Nicholas Bell

They were -40, -40 initially and the problem was there. Figured I'd set them to the actual long/lat. Seems the sun is higher and brighter as it ought to be.

#define ReadAndWrite 0 #define ReadAndCreate 1 #define ReadOnly 2 #define ReadOnlyVerified 3 class CfgPatches { class Bluefields { units[] = {}; worlds[] = {Bluefields}; requiredVersion = 0.1; }; }; class DefaultLighting; // External class reference class DefaultLighting_CA : DefaultLighting {}; class CfgWorlds { class DefaultClutter { scaleMin = 0.9; scaleMax = 1.4; }; class DefaultWorld; // External class reference class Intro : DefaultWorld {}; class Bluefields : Intro { access = 3; cutscenes[] = {"DesertIntro1"}; description = "Bluefields"; icon = ""; worldName = "\Bluefields\Bluefields.wrp"; pictureMap = ""; pictureShot = ""; plateFormat = "ML$ - #####"; plateLetters = ABCDEGHIKLMNOPRSTVXZ; longitude = -83; // positive is east latitude = -12; // positive is south class Grid //OFP style Aa00 - JJ99 { //colorGrid[]={0,0,1,1}; //colorGridMap[]={0,0,1,1}; offsetX=0; offsetY=0; class Zoom0 { zoomMax=0.2; format="XY"; formatX="Aa"; formatY="00"; stepX=256; stepY=256; }; class Zoom1 { zoomMax=1.0; format="XY"; formatX="A-"; formatY="0-"; stepX=2560; stepY=2560; }; } startTime = 11:30; startDate = 07/06/2007; startWeather = 0.1; startFog = 0.0; forecastWeather = 0.3; forecastFog = 0.0; seagullPos[] = {1272.84, 150.0, 14035}; centerPosition[] = {2500, 2500, 300}; class ReplaceObjects {}; class Sounds { sounds[] = {}; }; class Animation { vehicles[] = {}; }; class Lighting : DefaultLighting {}; clutterGrid = 1.11; clutterDist = 55; noDetailDist = 40; fullDetailDist = 5; minTreesInForestSquare = 3; minRocksInRockSquare = 4; class clutter { class GrassGeneral : DefaultClutter { model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_general.p3d"; affectedByWind = 0.3; swLighting = 1; scaleMin = 0.75; scaleMax = 1.0; }; class GrassFlowers : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_flowers.p3d"; }; class GrassLong : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_long.p3d"; affectedByWind = 0.6; scaleMin = 0.6; scaleMax = 1.1; }; class GrassSevenbeauty : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_sevenbaeuty.p3d"; affectedByWind = 0.2; scaleMin = 0.7; scaleMax = 1.1; }; class GrassYellow : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_yellow.p3d"; affectedByWind = 0.2; scaleMin = 0.7; scaleMax = 1.1; }; class GrassDesert : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\plants\clutter_grass_desert.p3d"; }; class ForestFern : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\plants\clutter_forest_fern.p3d"; affectedByWind = 0.1; scaleMin = 0.9; scaleMax = 1.1; }; class SmallRocks : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\rocks\clutter_stone_small.p3d"; affectedByWind = 0; scaleMin = 0.9; scaleMax = 1.1; }; class FlowersColor : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\plants\clutter_smetanka.p3d"; }; class FlowersWhite : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\plants\clutter_white_flower.p3d"; }; class MushroomsHorcak : GrassGeneral { model = "ca\plants\clutter_horcak.p3d"; affectedByWind = 0; scaleMin = 0.85; scaleMax = 1.25; }; class MushroomsPrasivka : MushroomsHorcak { model = "ca\plants\clutter_prasivky.p3d"; }; class MushroomsBabka : MushroomsHorcak { model = "ca\plants\clutter_babka.p3d"; }; class MushroomsMuchomurka : MushroomsHorcak { model = "ca\plants\clutter_muchomurka.p3d"; }; }; class Subdivision { class Fractal { rougness = 5; maxRoad = 0.02; maxTrack = 0.5; maxSlopeFactor = 0.05; }; class WhiteNoise { rougness = 2; maxRoad = 0.01; maxTrack = 0.05; maxSlopeFactor = 0.0025; }; minY = 0.0; minSlope = 0.02; }; class Ambient { class BigBirds { radius = 300; cost = "((1 + forest + trees) - ((2 * rain)) - houses) * (1 - night) * (1 - sea)"; class Species { class Hawk { probability = 0.2; cost = 1; }; }; }; class Birds { radius = 170; cost = "(1 - night) * ((1 + (3 * sea)) - (2 * rain))"; class Species { class Seagull { probability = 0.2; cost = 1; }; }; }; class BigInsects { radius = 20; cost = "(5 - (2 * houses)) * (1 - night) * (1 - rain) * (1 - sea) * (1 - windy)"; class Species { class DragonFly { probability = "0.6 - (meadow * 0.5) + (forest * 0.4)"; cost = 1; }; class ButterFly { probability = "0.4 + (meadow * 0.5) - (forest * 0.4)"; cost = 1; }; }; }; class BigInsectsAquatic { radius = 20; cost = "(3 * sea) * (1 - night) * (1 - rain) * (1 - windy)"; class Species { class DragonFly { probability = 1; cost = 1; }; }; }; class WindClutter { radius = 10; cost = "((20 - 5 * rain) * (3 * (windy factor [0.2, 0.5]))) * (1 - sea)"; class Species { class FxWindGrass1 { probability = "0.4 - 0.2 * hills - 0.2 * trees"; cost = 1; }; class FxWindGrass2 { probability = "0.4 - 0.2 * hills - 0.2 * trees"; cost = 1; }; class FxWindRock1 { probability = "0.4 * hills"; cost = 1; }; class FxWindLeaf1 { probability = "0.2 * trees"; cost = 1; }; class FxWindLeaf2 { probability = "0.1 * trees + 0.2"; cost = 1; }; class FxWindLeaf3 { probability = "0.1 * trees"; cost = 1; }; }; }; class NoWindClutter { radius = 15; cost = "(20 * (windy factor [0.1, 0.2])) * meadow * (1 - rain) * (1 - sea) * (1 - forest) * (1 - houses)"; class Species { class FxWindPollen1 { probability = 1; cost = 1; }; }; }; class SmallInsects { radius = 3; cost = "(12 - 8 * hills) * (1 - night) * (1 - rain) * (1 - sea) * (1 - windy)"; class Species { class HouseFly { probability = "deadBody + (1 - deadBody) * (0.5 - forest * 0.1 - meadow * 0.2)"; cost = 1; }; class HoneyBee { probability = "(1 - deadBody) * (0.5 - forest * 0.1 + meadow * 0.2)"; cost = 1; }; class Mosquito { probability = "(1 - deadBody) * (0.2 * forest)"; cost = 1; }; }; }; class NightInsects { radius = 3; cost = "(9 - 8 * hills) * night * (1 - rain) * (1 - sea) * (1 - windy)"; class Species { class Mosquito { probability = 1; cost = 1; }; }; }; }; class Names { class Veg_1 { name = ""; position[] = {2713.62, 2140.92}; type = "VegetationPalm"; radiusA = 50; radiusB = 50; }; class Veg_2 { name = ""; position[] = {2446.09, 3038.29}; type = "VegetationPalm"; radiusA = 50; radiusB = 50; }; class Veg_3 { name = ""; position[] = {2940.52, 2923.19}; type = "VegetationPalm"; radiusA = 50; radiusB = 50; }; }; }; }; class CfgWorldList { class Bluefields {}; };

No help with the dates - guess the tides are not a factor. Been doing some tedious experimenting making changes in Visitor and then checking them in game (as opposed to Bulldozer). Appears the wave wash about 2.5 meters above sea level. So I'm redoing the river and coast elevations!

Alex, your La Samula Island images look terrific. As one who is currently struggling with Vistor 3, I look forward to your new tools!

I avoided having to hex edit the rvmats in the layers folder by saving them as text as when I imported the mask and satellite images. Everything checked out okay, ie paths. Redoing the import and saving the rvmats as binary, creating the wrp file and then making the PBO did not work. The map did not show up in the editor. Through about a week of frustration I "fixed" the problem by *not* saving the rvmats as binary when importing. Now my map is useable in game. Go figure - I "know" it's not the right way to do it...right? In 25 years of computer gaming I'm not sure I've ever been as seduced or frustrated by map making with these "tools"

What stage of the project are you? Do you mean you are having problems creating the PBO file?

Excellent, realistic mountains. Very nice indeed.

"Note: You can open created PNG size up to 40960x40960px in Photoshop CS and higher." Stumbled on this on the Biki: Making Satellite Texture and Mask

The Pathname in Options is: p:\bluefields This matches the Addon Source directory. Thanks for your interest in assisting!

When I use BinPBO PE to pack the island I am working on, it appears to function (indicates it is packing P3D files) and creates a large 40 mb PBO. But of course the island it doesn't work or I wouldn't be bothering everyone. The log BinPBO creates lists multiple entries of the following error: C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\Tools\BinMake\CfgConvertFileChng\CfgConvertFileChng.exe returned error 1 Can anyone explain error 1 so I can find out what I am doing wrong? Thanks!

When importing the satellite image it gets chopped up into tiles sized according to your Terrain Grid Size, as set in Parameters. In your very helpful tutorial you used 512 x 512. The sat image needs to be in multiples of this size. So maybe sizing it to 29,696 would work (?). Sorry I can't help you with the PNG size limitation. Just thinking out loud, I thought you mentioned you were using Photoshop elements. Maybe the full blown version would allow this?

In really simply terms the mask is a .png image with areas of colors which tell the program what terrain image to overlay on the map. The colors and the terrain image type are linked in the cfg file. The satellite image .png file, the mask .png file have to match in size and terrain. For example, if you define an area on the map to be sandy terrain, you wouldn't want to the satellite image of that same area to look like forest. Obviously you would want any coastline to match too. These two images are layered over the 3D map you see in Bulldozer, so they need to line up there too.

I'm creating a map using a topographic map of the actual terrain (Bluefields, Nicaragua) and thanks to what I've read in this forum I've managed to get to the point where I'm importing the terrain layers. Because this is a difficult learning process, I've simply covered the entire map with a single terrain for the Mask, and used the scanned image of the topo map as the satellite image, to see if I can get it to work. What I get is the satellite image overlaying the terrain: If I get real close to ground level, the texture does show up: Any pointers to what I might be doing wrong would be appreciated. On the plus side this is helping me fix the height map which lost some fidelity when I was smoothing out the terrain. Pretty easy to fix the coastline and creek using Bulldozer: I am amazed at the skill and determination of those who have actually completed maps. This is is difficult stuff.

Thanks - I understand completely. I had no idea that the sat map image was used for actual in game rendering. Thought it was simply used as an option when checking the map (M key) while playing. Much to learn...

Not sure I understand the problem - you may need to adjust the height of the terrain between the islands. Or adjust the sea level height, that is, lower it. I am working on a coastline and had similar issues. In the PBL file try adjusting the minHeight and re-import your height map.

Really, you have to do what's best for you. Beggars like myself don't much have a right to say much. Mission orientated works for me however, since you asked. Regarding Raptor's comments on missions, I'd like to think that there are more people out there like myself who do enjoy throwing missions together for one's own enjoyment - offline. I do appreciate and enjoy these kind of major mods and do use them. That doesn't mean you'll be seeing my missions posted though. I have neither the time nor talent to create intros and outros, and don't much care for writing briefings, etc, ie the stuff that makes a respectable mission. One doesn't see bare bones missions like I enjoy making and playing for download. I do agree with Raptor on the fact that you have undertake this kind of work for your own enjoyment, without expectation of much in return. (And FWIW, the very same discussions occur now in the flight sim community and have since when in ancient times (mid '90s) I was quite active creating mods - what we quaintly called "hacking" back then )

Maddmatt- I'm not only to ask for anything Just want to express my thanks for your time and effort in making ArmA so much more realistic. Do you take donations?

No problems at all - looks great. Just added the WP insurgents. You must of spent a lot of time on setting it up! Unfortunately, it's too much for my system though as the FPS dropped to 1 (running a P4, 3.6 MHz , 2 Gb RAM with Nvidia 7950 GT 512 Mb). This large beautiful map is crying out for a big company level combined arms scenario. Not going to happen on my box Have you tried using Kronzky's Urban Patrol Script? I'm no expert but managed to get it to work. I only bring this up because it would lower your work load in placing all those civilian people and cars in the future. No need to set waypoints.

Rejornorst- I want to add my praise for your excellent campaign. I really enjoyed it, even though I "missed" the fourth mission (see below). In addition to the immersive nature of your campaign, I really want to say that you got the difficulty level "just right" for me. I acknowledge that I am simply not that good, so restarts and saves are the norm for me. But I have a limit, which far too many missions and campaigns exceed. More than 3 or 4 tries I get frustrated - the mission is obviously more of a puzzle than I care for. This did not occur, and even though did have to replay or save the missions 2 or 3 times, I always wanted to get back into it. I really appreciate being "small cog" rather than a one-man army. Heck of a lot more realistic IMO. And the fact that the AI was able to handle and complete missions despite its limitations is a fine testament to your mission making and balancing. The missions have good replayability, which is nice given my lack of ability! In the first mission, on the third try I finally got into the town and just as I was to "finish the job" - some one else did it for me! I kind of felt cheated (stupid me) and went back to see who did it. Well, it never happened again the 4 attempts needed for me to complete the mission. I missed most of the 4th mission...somehow. I followed the squad leader until we reached what must have been the start line. But nothing happened. The secondary was captured by other AI forces. And then we all sat and did nothing - for over an hour. I finally walked forward to the objective, into both towns, the world to myself. I finally went back to my squad and accelerated the time and another 2 hours went past. Then...as I was out of the room the mission started and the AI completed it without me! Obviously I must have missed a trigger somehow... Or perhaps an intermittent bug of some sorts. Maybe some interference by all the mods I have tacked on (?). Anyway, I can go back and enjoy that one later - I was too eager to try the final mission given all the good comments on it earlier. I agree, it was good. Again - job well done!

Nice! My bad eyes thank you!

Wow - great idea! Looking forward to trying it tonight. So we can finally really hide in the bushes!