Re: Height Maps
 

I can't seem to zoom in to the level of the grid. Might have something to do with Microsoft's absolutely useless "Edge".

Re: Height Maps
 

There are some bugs in that experimental version... I'll try to iron them out ASAP.

Re: Height Maps
 

This is a 2019-2020 Feature Request

I am just wondering if it might be possible to add more flags to the SP random map generator; so that the RNG can leave the underlying contour map intact, and instead overlay terrain types/trees, etc on the map?

Re: Height Maps
 

That was already on our work list for consideration last April but untangling the interconnected code is more complicated than it sounds.

Re: Height Maps
 

Any progress on water generation for coastlines/etc?

Re: Height Maps
 

Unfortunately I've been way too busy with work, family and an injury. I had an ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair surgery last week and I'm still trying to recover from it. It's on the list of things I want to work on with but pretty much overriden by the list of things I have to work on.

Re: Height Maps
 

The important thing is to get healthy and deal with RL first....whatever is left after that work on this wonderful map tool you have built

Re: Height Maps
 

Here is another tool for mapmakers

https://elevationmap.net/

a graphic representation of the contours ( with the contour lines shown ) plus ready access to satellite imagery of the area

Re: Height Maps
 

Another far simpler way to "reveal" the contours on a freshly generated Vehola is to use the new "Strip map" feature of the extended map editor.....it reveals the contours with one control.

Re: Height Maps
 

Good news, everyone!

I just today finished with the map tool update that provides the satellite view properly and with all the bugs fixed. Additionally there's a new download dialog which allows you to

• specify the description text (spmapXXX.txt)
• specify the map id number (1-999)
• specify the map name

The created files are returned in a convenient ZIP package.

Map description text by default contains the URL of the downloaded map just in case you do the same as I did and lose precise coordinates where you created that map in.

New functionality also includes switching between map, combined and satellite view. In combined view you have a 50:50 mix of the map and the satellite view so you can still see the labels. The rotation is M (Map) -> (C) Combined -> (S) Satellite.

Enjoy, report back if anything goes terribly wrong! I had to use a lot of API requests to test and fix the bugs in the process, so if Google complains about those then you have to wait until the resources are free again.

Re: Height Maps
 

Has there been a change of IP since http://www.venhola.com/maps/ ???

I cannot get a response. The screen stays blank

same for the link you provided in post 131

Re: Height Maps
 

Not that I know of (since 2017). Have you tried using HTTPS? Or maybe your cache is returning you a mix n match of old and new code and shift+reload should do the trick and force an update.

try https://www.venhola.com/maps/geo.php#24.0,60.2226329,12

Re: Height Maps
 

OK that last link shows me a map area but how do I get to this screen?

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attac...1&d=1525700008

when I use

https://www.venhola.com/maps/

I can see the screen but it won't give me the map

Re: Height Maps
 

Try right click -> reload on the blank screen. There are two files, both of which have been changed and if you've recently visited the site your browser (or ISP) may serve you the old one.

I'll change that form target to HTTPS link as well so it'll ease up things a bit.

Re: Height Maps
 

Your field values take me to URL https://www.venhola.com/maps/geo.php#2.774,50.379,0 which seems correct to me.

Re: Height Maps
 

It's working for me now though I have not changed anything in the link I have been using all along.

Thats good news...a bit odd but computers can be...... I did run a map and everything was in the zip, the numbered CMT, DAT and TXT ( I KNEW adding the TXT to maps would come in handy )

As usual, this is truly "A thing of beauty"

Thanks again for creating it
:up::up:

Don

Re: Height Maps
 

The only suggestions I can offer at this time would be to make "DOWNLOAD" a bit larger and more conspicuous.

The other is a bit more involved

First off I LOVE the 50/50 map satellite overlay ( really, really like that )....might it be possible to allow a DL of the map area that shows that overlay and the hex grid ? right now, there is no way to get the entire map with grid without doing multiple screen shots then manually piece them together

Re: Height Maps
 

First thing should be easy, I have an idea on how to do the second one... BUT: how large a map (resolution) should it be? I have three images attached where in each one pixel is approximately 5 meter, 2.5 meters and 1.25 meters across. The resolution of the image naturally doubles on each level of zoom.
So respective resolutions for the produced images will be about 1600x1200, 3200x2400 or 6400x4800 pixels. Zoom level sample images (~900x600 px) included in a zip file as they were larger than the max allowed attachment size for images.

I think it could be included in the downloaded zip file if requested so they're all served at once. In the download settings there will be
Map image:
(x) None
( ) Map
( ) Satellite
( ) Combined

It'll be then generated at server side.

Re: Height Maps
 

I think after looking at these it's a toss-up between 2.5 and 5. 1.25 brings things in closer than I think it really needed.

The smaller the file DL'd the better as long as the grid numbers can be read when viewed zoomed it using a graphics program I think 5 would do the job BUT the test would be how it looks Map/Satellite Combined and what the final file size is.

Don

Re: Height Maps
 

http://www.venhola.com/maps/map.png

My first attempt (2670x2880, about 8 megabytes) at 5m per pixel resolution.

Re: Height Maps
 

Combined map view, 14 MB. http://www.venhola.com/maps/mapC.png

Re: Height Maps
 

I think that serves the purpose well but the files do end up a bit on the large size .IDK how that would impact your server. Maybe it needs to be a " do you want a hex grid map ( 8-14mb approx ) Y/ N ? check box ?

Perhaps to save MB's just use the smaller map only view. A satellite overview is handy but perhaps not so much with the MB it adds. Thinking that basic map view is good enough

Re: Height Maps
 

Hey this is a pretty neat tool. Still trying to figure it all out. Would it be possible to also display the cities/town names in English? My Cyrillic, Arabic (was trying some NA maps) and other reading of languages is not that grand.


Thanks for this tool.

Re: Height Maps
 

Well, I'll put that image option to default "None" so people will only pick it if they really want it. And since we sold the dotcom last year I had to move everything to a dedicated server and there's not much to do for that server apart from serving HTTP requests and creating SPMBT maps.

Re: Height Maps
 

The names come from the OpenStreetMap data and they are written in the image files themselves, so I can't help with that except by providing some help with cyrillic letters.

Re: Height Maps
 

Is this Smolensk?

CMoNEHCK


Tried to take a screen shot but the image is too big for this forum (300 kb)??!

Re: Height Maps
 

Thanks for your time and updating this its a very good tool

Re: Height Maps
 

Smolensk = Смоленск

А,а = A, like u in "dust".
Б,б = B, as in bee
В,в = V, as in Victor
Г,г = G, as in good
Д,д = D, as in David
Е,е = E or Ye, as in Yeltsin
Ё,ё = O or Yo, as in York
Ж,ж = Zh, no direct equivalent. A bit like Z in zebra but further back; try saying Zhebra and you're close.
З,з = Z, as in zebra
И,и = I, as in bit
Й,й = short I, no direct equivalent.
К,к = K as in kick
Л,л = L as in last. Pronounced softer than the English counterpart.
М,м = M as in Maria
Н,н = N as in Nick
О,о = O as in Ohio
П,п = P as in happy
Р,р = rolling R but otherwise as in Roger
С,с = sharp S as in sit
Т,т = T as in tea
У,у = U like o in food
Ф,ф = F as in fit
Х,х = rough H or Kh, no direct equivalent, as in Khaled
Ц,ц = Ts, as in cats
Ч,ч = Ch, as in check
Ш,ш = Sh, as in shark
Щ,щ = Shch, no direct equivalent. Softer version of Sh.
Ъ,ъ = Hard sign, affects only pronounciation, sometimes marked with '
Ь,ь = Soft sign, affects only pronounciation
Ы,ы = Y (or I made in the rear in mouth), practically replaceable with either I or Y.
Э,э = E in the start of a word, as in electricity
Ю,ю = U or Yu, as in Yugoslavia
Я,я = A or Ya, a bit like in yard but shorter

Ye, Yo, Yu and Ya may fuse in pronounciation into the consonant before them to form a softer version of that; compare with N in newt and N in nephew.

Хорошего дня!
Khoroshego dnya! (have a nice day!)

There's also a script type (and handwritten type) which have some differences, but let's not go there.

Re: Height Maps
 

Нощ дяЗ УФЦ ??
Пот Ъдф , ТндЖ

Re: Height Maps
 

Just a clarification: Smolensk is pronounced more like Smaliensk (stress on e). link for that: https://translate.google.gr/?hl=el#en/ru/smolensk

Re: Height Maps
 

Late to the party...

So only this evening I got around digging about this tool, and reading this thread in full.

A huge thank you for dmnt!!

This venhola map tool not only creates the contour automatically for us, but gives hex overlay as well on the real map, complete with satellite view, thus easing the process of matching, and then drawing the map.

At first I thought it only covers European and Scandinavian area. Turns out it covers the whole earth!

Kudos!

Re: Height Maps
 

IDK, I am not getting a hex overlay. And besides, there are no options to download, just click download. So, I know something is amiss, but what it is I don't know.

So, dmnt can we get step-by-step instructions?

<br>

Re: Height Maps
 

I don't think he's implemented that feature yet

Re: Height Maps
 

You need to press the + button (on the interface) so the area you're viewing will be bound by a box, and if you zoom in close enough there's hex overlay with hex coordinates.

The options to download full image is probably not implemented, but you can right click and save image, and it'll give you the map & hex overlay the size of your monitor screen size.

Re: Height Maps
 

Bingo! You the man RightDave.

Produced a PNG file, resulting in a very good print copy as well.

<br>

Re: Height Maps
 

Additionally you can rotate the map with shift + alt + mouse drag in case you don't want to create exactly west-east oriented map. The cross hair needs to be clicked after that for the rotation to apply to the selected hex grid.

"The enemy may come from any direction. East, south, north. Also from the west, but then it has performed a hooking manoeuvre." -- FDF Army officer in the 80's.

Re: Height Maps
 

When I load my maps into the game, I get the contours on the mini-map but there is nothing but clear terrain on the actual game map :confused: What the hell?

Re: Height Maps
 

mkr8683, I got the same, I thought that is what it's supposed to do. Did not think it made a map of any kind.

Re: Height Maps
 

I thought by now everyone was clear on the procedure......apparently not.

YOU need to " reveal" the contours with the game map editor or the extended editor

You need to flood fill the entire map with a terrain that follows contours.......bare earth is a good one. Open the map, set Fill range to 250 then block fill the entire map by right clicking on the map....... OR the easier way if you own the CD version is detailed in my post 159 in this thread

Re: Height Maps
 

From the README file

### Getting the terrain
+
+After picking a good location so that all areas of interests are covered by the map click the Download button. Generating the
+map will take about half a minute but you can continue to use the UI while waiting. When the source map is generated it should
+be copied to game directory tiled "Maps". It will be map number 999 and will be overwritten by autosave if you work with any
+other map in the WinSPMBT map editor.
+
+After opening the map go to second page of tools (either by clicking the blue triangle or "n" key on your keyboard) and choose
+clear keeping the current contour. Do not click on any hex but choose then Fill range button and enter 255 in. Then press the
+fill button and the terrain should be finished.

Re: Height Maps
 

Hmm, I must be doing something wrong, I followed DRG instructions in post #190 (I have the full paid for version) and the first time through per the instructions here:

"After opening the map go to second page of tools (either by clicking the blue triangle or "n" key on your keyboard) and choose
clear keeping the current contour"

That just clears the map of everything including the contours. The second time through I did not click the clear button and the contours stayed by the map is still a big empty blank map.

I tried both selecting block fill and 1-90 fill, nothing changed.

I don't know?

Re: Height Maps
 

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JP...5=w105-h616-no

If you have the CD version, open the Extended Map Editor. Use the "Strip" button at the bottom, thus revealing the Venhola contours on the real map, not just the minimap. Very simple.

Otherwise, use the top button (circled), which resides on page 2 of the button-interface. Set a huge fill area by using the "Fill Range" button (just above the blue "play" button). And then you can right click on the map to start manually filling the whole map with that clear terrain.

Re: Height Maps
 

We have NO IDEA what map area you selected and for all we know it IS dead flat !

Post the link you are using

Re: Height Maps
 

Maybe that is the issue, the map is dead flat, I was thinking that trees, rivers, gulley's, hills ect. would be populated, but maybe I was wrong in my assumption. Also, I was using this in SPWW2, maybe it does not work in that. I generated maps for Smolensk, Minsk and Sevastopol areas (they are all just blank open ground maps, with some contours).

Here is one link:

https://www.venhola.com/maps/geo.php...989654960111,0

It's just a big blank map with some contours, none of the fill options brings in any woods or anything.

Re: Height Maps
 

All you get is the contours...... IF the map has any..... You have to add the trees etc......of course it works with SPWW2.... both games used the exact same map code but that link you posted shows plenty of contours

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/attac...1&d=1526869351

it's up to you to add in everything else. In map making for historical maps getting the contours, right was a BIG part of the work......this eliminates that part of the work but it doesn't hand you a finished map

Re: Height Maps
 

Okay I got it, I was thinking that for some reason that it some how knew how to add terrain to the map hexes. My misunderstanding.

Re: Height Maps
 

I am posting this here since i am working on a map generated from the Venhola map tool.

From the WINSPMBT Game Guide:

Terrain, hills and LOS

Each level of hill in the game is broken down into 10 units. Ground level terrain that is "5" high is midway to being a level 1 hill. Level 1 terrain that reports as being "15" high is midway to being a level 2 hill etc, etc to the top level ( level 15 )

The game does not block LOS behind a "bump" in the map until it gets to be 4 higher than the base height for that level ( ground level would be 4, level 1 would be 14, level 2 would be 24 etc etc. ). It will allow you to see over and behind any "bump" 3 and under so any terrain 3 and under above the level you are on will offer neither cover nor concealment.



For example.....



If a unit is at zero height directly behind a 4 high "bump" that is three hexes long , LOS will be blocked for 2 hexes behind the bump. If that 4 high bump is 4 hexes long, LOS will be blocked completely right across the map. If the bump is 5 high even one hex will totally block LOS.



We are currently considering that each unit of height roughly represents 24 inches or .6 meters. As a simple rule of thumb this would make each hill level represent roughly 20 feet or 6 meters of height


So:
Height 1 = 20 feet/6 meters
2 = 40/12
3 = 60/24
4 = 80/30
5 = 100/36
6 = 120/42
7 = 140/48
8 = 160/54
9 = 180/60
10 = 200/66
11 = 220/72
12 = 240/78
13 = 260/84
14 = 280/90
15 = 300/96

The reason for my seemingly grognard questioning is I am working on a map that highest peaks need to be 656'/200m and I need to set the ratio to translate the scale to WINSPMBT height system. I am calculating that if level 15 300'/96m will be simulating the 656'/200m then each 100'/33m of real height should be a 2.5 level increase on the map. Sounds good?

Re: Height Maps
 

This map does have level zero terrain as well?
Ask as hill heights needed are those between min & max terrain height.

Messing with vertical scale has issues, namely blind hexes produced.
The game produces blind hexes based on the height per level set by the game, increasing it means it should block less hexes if looking over lower terrain.

You are wrong regarding 4 height bumps they do block LOS but not by much because its a bump. Even do so from a slightly higher hill so long as the bump is not close enough to see over.

Put a unit on a level 1 hill and make some level 4 bumps 20 odd hexes away they will block LOS to the hex behind them.
If the bumps are closer guessing 8 or less hexes they will not block anything as close enough to see over.

From the same level view can change radically over a bump if other hinderance terrain comes into play.
View can also change due to visibility level with this type of feature, hinderance terrain combinations, smoke etc block LOS far quicker in low visibility compared to high.
Put some high grass on a flat map position units to see across 3 or 4 and adjust the visibility to see this.
This type of terrain can be great for units with vision aids as it might be enough for them to see more.

Re: Height Maps
 

It is coastal on the western edge so it has zero and minus terrain level. What I believe is if I make the highest terrain 15 which in real life is 625'/200m then making a 100'/33m elevation change a 2.5 height hex then the terrain relationship of the map will relativistic to the real world location even if the game guide's consideration will not equate the level 15 hex to being 625'/200m.

Re: Height Maps
 

There are only 15 hill levels (the original game had but 3 remember!) so the only way one can do it is to "smooth" the real terrain heights to fit into the 15 levels, with level 0 being major water (sea, lakes etc). Level 0 is the "16th" level.

It will be up to the map designer to decide if certain bits of the higher ground, especially slopes are to be perhaps rough or even impassable. I used a lot of impassable for the escarpment in my scenario #428 in WW2 "Operation Brevity".