TE Video Tutorials

[Ciaphas]

Here is a link to a crash course video for the TE. It does not contain advanced information, just enough information to get someone that is interested in the TE off the ground.

1. create new file
2. set elevation
3. raise/lower elevation
4. beaches
5. texture
6. place 1 airfield
7. create clipboard map (CBM)
8. build
9. fly in offline mode





There are a couple of threads that I would recommend to those that are interested in terrain creation:


http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,393511.0.html


http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,393532.0.html  <--- pay attention to posts: 9, 11 and 12

[nrshida]

We got the impression from Bustr that it took 20 years and three heart attacks to make a map! 

[Vraciu]

We got the impression from Bustr that it took 20 years and three heart attacks to make a map! 

I just spit soda on my keyboard.     Damn you!!!     

Funny thing is, Skyyr made a map in about two weeks awhile back.  Seriously.   It had awesome potential from a gameplay standpoint IMHO.    Oh well...

[Vraciu]

Great video, Ciaphas.  Thanks for doing it.   

[bustr]

So you guys finally got off your tuckhases, two years is kind of slow. I built three terrains during that time.

[Vraciu]

So you guys finally got off your tuckhases, two years is kind of slow. I built three terrains during that time.

And I've done forty-plus P-51 skins.

40 > 3



Thankfully we have Ciaphas to walk us through the terrain building process.    Good job, C!!!!   

[Ciaphas]

The next video is going to be a more technical tutorial. the followng will be discussed:

1. Canvas size (4096x4096, 2048x2048 play zone)

2. RGB value to ft in altitude solutions

3. RGB water depth (three set depths)

4. General procedures (layers, adjustment layers, rendering, re-adjustement and color scale correction

5. Finalizing design layers

6. Save workable file

7. Export .raw (the good the bad and the ugly)

8. Import to TE




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[nrshida]

Many thanks Ciaphas, for taking the initiative to make map-making accesible to others. I watched the first video quickly and it doesn't look too bad! Got the impression it was quite do-able.

Just two quick questions: how does it work with regard to HTC? If I make a small map, can I host it online as a private arena & everyone that joins gets an automatic download, or does it have to be submitted for approval to HTC like an MA map? I gathered the latter took a long time.

Secondly, if you make a third tutorial could you please explain air spawns - if you know - because that would be handy for certain types of  arena.

[Ciaphas]

1. Canvas size (4096x4096, 2048x2048 play zone)

--- The master Canvas will always be 4096x4096 and the current MA play area is 2048x2048 <--- refer to the video below

2. RGB value to ft in altitude solutions

--- 0-127 are the RGB values for positive elevation, meaning that a value of R:1 G:1 B:1 will equal to 256 ft in elevation, R:2 G:2 B:2 will equal to 512 ft in elevation etc...

3. RGB water depth (three set depths)

--- 255 = -1 * 256 = -256Feet
         254 = -2 * 256 = -512 Feet
         253 = -3 * 256 = -768 Feet

4. General procedures (layers, adjustment layers, rendering, re-adjustement and color scale correction

--- Create 1 layer for the "Land Mass" and one other "adjustment layer "levels" to manipulate the "Land Mass" layer <--- refer to the video

5. Finalizing design layers

--- Set the land RGB values outlined in step 2 above and set eh water RGB values outlined in step 3 above

6. Save workable file

--- Save your .PSD or other editable format

7. Export .raw (the good the bad and the ugly)

--- export the .raw file with the following settings interleaved order and IBM PC (but not always, play around with it for best results)

8. Import to TE

--- refer to the AH3 TE TUT1 for the proper steps

[nrshida]

I wish someone would do something like this for the film viewer. Especially I find the viewpoint stuff that Dolby used to do unfathomable. We could pack YouTube with promotional films, basically.

[Easyscor]

We got the impression from Bustr that it took 20 years and three heart attacks to make a map! 

OMG 
Here are some random thoughts. Sorry if it turns into a wall of text.

Twenty years, NO, not for a custom arena or the AvA.

Jaeger is knocking out Monday Night Madness and Tank Night terrains in about a week from start to ready for play in our arena. Admittedly, he's been doing it for awhile now and he knows my days of terrain building are coming to a close.

Small terrains of 64 miles by 64 miles or less (32x32), are the most fun projects. Artik's program is way under appreciated, PERIOD. In a few minutes use, capturing norther Italy for instance, and you have the beginnings of a great canyon terrain.

Someone asked about it: Once on the server, the download is automatic for everyone else, but that doesn't mean the terrain is automatically stable. Test it! And PLEASE don't upload a terrain unless you are committed to completing it. There are too many false start terrains on the server now! Just take a look if you can stand to wade through them all. You'll see what I mean. We have to wade through those to find the ones that are actually usable in the AvA, etc. Most of ours' start with the ava prefix, but I pity the CMs looking for SEA terrains.

For most people, an MA terrain is a slog. But hour for hour invested in the effort, it will pay in player hours in the arena. Months building an AvA terrain sees little player hours in return.
I do it because I care about the arena and want a free hand creating custom objects, textures and layouts without answering to anyone that hasn't tested it. In other words, we allow a free hand in the AvA to innovate. Note: Some of the things Waffle does at HTC are eye wateringly exotic! And keeping up with those guys has always been chasing a moving target.


OMG nrshida, I'm still 

[captain1ma]

map making made easy:

1. go to this link and download artik's version 1.12: http://cppcms.com/files/makeahmap/

2. in the program, after you expand it, change your download source to https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/shorelines/data/gshhg/latest/gshhg-bin-2.3.6.zip

3. follow artik's directions and just put in a latitude and longitude of some place in the world you'd like a make made.

4 set size to whatever map size you want IE 64X64, 128X128, ETC.

5 import into terrain editor per terrain editor manual instructions including making a clipboard map

do all this and you'll have a terrain in less then 20 minutes.  if its a small make and you have 3 or 4 hours to put into it, you'll have a working
small arena map.

go into the custom arena maps list. most of the AVA*** arena maps listed are mine. they are mostly small maps and were done in a couple of weekends based on the amount of free time I had.

im a boat captain. If I can do it, anyone can. don't be afraid. come on in, the waters' nice. feel free to use me as a resource if you need help.


PS. thanks again for building that program artik, I wouldn't be making terrains without it!!!

[nrshida]

OMG nrshida, I'm still 

 


This is a player made map making program? 

[Ciaphas]

Artik's program was the next on my list to get a video. probably gonna get it done this afternoon.

It's worth mentioning that building a terrain for AvA is apples to oranges to an MA terrain.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nrshida]

I think it's awesome that you're doing this bud. I'm going to download AH3 on my crappy laptop. Sure the game won't run but perhaps the mapmaker will. just have a try and see what's possible.

Your beard is award-winning by the way. I'm surprised Zack1234 has not commented yet