Pictorial Map Building

[Thomm]

Be sure to mention that any bitmap can be used as a Mega Texture, not just the ones generated by map maker.

Best regards,
Thomm

[Mad Russian]

Yes you can import both the height and terrain maps from outside MM if you like. If you choose to import a Height or Terrain map then you simply hit the H/Map or T/Map import file buttons which are to the right of the small global buttons and then select the file you will import into MM.

I went back and edited the posts concerning creation of both height and terrain maps to include being able to import those files from an outside source.

Good Hunting.

MR

[BletchleyGeek]

I am amazed at the possibilities this map making tool offers. I don't think I've ever seen anything coming close to it in terms of ease of use and flexibility (well, BftB map maker is also quite flexible, but certainly not as easy to use).

[eniced73]

ORIGINAL: Mad Russian

Now that the height map is imported we need a terrain map.

On the other side of the MM interface is another small global depiction. To get a terrain map we click on the right hand globe this time. These are just to the right of the label T/Map.

At this point you could import your own terrain map from an outside source as well by simply clicking on the file button to the left of the global symbol and importing your terrain map file from another source.

When you click the sunglasses MM will ask you if you want to use a set of parameters for creating the terrain map. I always accept the ones that are the default.


Good Hunting.

Can you elaborate on the 'parameters' a little more? What do they control? By the way the video's made are pretty good but you laid this out pretty clear. Thanks.
MR

[Mad Russian]

I'm not sure what the median filter is but the unique colors are just what it says they are. It displays the map in however many different colors you want. The default is 8 but you can put any number from 8 up to 32. I wouldn't use less than 8 since you don't want the entire map to be the same color.

I leave that at 8 since I redo the map to suite me anyway. As you will see before this tutorial is over.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

Here are the basic controls you will need to know in Paint.net for editing your map.

The fill bucket fills an area with a color. Use this for large areas that you want to change the color in.

The paint brush fills an area with a select number of pixels. From 1 to 500 which is set in the Brush Width drop down menu.

The color selector eye dropper. This allows you to select the eye dropper then click on any color and use that color in either your fill bucket or paint brush applications.

The Line creation tool allows you to create straight and curved lines. You set both the color and the width of the lines created. This is great for making your roads.

The color palette gives you the full range of colors to pick from to put on your map.

That's it. That's all I ever use to edit maps for Map Maker.



Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

The process for making roads is simple. First I select the color for the type of road I want. There will be three different road types here. A dirt 2 lane hard packed road, single lane dirt roads and farm tracks.

The wide hard packed main area roads will be 10 pixels wide so that they display the way I want them to. You could make them as wide as you like or down to a single pixel wide. That's up to you. I normally make 2 lane roads 10 pixels wide.

Here are the two main roads in the area added to the map.

I selected the light blue from the color palette first.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

Then I selected the line/curve tool.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

Set the edit to be 10 pixels wide in the brush width drop down menu.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

And drew in the main roads in a light blue color 10 pixels wide. I have used Google Earth which you see open behind Paint to see where the roads go. Main roads are not usually an issue to place unless they go through woods. Secondary or farm tracks can be more difficult to place.

All told, putting in the main roads, less than a minute.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

There are some secondary roads on the map as well. For those I'll use a medium gray color and reduce the pixel width down to 6.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

For farm tracks I will use a bright green grass center strip 4 pixels wide, with an orange wheel track 2 pixels wide each, on both sides.

You can see in this screen shot why I go in and edit every pixel on my maps. MM will give you little spots of different colors. Which works for the overall map. I just don't like things out of place and a pixel of one color here and one of another there in a field of solid color just doesn't work for me.

You don't have to clean them up. I just do.

Per the amount of time spent doing things to my map I spend the most amount of time doing the dirt farm tracks with the grass strip and the two tire tracks. There are some things I rarely do because of the amount of time vs the immersion factor, like telephone poles, but dirt farm tracks are a must on my maps.

Good Hunting.

MR

[benpark]

Hey, good idea on the "line" tool. I had always used the pencil with the "Shift" key!

[Mad Russian]

ORIGINAL: benpark

Hey, good idea on the "line" tool. I had always used the pencil with the "Shift" key!

I got that idea I think from Rick. None of what I use is my own ideas. I got my direction from Stridor, Rick and you.

Thanks to all of you for the guidance I've gotten so far. [&o] [&o]

Good Hunting.

MR

[HintJ]

I can't wait to get my hands on this map maker! Just wondering, are the limits for imported DEM resolution 129x129?

[junk2drive]

On the subject of DEMs, this is where I get DEMs from that don't come with the game.

http://srtm.csi.cgiar.org/

A little tough to navigate and download what you want but you can save the file right to your PCO Dems folder.

I made simple maps for Manchuria and Folkstone.

[Mad Russian]

Somebody else will have to answer that. I've only imported a terrain map and then hand crafted a height map to go with it. Haven't ever imported a height map yet.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

After making dozens of maps I've come to the realization that when making farm tracks that you put the dirt strip down first and then you add the tire tracks. Anything else I've ever tried, and I've tried about anything you can think of, takes longer.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

Next what I will do is define the fields. The one thing you need to remember when doing the fields is that whatever texture you apply to a part of the map is applied by color.

That's why when MM asks me how many colors I want to use and the default is 8 I go with that. MM has a tendency to pick colors that are close together on the spectrum. For me that makes it hard to differentiate between them when it comes time to assign things to those colors. I have a color swath that I made that has clearly identifiable color ranges on it.

I will use the colors on the map that are far enough apart to be clearly identified.

Here is my color swath use it if you like.

Good Hunting.

MR

[Mad Russian]

At the moment I'll use some of the colors from the map itself.

I've chosen the eye dropper and I click in the medium brown color of the map to select it and make it my color to be applied.

Good Hunting.

MR