[Question] Creating Angled Text on Map

[froggyluv 2135]

 

 Id like to create street names and accompanying audio to maps yet have no idea how to angle the text of markers accordingly. As far as i can tell setMarkerDir only angles the marker itself, not the text

[HazJ 1289]

I don't think this is possible using createMarker or drawIcon. As you said, the angle only affects the icon. I quickly threw this together (it is rough and very basic) but I don't think it is good way or an ideal solution so didn't put too much effort into.

Haz_fnc_createVerticalMarker =
{
	params ["_name", "_position", "_offsetY", "_text", "_size", "_direction", "_shape", "_type", "_brush", "_colour", "_alpha"];
	_slicedLetters = toArray _text;
	{
		_mkr = createMarker [format ["%1_%2", _name, (_forEachIndex + 1)], _position];
		_position = getMarkerPos _mkr;
		_position set [1, (_position select 1) - _offsetY];
		_mkr setMarkerText toString ([(_slicedLetters select _forEachIndex)]);
		_mkr setMarkerSize [(_size select 0), (_size select 1)];
		_mkr setMarkerDir _direction;
		_mkr setMarkerShape _shape;
		_mkr setMarkerType _type;
		_mkr setMarkerBrush _brush;
		_mkr setMarkerColor _colour;
		_mkr setMarkerAlpha _alpha;
	} forEach _slicedLetters;
};

["testMkr", position player, 5, "THE SKY IS YELLOW", [0, 0], 0, "ICON", "mil_box", "SOLID", "ColorYellow", 1] spawn Haz_fnc_createVerticalMarker;

[Larrow 2820]

If you know what the names are before hand and not doing this on the fly your most likely better of creating images and either create as ui pictures as these can be rotated by ctrlSetAngle, or as markers.

[froggyluv 2135]

Yeah I was just looking for an easy *coughs lazier* way thinking maybe there was a simple command I just didnt know about

[HazJ 1289]

Think I misunderstood what you were after, lol. Just a bit?

[froggyluv 2135]

appreciate the effort tho hazJ. yeah trying to give the maps more of a personal feel with street names that Hq actually calls out "We have skinnies on Market street!" kinda deal. Getting the letters to line up with the roads in a legible way like an actual street map is probably more trouble than its worth

[pierremgi 4851]

If you're not entrenched with the rotation of the text, you can add some locations on specific coordinates, then play with the different fonts along with their types.

Not too much styles in Arma 3 but all of them are fine for districts or streets.

 

[Harzach 2517]

If this is for military-style/MILSIM ops, it is more common for local roads to be given themed codenames - easier to remember and is OPSEC 101. Phase lines, too, if it's that sort of scenario.

 

"Large groups of military-aged males converging on the intersection of Route BULLDOG and Phase Line ALPHA. We need to cordon off Phase Line ALPHA between Routes TERRIER and BLOODHOUND if we are going to keep this under control." 

[froggyluv 2135]

59 minutes ago, Harzach said:

If this is for military-style/MILSIM ops, it is more common for local roads to be given themed codenames - easier to remember and is OPSEC 101. Phase lines, too, if it's that sort of scenario.

 

"Large groups of military-aged males converging on the intersection of Route BULLDOG and Phase Line ALPHA. We need to cordon off Phase Line ALPHA between Routes TERRIER and BLOODHOUND if we are going to keep this under control." 

 

Very interesting, never knew this - any links to more information on proper lingo here?

[HazJ 1289]

I am even more confused... @froggyluv Are you just after wording for street names, etc or? After reading the post again I assume you want something like below but on actual roads following the segment of where it is placed?

Small, narrow and scaled to map zoom? (kept to one side of the road)

No easy way in-game (hence why I just added this in PS) of doing this. May be possible but a huge pain and a ton of work for nothing really.

[Harzach 2517]

7 hours ago, froggyluv said:

 

Very interesting, never knew this - any links to more information on proper lingo here?

 

I can't cite any official doctrine, but I have read many books on US involvement overseas, mainly Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Any book about the Marines going into Fallujah will have examples of this. As for what is "proper lingo", it's common (among US Forces, anyway) to follow themes. IIRC, the second battle of Fallujah saw the Marines naming main roads after brands of cigarettes. But you could use anything, really - names of candy bars, Roman gods, cities in your country, etc.

 

Phase lines have more to do with the current and projected stages (or phases) of an operation. For example, the current limit of advance of your forces might be PL Alpha (defined by a major road or terrain feature), but your plan is to move the LOA up to PL BRAVO by the end of the day.

This is all tangential to your original question, though.

[johnnyboy 3791]

15 hours ago, HazJ said:

Small, narrow and scaled to map zoom?

yeah, scaling the text could definitely be an issue.  If its a defined scenario in a specific town you could screenshot a zoomed in map of town, and add in the street names with an image editor.  Then add an option to do show street map.   Probably not worth it, and impossible for dynamic "any town" scenarios.