Are there still any mapmakers out there?

Locutus · January 18, 2002, 13:18

I found this really cool world map (when I was looking for historical info on Thailand for a uni project, go figure

) which I think, if properly implemented in CtP2, would be by far the most realistic earth map I've ever seen (particularly because of the movement in the polar regions). Although it won't be easy to play on (all the ice and stuff), I would very much like to try. However, I'm a total moron when it comes to making maps. Anyone out there who could give it a try for me?

Edit: the pic I originally had was slightly larger, if anyone wants to give this a try, it might be easier on the eyes so I'd gladly email it or something. (This map is 600 pixels wide because it's the forum limit, the original is around 750 pixels wide)

The Big Mc · January 21, 2002, 08:33

now that looks fun. I may give it a go this week if I get time will you attach the file to the thread as a zip for me. I will try to make a custom map for it and package it up as the activision world map

Locutus · January 21, 2002, 21:13

Thanks a ton in advance, The Big Mc!

Here's the file at full size zipped (in case it's corrupt it can also be found here):

The Big Mc · January 22, 2002, 05:54

No promises but I will have a go tonight I will use the world map of Activision to get the terrain right.
The only problem I may have is with Antarctica being skip of there world map. and

Locutus · January 22, 2002, 06:45

Well, you could look at Harlan's website too, it's got lots of good maps to base your terrain on. As far as Antartica is concerned, most of that is ice anyway, doesn't matter too much. But I think I should have a reasonable map of it somewhere in one of my old atlases. I could take whatever you make and improve upon it, once the basic outline is there...

The Big Mc · January 22, 2002, 06:52

yes I now Antarctica is mostly ice but Antarctica is still a continent and a such has a lot of mountain rangers

Locutus · January 22, 2002, 07:46

I agree, and that why I said I'd help out. But either way, here some useful links with antarctica maps that might prove very useful (some of them interactive):

http://terraweb.wr.usgs.gov/web-cgi/webvista.cgi
edit: doesn't work, use this one instead and click the photo: http://terraweb.wr.usgs.gov/projects...sr.html#stereo

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~reed/hot/map.html

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/...k/geos/ay.html

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ima...darsat_big.jpg

http://usarc.usgs.gov/antarctic_atlas/start.html

The Big Mc · January 22, 2002, 08:34

arh one at a time pleas information overload.

it may take a bit to get the Antarctica so I will be al right

Locutus · January 22, 2002, 08:55

You don't *have* to use 'em all

And as I said, once the basic framework is in place, I'm willing to try to help out with the details...

The Big Mc · January 22, 2002, 08:58

you just reminded me to print the thing of. I am on my lunch brake and I need to print it of at college.

oh and I will check out the links

one question how big do you want the map

Locutus · January 22, 2002, 10:31

well, normally the bigger the better (well, up to 210x210 of course) but methinks my P200 can't handle enormous maps

Something around 100x100 would be nice (maybe somewhat larger? 120x120?) That is, of course, assuming the map is 1:2 (height:width)...

The Big Mc · January 22, 2002, 11:22

i will use the alixander one

Locutus · January 22, 2002, 11:26

cool. how large was that again? (I don't have the game here)

Locutus · January 22, 2002, 11:57

I checked at home (using VNC) and from the SLIC files it would appear like the alex map is something like 120x90, so not 1:2 (in case you didn't know, to get a 1:2 map both numbers have to be equal, e.g. 100x100). This might be a bit of a problem as the above earth map (and any other earth map I ever saw) *is* roughly 1:2...

Too bad you can't actually run CtP2 with VNC, there's no way to be sure now (until tonight that is)...

The Big Mc · January 23, 2002, 06:28

good job I haven’t started yet

I put it to disk last night and yes the disk failed on me

so I will try to get it home tonight. I got one of the Antarctica pics It looks OK. I am looking for volcanoes now to try to get the undersea terrain to look just right

Locutus · January 23, 2002, 07:20

Well, I loaded up the Alex map and did some calculation. Turns out it would be (almost) perfect: The Alex map is 112x98, while you need 112x96 (or at least something in those proportions)... So the Alex map would be great for this.

The Big Mc · January 23, 2002, 07:25

what did I say

i am going to have to say this but what happens on a map that is sized 211 * 211

i have just been checking the civ 3 site, killing time
the only thing that looks good is there version of the alpha century ship

Locutus · January 23, 2002, 07:39

with maps bigger than 211x211 apparently the AI starts acting all weird, but I'm no expert in these matters. OmniGod found out about this I think, but he quit CtP2 ages ago. Maybe Martin or Ben remember the details?

The Big Mc · January 23, 2002, 07:46

ai acting wired (so AI actually does something)

i am going to try this tonight probably blow my machine up

The Big Mc · January 23, 2002, 09:00

I found an error in your calculations on the Alex map.

you forgot to count the unseen map tiles the one's used for the donut world movement type

so I take it you want x,y world

Locutus · January 23, 2002, 09:50

I'm not sure what you mean. I counted the Alex map by looking up the coordinates: 111 was the highest x coordinate and the highest y coordinate was 97, therefore the map size is 112x98. Alex does not have a donut map, what do you mean?

The worldmap should be like any world map: only x-wrap, no y-wrap...

Peter Triggs · January 23, 2002, 11:27

Locutus,

What's VNC?

Locutus · January 23, 2002, 12:52

VNC is the coolest program ever made (well, maybe not, but it's still pretty darn cool)

It's basically a remote desktop utility: it allows to to access your desktop from a different computer. When the client (FE from a computer at work or school) is logged in on the server (FE on your home computer), your client screen looks exactly the way your screen looks when you're actually sitting behind the server pc, even the cursor movements are tracked (in fact, it is actually quite amusing to see a computer being used via VNC when noone's sitting in front of it - it's alive!

). This is very useful for accessing files and running programs that you don't have available on the PC you're currently working on. Of course, when you only want access to your files, you could simply install an FTP server as well but actually having your desktop available can be very useful and setting up an FTP client and making all your files accessible from it (while still being safe from hackers) can be a pain. If you actually want to run programs from your home computer, VNC is the only way.

The only disadvantage of VNC is that accessing your desktop over a network requires huge amounts of data to be transported so it can be a bit slow (especially on slow networks). Because of the huge amounts of data and the critical timing involved, it doesn't work at all with very demanding applications such as video and directx-dependent programs (i.e. games), no matter how fast your network. A great advantage OTOH is that it's platform independent, so you can just as easily access a Mac from a Windows PC as you can access another Windows PC. But by far the best thing about VNC is that the client is less than 200k large and doesn't have to be installed, so you can run it on virtually any system (and the server doesn't need much either, I think that even for Windows a 486 would suffice).

See the official VNC website for more info and to download the official version. However, if you plan on actually using this program, I advise you to download the enhanced version, TightVNC, as it tends to be much faster, especially on slow networks (but on fast networks as well).

My friends who live on campus have been using VNC for years but I only started using it a few days ago as it I'm usually on Uni all day and am therefore required to have my home computer online all day (which, at 3 (Euro)cent a minute, is not exactly cheap). My cable subscription has a flat fee so I can now finally start to take advantage of it

Immortal Wombat · January 23, 2002, 14:26

And you need it on both computers I suppose. That is annoying. I'm not really allowed to download programs to school

Locutus · January 23, 2002, 16:21

IW, like you pointed out yourself over ICQ (I'm repeating it here for those who weren't there but still value the info

), you can use a Java client too (see website for details)...

The Big Mc · January 24, 2002, 06:00

Quote:

I'm not sure what you mean. I counted the Alex map by looking up the coordinates: 111 was the highest x coordinate and the highest y coordinate was 97, therefore the map size is 112x98. Alex does not have a donut map, what do you mean?

what I mean is that when you change from the normal map to a donut you gain about five tiles at the top this is all right in computer generated maps but human maps makes a large are of water visible

i tried making a map 212*212 last night and the computer did not like it.

it makes a new map but wear deep water should be its a random blob of shallow water plains and snow

Locutus · January 24, 2002, 17:10

Do we want a donut map? Since when is the earth a donut? (Homer Simpson would be in heaven!

)

The Big Mc · January 29, 2002, 05:32

Hi I just got my last IT exam done well in a will anyway so I am truly free to mod again so as well as making your map this weekend(as it will take a long time to make)

Also the map size must be altered to stop a distortion to 210 * 90 very wide but it will keep the map in proportion

hexagonian · January 29, 2002, 11:04

A small suggestion about the map...

Since this map will wrap on the sides, and to limit overlapping land masses on the edges, use this as your template. The edges can be all ocean then.

The Big Mc · January 29, 2002, 11:12

Hexagonian could you pleas attach the file in it’s original size it would help. Any way I was going to cut the thing around the Atlantic and drift it a part by a few tiles