Map Plus v1.0 (No Satellite Texture, Added Ruler, Compass, Line Drawing)

[noubernou 77]

This addon does a few things to the map:

1. Removes satellite texture from any zoom level.
   
2. Changes the color of the contour lines and hill numbers to make them more readable.
   
3. Made forests more washed out and slightly dimmed the background color to be easier on the eyes.
   
4. Adds in a ruler that you can draw on the screen.
   
5. Adds in a compass that you can more easily use to align the above ruler.
   
6. Adds in basic tools to draw lines.
   

Map Images:

These features do a few things. First off they allow easier reading of the map at close zoom, including determining the rise and fall of the land. It is now easier to also determine altitude, before the satellite texture would obscure the hill numbers and a lot of the contour lines would be lost in the textures as well. The forests could also obscure the contour lines so they have been made a little more washed out to provide better readability. The ruler tools allow you to do a number of LANDNAV type things, including the most important, resection. This was possible before but a bit more painful. Combining the ruler, compass and line drawing tools you can more easily triangulate your position. I also use the ruler and compass to plot polar fire missions as well as guage distance to targets while doing forward observation.

To use the tools:

Ruler:

1. Hold the H key down and click on the map. A red dot will appear. This is the origin of the ruler.
   
2. Hold the J key down and click at an angle off of the red dot. A ruler will be drawn stretching in that angle.
   
3. The 0 point shows the angle in degrees and both Mil 6400 and Mil 6000.
   
4. To redraw the compass you move it by using the H key again, repeating steps 1 and 2.
   
5. To just redraw at another angle use the J key and click again someplace else and it will draw at that angle.
   
6. There is no way to completely clear the compass, just repeat step 1 to place the origin point out of the way.
   

Compass:

1. Hold the K key and click.
   
2. The inner compass rose is in in degrees, the outer one is in Mil 6400
   
3. To clear the compass hold L and click on the map.
   

Line tool:

1. Hold the [ key and click. A black dot will appear. This is the start of your line.
   
2. To change color, do not move the mouse and click again, each successive click will switch colors, clicking to fast will place a marker.
   
3. To complete the line hold the ] key and click where you want to end it.
   
4. To clear a line hold the \ key and click on the map, it will continue to delete lines from the newest to the oldest.
   

If you have any problems with this, mainly the clicks not responding, make sure the map is in focus by clicking around a few times in it.

Issues:

1. A non game affecting error will occur if you reverse steps 1 and 2 from the ruler script. Same goes for if you do step 2 before 1 the first time you do a line. This is only visible if you have errors turned on in the game.
   
2. Key event handlers are not international specific, I do not know anyone that can help me test those very well, but I have had a Dutch and Polish player use them with out issue.
   
3. The event handlers themselves, probably could be done a different way. They might interfer with other map addons in the future.
   

Thanks:

• Zedic from the 7th Cav for doing the LANDNAV course and showing me how to actually use the ArmA2 contour lines and showing that yes, it sucks reading them as it is.
  
• Desdinova, also from the 7th Cav for beta testing for me.
  
• Everyone in my Field Artillery Platoon who helped me test the ruler and compass script over the past couple of months. You guys rock.

Download:

Map Plus v1.0 (Please Mirror)

Install:

Install as any other addon.

Edited November 25, 2009 by NouberNou

[messiahua 0]

Awesome, can't wait to try it out! Thanks a lot!

[Chrisgs 10]

Could be very useful, thanks.

[Mr_Harding 1]

Cool, it is really something new. Will be quite useful for serious coops.

[Inkompetent 0]

Was thinking... is there any way to transmit the lines made with the line tool to other players? Could be a quite handy feature.

Thanks a lot for this! Improved map readability and a ruler tool. Yummm!

[manzilla 1]

The event handlers themselves, probably could be done a different way. They might interfer with other map addons in the future.

Has anyone noticed any conflicts or issues when using this? The above statement kinda freaks me out as far as conflicts go. I haven't had time to check this out but it looks fantastic. I'll probably give it a go later when I have time but until then if anyone notices any conflicts with other content I'm curious to know what they are.

Thanks NouberNou!

[mattxr 9]

Awesome.

[-GCA- Salah ad Din 10]

Was thinking... is there any way to transmit the lines made with the line tool to other players? Could be a quite handy feature.

Thanks a lot for this! Improved map readability and a ruler tool. Yummm!

Nice one.

And yeah, having other people see the lines would be awesome.

1. Hold the [ key and click. A black dot will appear. This is the start of your line.

2. To change color, do not move the mouse and click again, each successive click will switch colors, clicking to fast will place a marker.

3. To complete the line hold the ] key and click where you want to end it.

4. To clear a line hold the \ key and click on the map, it will continue to delete lines from the newest to the oldest.

What country keyboard layout do you use?

Are those the keys to the left of the BACKSPACE key? Because on German keyboards, the [ ] and \ keys are ALT GR options (third option for a key) on "8", "9" and "ß" keys.

Edited November 25, 2009 by [GCA] Salah ad Din

[Nazul 10]

Interesting addon. Thanks.

One of my pet hates with Arma2 is the map and how the hill/mountain heights are displayed on top of the hill/mountain name. It really bugs me. Its very hard to read heights and names without zooming all the way in.

Are you able to do something about that?

Thanks

I had to laugh at the map that was in OFP DR, it was so pathetic. Arma2 map really is amazing and realistic in comparison.

[alef 0]

Nice! I never liked the default arma2 map, very hard to read. I'll give this addon a try.

Thank for the work.

[=silver= 0]

The "Keys" folder in archive is empty. Where should we get the server key?..

[Ebden 10]

The "Keys" folder in archive is empty. Where should we get the server key?..

I second the above post.

[dmarkwick 261]

Niiiice addon :) kind of reminds me of some of the Silent Hunter 3 addons that add in new & improved map tools, and they certainly changed the game quality for the better.

[An Fiach 10]

Love the circular protractor. Please fix the missing keys and address some of the other concerns here, may even talk to the ACE guys about including this.

[TRexian 0]

Indeed - I love this kind of mod that introduces better realism and practicality. :)

[Franklin 0]

LOVE IT!!! this is a huge help to all the realism gamers!

i agree that being able to transmit the lines to other players would be nice, but i dont know how difficult that is to do.

now all we need is a grid protractor!

[noubernou 77]

The "Keys" folder in archive is empty. Where should we get the server key?..

Whoops, sorry about that! Re-uploaded with the server key.

Here is a direct link to it as well: http://raceriv.com/arma2/noubernou.bikey

As for the event handlers, it goes by keycode, what is passed as an argument when the event is raised.

The only solution I can think of is to include a user config ability and let the user choose which key codes to look for.

Transmitting to others the lines would be wonderful, it'd be incredibly easy to if there was a way to tell the createMarker commands what channel they should be broadcast in, like you do when you do that in the game. I assume though that is functionality not in the game engine though, maybe that has to be done via script? It is definitely something I am looking to add in the future.

I am also thinking about writing a simple 6 to 8 digit grid converter. There is a technical/military slang word for that I believe but I can not remember it off the top of my head.

Thanks for your comments so far though!

Edited November 25, 2009 by NouberNou

[manzilla 1]

Could this use XEH?(in CBA) If so you may want to look at incorporating it. It could help prevent any future conflicts that the EH's you use in this and other user made stuff that uses XEH. I'm not sure if it would be necessary with this though.

Damn this is a great AddOn. Well done sir.

[=silver= 0]

Whoops, sorry about that! Re-uploaded with the server key.

Here is a direct link to it as well: http://raceriv.com/arma2/noubernou.bikey

Thank you! :cheers:

[oldbear 390]

New and mirror on Armed Assault.info

Link to mirror :

Map Plus (v 1.0)

[Zomba 10]

Excellent mod. I use it for Artillery and CAS control and it provides a more straight forward way to very accurately target both.

[TOTAL22 0]

Cool!

I hope ACE2 will include this mod in their package as well :)

[noubernou 77]

Excellent mod. I use it for Artillery and CAS control and it provides a more straight forward way to very accurately target both.

Yea I never thought about how useful it could be for CAS coupled with the GPS mini-map.

Just lay down your attack vector and fly along it and know how many meters past 0 point is the target. Interesting ideas...

[Zomba 10]

Yea I never thought about how useful it could be for CAS coupled with the GPS mini-map.

Just lay down your attack vector and fly along it and know how many meters past 0 point is the target. Interesting ideas...

I tend not to use GPS or have player automarked on map, so I use your lines to triangulate my position and then use laser ranger finder and compass on the target. Then use your tools to translate that to the map and place a map marker on the worked out position for the targeting. The pilot then just has to ID the marker, a little bit more chatter on nature of target, weapons to use, vector and that is it. It requires a bit of work to fix your datum and guide the pilot in, but it should be that way and it makes it more fun.

[gunterlund21 10]

This is a great mod!!