Official Mapp Squad Discussion

[comdude21 6]

Thanks for the sig image! It looks great.

I'm ready to start my first map. I'm pretty sure it will be a flat/coastal type region, my specialty. I'll also try to get some islands in there as well. Should I make a custom config.bmp for the region? I think I will, because you don't have to use the included config.bmp file if you don't want to. Anyways, I can't wait to get started on that map, it should be done within the week. I'll have more details on it once I start the map tonight.

[RadioheadFan 1]

Just wondering something...you know how Greyveil was recently appointed NDEX Minister of Propaganda?(If you didn't know, now you do.) Maybe I could be the Mapp Squad's PR Guy? That would be so cool! PM me if you'll have me on as PR Guy.

RHF

[airmale007 3]

My first map has been released!

[MallowTheCloud 41]

Mine is taking a little more time than expected, but should be out either today or tomorrow...


EDIT: Ok, my first map is finished! It's called Duthford, and was drawn completely by hand. So... it took awhile . It's here .

[your_adress_here 11]

All your productions are nice! Keep up the good work you guys!

[the_new_simman 5]

Great job on all your maps. I will be releasing two more very soon. One will be of Mexico and the other, well you'll have ot wait and see.

[Big_Baazzoo 0]

Mallow, I'm calling the Island in the south-east Moon Island

we need a logo...a watermark, or something, I'm thinking something with a compass rose involved...something like you see on ye olde mapps that indicates north...I don't know...

[RadioheadFan 1]

Hey all! I'm working on a new map right now, but as your PR Guy, I want you guys to tell me what you want me to do! I'll be doing stuff such as naming the maps we release, writing the captions for our releases, and organizing our thread, which will hopefully someday evolve into a forum. Anyways, PM me if you have work for me, and I'll get it done ASAP!

RHF

[Big_Baazzoo 0]

Okay, Guys, here's a challenge...I have created an image in AutoCad 2000 which saves as .dwg files.  I want to convert it to .jpg or .bmp file so y'all can see it.  I have tried exporting it from Autocad and opening it as a .dwg file and as a .dxf and a .bmp file and tried any number of machinations from Adobe photoshop to Corel photopaint and CorelDraw to open it to no avail...any ideas? 

[MallowTheCloud 41]

IrfanView looks like it can load .dwg files... might want to try that. If it does open the files, you can then just save it as a jpg or bmp.

Moon Island, eh? Well, I didn't even think people would want to download that map. It's so big. But, I like it, and I'm glad other people are giving it a try.

EDIT: Ah, I see you need a plugin to open .dwg files with IrfanView. Well, have no fear, the plugin is here !

[comdude21 6]

Sorry Baazzoo, can't help you out. But I have a question of my own about uploading maps.

I want to upload a couple of maps, which were some of my previous CJs. But those maps have development on them. If I upload those maps, will only the terrain be uploaded, or will the towns be uploaded as well? I know, it's probably a pretty stupid question, but I was just wondering. Thanks in advance.

comdude

[RadioheadFan 1]

I think what you have to do is make a backup of that region, then delete all the cities before uploading it. Then, you just play the backup. Simtropolites would have to download the map with the cities on it if you don't delete them, and that would take up too much time and space on Simtrop servers and theirs. Hope that helps.

RHF

[greyveil 37]

the greyscale jpg or bmp stores no city information on them, they do not change during region development

[comdude21 6]

Hmmm. I think I will have to do what RHF said, because I made those regions by hand in the game, and there's no greyscale image for the in that region's folder. Thanks for the help.

[Big_Baazzoo 0]

Thanks, Mallow, irfanview with the plugun looks like it will work...I played a little before work this morn, and when I am done here I will get back to it and finish my project.  Thanks

@ comdude...the only way I know of to upload a map is a greyscale.  If you made the region by terraforming, I don't think you can upload it...hmmm...how would one perhaps make a greyscale out of a terraformed region?

@ RHF...wow...a PR representative...cool...

[comdude21 6]

Thanks for the help Baazzoo. I'm pretty sure I have seen maps on the STEX that were terraformed in-game. But if it's not possible, then I've run out of luck. Does anyone know how to make a greyscale image out of a hand terraformed region? Thanks in advance.

[Big_Baazzoo 0]

@ comdude...I, too would love to find out more...even though I try my best to make the greyscale playable, there always seems to be some terraforming needs to happen once I start to play it.

[RadioheadFan 1]

Converting to a greyscale...hmm...maybe IrfanView can do that as well? I'd think that people who hand-terraform regions that are bigger than normal SC4 size would use a greyscale, so there must be a way. Anyways, I had another idea for something I could do. Nobody's really asked for my help with anything so far so I has time for another idea to pop up. Maybe I could upload all the maps we do to the STEX like Equinox does for NDEX? You know, say comdude has a map ready and wants to release it, and wants it to be called Hampton Creek?(or something like that...) I could release it under the title Mapp Squad-Hampton Creek, by comdude21. Just so I have something to do, and you guys have less work to do. Besides, map-making will be secondary for me, so I might as well help with yours! Remember, if you have any kind of work for me, post it here or PM me and it'll be first on my list of things to do!

RHF

[comdude21 6]

Baazzoo: Yeah, I sure hope there is a way to make a greyscale image out of a hand-terraformed map. There is a bit of hope...I have seen many maps on the MEX that the maker of the map said something like I went into the game and fixed up some of the rivers, or I had to smoothen out the coastlines by hand in the game or something like that. Unless they really said I added a river on the greyscale image or something like that. So maybe it is possible to make a greyscale out of a pre-existing region. I know from past experience in the couple of maps that I have downloaded that any changes made to the map in the game will not affect the greyscale image.

RHF: I've never made a greyscale map, so if I want to make a larger region, I have to hand terraform the whole thing. I don't know what InfranView is or where and how to get it, but if it's free, legitimate software then I could get it.

As for asking for help, the thing is that we're just starting and have only uploaded a few maps so far. We have to prove that we're reliable and will make good, high-quality maps to prove ourselves. Once we get something going here, I'm sure we'll have a use for you somewhere. Don't worry, you won't be unemployed for too long.

[MallowTheCloud 41]

Unfortunately, I don't think there is a way to make a greyscale image out of a hand-terraformed SC4 region.

IrfanView would not be of any help with that... however, it is a great program, it is free, and the only rule in the license agreement that you must follow to use IrfanView is, if you're using it for a company (to make a profit) you must pay the registration fee of $12... I think it's $12.

Anyway, the program is sort of like Adobe Photoshop, except that IrfanView is missing many of Photoshop's features, and has some that Photoshop doesn't have.

So, it is quite useful... you can read more about it by visiting the link in my previous post.

[comdude21 6]

Thanks for the information Mallow. That really stinks about the hand terraformed regions, but oh well. I think I will try my hand at maps using DEM data, as there are a couple of great tutorials on the Omnibus on that subject. Are there any tutorials/guides on making greyscale images for fantasy maps? If I can't make good maps with DEMs, then I could go for that.

I do have Photoshop (Photoshop Essentials if I'm not mistaken). So that will allow me to make maps. I'll just have to get that Microdem program and start reading the tutorials again. I'm excited to make some real-world maps.

[the_new_simman 5]

Great job guys. Your discussing lots of things about maps and that's what i like ot hear. I'm sorry I haven't been active, but I am pretty busy right at this moment. Anyway, my second map has been released. Its call: Northern Central Valley. Check it out here:

https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?mode=files&filetype=Map&Str=mapp%20squads%20northern%20central%20valley

[BarbulaM1 38]

Wow, great to see this got back into action. I would be glad to get involved with the MapSquad agian.

[comdude21 6]

Now that I know that hand-terraformed maps cannot be uploaded....can anyone show me where I could download the Landscape Designer? Thanks. I think that will be my main way of making maps, along with some accurate scale DEM maps, maybe.

comdude

[RadioheadFan 1]

Are you sure? Not every map I've downloaded is a greyscale, only the maps with custom sizes. For example, Kingsport from this very Mapp Squad(by airmale007, I believe)wasn't a greyscale, so I think it only has to be a greyscale if the region is larger or smaller than the default Maxis region size. I hope this helps a tiny bit. Good luck with your new style, though!

RHF

[comdude21 6]

Thanks RHF. Well, needless to say, the maps that I have made are all either smaller (I tend to prefer small maps) than the Maxis standard 16x16, or they are irregular sizes. But that doesn't mean that I couldn't either A) Extend the maps out to make them 16x16, or B) Just make new maps. Can somebody clarify this though, that the standard, 16x16 map does NOT need to be in greyscale in order to be uploaded to the MEX? If so, that's like a saving grace to me. Thanks for the info again, RHF.

EDIT: It looks like airmale's map is a greyscale. I think you were confusing it with the config.bmp.

[RadioheadFan 1]

Yeah, I might have. But there are maps on the STEX that don't require a greyscale, as long as they're the Maxis size, I'm pretty sure. Sorry, I know I'm not the most helpful member of the Mapp Squad, but I'm trying, lol.

RHF

Edit: When you upload, there's no option for uploading hand-made maps. But I wish I could find out how to make greyscale maps, so that I could upload some.....I sure hope somebody can help me.

RHF

[the_new_simman 5]

Date: 4/1/2005 7:57:00 AM Author: RadioheadFan Yeah, I might have. But there are maps on the STEX that don't require a greyscale, as long as they're the Maxis size, I'm pretty sure. Sorry, I know I'm not the most helpful member of the Mapp Squad, but I'm trying, lol. RHF Edit: When you upload, there's no option for uploading hand-made maps. But I wish I could find out how to make greyscale maps, so that I could upload some.....I sure hope somebody can help me. RHF

RHF, I will make a quick tutorial for all of us. It will teach you how to make custom maps.

 

RHF, here's a great tutorial that will explain how to make a greyscale out of USGS data:

https://www.simtropolis.com/content.cfm?mode=omnibus&view=56

 

In other news, here are some sig images for the people who haven't gotten them:

 

 

 

Here is the updated member list:

 

.:: Updated Member List ::.

the_new_simman
kvasir
Big_Baazzoo
MallowTheCloud
comdude21
airmale007

Radioheadfan

BarbulaM1

 

Also, to gain even more attention to the Mapp Squad would you please put this image as you STEX Icon:

 

http://picturehosting.simvision.net/uploads/post-2-1112376524.jpg>

 

Thanks for reading this full Mapp Squad Update! 

[MallowTheCloud 41]

First of all, the landscape designer that comdude21 asked for is a great program for making your own custom maps! I suggest everyone in the MAPP Squad download this program, if not to create your own maps, to edit the maps and the config.bmp to make them playable.

Secondly, RHF, unfortunately I think you are mistaken. When a map is an original size, you do not need to create your own custom config.bmp (although you can if you want). However, I cannot see any way that you would not need a greyscale image.

In fact, I think the only way one could transfer their map without the greyscale image would be to zip the whole folder, and the file would be too big for Simtropolis to handle.

If I'm mistaken, please let me know how to do it otherwise! However, I'm pretty sure this is correct.


On another note, I made Duthford completely by hand. Although I didn't make it with MSPaint, I might as well have. I used iDraw Character Maker, but I used it just like MSPaint. This of course took hours to finish, so I wouldn't recommend it... unless you already have a landform in mind that you really want to recreate on SC4 (as was my case).

So, good luck hand-making your own greyscale images.


Finally, the_new_simman, where do we put that image? I don't understand where to put it...

[the_new_simman 5]

Okay, here's how to get the icon in your STEX Profile.

1. Right click and save the image to your documents.

2. Go to this page and look at the top:
https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?mode=files&filetype=mine&user=23827&startrow=1&category=default&show=12
There you will see a upload bar. Click browse and upload the Mapp Squad I con.

There, that's all you guys have to do.