Some questions for map generation via heightmaps

[auron2401]

Hey gents, so I’ve been playing around with atlas, but not getting very far.

So Im a stickler for 99% Accuracy in practically everything I do, so in discovering the height-map import feature

(1% for human error margin)

I've decided to start the mapping things game. I used to make maps for AoM So most everything is familiar to me, but height-maps are a mystery. (in non important ways)

Firstly, some questions

What are the Pixel X Pixel resolutions for the tiny ; small ; medium ; normal ; large ; very large ; giant map sizes?

I dont want to deviate TOO much from the in-house sizes, i just want to use heightmaps for 99% accurate syncronised map techniques I.E making 4 hills exact same height, size, and in a perfect symmetrical locations from each other

Is there a good heightmap program i can use (in linux! Wine hates me at the moment)

Gimp can only do me so good. Speaking of gimp.....

I've noticed maps export .XML Files, which the latest gimp has a boner for, can these be opened in GIMP itself?

Nope, and it's XFC, not XML. *facedesk*

also. assuming there is no usable heightmap program for my personal preferences, is there a pallet of colors i can choose to match specific heights? Currently all i know is black is bottom, white is top, perfect gray is in the middle.

oh and, this is just for base, i want a near perfect pallet to detail-ize in atlas itself.

Edited June 13, 2014 by auron2401

[sanderd17]

Map sizes are defined here http://trac.wildfiregames.com/browser/ps/trunk/binaries/data/mods/public/simulation/data/map_sizes.json

Expressed in number of tiles (or vertices, that's only 1 difference). And it's also supposed to be the resolution of the image you're importing. All maps are considered square btw, with the corners hidden to make them round.

I'm not sure about what programs you can use to render height maps. But the openStreetMap wiki has a lot of info on rendering stuff (mostly real world maps from real data). You do want purely greyscale images, as atlas only works on greyscale.

[idanwin]

For making completely symmetrical maps you may also want to look into scripting, that way you can place entities and textures symmetrically as well.