Understanding 6 digit map coordinates for dummies help?

[jblackrupert 14]

Is there a simple easy to understand for dummies guide

to learning how to find your position on the map

and be able to know where someone else is when they shout

out the 6 digit cooordinates?

Yes I've searched the forum and tried looking it up online

but all I could find was a manuals that were way too complex

to follow for the layman.

Edit: With pictures if possible to plz.. haha

This isn't only for me but other people I know who are making the switch over from BF2 and BF2142.

Kinda spoiled by the minimaps in Battlefield all these years and we're hoping to learn without being beaten over the head with a encyclopedia sized manual.

thanks.

Edited July 31, 2009 by jblackrupert

[Simon C 0]

The first 3 digits are the ones on the top/bottom of your map. If you zoom out, you only get the first 2 digits of each 3 digit part, but zooming in gives you all 3. The second 3 digits are down the sides. Always across the bottom, then up the sides. :)

[django333 10]

You can then use the number pad to give a general position within that quadrant. For instance 034193-7 would mean you are in the NW portion of the quadrant.

[interox 10]

Map grid pattern

Across the top 1st then down the side.

123456

6

5

4

3

2

1-----X

GRID 0601

THEN YOU DIVIDE THAT GRID INTO 10X10 TO GET YOUR THIRD DIGIT

Bottom left corner of grid 0601 would be 061011

middle of the grid would be 065015

[Lauxman 10]

http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/Prep_For_Basic_Training/Prep_for_basic_land_navigation/determine-the-grid-coordi.shtml

I've found it easier to determine positions on a map during Land Navigation in real life than in ArmA 2...

[OstiasMoscas 10]

It's not that hard actually, although as I've now been told, a bit different than in real life.

I usually work with maps that are 1:50 000 in scale.

That means that 1 cm on the map is equal to 500 m in the terrain, and each grid is 2x2 centimetres

or 1 kilometer x 1 kilometer in real life.

Just some basic info before I start:

4 digit grid = 1km x 1km square

6 digit grid = 100m x 100m square

8 digit grid = 10m x 10m square

10 digit grid = 1m x 1m square

If you for example would have to find the following grid in Arma 2; 624 236, the first thing you have to do is to find grid 62 23.

Which is easy enough, all you have to do is to look at the bottom/top of your map and find the number 62,

then you have to look at the left/right of your map and find the number 23. You should be able to find grid 62 23 pretty easily in this pic:

As you can see, it's where the lines from 62 and 23 meet. So grid 62 23 is the square covering "Kyrkja".

Finding a 4 digit grid is pretty easy, so lets try and find that 6 digit grid.

Now, 62 23 is a kilometre by kilometre grid, we need to find a 6 digit grid. This means that we have to find a point inside a 100m x 100m square.

So we have to divide grid 62 23 into smaller grids. A 1km x 1km square = 2x2 cm on the map, which means that a 100m x 100m square = 2mm

on the map (1km/10 = 100m, and 2cm/10 = 2mm). This means that we have to draw 10 vertical lines with 2 mm spacing

and 10 horizontal lines with 2mm spacing. We're basically creating a smaller map inside the 62 23 grid.

Out in the field you can either use a measuring ruler to divide the grid accurately or imagine the grid

(which of course is not as accurate, but it's faster). The final "product" would look something like this:

Here I've drawn 10 vertical and 10 horizontal lines, now all that needs to be done is to find (62)4 and (23)6,

so we count the 4th vertical line from the left, and then the 6th horizontal line counting from the top and down,

then we see where 4 and 6 cross (marked in red). That red cross is grid reference 624 236,

which is the top of the mountain Kyrkja (black "x" on the original pic).

Congrats you have now found a 6 digit grid.

Now look forward to finding 8 digit grids (10m x 10m) 10 digit grids (1m X 1m) :P

Edited August 1, 2009 by OstiasMoscas

[galzohar 31]

I dunno about RL being easier... I've both navigated IRL in the army and navigated in Arma 2 playing missions with no GPS on expert, and the only thing that can make Arma 2 navigation harder is that you don't sit to learn the map like you do IRL before you go navigate. Other than that, it seems pretty much the same. Then again where I was navigating in the army the hills/valleys were much more high/low than in Arma 2 which made navigating easier, but that has nothing to do with navigation capabilities but rather with the actual terrain (it's generally well agreed on that it is harder to navigate in "flatter" terrains).

[BeardPI 10]

Map grid pattern

Across the top 1st then down the side.

123456

6

5

4

3

2

1-----X

GRID 0601

THEN YOU DIVIDE THAT GRID INTO 10X10 TO GET YOUR THIRD DIGIT

Bottom left corner of grid 0601 would be 061011

middle of the grid would be 065015

That's right except in arma the Y coordinates go from top to bottom, instead of bottom to top...

123456

2

3

4

5

6-----X

[Lauxman 10]

I dunno about RL being easier... I've both navigated IRL in the army and navigated in Arma 2 playing missions with no GPS on expert, and the only thing that can make Arma 2 navigation harder is that you don't sit to learn the map like you do IRL before you go navigate. Other than that, it seems pretty much the same. Then again where I was navigating in the army the hills/valleys were much more high/low than in Arma 2 which made navigating easier, but that has nothing to do with navigation capabilities but rather with the actual terrain (it's generally well agreed on that it is harder to navigate in "flatter" terrains).

I just prefer to have a map in my hands and be able to freehand make my own marks and notations. A little more interactive than ArmA2's map on the higher difficulties.

[Apocal 10]

I just prefer to have a map in my hands and be able to freehand make my own marks and notations. A little more interactive than ArmA2's map on the higher difficulties.

Which setting does not allow you to put marks down?

At any rate, I just use the "right down your throat" mnemonic to remember how to read the map in ArmA2. Slightly disappointed that they got the northings upside down, but hopefully ACE will fix that.

Edited August 1, 2009 by Apocal

[Lauxman 10]

Which setting does not allow you to put marks down?

At any rate, I just use the "right down your throat" mnemonic to remember how to read the map in ArmA2. Slightly disappointed that they got the northings upside down, but hopefully ACE will fix that.

I just dislike having to double-click and type as opposed to making pencil marks.

Then again, I'm a little bit more antsy in ArmA when I'm reading a map because I am blinded and can be shot.

[NeMeSiS 11]

I find reading maps in ArmA2 easier because every single building is on the map, and the roads are very precise on the map compared to most real maps were you cant see the exact angle of the road of the exact position place where you are. Real life maps dont show small curves and bumps of the roads.

Or individual bushes. :p

[galzohar 31]

Well tbh my RL background comes from learning the track in advance and then going through all of it without looking at the map at all (you still carry the map for total emergencies, but using it counts as a straight-out failure). That's the main thing that makes RL navigation easier for me - I actually spend ample time to learn the map/track beforehand, something I don't have time/patience to do for an Arma 2 mission, so I look at the map repeatedly during the mission to compensate, so it's not really harder in Arma 2, you just do stuff during the mission that you should've done before the mission.

All difficulties allow placing map markers, but expert won't show you anyone's location on the map (including your own) unless it was scripted in.

[PuFu 4600]

ALWAYS read the map coordinates: Bottom to UP, Left to right (or in other words, Horizontal digits, then Vertical ones)

1km sq - 4 digit map

100m sq - 6 digit map

Always use the compass as well as binoculars. I am not really sure how many ArmA players can read distances with those 2 tools, on the map, and in game screen though...

PS: images courtesy to Jones, CF ArmA2

[KJT 0]

ALWAYS read the map coordinates: Bottom to UP, Left to right (or in other words, Horizontal digits, then Vertical ones)

You meant to say: first left to right, then top to bottom (as origin is at the top left corner).

-KJT-

[ACF 0]

It's curious that the ArmA2 map has its origin at top left when real-world maps have the origin bottom left. I can't honestly remember which way the letters/numbers ran in OFP & ArmA1. I wonder if VBS conforms to the real world?

Anyway, here's a simple mnemonic for ArmA2 grid references:

ABCD - Across Before Coming Down

[jblackrupert 14]

Even with the pictures it still makes my head hurt

I'll stick to the simple dificullty levels for awhile and go from there.

Arma II is still a welcome break from the bunnyhopping , nade spamming craziness

of standard FPS games.

Can anyone suggest any North American servers that are good for new people to Arma?

Thanks again

[Apocal 10]

ALWAYS read the map coordinates: Bottom to UP, Left to right (or in other words, Horizontal digits, then Vertical ones)

Notice that the northings are counting top to bottom, even in your pic.

[OstiasMoscas 10]

Okay, let me try to explain it a bit easier:

624 234

62 and 23 reffers to a grid that is 1km by 1km

You have find the last two digits inside that kilometer square.

So you divide the kilometer square into 10 vertical and 10 horizontal lines. Because 6 digits = 100m x 100m square.

These can either be drawn or imagined (to draw them is more accurate obviously). That way you can find every grid reference from 620 230 to 629 239.

Just count the vertical lines (from left to right) to find the third number in 62 and the horizontal lines (from top to bottom) to find the third number in 23.

Edited August 1, 2009 by OstiasMoscas

[Espectro (DayZ) 0]

Just read it like you read a coordination system in math ;)

[Apocal 10]

Just count the vertical lines (from left to right) to find the third number in 62 and the horizontal lines (from bottom to top) to find the third number in 23.

Using your method, the mechanized infantry symbol pictured above is at position 066078. Roughly, because I'm just going off-hand.

Yet I zoom in and see this:

Looks like 066071. In real life, you'd be right, but ArmA counts northings (horiztonal numbers) from top (0) to bottom (9).

Edited August 1, 2009 by Apocal

[OstiasMoscas 10]

*snip*

Using your method, the mechanized infantry symbol pictured above is at position 066078. Roughly, because I'm just going off-hand.

Yet I zoom in and see this:

*snip*

Looks like 066071. In real life, you'd be right, but ArmA counts northings (horiztonal numbers) from top (0) to bottom (9).

Well, seeing as I haven't gotten my copy yet, I didn't know that :p

But it's still basically the same, just count from top to bottom instead :D

Edited August 1, 2009 by OstiasMoscas

[Apocal 10]

Well, seeing as I haven't gotten my copy yet, I didn't know that :p

OK. It was the same in ArmA1 (stock and ACE). Only place that got it right, that I've seen, was WGL in later OFP days.

But it's still basically he same, just count from top to bottom instead :D

More or less, it's just I keep seeing it repeated by people who do have the game. Which makes me wonder if they actually understand what going on with the in-game map and just can't break the habit or are they just repeating what other people say or something they've read out of a field manual...

[OstiasMoscas 10]

OK. It was the same in ArmA1 (stock and ACE). Only place that got it right, that I've seen, was WGL in later OFP days.

More or less, it's just I keep seeing it repeated by people who do have the game. Which makes me wonder if they actually understand what going on with the in-game map and just can't break the habit or are they just repeating what other people say or something they've read out of a field manual...

I've only played OFP and the addons, and back then I couldn't find coordinates on a map if my life counted on it.

I can definitely see how that could get irritating after a while.

I've updated my previous posts now, thanks for the heads up

[galzohar 31]

This is the best I could find to explain why the numbers in Arma 2 aren't really the opposite of real life... They're just opposite to places like Northern America. If you're in, say, Australia, then the map coordinates in Arma 2 are just fine. I think there even was a thread discussing where Chernarus is in real world.