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+--- Thread: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery (/showthread.php?tid=95)
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Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - drockland - 06-30-2012
Just wanted to share some maps I have made recently to avoid having to use the not-so-good-looking basic maps that come with Eastern Front.
These are based on actual Google Maps imagery in the Ukraine. Basically, I zoom down until the scale says 500ft. This is close enough to equal about 200m per inch, the PG map scale.
RE: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - vince hughes - 06-30-2012
These are very good and to be honest, thats how I felt the Cassino map looked anyway. From seeing the Cassino map, I wondered whether other maps could be done in a similar way and these examples kind of reinforce the fact.
I like them. Not sure how much ink they will need for printing, but it would be a nice way to create maps. The area is probably a lot more inhabited than in 41', but it would be nice to see some scenarios developed for such efforts.
RE: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - drockland - 06-30-2012
(06-30-2012, 05:24 AM)vince hughes Wrote: The area is probably a lot more inhabited than in 41'
Agreed. Its important to look for very small villages and roads that aren't super-highways.
RE: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - larry marak - 06-30-2012
And of course, these would make perfect maps for playing Modern era PG
RE: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - upintheattic - 06-30-2012
Googlemaps was a huge boon to me when developing PG scenarios. Some designers are distance challenged in that they get the distances between towns etc. wrong on their map setups. Googlemaps helped me solve that problem quickly and easily; with all the PG maps out there, it's easy to come up with new map configurations that get the distances right.
RE: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - campsawyer - 06-30-2012
(06-30-2012, 11:06 AM)upintheattic Wrote: Googlemaps was a huge boon to me when developing PG scenarios. Some designers are distance challenged in that they get the distances between towns etc. wrong on their map setups. Googlemaps helped me solve that problem quickly and easily; with all the PG maps out there, it's easy to come up with new map configurations that get the distances right.
So did you actually find the areas with a specific game, like Elsenborn, and then reverse time to 1944? Or something else?
RE: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - Blackcloud6 - 06-30-2012
How are you guys dealing with contours when using Google maps?
RE: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - drockland - 07-01-2012
(06-30-2012, 11:38 AM)Blackcloud6 Wrote: How are you guys dealing with contours when using Google maps?
Two methods that I have been experimenting with are (1) semi-transparent shadows (to mimic the look of hills on the PG game boards) and (2) thick white contour lines.
In the attached picture you can see how these methods compare visually with a hill on a PG game board.
RE: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - vince hughes - 07-01-2012
(07-01-2012, 08:36 AM)drockland Wrote:(06-30-2012, 11:38 AM)Blackcloud6 Wrote: How are you guys dealing with contours when using Google maps?
Two methods that I have been experimenting with are (1) semi-transparent shadows (to mimic the look of hills on the PG game boards) and (2) thick white contour lines.
In the attached picture you can see how these methods compare visually with a hill on a PG game board.
i might be wrong, but I thought Fred was referring to "How do you even see the contours of the real land when looking at google maps. I thought he was insinuating that it was difficult to see where hills are when looking at the satellite photogs ?
Or maybe it was me that just got the wrong end of the stick of his question
If I did, then I put the that very question to you as I like the idea you have brought up.
RE: Better Maps - Using Satellite Imagery - Blackcloud6 - 07-01-2012
Vince is right, I was wondering how you can tell contours from Google Earth. Sorry for not being clear on my question. As I recall there is a "terrain" feature that will give you contours on the map image but not on the satellite one (?). And I am not sure if the contour interval is known.
However, I looked at your two examples and I would prefer the white line as I am so used to military maps that I prefer contour lines. But the white gets lost in the white hex sides so you may consider a different hex side color. The slash mark version is very hard to see.