Matrix Games Forums

I've done different threads about how, what, when and where Map Maker will make maps.

Everything from what I want to the ASL crowd.

But those are my maps.

What about your maps?

What if you have a topo map to go by? Or want to recreate an old game map in part or whole?

Just how versatile is MM outside of Google Earth?

It's completely versatile.

You can let MM do the entire map by importing actual terrain and height maps from GE, you can import only one of those and hand make the other, or you can hand make either.

In other words you can let MM do whatever part of making the map you don't want to do.

IF on the other hand you want to do it all, jump in with both feet. You can sculpt the height right inside MM. I normally don't make many changes to a map's height once MM imports it. But I have made some small changes and if I wanted to I could recreate the entire height map in short order.

I usually work the height map off of the terrain map. I completely hand make every single terrain map that you will see in my scenarios. Every single pixel of them are my own creations. I'm the only one of the development that goes to that extent. It's not that I don't appreciate what MM is giving me, I just want pronounced color differences between terrain types and MM doesn't always give me that. I have a problem differentiating between some of the colors that are close together. So I put a palette of my own colors together and I use those.

The end result is the same; MM will use either what it makes, or what you give it. I make my maps using a free program called Paint.net and it works GREAT!

Within short order you can completely make a map either using GE or from scratch in MM. It doesn't care where the data comes from.

Good Hunting.

MR

Gee, that's all great.

I can either let MM create a map or I can do it by hand if I want.

Think about that for a moment.  [>:]  

Not that long......[:-]

What does that really mean? Have any game maps you would like to recreate? TOTALLY RECREATE?

Any game system; anywhere! Computer or boardgame! Card games don't have boards so they are out. Of course, map must be scaled to fit the PCO map sizes or it won't work. But anything from 500 meters to 2km can be done. As can compression or expansion. You can do whatever you like to create your map.

You want your favorite ASL scenario? You know the one. You want the PCO map to look identical to it?  Easily done. In fact, we have just released what may be the last installation of the software to the team before you guys get it, one comment was that 2 of my maps looked "DIFFERENT"! They didn't have any texturing in the fields like the rest of the maps in the update do. Was that a problem????

Actually no, it was intentional. They are what I call my ASL maps. Just as I have a scenario that has all 5 time sequences(*) and can be played in any of them, I push MM'ers limits as well. Will everybody appreciate those maps? No. Will some like them. Yes.

Is it nice to have the flexibility to do WHATEVER I want with the presentation my maps have? Without a doubt! [&o]

So, whether you're a board gamer, computer gamer or budding artist in your own right your map is just an editor away from your fingertips to recreate them all.



(*) the five time sequences are:
40 seconds no reaction phase.
60 seconds no reaction phase.
80 seconds no reaction phase.
40 second orders phase/40 second reaction phase
60 second orders phase/60 second reaction phase

Good Hunting.

MR

When making a map in MM you take the height map and 'match' it to the terrain map.

To do this you get to look at both the height and terrain maps laid over each other. You can decide how much bleed through you get. In other words just how much of each map shows at one time.

Here is what a terrain map looks like. I have some structures on it already but you can see the terrain. You can also have MM hide the structures if you've already done some work on the map and yet still need to make some changes. You can come back at any time and make those changes.

Good Hunting.

MR

Then I add more of the height map under the terrain map so I can see what is under it. This is done simply by holding the shift key down and rolling the mouse wheel one 'bump'.

Light colors on the height map are higher, darker colors are lower.

Good Hunting.

MR

That's not enough yet so I add more height map to the editor.

Good Hunting.

MR

The structures are getting in the way of my view of the underlying height map so I'll hide them.

Good Hunting.

MR

Still more height map to work with. The terrain map is starting to get really faint at this point.

Good Hunting.

MR

But I'm not done yet. I want more of the height map showing through. There is just the faintest trace of color showing in this height map.

Good Hunting.

MR

Until finally I only show the height map itself.

Good Hunting.

MR

Any section of your map can be zoomed either in or out so you can get as detailed and finely tuned as you like. You can actually make pixel by pixel corrections to both your height and terrain maps if you like.

Which can also allow you extremely precise placement of your structures on the map.

Good Hunting.

MR

As you can tell, being able to show both the height and terrain maps as overlays allows you to easily adjust either terrain or height to create any map you like.

Good Hunting.

MR

Would be nice to see the "finished" map to compare with the other steps. [:)]

That is an old map but I've not shown the new grass textures on it so here are some screen shots of this map.

Good Hunting.

MR

This map has a tough battle for the Germans. This is where the Germans first encountered the JS-2.

Good Hunting.

MR

Hilly terrain.

Good Hunting.

MR

ORIGINAL: Mad Russian


Any game system; anywhere! Computer or boardgame! Card games don't have boards so they are out. Of course, map must be scaled to fit the PCO map sizes or it won't work. But anything from 500 meters to 2km can be done. As can compression or expansion. You can do whatever you like to create your map.


Good Hunting.

MR

Let's say I'm a huge Close Combat III fan. In theory I could simply assemble a screenshot of my favorite CCIII map, scale it to 1 meter=1 pixle and crop it to 500^2 or other PC map standards, and I could have the exact same Close Combat map in the game. Of course I'd have to add buildings, trees, the height data, etc.

I don't mean making a translation of a CCIII map, I mean the actual CCIII map rendered in 3d, with all the original colors, right?

In theory yes.

You would have a flat map because CC is 2d.

When you create the map you have choices of textures for grass and dirt etc. To recreate the CC map exactly you would have to make the texture files from the CC map, create a folder for them to show up in map maker, then pick them during map creation.

Not as difficult as that might sound. Once you have all the CC textures in that folder, you can use them to create lots of CC maps.

You start with the 1000 pixel but the MM creates files in multiples of 1024.

Man the implications are amazing! Any game, whether it is a computer or tabletop game that I can get a top-down screenshot of can be inside the game! The real work would be the elevation and objects.

MR talks about ASL maps, so why doesn't someone just scan an ASL map (complete w/hexes for cosmetic reasons) put buildings and trees over the tops of those hexes containing them, do the elevations, and play PC on it?! It would be more a novelty, but still fun for those that want it.

I'm thinking whoever owns the copyrights would be upset.

ORIGINAL: HintJ
MR talks about ASL maps, so why doesn't someone just scan an ASL map (complete w/hexes for cosmetic reasons) put buildings and trees over the tops of those hexes containing them, do the elevations, and play PC on it?! It would be more a novelty, but still fun for those that want it.

I think a few people did this a few years back. The problem is in comparison to maps done from the actual land form from say GE they look primitive. Even if the ASL map was done from real air-recon photos houses, roads and other terrain was simpified and moved to fit in the hexes so are not accurate. The terrain and structure is often moved around to make the game comply to ASL rules and not reality.

If you can now make something a lot better why go back?

What is the scale of CC maps?

I went to the COI forum to find a map zip to give it a try for you. I picked one of the Omaha mod maps. There are no graphic files in it that I can see. I have the original CC2 and CC5.