Fred Chalanda's Wavmap and elevations

RockinHarry · Post by **RockinHarry** » Thu Jul 26, 2001 11:11 pm

Originally posted by Banjo:
Thanks for the info RockinHarry, It has been almost two months since I last experimented with Fred's editor. I think that your info post will cure my problems using it. Thanks!!

With regards to creating accurate hexmaps have you seen the Hexgrid program?

Yes,..thanks...I downloaded the "hexgrid" program once after I registered to the companies homepage. Unfortunately I didn´t have much time yet to work with it, although I testloaded a map to check how it works. I think I will use it with some of my topo maps later.

_______
Harry

RockinHarry · Post by **RockinHarry** » Thu Jul 26, 2001 11:19 pm

Originally posted by Tombstone:
How do you deal with oversized maps in WAWED??

(bigger than 100x80 hex maps)

Tomo

Hi Tomo,

Open "inspection mode" window and enter desired values in "Size" data field. Press "retain" button, save map, reload map to see the changes. Done

_________
Harry

Tombstone · Post by **Tombstone** » Fri Jul 27, 2001 1:02 am

I'm having difficulty getting the redraw map function to do something other than give me a big blue field.

Tomo

ectizen · Post by **ectizen** » Fri Jul 27, 2001 4:46 am

For those awaiting the arrival of the Mountainiser, here's an update:

As with most tasks that sounds pretty simple at first, doing this the right way is far more complex than I had imagined.

I am slowly, but surely losing my mind. S29 is the reason I cry myself to sleep these days...

However, I am also slowly, but surely making progress. I still expect to produce something within a week.

Fabs · Post by **Fabs** » Fri Jul 27, 2001 10:45 pm

Great news, Ectizen.

Still rootin' for it!!!!

(I don't mean it in the Australian sense!)

RockinHarry · Post by **RockinHarry** » Sat Jul 28, 2001 10:56 pm

Originally posted by Tombstone:
I'm having difficulty getting the redraw map function to do something other than give me a big blue field.

Tomo

Seems that FredsMapEd does not find the shape file folder. Where did you install the Editor? Works best if placed in SPWAW main directory!

________
Harry

RockinHarry · Post by **RockinHarry** » Sat Jul 28, 2001 11:41 pm

Originally posted by ectizen:
For those awaiting the arrival of the Mountainiser, here's an update:

As with most tasks that sounds pretty simple at first, doing this the right way is far more complex than I had imagined.

I am slowly, but surely losing my mind. S29 is the reason I cry myself to sleep these days...

However, I am also slowly, but surely making progress. I still expect to produce something within a week.

Hey ectizen,...don´t worry too much about this S29 Byte!

For me it works best with values taken from the ordinary level 30 tiles. Example: Clear/slopes=S29 Byte4, Rough=S29 Byte8 etc. Placing the custom slopes/levels on top of these does not cause problems so far.

Any other experiences about this from anybody? Other topics?

I would like to discuss the features of MapEd with anybody interested.

Maybe someone wants to investigate into S8 Byte 6+8? These bytes have to to with cover and concealment, also they play a role with Line of sight in SPWAW!

Lately I found out, how to set wind direction in SPWAW. I wanted to know how to setup smoke screens properly. Example: The allied rhine crossings at Wesel in 1945.

The byte can be found (and edited) in Freds SPWAW Editor (Tools/Hex Editor). It´s section 37, Row6, Byte7. Values are 1-6 I think,.. with value=1 wind coming from SO (<\). Other values going counter clockwise. Example value2= <- etc.

BTW: How is Mr. Chlanda going? Does anybody know?

_________
Harry

ectizen · Post by **ectizen** » Sun Jul 29, 2001 6:52 pm

Originally posted by RockinHarry:
For me it works best with values taken from the ordinary level 30 tiles.

That's what I'm doing. It's just that when you automate this process, it gets a little more complicated - for example, what would you do to the S29 of cement pavement when raising it from a height of 0 to 30?

For those of you keeping score, a Mountainiser has been built!

It will enter alpha testing tomorrow, with a quick beta to follow shortly.

Lately I found out, how to set wind direction in SPWAW.

Good detective work, there!

...

Fabs: I think the Australian sense would indicate a greater level of support!

[edit to hide my shame...]

[ July 29, 2001: Message edited by: ectizen ]

ectizen · Post by **ectizen** » Mon Jul 30, 2001 6:51 pm

Oh my! Mountainiser ahoy!

Finally, after discovering that nearly every damn line of code contained strange and unusual bugs, then rewriting almost everything, initial tests have taken place. This thing appears to work!

As soon as I write up some instructions, my eager band of beta testers will be getting their hands on it. Once they've given it the all clear, it will be unleashed.

If you just can't wait, and have gotta get your mountainous fix right now, take a peek at this. It's a map showing off some unusually high terrain, as well as my fairly dodgy map-making skills. Points of interest include:

Elevations ranging from 0 in the west, up to 90 in the east.
A stream running accross the side of a mountain, at a height of 60.
The known display glitch where roads cross mountainised slopes.

RockinHarry · Post by **RockinHarry** » Tue Jul 31, 2001 11:02 pm

Thanks ectizen,...got your Beta.

Am going to check it out now.

(...I´m glad I´m notta programmer

)

_________
Harry

Fabs · Post by **Fabs** » Wed Aug 01, 2001 1:45 pm

I have been busy learning to use the basic skills pioneered by Fred, Rockin'harry and Ectizen.

I have also received the "mountainizer" beta from Rockin'Harry, Ectizen and Wild Bill, thank you very much guys!

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to say that I have managed to build a 250m high hill using only the 5 elevation levels obtainable by combining the summer set with the rough set of tiles.

I have done this by using bigger steps between the elevations, and different increments between the various levels.

It works very well from the LOS point of view, and I have found that it is a good way to represent steeper but straight terrain, using slopes between levels to simulate false crests.

I have to do more experiments with this, when I get some time, but I am very excited about the possibilities.

Oner thing that is still unclear to me is: are slopes purely a graphic device or do they have effects on LOS, combat and movement that make their use indispensible?

In one of my experiments I tried to obviate one of SPWAW's graphic weaknesses, the one where if oyu have woods on a slope you lose the slope.

I did this by following the slope contour with # characters in each hex. It works for me, although it is certainly not "pretty".

RockinHarry · Post by **RockinHarry** » Fri Aug 03, 2001 3:24 pm

Originally posted by Fabs:

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to say that I have managed to build a 250m high hill using only the 5 elevation levels obtainable by combining the summer set with the rough set of tiles.

I have done this by using bigger steps between the elevations, and different increments between the various levels.

It works very well from the LOS point of view, and I have found that it is a good way to represent steeper but straight terrain, using slopes between levels to simulate false crests.

I have to do more experiments with this, when I get some time, but I am very excited about the possibilities.

Oner thing that is still unclear to me is: are slopes purely a graphic device or do they have effects on LOS, combat and movement that make their use indispensible?

Hi Fabs,
nice to see you´re more into it now. Thanks to ectizen, life is also much easier with his new "mountaniser" tool.

Needs a little bit of preplanning but also is intuitive enough for most needs. Ok,..if you need these steeper slopes then you still have to work more with Freds Editor, but you need it anyway.

Besides the graphical apperarance of the slopes, you need to set the slope byte in S8 if you stick with the "5" increments to get the additional movement points spent by units entering them. Also the slope byte provides defense modifier for units in the hex but what still is unclear to me is the "hull down" thing.

In one of my experiments I tried to obviate one of SPWAW's graphic weaknesses, the one where if oyu have woods on a slope you lose the slope.
I did this by following the slope contour with # characters in each hex. It works for me, although it is certainly not "pretty".

Actually this is the trick,...misusing the "woods" layer!

As this layer (6) is actually used exclusively for woods you can either have woods or slopes (..or else) on it, but not both at same time! For me this layer6 is multipupose and I use it for some more possibilities. Remember,...you can place any graphic tile in it and at the same time make it (almost) any terrain type also!

No ideas on S8 bytes 6+8 from anybody??

_________
Harry

ectizen · Post by **ectizen** » Sun Aug 12, 2001 4:07 pm

Originally posted by RockinHarry:
Lately I found out, how to set wind direction in SPWAW. I wanted to know how to setup smoke screens properly. Example: The allied rhine crossings at Wesel in 1945.

The byte can be found (and edited) in Freds SPWAW Editor (Tools/Hex Editor). It´s section 37, Row6, Byte7. Values are 1-6 I think,.. with value=1 wind coming from SO (<\). Other values going counter clockwise. Example value2= <- etc.

Naughty me! I've been keeping my secrets to myself!

The wind directions are the same as other SP:WaW directions:

0 = East
1 = South East
2 = South West
3 = West
4 = North West
5 = North East

This is the direction to wind blows to, not from.

In the raw data, the wind direction appears in S37, at byte offset 103. In Fred's editor, as you mentioned, it's in S37, row 6, byte 7.

A slight variation on these is also used for road and rail connections (it's used as a bit number, like in the first 4 bytes of S8: 1=E, 2=SE, 4=SW, 8=W, 16=NW, 32=NE - you add these together to get the value used by SP:WaW to draw the roads)

As far as I can tell, whenever SP:WaW needs a single hex direction, it uses 0,1,2,3,4,5. If it needs several hex directions at the same time, it uses 1,2,4,8,16,32 added together as required.

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Mon Aug 13, 2001 12:17 am

Took a look at your map ecitizen - looks nice.

Question, the river/stream looks really interesting, but is says height=-2, while the adjoining hexes are at height=60. Sounds more like a gorge to me? :p

ectizen · Post by **ectizen** » Mon Aug 13, 2001 2:01 am

Coming soon! What-if scenarios taking place in the aftermath of an earthquake!!

Or maybe not <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

A workaround exists, and this issue is being addressed...
In other news, I think I've come up with a solution to the problem of partly obscured images on higher slopes. It's horribly complicated, but should work for nearly every case. This might push the 2nd beta back a day, but it will certainly be worth it.

RockinHarry · Post by **RockinHarry** » Tue Aug 14, 2001 11:10 pm

Originally posted by ectizen:
Coming soon! What-if scenarios taking place in the aftermath of an earthquake!!

I think I know what you mean! <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

..nevertheless...can´t hardly await to grab the next Beta. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

__________
Harry