Importing map data, DETD

[Blade_Runner]

!!!!THIS POST IS REGARDING THE USE OF STEELBEASTS PRO ONLY!!!!

After searching this forum I only noticed a couple of posts regarding this topic.

I am atempting to replicate our firing range here in Montana. Is it possible to do so using the following online program from USGS?

http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.php

I saw there were some referances to globalmapper but that seams to be payware and the USGS site is free and is plenty accurate. It would be nice to have the shape files but I just want the terrain and I could manipulate the vegitaion, roads and coloring later on.

It appears this topic is shrouded in a mist of secrecy and the SB Pro Manual isn't all that forthcoming on where and how to download such data files. The above USGS online program does look like it will save what ever area one desires into the proper format but when I try to download the selected region there is some type of error.

Thanks for the help

SGT V

P.S. The training area I want to replicate is only apx. 12km x 13km so the map should load quick and play well. It is our firing range here and I plan on making it as accurate as possible.

[tarball]

You need SB Pro to accomplish what you want - not possible in Pro PE.

[Blade_Runner]

Roger. Do you know how to do it or just which programs do and do not?

SGT V

[tarball]

You can't bring in new DTED data into Pro PE at all. Since I've only owned Pro PE, so I couldn't say how it is done in Pro.

[Blade_Runner]

I'm sorry and don't mean to be blunt but how does your info help me if you don't know about it? I know Pro PE is unable to do what I want and that is not my limitation. There is a ton of options and I'm simply asking about my original post of how to do it...not how not to.

SGT V

[tarball]

You are right, I am wasting my time as you didn't clearly state the version you are using.

This man has access to or is otherwise using Steel Beasts Professional - please someone qualified to help him do so.

[Blade_Runner]

I added a header to my initial post as it seems its my fault I didn't title this thread with a referance to SB Pro.

SGT V

[12Alfa]

I added a header to my initial post as it seems its my fault I didn't title this thread with a referance to SB Pro.

SGT V


PM me, I think I can help if you have Pro.

[bergmania]

Its not that hard to make new height data for SB Pro PE actually.. its the terrain map thats the problem..

I used globalmapper to load the heightdata.. export the area of intrest as a DEM and when saving change resolution to 12.5mx12.5m.. Load the DEM into Wilbur and edit it if you want, save it as a 8bit BMP, Now load the BMP into Photoshop (or similar program) If the BMP is 1024x1024 or less make a new empty picture thats 1024x1024 and set backbround to RGB0,0,0 (Black) and cut and paste the Wilbur BMP as a new layer, Flatten layer and save BMP, Load BMP into SBRAW and make a new 1024x1024 SB Raw heightmap..

In the Photoshop stage.. if the map is closer to 2048X2048 make a 2048x2048 blank pic instead and so on.. and naturally in the SBRAW stage.. If you have a 4096x4096 BMP export it as that...

Sometimes Wilbur outputs a corrupted BMP tho.. I have had to Export as a greyscale PNG and converted that sometimes..


Now.. the real work begins populating the heightmap with objects..

Microdem can be used instead of globalmapper and can be downloaded here
http://www.usna.edu/Users/oceano/pguth/website/microdem.htm
And its free..

Wilbur Heightmap editor
http://www.ridgenet.net/~jslayton/software.html
Also Free

This should work for any SB version.. But since SB Pro have import capability its kinda unneccesary.. However Microdem can be used for resampling data and making the DTED's

[tarball]

Well Blade_Runner was right, I suppose there's "always a way."

This is news to me bergmania, thanks for the tips.

[Blade_Runner]

Thanks for the help guys. My map is made, just trying to figure out how to make and import the shape files.

Yo tarball, it wasn't about me being right. I wasn't trying to do this with Pro PE!! How much clearer can I say it, SB Pro PE is not holding me back!

Thanks to all who have helped me in this thread and outside here as well.

SGT V

[tarball]

Blade,

actually, you were right - there really was a way to do it that was unbeknownst to me completely. This supports your theory that reaching for the known roadblocks and obstructions is not the way to success.

berg is describing techniques for SB1 and I had no idea they still worked in SB Pro PE.

[chappy]

so the method described by bermania, using bitmaps, will allow you to create a height file in PRO PE too eh? wow

is the resolution significantly less doing it this way? with all the resizing and conversions i suspect it is?
How would a hgt file made thru PRO compare to a hgt file made berg's way using the same original DTED data?

[bergmania]

It all filters down to what data you feed into it I guess.. using 1km Globe Dem is surely gonna produce crappy maps.. But 10m dems that are availible over some parts over the world are in theory better than the 12.5m maps of SB..

I dont live in a country where DEM data is readily availible, So I basicly have to rely on 90m SRTM's and hand tracing paper maps where extra detail is needed... And the way I described do work.. (oh and I am a codemeter owner.. ;))

Even that I have to handpaint in the terrain afterwards the process is alot easier than for Operation Flashpoint.. (where I done most of my map making)

I guess that the terrain map is also a greyscale map but the shades dont symbolise hight but roads,trees,rivers....etc.. I'm just not that clever to figure it out..

And I figured it out as I wanted to play one of my favorite SB1 mission.. The woods have Eyes.. so I just copied the old ssnakes playground height field and terrain maps from sb1 to SBPro PE.. and sure enuff.. it loaded.. so I figured that SBRAW still would work.. ( I added a few Leos to it first tho.. :D)

Blade runner.. is it Limestone Hills you are making?? as I think there is 10m height data availible over that area..

[chappy]

oh and one last Q before i try this myself with some 1m resolution data.
What the hell is SB RAW? is it a standalone app i can get somehwere on this site that was once used for SB1 or something?

[bergmania]

o
What the hell is SB RAW? is it a standalone app i can get somehwere on this site that was once used for SB1 or something?

Yeah.. its an old tool.. I found it on http://www.ronner.net/ in the root of the Maps section.. get the DLL's to..

I think SP Pro PE use 12.5mx12.5m resolution maps tho.. so I guess that unless you resample the 1m data you end up with a map being 12.5X times to large.. (not totaly sure here tho..)

[Hase]

Hi!

Out of interest: How to convert the RAW files (from SBRAW) to HGT?

Greets
Hase

[Froggy]

no need. SB Pro PE works with raw file.
If you really want to convert to htg, you need an up to date SB PRO version (not a PE)