunkers
Pink dots = Barracks
Green dots = Gun Emplacements
Red dot = Maproom
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Lusche on September 01, 2016, 03:11:48 PM
 :aok
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 1ijac on September 02, 2016, 12:06:02 PM
Nice job bowhtr and thanks for sharing.

  I'll post the maps I put together.  My eyes aren't so young anymore and I find it helps to make things bigger and brighter for myself.  I put these together with the intention of printing them out and having them on the desktop.  They are not formatted to fit the size or color that is required for clipboard maps.  Besides, 8thJinx is doing a great job on readying the clipboard maps.  All object #s correspond to the downtime command #s.  Some object #s are rarely needed, some never, but the information is there anyways.  The maps are for anyone who might find them helpful.  I'll post some images of the current strat factories and the city.  I have not addressed creating the image for headquarters.

1i
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Randy1 on September 02, 2016, 12:31:15 PM
1ijac another super set of maps.  Well done.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Bizman on September 02, 2016, 01:24:22 PM
For those interested in using a tablet or even a cell phone for viewing the maps, here's each of them as a multi-page PDF file. Simply download it and set your viewer show as "Fit to Page".

1ijac (http://www.saunalahti.fi/plaub/Maps1ijac.pdf)
BowHTR (http://www.saunalahti.fi/plaub/MapsBowHunter.pdf)
Easyscor (http://www.saunalahti.fi/plaub/MapsEasy.pdf)

Btw Easyscor, I took the privilege of typing the name of each map in the upper left corner.

To the authors: If you feel like this is violating your copyrights, please inform me immediately and I'll remove them.
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: BowHTR on September 02, 2016, 02:01:52 PM
For those interested in using a tablet or even a cell phone for viewing the maps, here's each of them as a multi-page PDF file. Simply download it and set your viewer show as "Fit to Page".

1ijac (http://www.saunalahti.fi/plaub/Maps1ijac.pdf)
BowHTR (http://www.saunalahti.fi/plaub/MapsBowHunter.pdf)
Easyscor (http://www.saunalahti.fi/plaub/MapsEasy.pdf)

Btw Easyscor, I took the privilege of typing the name of each map in the upper left corner.

To the authors: If you feel like this is violating your copyrights, please inform me immediately and I'll remove them.

No problems here!
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 1ijac on September 02, 2016, 02:03:39 PM
None here either.  Thanks for your efforts Biz.

1i
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Easyscor on September 02, 2016, 03:11:16 PM
 :aok
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Bizman on September 02, 2016, 03:22:49 PM
Thank you guys, the biggest effort was done by you.  :salute
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: JimmyC on September 02, 2016, 06:15:26 PM
Great work...love the dedication and effort
 this community makes the game special
Wtg guys
 :salute Jimmy
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: 1ijac on September 03, 2016, 02:34:14 AM
   My sincere apologies.  On closer scrutiny, I had incorrectly stated there were 4 ammo instead of 5 ammo bunkers in the legend of the map (vb2finalj) in the prior map pack.  I have corrected the mishap and the new map pack is listed below.  If you already have copied the maps, then below is a single corrected map (vb2finalaj) that can replace the older problem map (vb2finalj).  Sorry for the mishap.  I don't know how I missed it.

1i
Title: Re: Clipboard & printable maps
Post by: Bizman on September 03, 2016, 09:40:06 AM
Here's the corrected version as PDF: Maps1ijac (http://www.saunalahti.fi/plaub/Maps1ijac.pdf)