Hard to see elevation

Wolverine · Post by **Wolverine** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 3:13 am

I'd really like to have some kind of option to "hide" forests so that you could see terrain elevation. It's sometimes hell to see the elevation in map where's lots of forests and hills. Another option could be to change graphics so that you could see elevation better.. like make forests so that you could se more through of them.

Thank you all Matrix guys for this awesome game, You are The BEST!

(still having lots of crashes in online play in version 4.2, but it doesn't matter too much)

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 3:17 am

The emphasis on realistic looking maps does create this problem. I realize that. It is somewhat problematic for me too, especially in a heavy mix of terrain, forest, rough, etc.

We tried to help it with better delineated hill lines.

About the easiest way right now is simply to run your mouse cursor over terrain. When it changes, it will tell you in the little window.

You'll see it go from 0 level to +5 then to +10, etc.

But often a quick glance will not fully reveal these gradients in height.

Your idea would be a handy feature indeed.

Wild Bill

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In Arduis Fidelis
Wild Bill Wilder
Coordinator, Scenario Design
Matrix Games

Wolverine · Post by **Wolverine** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 3:48 am

How about this: (I don't know how easy it is program though)

By pressing one button you could see a layer over all terrain, that shows the elevation with clearly different green colors. Like lighter the color, higher the ground.

Or if that is hard to make, then:

By pressing one button you could see numbers over all terrain showing the height of terrain. That shouldn't be too hard to make. (?)

Kharan · Post by **Kharan** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 11:08 am

Set your live delay at 0 so you can instantly see terrain elevation when you move your mouse over the map. Don't know why it's at 200 default really...

Wolverine · Post by **Wolverine** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 3:07 pm

Hey, I know that. All right? How stupid do you think I am?

I don't like too much scanning hex by hex the elevation when I could simply push one button and see it.

jlaurila · Post by **jlaurila** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 4:32 pm

No need to get rude.
these guys are only trying to help you.

Wolverine · Post by **Wolverine** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 5:35 pm

Originally posted by Wild Bill:

About the easiest way right now is simply to run your mouse cursor over terrain. When it changes, it will tell you in the little window.
You'll see it go from 0 level to +5 then to +10, etc.

As you all can see, I've been told that mouse thing earlier. So no need to post it _again_, and I think everybody knows that anyway.

Excuse my temperament. (I hope that's english, 'temperament')

Charles22 · Post by **Charles22** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 6:04 pm

Here's an alternative idea to the color scheme for this problem. Why not hit a button that instantly displays in numbers elevation like -2, +5, +10 and so on?

Wolverine · Post by **Wolverine** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 6:06 pm

Originally posted by Wolverine:

By pressing one button you could see numbers over all terrain showing the height of terrain. That shouldn't be too hard to make. (?)

Why can't you just read the whole post before you reply??

BA Evans · Post by **BA Evans** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 6:44 pm

Wow Wolverine, you are pretty rude to people who are trying to help you. Don't expect any help if you can't be nice.

BA Evans

Wolverine · Post by **Wolverine** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 7:13 pm

Well, sorry about being rude.

People just should think twice and read twice before replying.

Al Boone · Post by **Al Boone** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 7:48 pm

The cure for this could go back to previous messages, where the suggestion was made to put a slight tick at the middle of the hex side which is between hexes of changing elevation. This would be "sort of like a T", with the vertical leg very abbreviated perpendicular to the hex-side bar. The convention would be to put the tick on the steepest hex-side, e.g. at a hex-side between elevation 10 and 15, the tick would be on the elevation 15 hex-side. This would be a one-time hex overlay subroutine for each map (I have no idea whether this is reasonable, but as our maps get more complicated and "busy", this problem is going to become more accute). This is a standard convention for topography maps used worldwide.

Charles22 · Post by **Charles22** » Wed Oct 04, 2000 7:49 pm

I suppose that last cheap shot was at me. Somehow I only saw the color terrain idea, and frankly I think the numbers are better.

Fabs · Post by **Fabs** » Sat Oct 07, 2000 9:14 pm

Hmmm, yes, I must say that with the best will in the world I find it hard to justify the tone of some of Wolverine's outbursts. If you are asking people for ideas or help, it is not a good idea to be abrupt and agressive if they make a mistake or two. They are, after all, responding to a request for assistance. Relax, man.

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Fabs