Map Overlays

[Werewolf]

I'm fiddling around with a scenario and using a 7KM X 7KM piece of the Dartmoor map as the AO. Got to wondering if the real life map area looked anything like the map in the Dartmoor map. So I wrote down the longitude/latitude coordinates centered on a big hill off of the Steel Beasts map.

Loaded up Google Earth and searched the coordinates. And there it was - right where it was supposed to be on that same big hill except it was rocky - big time rocky - almost cliffs and not the grassy knoll as shown on the Dartmoor map.

No big deal. I just added the rocks to the map (as well as can be done with the rocks available). Then I started looking around at Google earth to see what else was missing.

Surprise, surprise. A couple of major streams, one very key road, a number of villages with attaching minor roads all in the 7KM X 7KM area I was working on - missing.

Again - no big deal. It's a lot of work to add that stuff to a map - but I've got a spare hour in the evening every day so figured what the hell. Started working the issue. Started with the major streams and ended up throwing my hands in the air and muttering to myself no freaking way - this is just too much a pain (which may be why they aren't on the Dartmoor map).

BUT - it would be really easy to add those streams with an overlay like the Combat Mission map editor supports.

So is there a way to put an overlay on a .ter map so one can add features that match the real world? If so then how?

If not where's the wish list so that feature can be suggested.

OH! and what would really be nice would be a way to add features from the 3D view - especially water and road features - but being able to add others would be nice too.

Imagine all the great maps that could be built in hours instead of days or even weeks if an overlay feature was available.

[Gibsonm]

If it was

really easy

Maybe they would have done it by now?

But if it is, go ahead I'm sure they'd love the contribution.

[Mogwa]

Thanks for the helpful reply.

[Tacbat]

A trick I used to use was to make the SB map editor window transparent, with the reference map underneath so you could trace over it. I know some others have done something similar.

[DarkAngel]

Pro has the ability to import vector objects. Digitize and then import.

[Werewolf]

If it was

Maybe they would have done it by now?

But if it is, go ahead I'm sure they'd love the contribution.

This is the end of the sentence you quoted but conveniently left out: "really easy to add those streams with an overlay like the Combat Mission map editor supports.

Note: the with an overlay. That's called a qualifier.

Sad that a Colonel serving in one of the finer military organizations on the planet would be so disingenuous and take such a cheap shot! Officers are supposed to be better than that.

[Werewolf]

A trick I used to use was to make the SB map editor window transparent, with the reference map underneath so you could trace over it. I know some others have done something similar.

That sounds really interesting Tacbat: How would one go about doing that?

[Tacbat]

I used to use a free little program called Glass2K, but there might be newer software that does the same thing a little better. It worked for me way back when I was making maps.

[Gibsonm]

This is the end of the sentence you quoted but conveniently left out: "really easy to add those streams with an overlay like the Combat Mission map editor supports.

Note: the with an overlay. That's called a qualifier.

Except that CM uses a totally different mapping system.

Which in part is why their maps are limited to about 2Km x 3Km on a good day.

It just gets boring with people saying how it easy it will be from the outside looking in.

[Ssnake]

Well, the programming task as such may actually not be THAT difficult to do (I'm told), but in order to do it we have to replace the whole graphical user interface code (everything that draws windows, checkboxes, radio buttons, sliders, scrollbars and the like). That's on the workplan, but needless to say it's a work-intensive, tedious job which in itself won't accomplish anything, except that it will help to boost our productivity later.

We have a few similar jobs to deal with at the moment. Sometimes it just shows that the Steel Beasts code was designed and developed ten years ago by a single programmer with a PhD in electrical engineering, not computer science. We're investing substantially in further development - both manpower and development tools - but simply "catching up" with current technology trends takes a lot of effort without much to show for it immediately afterwards.

So, as usual: Most suggestions from most people are good ideas and worthy to be pursued, it's just that ideas can be produced much faster than the actual solutions.

[Scrapper_511]

...Steel Beasts code was designed and developed ten years ago by a single programmer with a PhD in electrical engineering, not computer science...

I remember him! Hi Al !!!:luxhello: