Obtaining height field data for non US battlefields

[Crikey]

I need sources for the above for Europe and beyond in a tif format. Something similar to the USGS site.

If members have links to decent sites please post.

Thanks. B)

[gunship24]

Hi Crikey. I have obtained height map data for europe from that website Earth Explorer http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. I download it as DTED which has a .dt1 extension, but i can load it in my DEM viewer and save it as a jpg height map. Not sure if that helps if you require tif. If it does and you get stuck i can give you directions.

[Saddletank]

I think you'll find that DEM data in Europe is nothing like so easy to come across than for the USA and is rarely free. The public data also tends to be 100m sample rate and not 10m sampling like the USGS data. I used to have to find DEM data for train simulator routes and in fact gave up and hand drew it by tracing contours!

I have 10m DEM data somewhere for part of SW England which could be used to make a good fictional map. I'll have to see where it is.

[gunship24]

Also backing up Saddletank's comment, the europe DEM data is not as detailed as the US, but its good enough depending on the area you want to look at. I pulled a height map for Borodino from it when i was modding for TC2M, as well as Quatre Bras, and recently Vimeiro and Rolica. It probably isnt as detailed to see streams or minor terrain differences.

I normally download from there as its free. Then load the DTED file into a DEM importer, zoom in to the bit i want then export it as a 0-255 colour height map.

[Crikey]

Thanks guys.

Interesting info.

Gunship - if you have some pre-downloaded heightfields for Nap battles we could use as a starting point, I think 2nd_Tx and I would be very happy map-makers.

[Saddletank]

Austerlitz would make a very interesting map.

[gunship24]

This is an example of the resolution, this is the battle field of Vimeiro, and the only one i have at this resolution at the moment. This battle wouldnt be my first choice to do as there and plently larger ones.

The attachment VIMEIRO_HEIGHT_MAP.jpg is no longer available

I did this in Blender but the map i suppose would look somthing like this maybe:

The attachment test01_2012-09-06.png is no longer available

I have no idea how much ground that covers though only that that was 99% of the battlefield.

[Crikey]

Thanks Gunship.

It sounds like I'll need to experiment to see what works best.

If memory serves, for my more recent maps I now work with a 512x512 tga that represents a heightfield for an area of around 5 miles by 5 miles.

[Saddletank]

Always worth making the map much bigger than the actual space fought over - like the Gettysburg maps are. This allows for what ifs, flanking moves and fictional battles on the same terrain. Vimiero was a small fight so I imagine that map may be less than 2 miles square.

[Rello]

Just to notify that having worked on 15 historical maps and scenario for NTW3 mod, widely acclaimed for being the most detailed 3D rendition of the napoleonic era, I'm quite profiency in generate the height layer of europe battlefield. As every other serious player I'm of course tired of NTW engine regarding MP low reliability and superficial battle mechanics especially at command & control level.

When I asked months ago map making in SOW looked quite "reserved" to an inner circle of people with access to secret files. Has the procedure been changed recently? I have no fear to dig into files and tables if they are available to public modding.

Of course a napoleonic version of SOW engine, tailored on napoleonic tactics, would be the best, but better to content with what gunship24 made than nothing now that MP has been open and tested.