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Myn

Largest Possible Map

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Hi guys,

I have a quick query regarding the maximum possible size for a map; basically I had a project in mind that would work with a map roughly the size of the South of the UK. I'm going to work on the general assumption that this isn't going to be possible, but how far off am I looking at?

Thanks,

Myn

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First of all, you're looking at a year long project at least - fully detailed would probably require for you to use a team of dedicated mapmakers for a period not shorter than 12 months.

Second is that ground sat-texture for such a place would bring a size of download to couple of gigs... 7zipped :) not to mention a super-powerful PC to stitch something like that together.

I guess the biggest size allowed would be around 300x300km, but with only a cellsize of 150 meters (very bad, 5-10 is a game standard). A1's Sahrani is 20x20km for example. I would recommend you a map bigger than 5x5km for a first project. You'll spend months even with that size.

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Thanks IceBreakr, in terms of the time, machine and the size of the team that wouldn't have been a problem; this was actually for a possible large-scale VBS2 project but I've always found the ARMA 2 community very knowledgable in these matters!

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make a big map it's very complex and yes must have a big computer also :o

I have make a brittany map with a part of the uk , but can't more detailed map because pc hang so the map like desertic with a poor tree on some place :o but good map for air combat like B-17 :yay:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=93460&highlight=brittany+map

:eek:

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The WW2 normandy map is 153,600m x 153,600. That is as big as one would want to have considering texture quality goes out the door with the satellite mask unless you have some monster machine that would process it.

The problem with the normandy map is in an aircraft you can't navigate visually at altitude, you have to use the map to see where you're going.

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4096 heightmap with 999 meter cells is the biggest visitor will let u make but i donno bout getting that size in game

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Thanks for your help guys. :)

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4096 heightmap with 999 meter cells is the biggest visitor will let u make but i donno bout getting that size in game

When you state it will be a 4096 hight map. Is this in kilemeters or meters?

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It is in pixels

The 4096 is the wisth/height of the greyscale fle that gives the topography's terrain.

You can make it a 10 meter cell terrain, thus making it a 40960 meters x 40960 meters island or make it a 5 meter cell terrain making it a 20480 meters x 20480 meters terrain.

Basically the size of one island is controled by two things. Size of the scale map and cell resolution.

I've seen an stable island with 10 meter cell terrain and a 4096 resolution file. Loads well and has a good terrain resolution

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Just one or two more questions. It is stated that a map size can be max out at 300 km. Is this the limit of the software? Are is it the best size to be worked with? Also when it comes to large boats, ships, and submarines. Is there something we have to do to the software so these platforms can move from point A to point B. For I notice that the LHD is in modules witch mean it can't move. But small boats can. Are does it have to do with the way it is modeled?

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4096 heightmap with 999 meter cells is the biggest visitor will let u make but i donno bout getting that size in game

thats 4096 x 999m cells = 4091.9km x 4091.9km... the controls won't go any higher...

Best size to work with is 10km x 10km or less, unless you have a year to spare...

I'll leave the submarines thing for Gnat to answer - he knows all about boats and subs...

B

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4091km x 4091km would make a good space simulation map if u put stars on the sat map lol

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Also when it comes to large boats, ships, and submarines. Is there something we have to do to the software so these platforms can move from point A to point B.

Nothing special. AI movement didnt work for ships on custom maps for ArmA1, but theres no similar problems since ArmA2

AI do tend to "negotiate" hills and valleys in the sea floor a little bit, but nothing serious.

Lesson learnt, sea floor needs to be flat where possible.

For I notice that the LHD is in modules witch mean it can't move.

Large ships that you want to "walk" all over, can really only be STATIC.

Players, AI, planes, choppers etc on the deck of any large ship that moves DO NOT move with the ship.

Theres limited ways to fix this in part, but they are only script tricks.

But small boats can. Are does it have to do with the way it is modeled?

Not really. Open the RHIB in the ArmA1 sample models if you want to see a moving ship/boat. They all work the same way.

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Mine is a 2048x75 which loads fast and is very stable. But moving around 75 meters of terrain at a time effects a lot around it.

This is half scale of the real area. It's taken a long time to produce. Like the other gentlemen said do it if you got a spare year. No joking there.

roads-1.jpg

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I've seen an stable island with 10 meter cell terrain and a 4096 resolution file. Loads well and has a good terrain resolution

Are you sure it was 4096x4096 terrain grid? How long did take to binarize it?

My latest test with 4096 terrain grid and 20 m cell size took 8 hours(map was completly empty) to binarize.

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My Falklands Scale Test demo terrain was 4096x4096 - 10m cell... worked OK - though since it was purely a scaling demo for discussion purposes I only used a 4096x4096 heightmap... binarized fine, though I didn't try placing objects which reportedly can cause issues on 4096x4096 (bottom right quarter, if I remember correctly)...

B

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... demo terrain was 4096x4096 - 10m cell... worked OK

B

Weird :confused:, could you tell me what was the size of the wrp file???

I set 20m cell size but I dont think that this would increased binarization time to 8 hours, cell size is just "a virtual measure" and it shouldnt affect file size and bin time of an empty map.

Ill try to set 10m cellsize just for fun :cool:

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Hi Mir_o...

If you wade thru that enormous first post in the Falklands link above you'll find links for both the playable version and all the source files for that demo terrain...

The .wrp was about 17MB + layer files for a pretty basic 4096x4096 sat and mask - final in-game .pbo was about 40MB...

I threw the whole thing together in an evening during that whole Falklands discussion - just to provide a working 40x40km terrain so people could see how enormous it really is... It was a while ago now, but I don't remember any particular problems binarizing... the main 4096 issue I vaguely remember being mentioned was mostly to do with people having problems placing objects in Visitor...

Maybe a careful search of this forum section might turn up some previous discussion on the subject...

B

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