Satellite mask image creation

[Snake Man 407]

Creating satellite MASK image out of satellite texture.

I have searched BIS wiki and forums several times now, didn't find any specific information about this.

I'm having great difficulties operating Photoshop to create mask out of the sat texture, I've followed Opteryx's instructions and that one tutorial in the wide image (dunno who made it?), yet I cannot get it to look right, specific problem is that I still end up with hundreds of different colors splattered across the image making it unusable as mask.

We can of course always use freehand to paint the mask, but anyone ever done such thing understands it's a huge ordeal and very precise tedious work. My problem is that I have currently close to twenty (20) terrains which would require this... :(

Here is my example images, freehand made.

<links removed>

As you can see, I'm about half way done, still few smaller terrain types to paint (not to mention roads and urban areas).

Does anyone have any suggestions how can I create satellite mask quickly/easily or somehow automated way from the satellite texture?

Any help would be oh so much appreciated.

Edited February 26, 2011 by W0lle

[Alliexx 10]

Check this out:

ftp://ftp.fraghaus.com/arma/satpics/VisitorRC3Tutorialprt5.pdf

Later,

Alphons

[Snake Man 407]

Thanks Alliexx, but I can do all that stuff found in your tutorial, it is not covering the problem I'm having.

What I need is good photoshop (or other) tips how to convert my sat_lco -> mask_lco :)

[memphisbelle 99]

Does anyone have any suggestions how can I create satellite mask quickly/easily or somehow automated way from the satellite texture?

The basic question is how much time do you have for all of those maps and are these your own maps or are you painting for any other guys?

And I think a further interesting question is why you made so much maps simultaneous, why not finishing one map before starting with the next one?

What I need is good photoshop (or other) tips how to convert my sat_lco -> mask_lco :)

There is no way to morph the sat image to a respective mask one. Thats why the pattern of the sat mask would cause thousands of different colors which takes me back to my question above...

Edited September 1, 2009 by MemphisBelle

[Alliexx 10]

Hi,

You can make your mask picture from your satellite picture.

Its not that hard, just use the MAGIC WAND tool in any photo proggie.

So take your SAT_lco picture and open it in photoshop, create new layer, i always use 1 "texture" as background, for me that is SAND, and my sand color is Yellow (255.255.0), so my first layer is ALL yellow.

Then create a new layer and use the magic wand tool on your background picture(sat_lco) select some color and see what the magic wand will select for you( you can change setting for magic wand %), when you are happy what the magic wand tool selected, you copy that selection to your new layer.

See my manual, its all in there.

Later,

Allie

[plumose 219 0]

get your sat picture & your mask up in photoshop,drag your sat pic in to your mask,u should have to layers,then on your sat, lower the opacity till u see the mask,then on your mask pick the colour u want by using maggic wand,tolerance at 20 or 30,go small values for small bits,this picks out the colour,theres so many ways ,uhave to go to youtube for some ideas,ive had 8 years experiance with ps,so it takes time.

Edited September 1, 2009 by plumose 219

[dmarkwick 261]

What I do, is to place guide lines representing the sectors, then I can more accurately make sure that no more than 4 colours exist within each sector.

Also, I use layers too, each layer has a 50% opacity, so where they overlap I get a new colour. For example where a forest butts up against a field, I can slightly overlap those and get another mask colour, where I can then place different clutter. Except for certain layers that is, where I do NOT wish to have overlaps, like riverbeds & road s etc. It sounds complicated, but combined with the sector guide lines I can get a nice mask image.

[Snake Man 407]

Alliexx, plumose 219 and DMarkwick thanks for your helpful replies, I'll try those methods to see if I can improve my MASK creation.

Do anyone know why I can't seem to get the first post linked Opteryx's "saturation" guide to work?

[plumose 219 0]

try this,

open m&s, click on background where my black arrow is & click ok,do this to both layers.

Then drag m to s ,go to view & select

snap,this will snap your m to your s,

then go to opacity & adjust to your liking, now u can play with your mask to your sat.

hope this helps for now :) let me know if you want more info bud.

Edited September 2, 2009 by plumose 219

[Snake Man 407]

plumose 219, I really appreciate your instructions with the screenshots and all... but I already have my PSB file with layers:

OFP - Textures

Satellite Texture

Satellite Mask

The ofp-textures is for my reference which I need to follow when creating the sat texture, the other two are obvious. I have now freehand painted the mask using the ofp textures invisible, sat texture about 80% opacity and then sat mask selected and stuff painted there according to texture with appropriate RGB values. If I'm correct, your instructions are pretty much focused in the same.

Still working on the new method though, I do not want to give up yet ;)

Oh one more thing, if we are forced to use freehand method... then we absolutely must finalize the sat texture first before even starting the mask because... any changes to the texture regarding terrain type outlines would mean the mask go haywire. This is especially why I'd want to have some automated way of creating the mask.

Not to mention it is absolutely horrible to get the texture + mask to fit precisely when doing it by freehand.

[[aps]gnat 28]

Might be a lot simpler (im using PSP7, I'm sure other good programs have this)

With Sat map

- Effects->Edge->DILATE

- Do Dilate several times until resoluton of the "smudges" are not too big, not too small

- Colors->Decrease Color Depth->X Colours (change to max number of colors yuo want (like 6))

- Now use COLOR REPLACER to change the dilated color to a color youre using in Layer definition.

You'll probably have to experiment with the number of dilates.

Also try throwing a couple of "Blurs" in there.

[Alliexx 10]

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/1205/99685574.jpg

And now i will be busy for the next couple weeks just to create the mask and sat picture.

All freehand.

Its just time you need

Later,

Allie

[Snake Man 407]

[APS]Gnat thanks for the PSP tips, I'll see if similar commands can be found on PS (dilate is new to me).

Alliexx, well to me freehand method is not really an option. Also by looking BIS mask images, they just look like made with some automated way, not by freehand. There is so much single pixels used that I cannot imagine BIS terrain team guys doing them freehand.

Anyways.

So far I had to redo my mask because of BinPBO / registry failure deleted my original, now I used the magic wand in PS to select the edges of terrain types and to copy them into their own layers. Then I tried my best to use the Opteryx's method of saturate, contrast and color replacer, which still doesn't work that well but its step in the right direction. Usually I ended up just freehand fix all the "loose pixels" in there.

This method of course is limited, because we either have to completely finalize the texture first and then proceed of doing mask, or any changes to the texture means another rework of the mask (depending on the level of edits in the texture).

[cross 1]

I use GIMP->Posterize you can select the number of colors and it reduces the pic to that no of colors. You can then fine tune it by color filling or touching.

I think PS also has that feature that you can use.

Image>adjustment>Posterize -> Select level.

Edited October 20, 2009 by Cross

[Snake Man 407]

crawler75, thank you very much for that tip, it is excellent and pretty much just what I wanted. Thank You!