MAPS: Request map makers for help

[randowe]

I mean map number of existing maps. Something like SSI maps 10 or 17 maybe fits the region? I also lean towards my map 1564.
But yeah, i just think about many possible maps and constantly think about how to paint them. That does not mean i actually will do them
It's just that i think about map making every day And southwest Kursk region suddenly is very interesting....

(Only map that is locked in after Vyazma is a Dodecanese Islands map for Dimitris.)

[Dimitris GR]

[randowe]

Here's just a little teaser. Dimitris asked for new maps of Greece and one of them, Athens South, shares some areas with existing maps.
Look at this beauty

[none]

Wow!
Gorgeous! Can't wait to be able to do some Open General stuff again...

[RoyalBengalTiger]

Greetings all,

I'm building this little campaign and I have map #147 Bzura River.
There is a .map file, and a .txt file with descriptions of names for special hexes on http://mapfinder.gilestiel.eu/.

How do I either make a mapx file or at least insert the descriptions into the scenario in the OpenEditor?
It seems like no towns are named when I try to make it work, so I'm messing something up for sure.

[sympatyk]

Watch the video - use 1080p quality

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K4_ele ... sp=sharing

[LuisGuzman]

Watch the video - use 1080p quality

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K4_ele ... sp=sharing

[randowe]

I started working on the Brest map and I wonder how big the fortress should be on the map? In reality the fortress was quite big and only a small portion was located on the central island. So I wonder if I should add bunkers to the north and south in the OG map?

Please compare these images or take a look at the fortress in google maps yourself.

[sympatyk]

It all depends on the scale you choose for your map.
Standard maps are 1.5-2 km/hex.
The fortress is approximately 1.7 km wide.

If the map is 0.5 km/hex --> for a 3150x3000px map --> you can place a real-world area of 35 x 30 km, and the fortress will occupy 4x3 hexes.

[randowe]

It all depends on the scale you choose for your map.
Standard maps are 1.5-2 km/hex.
The fortress is approximately 1.7 km wide.

If the map is 0.5 km/hex --> for a 3150x3000px map --> you can place a real-world area of 35 x 30 km, and the fortress will occupy 4x3 hexes.

The scale of the map is something like 1.8 or 1.9km/hex width.

The whole fortress complex is more like 2.8x2.8km.
I think one fortification hex in the game is not enough, so three looks good? It is also more important how it plays in the game than to narrow it down to the exact area in square km. Think of a scenario where you have to capture the fortress, but the fortress holds on longer than the surrounding area.

If I only add one bunker on the central island, it feels like most of the fortress is missing in the map. So three bunkers is best I think?!?

[sympatyk]

Of course, if it's an important element of the scenario and the map scale allows it - it's ok --> it's always ok to rescale important/needed terrain elements on the map --> I did it too

[randowe]

You got mail (Sorry, I just saw your mail today.)

[sympatyk]

You got mail

Danke.

[randowe]

You got mail

Danke.

I rarely check my mails, so it is better to write me in the forum. I only was in my mailbox because I needed to fetch a verification code from dropbox because I didn't use it since the last time I uploaded my efile

[VietFunk]

Hello!
Could I ask you how you made the PG2/PeG/OG style graphic map (second picture in your post)?
I have spent about a day reading the manuals and forums and googling and I am at my wits end.
Initially I screen captured a google maps region and then just magic select and paint bucked whole regions. For example I took the sea from 1368.jpg and pasted it over the uniform blue sea in my google map screenshot. But then... how do I add the single trees and barns across swaths of fields? Seems to be very counterproductive to do it by copying and pasting.

Then I saw your post. To me it's obvious that you used some kind of map editor to create that shp/s16 style brest map with the three forts in the middle. So I decided to write this post and ask you: what program did you use?

Thank you in advance!

I started working on the Brest map and I wonder how big the fortress should be on the map? In reality the fortress was quite big and only a small portion was located on the central island. So I wonder if I should add bunkers to the north and south in the OG map?

Please compare these images or take a look at the fortress in google maps yourself.

[sympatyk]

A map is more than just an image...
A classic image (for PG/PEG/OG) is usually created by copying and pasting components from other maps (of course, the map creator has these components already cut and prepared).
A program for assembling the image (map) - an image editor (usually working with layers) --> Photoshop, Gimp...

Do you want to create maps for this game? (You're asking Ranowe - a leader in this field.)
Want to stay with us longer and post on the forum?

[randowe]

Could I ask you how you made the PG2/PeG/OG style graphic map (second picture in your post)?
I have spent about a day reading the manuals and forums and googling and I am at my wits end.
Initially I screen captured a google maps region and then just magic select and paint bucked whole regions. For example I took the sea from 1368.jpg and pasted it over the uniform blue sea in my google map screenshot. But then... how do I add the single trees and barns across swaths of fields? Seems to be very counterproductive to do it by copying and pasting.

Hello and welcome to the forum

Actually it is indeed copy and paste!

I copy from the maps I made previously, paste them into the new map and rearrange them, so they fit the new map's features.
When I was new to map making I cut out many objects like houses, trees, railroads, etc and collected them in a photoshop file. But I don't use this method anymore. Nowadays I open one or more of my older maps (that use the same style as the new map) and copy the objects I need directly from there. Generally a map of mine is build in photoshop by having different classes of objects, like rivers and houses on different layers in the photoshop file, so it is easy to cut them out. You could also use gimp instead of photoshop.
My photoshop is 20 years old, so there's no magic, just hard work in the map making dungeons

[VietFunk]

OOOFFFF...

Actually it is indeed copy and paste!

I copy from the maps I made previously, paste them into the new map and rearrange them

That is DAUNTING...

Hello Randowe and sympatyk, thank you for your replies!

I guess there is nothing else to do but up my sleeves...
Could I ask a quick tip? How do you go about single object on the map, like a barn in the field, or separate single trees along a shore line? Do you scissor cut the object and then soften it's edges so that it looks seamless on the map proper? I'm working in Gimp now, I think the function is called "feather edges"?

Once again, appreciate the swift response!

[randowe]

In this thread you will find some of the large empty backdrops, that can be used for map making: viewtopic.php?p=9429#p9429
Now If I remove the background my maps look like the pictures shown below. You can see that I sometimes cut out objects like single trees or houses but also larger ones like forrests, fields or even larger parts that contain everything. There is really no rule and it depends on the map style.
Sometimes you have to be more precise when cutting out objects and sometimes not so much. It also depends how they blend in with the background.

What kind of map do you plan to create?


This one is at 200% zoom (I guess due to the dimensions of the picture it is shown smaller in the forum so it is maybe shown at 170% or something like that So it maybe looks not sharp. But you get the idea how a map of mine looks when the background is removed.):



This one is at 100% and you can see that there are some larger objects used that I cut out from the original SSI map. Sometimes it is best (or even the easiest way) to go back to the source, which are the original SSI png maps in most cases.:

[sympatyk]

As Randowe says, use original components, not heavily modified ones—preferably png.
The key is whether this drawing will be for the OG engine or the original PG2 (different color conditions).

[VietFunk]

Wow!!! Thank you big R!
Immediately saved all those Clean Maps! Just the thing I needed!
It does help me very much discussing this with you all here, because as we exchange messages, the overall plan of action regarding mapmaking comes to me. It does involve a lot of sweat, but fortunately it seems doable, and a question of knowing the functions of the software in use.

I am currently working on a map of Pärnu bay in Estonia. I got the tile map done already. The setting is late 90s, so I will have to rely heavily on PeG maps in terms of city/urban gfx. Dunno what else to tell you. It's the first scenario of the campaign.

I will probably make my own thread to start posting monthly updates, just as a discipline anchor.

Thank you Randowe and the whole community!

[randowe]

You are welcome! Good luck with your project! It would be great if you keep us updated. If more questions arise in the future, please feel free to ask.
Of course feel free to share as much of your work as you like in a dedicated thread. It is always interesting too see what people are working on, campaings, maps, etc.