Global Campaign

[danzig70]

Here is the area of interest grid (red) (1degx1deg) in WorldWind. Columns A-F and rows 1-6. Once you select the first cell, you use the map grid (green) to choose select the bk map. Then you enter this information into bktopo.exe when prompted.


Map image layer


You can adjust the transparency so you can take a screenshot and crop it to the map edges.


Open the mapname.tga files and the cropped screenshot image into a image editor.


Resize the screenshot to 256x256 and 512x512 and merge them onto the mapname.tga file using the move tool.


Open the map in the editor and the map is visible.



Here's a new test file created with the bktopo.exe program with the tga files already done. When you "create map" in the editor it will overwrite the file so I renamed them. Just save as or rename them to appear.

I was hoping the "update map" command would fix the tile shading but it didnt. I have to fix the last tile row as that can be seen as an error (red) in the screenshot below.
www.sendspace.com/file/td1m4m

Here's a screenshot of the new heights in the map editor:


Here's a screenshot of Worldwind with army group icons. When an icon is clicked the html page loads.


Here's Tangram's building align proof overlay for placing buildings:


The JonesSoft Model Enable Tool detects conflicts and enables mods.


Here is the link to download Worldwind (.net) worldwindcentral.com/wiki/NASA_World_Wind_Download

Here's a link to the mod enabler
www.users.on.net/~jscones/software/products-jsgme.html

[danzig70]

NASA no longer is suporting the .net version of WorldWind and their legacy server with the elevation data is permanently offline so my Global Campaign map is quite flat. The BKTopo program still works and I can still add other data to the .net version like 1935 and 1945 aerial photographs of Warsaw, but I will have to move everything to java. This will make things easier in the end as you will be able to click and drag unit icons like a boardgame and it will be easier to add range rings for aircraft, artillery, etc. This will take a while though. In the meantime if anyone wants to install worldwind.net and use the data I have acquired I will post the links for the files. Below is a list of what I have:

US Army Topo Maps of France, 1950s about 1:200 000 scale I believe.

German Topo Maps 1890s-1938 (depending on map) 1:25 000

Topo Map Index Italy

Aerial Imagery Portsmouth, UK (date unknown)

Aerial Imagery Warsaw Poland, 1935, 1945 + other layers

Maps (parcel and other layers) Czechoslovakia

Near real-time weather (GOES clouds, TRMM, Nexrad, etc)

BK Topo for area 49-50N, 6-7 E

Aerial Imagery 1930s USA (DE, CT, NJ)

USGS Topo Maps Entire USA

UK Airfields kml file

Blue Marble Base Imagery

High resolution US Orthoimagery

France Orthoimagery

I have made some headway with country pages and economic data through 1935 but it is unfinished.

The topo maps for Germany and France are large images so the size of these files are quite large. The rest are small configuration files. Also, I have been working with FlightGear, SH3 and BridgeCommand so will eventually move from Blitzkrieg-fixed perspective to something else like Steel Fury or Vehicle Simulator but I will be glad to provide instructions to make BKTopo and will still be working on it in the meantime. Thanks for two years of fun.

[Folgore]

Sounds like a farewell...

[danzig70]

It does look like a yard sale, doesnt it. I just wanted to have something to show after working on this for so long. I still think it has potential and I would like to have a demo before I travel to Russia next year, but I wont have anything to post for quite a while. Not farewell but au revoir.

I finally found a good site for Italian topo maps from the military geographic institute. www.igmi.org/ware/ They have to be purchased though. But it does show the map name to search for.

I found excellent articles on creating AI logic. www.itsc.uah.edu/research/wargame_ai.html and www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf&AD=ADA425228 It is used in HPS games www.hpssims.com/ and hopefully I can implement it into the java application to control AI unit icons and into Lua scripts for map level AI logic.


UPDATE: Here's my first build of the application. This will work much better as it can be web based. Now I have to add all my content from the other version.

[Xmen]

Bonne Route and see you soon

[danzig70]

Just thought I would share some screenshots. Im still using the old program for now. These are of Tripoli. They will of course look better with water added.











Filling in the water using the map editor.

[danzig70]

www.defensenews.com/article/20120119/TSJ01/301190014/Virtual-Mission-Planners-Gain-Momentum?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p

Once again I have been beat to the punch by a defense contractor. At least mine will be free though!

I dont have any screenshots but I have moving aircraft icons now. The icons for army units are much easier as they dont move as fast. Havent moved to java yet but that is next. Hope everyone has a good new year.

[Xmen]

Good Job Danzig70..........................I look forward to the test!

[danzig70]

The entertainment value of watching triangles fly around the eastern US has its limits but it's good programming practice.

[Folgore]

Jan 19, 2012 23:40:38 GMT 1 danzig70 said:

The entertainment value of watching triangles fly around the eastern US has its limits but it's good programming practice.

I didn't understand but welcome back!

[danzig70]

Hi Folgore! I was just going to post a screenshot. I am representing aircraft with triangle icons, warships as diamonds and merchant ships as squares. Army units are the standard symbols on square or rectangular icons. The green lines are the heading. (the two friendly units are parked and the target doesnt show a heading)



So, in keeping with a combined arms strategy, the player can create air, land and sea missions.

I paid for the imagery service through OnTerra Systems ($40/year) for high resolution but have added 1930s/1940s era imagery where available and of course topo maps. The US Geo Service has high and moderate resolution imagery for free for the US.

[danzig70]

I am finally able to draw lines accurately using longitude and latitude. This means I can draw a unit's heading and range rings for sensor ranges and weapon ranges (aircraft,ships), artillery range rings, airfield coverage, and flak coverage. This should help a mission planner determine if off-map artillery is available as well as air support. It can also help to find gaps in fortifications by showing the coverage of each gun emplacement.



By using the haversine formula it is possible to calculate the heading between two points, distance between two points, and current position knowing the starting position, heading and distance traveled. Since distance is just speed*time, and the icons can "refresh" at a specified interval, the icon's position on the map will be updated.

www.movable-type.co.uk/scripts/latlong.html
mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/51879.html


Here is my pilot, Otto, flying over 1930s Connecticut:

[danzig70]

These are shots of a German Early Warning System experiment. The Freya radar provides the green coverage area and the Wurzburg radar (blue line) tracks the target. By clicking on the artillery icon, blitzkrieg starts with the map preloaded. Then you hopefully shoot down the target. There is an interceptor plane ready on the runway. I can write the script file "on the fly" for the BK map but dont know how to relay how many planes were shot down to an external program. (for the map icons) UK will have a similar system so planning air strikes should be interesting.

I can finally start working on ground warfare.

[Folgore]

Quite interesting, I'm very curious to see the end of this road...

[danzig70]

so am I....