Creating height.tga file

[georgerutherford1861]

As I did not want to hijack Remus' topic any more, I thought I would ask this question here.

Does anyone know what the process is for generating a height map for an area that has not been mapped yet? Looking at one of the height.tga maps, it appears to be a grayscale version of elevation data in visual format. I have been looking around at USGS data, which comes in various forms of resolution nowadays depending on the location, and I can continue to go down that path and experiment, but I thought I would ask to see if there was any assistance available.

If it is a complicated process, I understand, but I am willing to try.

If this is one of those things that are still kept close hold, or that only certain proprietary software can generate/create, just let me know and I will stop tilting at windmills. But I wanted a map of Perryville so bad...

Thanks.

Doug

[Davinci]

MarkT - Can probably answer most of your questions. Haven't seen a post from him in more than a month.

Not Sure - which "Team-Member" would know about converting a heightmap!

Searching on Google - seems to go in circles, but I did find a site that might help, haven't tried it!

https://www.moddb.com/games/men-of-war- ... bassmaniac

Also - none of this is a secret or off-limits, its just that not that many people have ever done it.

davinci

[georgerutherford1861]

Okay, so while hoping that someone will chime in at some point and save me from myself, I thought I would mess around. I created a 512 x 512 tga file from what appears to be some lower resolution USGS elevation data. I dropped that into a folder that I created with files much like you walked Remus through.

I then thought I could at least see if it would open in lstudio, obviously with all the Gettysburg map terrain types, roads, etc, but to at least see if the elevation would show up at all. Well, lstudio did not like that at all, just closed itself down. So, now I will just wait patiently, as folks certainly have other things to do than just sit and wait to see if someone posts a question in here!

If anyone wants to take a look at the height.tga I made, in case there are any obvious errors, it is attached. Thanks all.

Doug

The attachment height.zip is no longer available

[remus]

Hi George

There is information that I have bookmarked for future reference but haven’t read it too deeply. It might help. I typed “ heightfield ? “ and have a starting point when I am ready to pursue it more.

Remus

[Davinci]

If anyone wants to take a look at the height.tga I made, in case there are any obvious errors, it is attached. Thanks all.

Here is the Same file that you posted above, Saved as 16bit. It opened in LStudio without crashing.

davinci

The attachment height.rar is no longer available

[georgerutherford1861]

Whoa! That did the trick. What the heck did I do wrong? I am working in Gimp, did not know there was an option to save it as 16bit (as opposed to?). What did I have it saved as instead? Going to keep fiddling with it. Thanks davinci for the save on a Sunday morning.

Doug

[Davinci]

Whoa! That did the trick. What the heck did I do wrong?

Not Sure!

But, I did uncheck the 32bit, and also the "Save As Copy" option.

Also - the File Size that you Saved it, and later after I Saved it, are completely different.

A 512x512 " height" map will give you roughly a 5 Mile Map.

davinci

[georgerutherford1861]

Here I am again!

I hate to ask for one more favor, but could you do whatever it is you did before to this attached file? Are you using some other graphics program than Gimp, because danged if I couldn't find those options you mention in Gimp.

I had to change my file because the original was for a 2.5 by 2.5 mile map. This one is 5 miles by 5 miles of terrain.

Gimp has a few options that different websites are telling me should be able to make it an 8 bit file, but I have not been able to make that part work yet. Thanks again.

Doug

[Davinci]

I can't Open that last file, it was corrupt or something!

But the first one that you did that is listed above will produce a 5 mile map.

A 512x512 tga file is roughly a 5 mile map in the game.

davinci

[georgerutherford1861]

davinci,

Well, the first map was actually 2.5 miles of terrain that I stretched to just get a proof of concept, the second one is 5 miles of terrain. I am not sure what I did different, I am swamped with work the next few days, so will take a fresh look at it in a few days and see what I did wrong and try again.

Doug