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Mapmaker - Causeways, Embankments, Dikes

 
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Mapmaker - Causeways, Embankments, Dikes - 8/17/2012 4:41:28 AM   
Andy Brown

 

Posts: 183
Joined: 2/20/2001
Status: offline 		Is it possible to use the Mapmaker to create narrow linear features like causeways and railway embankments that are several metres higher than the surrounding terrain but with steep sides?

Thanks,

Andy
Post #: 1
RE: Mapmaker - Causeways, Embankments, Dikes - 8/17/2012 4:59:39 AM   
rickier65

 

Posts: 14231
Joined: 4/20/2000
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Andy Brown

Is it possible to use the Mapmaker to create narrow linear features like causeways and railway embankments that are several metres higher than the surrounding terrain but with steep sides?

Thanks,

Andy


I haven't had much success doing that, though I haven't made a concerted effort. You can try defining the linear strip by using the Locking tool, to lock either side of a strip, then using the inverting tool so that the strip is unlocked and everything else is locked. then you can use the height tool to raise the strip. You'll probably need to make the strip wider than you expect to provide room for the sides to slope.

also, I think mobius created some RR bed structures you might be able to use.

Thanks
Rick


< Message edited by Rick -- 8/17/2012 5:00:36 AM >

(in reply to Andy Brown)
Post #: 2
RE: Mapmaker - Causeways, Embankments, Dikes - 8/17/2012 6:38:33 AM   
Andy Brown

 

Posts: 183
Joined: 2/20/2001
Status: offline 		The issue I think I'm having is that the Mapmaker can't fine-tune the raised terrain enough to look like a flat-topped, steep-sided embankment rather than a more rounded ridge.

Just wondering.

Andy

(in reply to rickier65)
Post #: 3
RE: Mapmaker - Causeways, Embankments, Dikes - 8/17/2012 1:56:21 PM   
Mad Russian


Posts: 13256
Joined: 3/16/2008
From: Texas
Status: offline 		I've never been able to make it do very narrow strips of elevated terrain.

Good Hunting.

MR

_____________________________

The most expensive thing in the world is free time.

Founder of HSG scenario design group for Combat Mission.
Panzer Command Ostfront Development Team.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm Development Team.

(in reply to Andy Brown)
Post #: 4
RE: Mapmaker - Causeways, Embankments, Dikes - 8/17/2012 10:54:06 PM   
Andy Brown

 

Posts: 183
Joined: 2/20/2001
Status: offline 		That's what I thought, MR. Just wanted to check I wasn't missing something obvious.

Andy

(in reply to Mad Russian)
Post #: 5
RE: Mapmaker - Causeways, Embankments, Dikes - 8/18/2012 5:20:14 AM   
Stridor


Posts: 5081
Joined: 9/8/2007
Status: offline 		Andy there is 2 ways to do this.

One quick way which may not be exactly what you are after is to start map maker in hires mode. This will double the mesh resolution for the map. At the cost of 4 times the polys however. It may still not be enough ground mesh res however.

Probably the better method is to make your own embankment model in something like fragMotion. This can then be saved as a map maker model to use on your own maps or shared with others. With this method you can create exactly what you want.

There are plenty of posts in the mods section which detail how fragMotion works and what you need to do to export models for PCO.

When these were written fragMotion cost $20. Now it costs $50!

I see that you could even use Google Sketchup (which is free) and a third part DirectX export tool http://www.3drad.com/Google-SketchUp-To-DirectX-XNA-Exporter-Plug-in.htm

Regards

S

(in reply to Andy Brown)
Post #: 6
RE: Mapmaker - Causeways, Embankments, Dikes - 8/18/2012 9:52:42 PM   
Andy Brown

 

Posts: 183
Joined: 2/20/2001
Status: offline 		Stridor,

Thanks for that. I suspect fragMotion is a bit too sophisticated for my current capabilities but I'll keep it in mind for the future.

Note that the Mapmaker hires shortcut as distributed still points to "Panzer Campaigns Kharkov" rather than "Panzer Campaigns Ostfront".

Cheers,

Andy

(in reply to Stridor)
Post #: 7
RE: Mapmaker - Causeways, Embankments, Dikes - 8/20/2012 5:02:28 AM   
Mobius


Posts: 10339
Joined: 6/30/2006
From: California
Status: offline 		In addition to the ways stridor indicated there is another way. Import the wire frame guide (terrain.x) file of the map into something like fragmotion and modify it there then export it back to the map folder.

A safer way would be to modify the gray scale height map to make two rows or columns all one gray color then use that to make your map. (The pixels are actually vertices of polys not areas so you have to make two side by side to define a flat area.) If you notice map kursk_s4 has a railroad embankment all along one side. It was done by modifying the gray scale height map.
These maps are 65 x 65 pixels across.

< Message edited by Mobius -- 8/20/2012 5:16:05 AM >

(in reply to Andy Brown)
Post #: 8
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