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4.1XX - no longer able to just embed maps


Gibsonm

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Good morning,

 

Can I just confirm that with the move to 4.1XX that the earlier practice of embedding the relevant map section for a scenario in a scenario is no longer possible?

 

The solution now is to either:

 

a. Send the full map file out to users prior to playing, or

 

b. Uploading the map to the "map server" and then players (or anyone else) access it as / when required. 

 

Edited by Gibsonm
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Yes, Gibsonm's summary is correct.

We are considering the option to at least embed delta maps, but this feature has not yet been developed. It is somewhat unfortunate that the map server interface tool was so delayed (we're close, though) since this made setting up a private map server needlessly complicated. Something that will get rectified, of course.

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Ssnake,

 

Thanks for confirming my understanding.

 

I suspect that will preclude me including Australian Defence training area mapping in future "Rolling Thunder" type events. They will therefore likely be "Eurocentric" going forward.

 

For some I don't own the Intellectual Property (Crown Copyright I suspect). In addition there are likely to be locations in a given training area (site X) that can't be shared, which earlier could be excluded, but now will be shared regardless of the "playable area" selected.

 

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8 hours ago, Gibsonm said:

I suspect that will preclude me including Australian Defence training area mapping in future "Rolling Thunder" type events. They will therefore likely be "Eurocentric" going forward.

 

For some I don't own the Intellectual Property (Crown Copyright I suspect). In addition there are likely to be locations in a given training area (site X) that can't be shared, which earlier could be excluded, but now will be shared regardless of the "playable area" selected.

The "copyright" argument doesn't convince me. That's not to say that copyright issues don't matter or that they aren't real, they are. But if releasing map data to the public is a copyright issue, embedding the maps in a scenario was problematic already since the map data was still redistributed, just in embedded format (from which it can be extracted, even with Steel Beasts's own tools in the Map Editor).

 

As far as classified portions of the map are concerned, that's easy. A blank elevation map as a public base map, and a delta map with the land use data excluding or altering the classified parts would easily bypass that problem.

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59 minutes ago, Ssnake said:

The "copyright" argument doesn't convince me. That's not to say that copyright issues don't matter or that they aren't real, they are. But if releasing map data to the public is a copyright issue, embedding the maps in a scenario was problematic already since the map data was still redistributed, just in embedded format (from which it can be extracted, even with Steel Beasts's own tools in the Map Editor).

 

Perhaps, but I'm thinking more of the items added to the baseline map data - the infrastructure and other facilities.

 

59 minutes ago, Ssnake said:

As far as classified portions of the map are concerned, that's easy. A blank elevation map as a public base map, and a delta map with the land use data excluding or altering the classified parts would easily bypass that problem.

 

Its only "easy" if you want to commit the resources to build these extra "blank" maps, etc.

 

The "really easy" option is to just not share it, since that requires no extra work / resources.

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The blank elevation map can be created from the HGT file that you already have (for version 3.x, 4.0); you don't have to invest a lot of work. Simply open the Map Editor with a blank map, then go to File... convert from HGT and pick the file in question. A few minutes later you have your base map. Publish it. Then you do the same but convert from TER (which you also have, for version 3.x, 4.0), which should recognize the already converted HGT file and prompt if you want to create a delta for the already existing base map. Confirm, and after a minimal amount of time you have the first delta map.

Publish it, then "save as new delta" map, and delete or alter the classified parts (maybe you can even use the Lasso Select function). Publish that now unclassified map, and you're done. It's not that much more work than before, just different work. The unclassified map and the base map can then be sent to us to be distributed via the public map server if you want. The classified one, you retain for work usage.

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8 minutes ago, DK-DDAM said:

Right i have an idea... Try to get an FTP and upload your maps to an FTP so u have them for your self... If you dont want them to be released to the public... Then u got control over who has the maps and what not

Thanks, but an FTP site or cloud sharing or whatever isn't really the solution.

 

We already have things like sharepoint on the Defence Simulation Network that allows us to centrally control which is the right version of map X.

 

Outside defence, downloading the maps is already enough "fun" without the added challenges of directing people to FTP sites, trying to control which files they can get to, stopping people sharing usernames and passwords, etc.

 

Then the bigger issue is controlling which parts of which maps are shared.

 

There is already enough work for one person just doing Rolling Thunder, let alone creating (and maintaining) "public domain" versions.

 

I think the easiest option for Rolling Thunder is to save a whole bunch of effort and just use European maps that somebody else has already built.

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