3d Terrain Viewer?

[RVPERTVS]

Originally Posted by Mobhack

that is one reason we do not provide a utility to calculate LOS in any random hex

Andy: Is it actually posible to provide such an utility?

Originally Posted by junk2drive

What I did was create a Chandla folder inside WinSPWW2. Extract the files into that folder. The program won't work that way to edit. Read the readme. But for a topo map, start the program, load a MBT map. You get a blue screen. Under tools, click contour map. Then click show. Optional you can check terrain and then show again.

I´m not following, I´ve tried that and no blue screen appears what´s that for exactly?

Keep Cool
Roberto

[Imp]

Originally Posted by RVPERTVS

Andy: Is it actually posible to provide such an utility?

Roberto

This would make the game terrible giving you even more Eye of God, dig out a map or look at one on the internet & decide what you can see from a certain point. Unless its pretty obvious you wont have a clue & even then probably takes a bit of searching to find the sweet spot. Yes its iritating at times when you find that ATG or ATGM cant see squat have lost units even had to reformulate tactics because of it but I decided to check out a better firing point. Now I try & send a less valuable unit to go & check it out first if am unsure.
Its part of why a delaying force can stop a bigger force you have checked out the fields of fire he hasnt, allso makes vehicles more useful as they can check out more ground.
Knowing what you can see without going there is totaly unrealistic.

[RVPERTVS]

It´s just I didn´t know it was actually posible to do it but not included due to these reasons. It would definetely ruin some of the realism in the game I fully agree, not seeking such aplication I love the game the way it is now but wouldn´t hurt if you ask me, at the end we are grown ups who would know when to look and when not to.

It´s clear to me that in real life a commander must rely on his abilitiy to read maps which is well modeled in both games the way it is now, AFAIK it is already possible with the tools already given to explore any given map anyway; in table top games it´s possible to check all angles of visibility as the players see fit; what you can´t have with miniatures is the FOW found in SP. Just my $0.02

I´m still wondering about the 3d viewer dicussed though

Keep Cool
Roberto

[Imp]

If you really wanted a 3D viewer the easiest way as said would be to use an old free 3D game engine like the real one. More than up to the job & does LOS but tend to be based on square grids not hexagonal ones. Might find one if check out some RPG games they are set up with basic light sources & to check LOS between 2 selected points. Can control visibility range to but once you have done that though you may as well produce some units to shoot at each other.
You need programing skills for the above & checking LOS is one of the trickier bits, need to set above ground level or the slightest thing will block it.

The other option is to use a proper 3D modeler like lightwave, sure there are free ones not lightwave though thats a lot of notes. Or a 3D terrain generator there are definetly free ones.
All will easily be powerfull enough & can read bitmaps so if you fidled about could probably produce what you want but would probably want a bit of programing to do it that interprits map data.
Otherwise time consuming as need to produce 2 pictures bitmap & bumpmap for terrain type & heights which will require an art package to mod pallettes.
Problems
With 3D terrain generator & possibly basic (free) 3D programs are light source first case is assuming the sun, probably cant adjust acuratly enough. Also placing viewpoints accuratly for LOS could be a problem if you cant snap it to a point.
Realisticly you are trying to produce a landscape of several Km using a few points. I would probably use more building a kettle in 3D so the results will look terrible go back to game engine idea now I have thought it through.