BS Builder Texture Maps - Screenshots

[TonyE]

After a 15-hour struggle (grr!) I managed to get the BS Builder sticking the textured maps into the battleset file and the game reading them out and using them.

The first screenshot is mine (textured land on, textured water off), the second is Rene's nice work of modifying the textured image to give a more playable map in terms of seeing groups on it.

[TonyE]

Thanks Rene!

[NefariousKoel]

Ummm... I think I'm seeing changes taking place here but I'm not exactly sure what's being done differently. [&:]

[Divefreak]

ORIGINAL: NefariousKoel

Ummm... I think I'm seeing changes taking place here but I'm not exactly sure what's being done differently. [&:]

I took irfanview and gave the map more (a bit too much [8D]) brigthness, more contrast and more colour saturation.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Divefreak

ORIGINAL: NefariousKoel

Ummm... I think I'm seeing changes taking place here but I'm not exactly sure what's being done differently. [&:]

I took irfanview and gave the map more (a bit too much [8D]) brigthness, more contrast and more colour saturation.

Actually, I like it better the way you have it there. Makes it easier to see the little icons with that lighter green.

[mack2]

Does anyone use textured land? I never see the point really. I'm LtGrey Land, Light water all the way.

Dark Water is way too dark, units blend in way too much. Textured water does the same (when it's working).

Black land is okay for bases inland, but when they are on the coast, they often cause bases to lose their definition. Textured land impacts on base visibility.

LtGrey Land and Light Water show up everything clearly, as the blue and red units are easier to see.

[TonyE]

I sure don't, that's one reason it was extra painful spending so much time making it work with new BattleSets but if I hadn't done it, someone would have complained.  Not to mention, as Rene has shown, it is possible to make a playable textured map via color change (I was thinking greens for water and browns for land might work as long as the Red icons don't get lost in the browns).
 
 

[mack2]

I'd have disabled it in the new battleset and removed and mention of it anywhere ;P

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: mack2

Does anyone use textured land? I never see the point really. I'm LtGrey Land, Light water all the way.

Dark Water is way too dark, units blend in way too much. Textured water does the same (when it's working).

Black land is okay for bases inland, but when they are on the coast, they often cause bases to lose their definition. Textured land impacts on base visibility.

LtGrey Land and Light Water show up everything clearly, as the blue and red units are easier to see.

I do use the textured since its now available. It's a personal preference thing, some people like it, some don't.

[Divefreak]

ORIGINAL: Shark7
Actually, I like it better the way you have it there. Makes it easier to see the little icons with that lighter green.

What about these setting?

[PatinAZ]

I'm one that usually runs with the textures off, because I need to see the units and the bases. Given the 3 choices just posted by Divefreak, I'd pick the first one with the lightest colors. And it looks pretty good too.

[SteveF2006]

I like to use the textured land map. It is not that difficult (in my opinion anyway) to see bases but the water is way too difficult. Will there ever be a time where the different countries borders are outlined? I think that would be a great addition. That way I know whose air-space I'm violating! [;)]

[TonyE]

The source graphic for making the maps is a tiff file derived from NASA data (Bret did some color exaggeration and re-centered the map).  So if you and your machine have the patience to edit the file, you can add whatever visible feathers on the map you desire, be it country borders, roads, etc.  See Rene's screenshots as an example of modifying the colors of the image.

[SteveF2006]

Do you need to be a programmer to add these things or can the "average" 'Pooner figure this out. I'd really like to see the countries borders outlined. I'd just liket to know who's airspace I'm violating! [X(]

[TonyE]

You wouldn't need to be a programmer but it may require a slightly better than average Harpooner.  I'm just making up a different graphic with the MapBuilder program at http://www.tglobe.com/?q=node/7 and will post results.  In addition to that program I'm using PhotoShop but IrfanView might be able to handle the images and not cost hundreds of dollars [:)].  Will post my results when they are ready (big images=lots of processing time).

[TonyE]

~30 minutes of effort to create the attached image. Used MapBuilder, PhotoShop and a shapefile GIS layer of country borders. At HarpGamer we'll host user made texture images that are deemed worthy of hosting (we'd take everything but they are pretty large).

[SteveF2006]

That looks great with the border outline. Will that ever be available to download for those of us that are "challenged" when it comes to programming of any sort? [:D]

[TonyE]

Hehe, one way or another there will be something with country borders available.  The one I made isn't terribly high resolution on the borders.  Rene was going to check with some of his buddies and see if they wanted to sink a few hours into overlaying country borders.  If that doesn't work out I'll find some time and make it happen.

[TonyE]

Worked up a new texture map for the BS Builder tonight.
The raw image comes from http://www.shadedrelief.com/cleantopo2/

One more screenshot with deeper water showing good contrast

[TonyE]

If these meet with good opinions I'll post the texture map up for download at HarpGamer.