World Map -> Partial Maps of arbitrary size.

[Radagast.]

In continuation of striving towards realistic reenactment of history let's create a realistic giant real world map using elevation data from our spaceventures (e.g. from NASA).

The goal is to have one giant map we work on and which we convert/export (perhaps automatically) into smaller chunks.

Parameters to set could be:

• Tile map size,
• tiled map count to export,
• which tile (starting coordinates 2D),
• OR
• specify the desired resolution,
• and the desired final map dimensions.

The latter approach should work hand in hand with a level of detail system. Still have to think more about this.

The benefit would be that we could quickly reuse artistic/territorial realistic map design.

As ultimate goal, we could specify a timeframe and the climate zones and continents would adapt but hey I think that's overkill.

[sanderd17]

You can already make maps from heightmap imports (and there are many ways to render a heightmap from NASA data). So what we mainly need is a way to connect maps.

Resource distribution will always need to happen manually, as it's a quite important game aspect.

[niektb]

Yup, creating heightmaps is really easy.

Just select the area you want and target a jpg picture as output:

http://gdex.cr.usgs.gov/gdex/

(It does require a login)

Finally convert it to a png image and it's ready for use in Atlas.

And this was the result of selecting Corsica:

Edited February 28, 2014 by niektb

[Lion.Kanzen]

Yup, creating heightmaps is really easy.

Just select the area you want and target a jpg picture as output:

http://gdex.cr.usgs.gov/gdex/

(It does require a login)

Finally convert it to a png image and it's ready for use in Atlas.

And this was the result of selecting Corsica:

20140228123305_1940272831.png

Good idea for a tutorial in our wiki.

[Radagast.]

Thanks for the link and details!

I meant it like that and a bit more dynamic. So even a step farther:

• Have one giant map we work on. (Keep performance up in Atlas by a level of detail system just like in a RPG as the Atlas more is like a RPG than RTS. All out of sight is no longer used for anything. In contrary ingame the AI still needs to operate on all parts which makes the dynamic map loading difficult unless we can warp time without the AI actually being acive - i.e. predict a future state on a unloaded map/part of bigger map without the map/this part actually being loaded and hence the AI also not being active! Otherwise we get heaps of lag as it is detailed on the massive map thread already.)
• 2 possibibilities how to proceed from the giant map:
  • Specify a resolution and eventually limit which parts of the map we want at maximum.
  • No maximum and simply specify a resolution - the map will be loaded part by part by the engine. (the ultimate goal).
• Then put in the trees from a map (I have a forest map of Earth at hand that Atlas could parse - depending on the resolution a forrest will have more or less trees, perhaps we should also specify a density but I wonder why as for realism this can just be derived from real world values for each climate zone).
• Continue like with other plants and animals - all automatically.
• Either acquire a resource distribution world map or place those just like on a random map. Iron can also be found away from mountains, essentially Aluminium for example can be found almost everywhere in the soil. So no problem in realism with random placement I think. We can still rework it later but I would like to save that as this destroys the 'dynamic' of the idea of dynamic real world map generation and loading.
• Then specify a starting time and place the cultures there. e.g. start at 500 B.C. with Egyptians, Romans, Athens, Sparta, Carthage, Qi/Han chinese, ..
• As simulation time passes by other cultures will be added to keep up motivation to advance in technology and to have stronger enemies at later games as in this phase the simulation turns more and more lengthy without really opposition usually as the own power has risen dramatically and has a huge economical base (because we don't have natural catastrophes, pests, famines, ... yet - hehe, we're working on it).

So there is twofold:

• Dynamic real world Map creation.
• Dynamic map loading.

If the dynamic map loading not works on a part by part basis, then we could at least replace complete maps. I.e. introduce map hopping from scenario to scenario. We could even make it possible to take over the ressources and units and place them (e.g. resources) somewhere at the border for calling for reinforcements or whatever.

This last emergency solution implies we needed to chain maps - and perhaps even store the state of the old map to make it possible to hop back. So each map we are not on currently will simply pause. => No AI action, no pathfinder, ... time standing still.

[niektb]

Good idea for a tutorial in our wiki.

Something like this? Sorry for the blurry text.

Edited March 5, 2014 by niektb

[Lion.Kanzen]

Im very sure the user wants all secrets to create great maps. The successful our game can be for many reason and two of them is modding and user content to share with other user.(see Starcraft and age of empires maps designed by players.)

That tools make the possibility to do realistic maps. Now the hard is use brush to create biomes. I'm very bad using that one. I mean I don't know select the best textures.

[stephanbard]

Something like this? Sorry for the blurry text.

Sorry my question may not be related to this thread.

I follow the tuorial at youtube to load map from usgs website. But atlas keeps crashing. It seems the size issue because the png created is always bigger than 15M.

-rw-r--r--  1 player zad 6.6M Jan  1 23:02 20160101085500_1594130283.jpg-rw-r--r--  1 player zad 16M  Jan  1 23:04 20160101085500_1594130283.png

-rw-r--r-- 1 player zad 2.6M Jan 1 09:20 20160101091954_1893169555.jpg

-rw-r--r-- 1 player zad 15M Jan 1 23:26 20160101091954_1893169555.png

Any way I can create a smaller image file that can be loaded into atlas? The step to create png is

- launch gimp

- select image -> canvas size

- change width x height to 512 x 512

- click center

- click resize

- right click image

- fit canvas to layers

- file -> export as (select png type)

I appreciate any advice. Thanks.

[niektb]

The problem is that you need to convert the bit depth. (16bit per color to 8bit or something like that. See the video) the actual file size doesn't matter I think

[stephanbard]

The problem is that you need to convert the bit depth. (16bit per color to 8bit or something like that. See the video) the actual file size doesn't matter I think

I am still not very sure the exact step missing, but it looks like choosing (to rick click) image -> flatten image. Then the exported png size would be largely reduced to around 98k.

-rw-r--r-- 1 player zad  98K Jan  2 14:28 20160102001222_658215349.png

Now the image can be loaded to atlas editor.

Thanks for the advice!