Transport Tycoon Forums

Well, you need a greyscale image where the brightness represents the height of the land.
Here is greyscale map of southern sweden as an example.
Note that I have rotated the map 45 degrees clockwise, so that north is in the upper right corner. This way north will point straight up in the isometric view in locomotion.

Shouldn't it be anti-clockwise? Remember, ignore what you initisally see on the screen, because the map has an actual north, which should line up with north on your terrain. I find I have to rotate my images anti-clockwise for this to work.

I found a website containing topographical data free for download.

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/topo/gltiles.shtml
instructions on how to import into photoshop:
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/topo/report/s11/s11Gx.html

I attached a sample image I cropped just now.

I'm using data from there. Unfortunately, unless you want to model an area of at least 400km each way, it's not all that useful. I managed to lose two peninsulae when I pulled the data in.

ChrisCF wrote:Shouldn't it be anti-clockwise? Remember, ignore what you initisally see on the screen, because the map has an actual north, which should line up with north on your terrain. I find I have to rotate my images anti-clockwise for this to work.

All I know is that the image above has north pointing straight up when converted into a scenario and loaded into the scenario editor or when a game is started using the scenario. Are you saying that scenarios are started with north pointing left?

ChrisCF wrote:Shouldn't it be anti-clockwise? Remember, ignore what you initisally see on the screen, because the map has an actual north, which should line up with north on your terrain. I find I have to rotate my images anti-clockwise for this to work.

I think you are confusing my Landscape Generator with Mek's Map Creator.
They are two entirely different programs, and we seem to have two different ideas on which corner of the image should represent north.
The minimap in Locomotion and my Landscape Generator make the upper right corner north, Mek's Map Creator make the upper left corner north.

ampz wrote:I think you are confusing my Landscape Generator with Mek's Map Creator.
They are two entirely different programs, and we seem to have two different ideas on which corner of the image should represent north.
The minimap in Locomotion and my Landscape Generator make the upper right corner north, Mek's Map Creator make the upper left corner north.

Hmm. yes.. your right... i guess i will make this configurable/fixed in the next version [/u]

Not that it makes much difference which corner is north.

Added support for 8bit BMP files.
After all, that is the natural format for greyscale images.

mapgen 1.03

This is an incredible tool. I'm a graphic artist so expect some fine looking maps in the near future!

I ran the program, loaded my 8bit 384x384 greyscale image. Said it converted it but I can not find out where it put it? !

It is written to the location where the bmp file is.
If your BMP file is called map.bmp, then the scenario will be called map.sc5

hey, Im really confused at how you actually use this.. is there a readme or instructions?

Davie

Ok got it to make a landscape.. now all i wanna know is what shades are what heights?

Because its made my terrain super high and where the sea is really low.. but no water!... must have chosen the wrong height for sea

Instructions on how to use?
1: Select a 384x384 pixel greyscale BMP file.
2: Select desired world region.
3: Select desired sea level.
4: Done! (Scenario will be stored at the location where the bmp file is)

There are 40 valid heights in locomotion, and a greyscale image has 256 shades. The greyscale shades are rounded to the closest valid locomotion height. (256/40=6.4 shades per locomotion height.)

The sea level is in "locomotion heights".

If your terrain becomes too high, then just adjust the brightness of the greyscale image in a photo editor.
If there is no water, increase the sea level. (sea level 4 is standard locomotion sea level)

You can adjust your landscape in a photo editor. Try playing around with bluring the image, adjusting brightness, contrast and gamma correction.

Cheers!!! I just about sorted it thanks!

I just wish it didnt have snow on UK maps at such low a height... hmm

Davie

Well, I can't do much about that. In fact, mapgen generates no snow whatsoever, it is added in-game. The in-game snow line is different during different months (high during summer, low during winter).

But why don't you try changing the climate? Generate a landscape, and then in locomotion's editor switch to another climate. Should do the trick.

Just wanted to add some credit here. I've had Loco, oh, about a week now. And while it IS the best virtual train set I've ever played with, there are a few things that could be improved. So I've been looking for mods and fixes.

And then I found this. Oh, the joy! This is such a nice tool. The in-game landscape generator is really boxy, and using the Adjust Land tool takes ages. But this just plugs straight in with the generation & sculpting tools I happen to have lying around (Terragen et al).

Thank you.

Lots.

Ampz I need something real specific here. I'm working on some new landscapes and I'm going to make some different terrain. I need to get the mapgen to create rock, sand or dirt instead of grass when it creates the scenario terrain as the default.

Also is it possible to import new landtypes? I'm working the the 21 century folks and once that's done we'll want to make some incredible maps with it.

Again thanks for your work. A truly great tool!

Mapgen is great! Too bad I haven't been able to find a decent map of New Zealand yet.

zkreso wrote:I found a website containing topographical data free for download.

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/topo/gltiles.shtml
instructions on how to import into photoshop:
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/topo/report/s11/s11Gx.html

This looks promising but I haven't got photoshop. Would anyone who has photoshop be able to try and make an image of a map of New Zealand from the data? If anyone could, that would be great!

[edit] I found a map I was able to use, but I'd still like to see if someone could make a better one from the data from the site mentioned above.