External map editor.

[MarxAnt]

Hi there.

I was just wondering, is there any external map editor for SBpro PE? Maybe so tips & trick how to make map making more efficient? The built-in one is quite difficult to create some exact terrain profile, and the map creation process is much time consuming as well. I've been working on my home place map, but I think it's going to fail if I will need to use only SBpro delivered tools. I heard about TerraSim, but it seems like it's not for mortal people.

Regards,
Mark.

[Ssnake]

Sadly, no. A new map editor is a high priority for us. For a long time we had reasons to hope that there would be an external application that could do it. Unfortunately that didn't work out. TerraTools is also less of a terrain editor and more of a terrain database management tool for the conversion of terrain data into various proprietary formats. And the license prices, last time I checked, were in the 50,000.- bucks range.

[MarxAnt]

Thank you for your reply. I'm doing my best with the map, but I noticed another problem. How do I actually do some hills and valleys in it? The only elevation option I have there, is to set flat elevation. I mean, when I do the piece of land, let's say, 10 meters higher than rest of a ground, then I get a kind of plateau with straight up vertical sides. There's no way to do an elevation profile of certain angle. Can you advise on this, please? Finally, let me do a little off topic here. Are you planning to add some new tanks into SBpro? Like korean K2?

[Gibsonm]

3 hours ago, MarxAnt said:

Thank you for your reply. I'm doing my best with the map, but I noticed another problem. How do I actually do some hills and valleys in it? The only elevation option I have there, is to set flat elevation. I mean, when I do the piece of land, let's say, 10 meters higher than rest of a ground, then I get a kind of plateau with straight up vertical sides. There's no way to do an elevation profile of certain angle. Can you advise on this, please? Finally, let me do a little off topic here. Are you planning to add some new tanks into SBpro? Like korean K2?

 

There are two steps to building a map.

 

1. Importing the underlying terrain using the relevant data set. This gives you the undulations (hills, valleys, etc.).

 

2. Adding features to that terrain (vegetation, waterways, roads, buildings, etc.).

 

You can use the Map Editor to make adjustments to the underlying terrain (level the roads, level the ground near a building so it doesn't seem buried, etc.).

 

I'm almost certain that adding or removing an entire hill is not possible within the Map Editor. You need to use some type if GIS editor prior to the importation process.

 

Edited January 25 by Gibsonm

[Ssnake]

It may be "technically possible" (e.g. by creating spiralling roads and turning them into ramps), but I would still agree with the intent of the statement that it's simply not practical.

 

 

As far as the addition of new tanks is concerned - I'm all for it. It needs to be understood however that much of our development - not all of it - is driven, and enabled, by the demands of our military customers. They decide if they need a simulation for their training, they decide if they disclose a tank to eSim Games, and which parts of it. The more access we're granted, the easier it is to create a faithful simulation. Conversely, without access we have to cobble together what we can find in open sources which is often not enough, or at least doesn't allow for a very detailed simulation.

 

I'd love to have a playable Merkava, but will we ever see one? Unlikely.

 

The other aspect is available time. Creating a playable tank for which there is no demand outside the Personal Edition invokes not only the costs of researching the vehicle, creating the 3D model, the programming, the testing. It also creates opportunity costs - that we could have worked on something for which we would have been paid, but didn't. That's not to say that we'd never do such a thing - we have a playable BMP-2, T-72M1, Challenger 2, Scimitar, T-55, T-62, BTR-60/70/80/82, BRDM, M1, M1IP, M1A2SEP, the Technical with the recoilless rifle, and more - and for none of these we had a military contract. Still, we need both - a pause in contractual work and the opportunity to investigate a vehicle in order to create a suitable model for you. Should the Polish or the Korean army decide that they need the help of eSim Games to create a K2 MBT crew simulator, we would of course render assistance. I suspect however that this is something for which an American-German company like eSim Games is only third tier, with preference for a Polish or Korean domestic solution.

[MarxAnt]

Hi again. 

 

18 hours ago, Gibsonm said:

 

There are two steps to building a map.

1. Importing the underlying terrain using the relevant data set. This gives you the undulations (hills, valleys, etc.).

 

 

 

OK then. I have a shape (.shp) file with the elevation data. As seen on the screenshot file attached. Any advise on how to export it to some SBpro recognizable format?

[Ssnake]

SHP data can't be imported into a terrain profile; the data would have to come in ASCIGrid or DTED (as described in the User's Manual, in the Map Editor chapter).