defrager 1 Posted January 7, 2013 Hi guys, I am making a 5120x5120 map (1024x5), and I have some really nice real life aerial photography to use. However after reading some tutorials, it looks like the sat map and the size of the map have to be the same size? Is there any way to have a more detailed sat map? Thanks guys :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bushlurker 46 Posted January 7, 2013 1 meter per pixel is generally considered the "standard" size for Satellite Layers - in larger maps there are limits as to just how big an image graphics programs can handle, and there's performance issues to consider... In smaller sized maps, however, you can indeed get away with an "over-res" sat layer, and in fact, that's one of my favourite tricks with small-to-medium terrains. A higher-res satmap can really go a long way to making things look much more real and lifelike at distance, and if you're working with smaller sizes performance hit is minimal... EG: CWR2 Malden & Everon are 12800m terrains, but have 20480 sat layers, CWR2 Nogova is even higher res - 0.5m/pixel - 24576x24576 sat image... My "Carraigdubh" mini-terrain is similar to what you're making... a 1024x5m heightmap, but I used a 10240x10240 sat layer for a really detailed 0.5m/px resolution... So - you can get away with 10240x10240 if your nice sat image is as big or bigger than that... Set "Base Texture Layer" size to 20m x 20m when you're setting up the Project Parameters and you should be OK to proceed as normal... Remember that your Mask_lco will have to be larger too - same size as the Sat_lco.... B Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
defrager 1 Posted January 7, 2013 Thanks for the quick reply! No doubt I will have many more questions going into this project! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CameronMcDonald 146 Posted January 7, 2013 Don't forget to paint over any buildings, roads, large trees or shadows on your sat map - you'll end up with some weird looking grass otherwise. A professionally doctored sat map is one of the signs of a good map maker. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
defrager 1 Posted January 7, 2013 I get why I should get rid of shadows, but why should I paint over buildings, roads, large trees? Surely I would want them to be seen from the air? My map isn't going to be all grass? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
m1lkm8n 411 Posted January 7, 2013 ...So - you can get away with 10240x10240 if your nice sat image is as big or bigger than that... Set "Base Texture Layer" size to 20m x 20m when you're setting up the Project Parameters and you should be OK to proceed as normal... B What exactly is the base texture layer and how does making it larger or smaller effect things? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daringd 2 Posted January 7, 2013 I get why I should get rid of shadows, but why should I paint over buildings, roads, large trees? Surely I would want them to be seen from the air? My map isn't going to be all grass? Well, the reason being that you will need to paint over everything that is artificial or casts a shadow (meaning it sticks up from the ground) because you simply will never get the roads to match up, buildings and so on will be different to the ones you add in... so then you need to re paint al of your roads back in once you have laid them in visitor (there are ways of exporting the vectors from visitor, converting them to a bitmap and overlaying them directly so it all matches up nicely) and then do the same sort of thing with buildings and so on... it's a bloody pain in the backside at times this terrain making lark, but rewarding. I'm currently now half way through my initial sat map, stitching google earth screen grabs together, augmenting fields and such like to match roads, adding a coastline is fun too, cutting and pasting beaches, smoothing them into each other... ooooh. D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CameronMcDonald 146 Posted January 7, 2013 I get why I should get rid of shadows, but why should I paint over buildings, roads, large trees? Surely I would want them to be seen from the air? My map isn't going to be all grass? As daringd says above, your sat map is simply the colour of the ground from a distance - actual roads, trees and buildings are added later as separate objects. If you don't paint over them, you'll have flat buildings and trees which make for some really strange colouration of the local clutter, and roads where no roads exist. Shadows should be left off, excepting perhaps low objects like bushes (and refer to FDF Podagorsk's sat map for an example). A quick example - download the Faslev map and look at the purple grass caused by the author not removing shadows from his sat map. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
defrager 1 Posted January 8, 2013 Where can I obtain a copy of Podagorsk's sat map? I presume with buildings I just make them all grey? Only leave trees in if I plan to put trees on top of the trees, or remove trees altogether? Same for bushes? Is there a guide on doctoring sat maps somewhere? ^^ This is lots of questions :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CameronMcDonald 146 Posted January 8, 2013 Where can I obtain a copy of Podagorsk's sat map? I presume with buildings I just make them all grey? Only leave trees in if I plan to put trees on top of the trees, or remove trees altogether? Same for bushes? Is there a guide on doctoring sat maps somewhere? - If you download Podagorsk, you can have a look at the sat map ingame - you'd probably need to ask Norsu or the FDF Mod island author if you can get a copy of the PSD or whatever base file was used. Podagorsk is a good example of a highly polished user-made map. Same same with Bushlurker's work. - With buildings, you don't necessarily have to colour the ground grey around them. You can have green terrain under them if you wish (although you may not want grass sprouting up through the floor!). - I would eliminate all trees if you have the time. Some authors leave them in, and as long as they don't have really dark shadows you can get away with it. It looks pretty strange from high up, however. - Probably ask Bushlurker - I'm no map maker! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
defrager 1 Posted January 8, 2013 Stupid question: I got buldozer working, how do I rotate the view and zoom in/out? Neverminde: Q,Z and numpad :-( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
