Making a map image

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

Making a map image

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Norm Koger's The Operational Art Of War III >> Making a map image

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Making a map image - 9/7/2006 2:33:10 PM

Okimaw

Posts: 268
Joined: 4/24/2006
From: Land of the brave, home of the Cree
Status: offline

The other night I made a map image from the command in the drop down menu and got quite a suprise. I figured it would be the micomap or 2d small but it was actually the 2d large. It makes for a pretty big file, 10mb, when you consider the whole TOAW 3 manual is 11mb. When I was cutting and saving etc for my AAR thingy my paint and imaging programs had a bit of a time handling this image due to its size (and my comp has a decent amount of ram etc). Could a future patch switch this feauture from a bmp to jpeg and maybe to 2d small? While I use 2d large pics I gernerally use them for localised shots with the printscreen function on my comp.

_____________________________

I have returned

Post #: 1

RE: Making a map image - 9/7/2006 2:49:00 PM

golden delicious

Posts: 5575
Joined: 9/5/2000
From: London, Surrey, United Kingdom
Status: offline

You can get the 2d small and minimap images if you use the movie function.

_____________________________

"What did you read at university?"
"War Studies"
"War? Huh. What is it good for?"
"Absolutely nothing."

(in reply to Okimaw)

Post #: 2

RE: Making a map image - 9/7/2006 2:58:49 PM

Okimaw

Posts: 268
Joined: 4/24/2006
From: Land of the brave, home of the Cree
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: golden delicious

You can get the 2d small and minimap images if you use the movie function.

I realize that but I was saving in mid turn on a pbem and wanted to make an image for the progress to that point so I used the make map image command. If I'm not mistaken the movie function only makes them for end of turn? My point is though a 2d large bmp is
kind of an unneccessarily large file when a jpeg would do, especially for picture hosting services.

_____________________________

I have returned

(in reply to golden delicious)

Post #: 3

RE: Making a map image - 9/7/2006 4:13:55 PM

Nemo69

Posts: 685
Joined: 2/18/2004
From: Nowhere to be seen
Status: offline

I'm at work now and don't have TOAW III at hand, but doesn't the image map depend on the visualisation mode you're using at the time you issue the command? That is, if you're in 2D large, you'll have a 2D large map and if you're in 2D small, you'll have a 2D small one? Works with CoW at least.

Don't know what impact it may have on the file size though. And ditto about the BMP, but we've come a long way from the huge targa files CoW created.

< Message edited by Nemo69 -- 9/7/2006 4:14:24 PM >

_____________________________

Fais ce que dois

(in reply to Okimaw)

Post #: 4

RE: Making a map image - 9/7/2006 7:57:58 PM

larryfulkerson

Posts: 39932
Joined: 4/17/2005
From: Tucson, AZ
Status: offline

I just made a map using the pull-down menu and got the same result. Except I was playing DNO at the time and the resulting file was 378 Meg big ( bmp ). I convert it to Jpeg and it was 107 megs big. Convert *that* to Gif and it was still 10 megs big. I guess we'll just have to change to 2D small before we make maps with the pull-down menu.

(in reply to Nemo69)

Post #: 5

RE: Making a map image - 9/7/2006 10:07:31 PM

Nemo69

Posts: 685
Joined: 2/18/2004
From: Nowhere to be seen
Status: offline

One way around could be to take screenshots of the interesting areas only. Taking the DnO example, one doesn't really need all of that real estate to bring eventful sectors of the frontline to the AAR reader's attention or as a reminder to oneself.

Worth around 0.02 �

_____________________________

Fais ce que dois

(in reply to larryfulkerson)

Post #: 6

RE: Making a map image - 9/7/2006 11:04:11 PM

Telumar

Posts: 2236
Joined: 1/3/2006
From: niflheim
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

I just made a map using the pull-down menu and got the same result. Except I was playing DNO at the time and the resulting file was 378 Meg big ( bmp ). I convert it to Jpeg and it was 107 megs big. Convert *that* to Gif and it was still 10 megs big. I guess we'll just have to change to 2D small before we make maps with the pull-down menu.

My computer crashed at the end of a FitE turn as i had the movies on... That was really an annoyance! Luckily i had saved the turn after the previous combat round...

It would be better if the game would save the turn first and the images after the save file.

Maybe we could have the ability to chose the format when we save the map as an image. This option could be implemented in the File type row (?) in the Save map as... Pop-up. Like in the attached pic ( taken as an example from the standard windows paint programm)- certainly only between jpeg (or gif) and bitmap for toaw3. I am no programmer, so i don't know if this could be done easily or if it would require some work.

And yes, nemo is right. Selecting the small 2d mode before saving a map image generates a small 2d map image.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Telumar -- 9/7/2006 11:06:28 PM >

_____________________________

http://thetoawbeachhead.wordpress.com

(in reply to larryfulkerson)

Post #: 7

Making a map image - 9/8/2006 2:01:28 AM

Okimaw

Posts: 268
Joined: 4/24/2006
From: Land of the brave, home of the Cree
Status: offline

The whole point of having the make map image and movie features is for convenience in the production of AARs and whatever other projects a player may want to engage in. Having the feature produce 10 or 387mb BMPs isn't all that convenient, especially for folks who aren't running today's high end machines. My cpu is 1.6 ghz and 512 ram, not exactly new but not too shabby either and the paint/imaging programs I use to cut etc had a real hard time working with the bmps, even just to save in the conversion it ran out of temp memory. The simple solution to make the features more user friendly is to make the default images jpeg as noone uses bmps anyway.

_____________________________

I have returned

(in reply to Telumar)

Post #: 8

RE: Making a map image - 9/8/2006 3:51:09 AM

*Lava*

Posts: 1924
Joined: 2/9/2004
Status: offline

Hi!

I don't remember real well here...

But... on my W98SE machine I also had problems with memory and paint. You can solve that problem with "virtual memory." I don't remember what I did.. but it warns you before it allows you to enable the feature. Not sure if you need to put it to unlimited or turn it on... sorry, can't remember.

The short of it is, I didn't have any problems using the virtual memory thingme.

Ray (alias "the not so brilliant computer dude" Lava)

_____________________________

(in reply to Okimaw)

Post #: 9

RE: Making a map image - 9/8/2006 4:02:54 AM

golden delicious

Posts: 5575
Joined: 9/5/2000
From: London, Surrey, United Kingdom
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lava

Hi!

I don't remember real well here...

But... on my W98SE machine I also had problems with memory and paint. You can solve that problem with "virtual memory." I don't remember what I did.. but it warns you before it allows you to enable the feature. Not sure if you need to put it to unlimited or turn it on... sorry, can't remember.

The short of it is, I didn't have any problems using the virtual memory thingme.

Ray (alias "the not so brilliant computer dude" Lava)

Virtual memory does help but because it uses your hard disk its a lot slower than RAM. For any wisihing to follow Ray's example;
right click My Computer -> Properties -> Advanced -> Performance -> Settings -> Advanced -> Virtual Memory -> Change

_____________________________

"What did you read at university?"
"War Studies"
"War? Huh. What is it good for?"
"Absolutely nothing."

(in reply to *Lava*)

Post #: 10

RE: Making a map image - 9/9/2006 3:10:12 AM

Telumar

Posts: 2236
Joined: 1/3/2006
From: niflheim
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lava

Hi!

I don't remember real well here...

But... on my W98SE machine I also had problems with memory and paint.

Btw, the W98SE standard paint programm can't display even the smallest toaw3-generated bitmap. It opens, but the display is empty.
For me it doesn't matter, i am using corel, ; just an observation...

_____________________________

http://thetoawbeachhead.wordpress.com

(in reply to golden delicious)

Post #: 11

RE: Making a map image - 9/9/2006 3:17:03 AM

Okimaw

Posts: 268
Joined: 4/24/2006
From: Land of the brave, home of the Cree
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Telumar

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lava

Hi!

I don't remember real well here...

But... on my W98SE machine I also had problems with memory and paint.

Btw, the W98SE standard paint programm can't display even the smallest toaw3-generated bitmap. It opens, but the display is empty.
For me it doesn't matter, i am using corel, ; just an observation...

Actually, W2000 paint doesn't recognize it either for some reason. I have to open the TOAW 3 generated bmp in imaging, which for some reason can read the bmp, save it as a jpeg, then open it in paint and convert the micro map to gif. For the 2d small and large screenshots I use jpeg because the pics are a higher quality. I have a free version of ultimate paint but haven't used it too much other than some of my own graphic mods, maybe I'll try using that on the stuff for the next AAR installment

_____________________________

I have returned

(in reply to Telumar)

Post #: 12

RE: Making a map image - 9/9/2006 4:06:39 AM

*Lava*

Posts: 1924
Joined: 2/9/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Okimaw
Actually, W2000 paint doesn't recognize it either for some reason.

Well, its not the first game that this has happened in. Again my failing memory doesn't allow me to remember which game it was, but I do remember one within the last couple years that also had the same problem.

Somewhere, and I think it was in windows XP, there was a change made to paint and, gee thanks alot, it is not compatible with earlier versions.

Ray (alias Lava)

_____________________________

(in reply to Okimaw)

Post #: 13

RE: Making a map image - 9/9/2006 4:08:14 AM

Silvanski

Posts: 2506
Joined: 1/23/2005
From: Belgium, residing in TX-USA
Status: offline

Instead of BMP it would be better if the maps were saved as GIF files, thereby taking up less space AND avoiding the need to convert a bunch of BMP's if you wanna make a movie with GIF Animator.

_____________________________

The TOAW Redux Dude

(in reply to Okimaw)

Post #: 14

RE: Making a map image - 9/9/2006 4:13:05 AM

*Lava*

Posts: 1924
Joined: 2/9/2004
Status: offline

Well..

I think overall, if it were possible I would go with Telumar's suggestion that the user is given the option of which format to choose.

Having said that, just so that noone misunderstands, I really like the feature and hope to see it in more games.

Ray (alias Lava)

_____________________________

(in reply to Silvanski)

Post #: 15

RE: Making a map image - 9/9/2006 4:47:20 AM

Okimaw

Posts: 268
Joined: 4/24/2006
From: Land of the brave, home of the Cree
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lava

Well..

I think overall, if it were possible I would go with Telumar's suggestion that the user is given the option of which format to choose.

Having said that, just so that noone misunderstands, I really like the feature and hope to see it in more games.

Ray (alias Lava)

I totally agree. Its a very useful feature for this game, just needs a bit of an adjustment to make it more user friendly. I would hope that we can have the option to choose the format or failing that make it jpeg for quality purposes, more so than gifs they capture the beauty of the work our graphic mod artists put forth for the game. I need gifs for the micro movies but those don't neccessarily need the c;ear aesthetics I like in screenshots.

_____________________________

I have returned

(in reply to *Lava*)

Post #: 16