CFS3 map

[mongoose]

Is there anyone still around who is capable of moving the CFS3 map North a bit to include all of Denmark and South Sweden, and maybe East a bit? Cut out Ireland and Spain. Thinking of Bomber runs which often went more North + missing the Eastern most part of Germany. I believe one of the greats is no longer with us but not sure who else is around.

[hairyspin]

I think you mean build a new theatre of operations like MAW or Rising Sun. No small task and not one that can be done with non-commercial software afaik. A member of the Rising Sun team was the last to do this kind of work but he has now retired iirc.

If someone did this it might make Banff Wing operations, Operation Catechism (bombing the Tirpitz), Norway campaign etc possible. Sigh.

[Lt. Heinz Becker]

Moving the map east can also open the door for some late war Red Air Force missions.

[Daiwilletti]

Is there anyone still around who is capable of moving the CFS3 map North a bit to include all of Denmark and South Sweden, and maybe East a bit? Cut out Ireland and Spain. Thinking of Bomber runs which often went more North + missing the Eastern most part of Germany. I believe one of the greats is no longer with us but not sure who else is around.

Hi Mongoose, thats a very good question. This is at the heart of long-term future for CFS3. I suspect the ability to greatly increase the theatres kept CFS2 alive for so long.

Its a shame that commercial software is required. I've had a bit of a dabble around the fringes, and found some software that read the the basic GIS info in Richard Eikland's Mission and Facility Editor, but it certainly is a bewildering array of new file types to assimilate with all sorts of wierd suffixes! shp, pol, etc, etc.

Having someone who works or has background with the software would get way ahead on the learning curve.

Because CFS3 maps have to be square, it would be possible to retain the bottom sw corner of the map and extend and enlarge the whole thing west and north. (a whole new set of terrain data would be needed of course). One problem is that because of the "squareness", things get a bit ropey as you head north and all the lines start to get less and less square (note technical description ).

This might be overcome with your suggestion of moving the whole map a bit east rather than increasing the dimensions of the map.

By the way, did ETO 1.50 upgrade the terrain mesh? I thought that I read something about it.

D

[Pat Pattle]

From what Bob Park went through creating RS I know it's a massive undertaking and not for the feint-hearted! I don't think there's anyone around now with the skills or tools to do it.

We could always nominate you James, as a man of leisure these days you must have plenty of time, lol!

By the way, did ETO 1.50 upgrade the terrain mesh? I thought that I read something about it.

A 'big mesh' does exist for cfs3, ie. it has better elevation data than the stock one. It also has a few small rips and tears here and there but overall is very good. Not sure it made it into 1.5, I haven't checked. I think it was made by BiFF?

[mongoose]

Well, Clive, I seem to have no more time than before!! always plenty do do; bathroom ceiling off and redoing the whole thing! IIRC the MAW map of course was completely new. I take it we've never been able to incorporate GE satellite stuff into CFS3. What we need is a really good programmer; back to you!

[Pat Pattle]

Well, Clive, I seem to have no more time than before!! always plenty do do; bathroom ceiling off and redoing the whole thing! IIRC the MAW map of course was completely new. I take it we've never been able to incorporate GE satellite stuff into CFS3. What we need is a really good programmer; back to you!

I wouldn't know where to start to be honest James and neither have the inclination or time these days!
i'm still trying to summon up enthusiasm to finish the Hampden, Anson, DH89, Constellation & SB2 etc.!

[mongoose]

Hampden of course!

[HouseHobbit]

I am willing to give it a go, if some one will point me in the right direction.
Need to know what I need to do this??

[Pat Pattle]

I am willing to give it a go, if some one will point me in the right direction.
Need to know what I need to do this??

Owen, you need to speak to Bob Park if he's available, he's the man who knows.

[rbp71854]

Owen, you need to speak to Bob Park if he's available, he's the man who knows.

OHNO! ..........."They try to drag me back in" thanks but no more months on end with limited sleep.

Owen you will need photoshop, a program like Global Mapper to process the GIS elevation data at an affordable price of ~$450.00, winzip to compress the files, the ability to create .bat batch files, gigabits of harddrive space and un-interrupted computer time to run the batch processing without having the computer for other purposes.

You need to scour/search the web to find suitable GIS DEM and Shape files for the geographical area you are interested in.

Owen get the CFS3 Terrain SDK it has all the definitions, and programs to process files once generated by global mapper.

You will also need the CFS3 vector processing program.


Once you have the CFS3 Terrain SDK, read the manual, take 3 aspirins, and if you have some understanding you can do it with lots of trial and error and redoes to fix riffs and bad data.

You will still need to put it into a theater and fly it to see if it is okay. Probably a 2 to 3 year solo commitment.

Good luck and good flying.

[HouseHobbit]

OHNO! ..........."They try to drag me back in" thanks but no more months on end with limited sleep.

Owen you will need photoshop, a program like Global Mapper to process the GIS elevation data at an affordable price of ~$450.00, winzip to compress the files, the ability to create .bat batch files, gigabits of harddrive space and un-interrupted computer time to run the batch processing without having the computer for other purposes.

You need to scour/search the web to find suitable GIS DEM and Shape files for the geographical area you are interested in.

Owen get the CFS3 Terrain SDK it has all the definitions, and programs to process files once generated by global mapper.

You will also need the CFS3 vector processing program.


Once you have the CFS3 Terrain SDK, read the manual, take 3 aspirins, and if you have some understanding you can do it with lots of trial and error and redoes to fix riffs and bad data.

You will still need to put it into a theater and fly it to see if it is okay. Probably a 2 to 3 year solo commitment.

Good luck and good flying.

Okay thanks Bob, I will grab all the freeware stuff and get started.
I Use Paint.net, don't have photoshop.
I am very willing to put into this the time needed to learn it and do this.
2-3 year not a big deal. Heck got over a decade into this anyway.
Thanks, for the point into a direction.
Grateful for the chance to learn this, Oh yea!

[Daiwilletti]

Is Global Mapper required to generate the vector data for the shipping lanes? If so, I would like to plonk some into the Pacific.

[gecko]

Well, there's still that minor detail of $450 for the main software. I was interested some time ago, but had to turn back when I found out about the price tag. Maybe one day.

[NachtPiloten]

speak to me..... Oh I have tons of GIS data, tools etc. Wonder what I was doing?

[mongoose]

You can use freeware Gimp i/o photoshop

[Pat Pattle]

Some of the textures need to be 32 bit I think, in which case Photoshop is required as the freeware paint proggies can't do it.