Creating runways and roads on satellite textures.

[target_practice 162]

I am making a map which uses generated terrain and textures. I want to add roads and a runway to the satellite texture.

I am aware , in the case of runways atleast, that this is done by acquiring a decal of the runway and then editing it onto the texture.

But how do I acquire one? If i'm trying to create one, how do I obtain and use the textures for it?

 

Additionally, should I create the texture before or after adding the actual runway to the map?

[spookygnu 563]

you could use google earth and take a screen shot of a runway. Then, in Photoshop, load up your sat map and your screen shot.

 

In the screen shot image, draw a box around the runway and go to edit, copy. then on the sat map image, go to edit paste in place.

 

This will be the weird bit, you will need to scale it to the sat image. Select your runway image you just pasted in, by using the box tool and then go to edit/scale, you can now adjust it from the corners and edges and move it about to fit where you want it.

 

You might loose some resolution depending on how high you were when you took the screenshot in google earth. It doesn't need to be 1080p resolution, but you want it close enough to be noticeable from the air obviously. One way to do it is to use the snip tool from windows and do the runway in parts, take one from each end of the runway and one from the middle. the one you took of the middle can be copied in photoshop, unless you have any ajoining taxiways etc.

 

I've done this myself with abit of trial and error and it works pretty decent enough. What i'd suggest is get the runway from the real island of Lemnos because that is the one the sections are modeled on when you place the runway objects down. That way when you come into land the object and the image blend somewhat seemlessly with each other. 

[Richie 330]

What spooky said, my terrain in real life had no airport so i went shopping round the world, found one and with a bit of PS soon had it on the sat.

[target_practice 162]

I was thinking that would be how I'd have to do it, thanks for the answers.

 

I have one other question though. How do I make sure that the actual runway texture matches the sattelite runway texture; such as making sure the markings on the two textures line up.

Is there even a way I can use the runway textures from the game to create a decal manually?

[Richie 330]

Once you have the airport and runway on your terrain sat you can edit the mask, load up both images and you can see them as layers, just paint the mask where you need to, I used concrete but you can also use a tarmac or any other surface.

Then start Buldozer or use MapBuilder or xCam, you'll then be able to see the airport painted on the sat and up close you'll see the surface you decided on, the marking will be your guide for runway objects or use polylines, depends on your airport.

 

I used the runway objects for my main runway, the secondary runway is a polyline.

 

*Edit*

I'll also leave this handy link originally posted by Spookygnu for your lights :) http://www.slideshare.net/Miltenjose/airfield-lighting-introductory

Edited August 14, 2015 by Richie

[spookygnu 563]

deleted

[spookygnu 563]

I was thinking that would be how I'd have to do it, thanks for the answers.

 

I have one other question though. How do I make sure that the actual runway texture matches the sattelite runway texture; such as making sure the markings on the two textures line up.

Is there even a way I can use the runway textures from the game to create a decal manually?

 

was that a link I found by any chance Richie??? lol!

 

target_practice, you can also place your runway objects down on your airfield in buldozer, including the taxi markings without having a sat image of it already there, then pack it up and stick it in game. Once in game, open it up as a new map and use the camera and take a screen shot of it again and go through the process I described above, that way you can easily line up your markings with the same image. 

 

In Photoshop paste that image onto your sat map and everything should look the same. Obviously a bit of tweaking would be needed, because the resolution might be off. It all depends on how detailed you want the sat image. I personally don't think a really high res sat map is needed, you are only mainly looking at it from a distance anyway. 

[Richie 330]

was that a link I found by any chance Richie??? lol!

 

I now know where it came from, post edited and i apologize.

I had the link and the original post bookmarked, when the forum updated the bookmarks were broken, i then deleted them before the were fixed, my bad and i meant no disrespect.

[spookygnu 563]

No mate, I was just interested whether you had it from my original post. Its good to know that it was getting used and is getting passed on.

[Richie 330]

Yes i found your post, at least now i can link it :)

[target_practice 162]

 ...and go through the process I described above...

 

The above post is apparently deleted

 

target_practice, you can also place your runway objects down on your airfield in buldozer, including the taxi markings without having a sat image of it already there, then pack it up and stick it in game. Once in game, open it up as a new map and use the camera and take a screen shot of it again and go through the process I described above, that way you can easily line up your markings with the same image. 

 

So the runway markings are indiependtant objects rather than part of the runway texture?

I also thought I wouldn't be able to take an image of the runway on the new map as it would fade out to the sat texture before the camera is high enough to view the whole runway.

[spookygnu 563]

The post that was deleted was a useless post, i was referring to my first post about how to put the images in. The taxi lines are objects too yes. But they take a bit of working out at least for me, sometimes if i rotate them, they don't update live in BD, i have to restart it. Same with the roads pieces and runway sections. Grrrr!

Anyway, yes the image would disappear slightly but like i said you can take an image high enough from ground level to get the detail from the runway ends without losing too much. Then take an image of a section in the middle, then in PS you can copy that section (say about five or six times as a layer) and piece together the runway on the image. A little like a jigsaw. Its a bit of a long method and trial and error but it works. It just depends how profficient you are at PS aswell to get a decent result.

[target_practice 162]

Thanks to everyone for helping me, I would have had almost no chance of doing it properly without your advice.

Since this is my first and a relatively small map, would it work if I just used the sattelite texture from the runway on Stratis?

 

Otherwise if I have any more problems after this I'll just post them here.

[Richie 330]

You can use anything you want really, it's just an image you'll see from a distance, make sure the surface matches up for when you get close.

[spookygnu 563]

The stratis runway texture is actually stratis concrete, there are two types in arma 3. the sat image of the runway is actually just an image on the sat. Like richie said you can use anything to be your runway image, your texture would be what you lay under the runway which would be defined by your mask colour. I use, grey, 120,120,120 to give me a good representation of where i want concrete.

Just making it clear what a texture is compred to the image on the sat. Anyone else reading that might seem confused.

The tricky bit is matching up the image to the width of the actual texture. But if you look along the runways in game, the ground texture does protrude out the edge of the runway slightly, thats fine.

What you could do is colour your whole airfield yellow and define it as gravel, then in PS you could draw your area you want as concrete. Use the grey i use and map out your runway, taxiway, apron, in road to the airfield etc, all the bits you want as concrete, but leave a little at the edge to see a yellow outline.

Stick that in game and see what it's like, if it needs tweaking go back and adjust it.

You can actually use your mask to help you line up where your runway is to go. Again in photoshop put jigsaw the runway over the area you want it. If its in layers thats fine just make them as one layer by the end( just the runway images) then select edit copy. On the sat edit paste inplace. Your runway should be where you want it.

In game you should see gravel around the edges, concrete apron, taxiway and runway, then place your runway objects to suit, put it in game things should look quite decent and playable.

[target_practice 162]

I already know that the runway on the sattelite texture is just an image rather than the runway itself (which is defined by the mask), but are you saying that all I need is a blank strip of concrete and the markings from the sat texture will be applied to that of the ground texture?

 

Sorry for asking loads of questions, and perhaps picking up on the wrong things; but I want to make sure I know every detail before I start to avoid resorting to trial and error.

[spookygnu 563]

Maybe I wasn't describing that right for you to fully understand???

 

you put your blank strip of concrete down via the mask, as you already understand that. Your runway on the sat image will be like an optical illusion as you approach it. If you don't have a sat image of the runway, it will fade away as you get closer, exposing the concrete texture you applied.

 

If you want the runway to be visible as you get closer, you need the runway image lined up with where your strip is and you will have to place the runway  objects along with the taxi markings and nav lights. 

 

 

 

heres a tip for the nav lights.

 

Get one section of runway with just the edge lines and the mid-lines. 

 

I think about six edge lights in total (3 either side) should do one section, then place that in-line with an end section. 

 

Then copy/paste it in TB making sure you have all the objects selected and join it up with the first section. This will save you a tonne of time setting the edge lights and mid lights along the whole runway. 

 

 

Again refer to the presentation on setting up lights before you do this so that you have a clear idea how the edge lights, mid lights and nav lights are composed on an airfield. 

 

 

 

Here are some images of what you should be trying to achieve.

 

Here you can see the runway faded slightly behind the wipeout. this is where my runway actually starts. If you look closely you can see two sets of "22", one from the sat image and one on the runway object section, slightly offset but not really noticable when on approach. 

 

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/1457265578246328231/326E183443A8C5FCD5B9B345592E62CFD5DD71E3/?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-format=jpeg&output-quality=95&fit=inside|2048:426&composite-to=*,*|2048:426&background-color=black

 

Here you can see the texture I used for the runway and the taxiway and the apron itself. then it joins the runway objects.

 

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/1457265578246328075/5F196060756274A17BCEB5B01995900E5099BDC1/?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-format=jpeg&output-quality=95&fit=inside|2048:426&composite-to=*,*|2048:426&background-color=black

 

 

Here you can see the sat image of the airfield in the editor. Everything is placed where I want it to be and is the same in game.

 

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/1457265578246327342/B60AC144FA396CF4EAA9A905B1F9D008E0D2C811/?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-format=jpeg&output-quality=95&fit=inside|2048:426&composite-to=*,*|2048:426&background-color=black

 

Don't worry about asking questions about it, you won't know otherwise. But a lot my of my knowledge on doing this was built on asking questions too. I'm no expert myself, but as you can see, I've managed to do it. Bare this in mind though, trial and error and thinking outside the box helps alot. there is nothing wrong with getting things wrong otherwise you won't learn it. Play about with it and I'm sure you will find a way that suits your design skillset. this suits me to do it this way. I'm pretty sure most people do it a similar way. 

 

the trial and error part is more associated with tweaking how it matches up and how it looks in game. there is a lot of back and forth and there is no right first time unless you are like Bushlurker or Icebreaker who are well adversed in map making and using the tools available. They have been doing it for years. You are new to this, have patience Padwan! lol!

[target_practice 162]

That's pretty much cleared it up for me, thanks for the image examples. :)

 

Later on I might post pictures of my airfield to check with other people if it looks right to them.

[Richie 330]

My airfield http://i.imgur.com/duIXach.jpg

[spookygnu 563]

Your runway layout looks suspiciously like liverpool john lennon airport???

[Richie 330]

Your runway layout looks suspiciously like liverpool john lennon airport???

 

It's actully Ibiza Airport :) but i do see how similar it looks, good spot.

I liked the runway layout, I did fancy Malta International Airport but it was a tad too wide for the location i had in mind, perhaps my extra island will have that one but i'm a long way from there, have my main island to finish before adding new land.

[target_practice 162]

I have another question, not really related to my initial question, but I'd rather post it here than start a new thread.

I've been hearing mentions of a limit on land types which prevents you from using more than 5 within a certain area, can someone clarify this?

[Richie 330]

You're correct target_practise, you can only have 5 surfaces per tile cell size, so if you have 512 tiles then you can't exceed 5 surfaces per 512 meters + overlap.

[target_practice 162]

What is this tile cell size you refer too?

[Richie 330]

Your settings from your 'MapFrame' in the samplers tab, it's 'Satellite/Surface (mask) tiles'

You could use 256 but make sure the texture layer doesn't drop in doing so, you want it at 32-40 ideally, any less will affect performance.