True Distances - Preface to 'True Ground'
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:48 am
Edit: These determinations proved incorrect because initially the map distances weren't synchronized with the LOS distances by editing the map.ini line 'UnitPerYard=30', see Post #7
Determining True Distances
True distances were established by scaling down soldier sprites until their height equaled two yards (6 feet - The average man during the American Civil War was around 5'6" or 5'7", according to Wiki). This criteria was established on the flat Kansas map by the following procedures:
1) the game was started and two infantry opposing units were set so that their engagement range was 100 yards (103 yards - Engagement Distance, attachment below)
2) screenshot - centered camera between both units wide enough to include the flags of both engaged units
3) opened screenshot in Paint.net (or any graphics program that displays pixel measurements)
4) measured the height of an infantry sprite in one of the engaged units (sprite height of 26 pixels, then divided in half, attachment below)
5) measured the distance between engaged units' flags (1294 pixels, attachment below)
6) divided height of infantry sprite in half (this establishes how many pixels per yard, figuring sprite height at 6 feet, or two yards), after dividing that number, now representing 1 yard, divided it into the distance between engaged units (1294 pixels divided by 13 pixels = 99.5, attachment below)
7) the goal then (by scaling down the troop sprite size) is to get that last divided number (now representing yards) as close to 100 as possible.
These seven steps result in a fairly accurate map distance of 100 yards in proportion to the size of troop sprites and map objects; end result setting for troop scaling is 46.5%. Note below the engagement range of 103 yards, the calculator readout of 99.5 yards, resulting in a 3.5 yards difference:
Determining Marching (walk) Speed for 'True Distances', resulting in 'Real Time' play
As noted by a recent post by MarkT, for centuries the accepted normal speed of marching infantry is three miles per hour. The following steps established this ‘walk’ speed:
1) edited the Kansas map to have no movement impediments, then added two objectives from the Devil's Den map, 'The Peach Orchard' and 'Little Round Top', which are one mile apart
2) opened the game and used this edited Kansas test map to march an officer between these two objectives
3) based on the 3 miles per hour speed, it takes 20 minutes to walk 1 mile, the officer’s journey was timed as so, tweaking the walk speed until the 1 mile destination was reached in 20 minutes
4) walk speed was established at 2.6 using this process
5) all other walk and run speeds in the unitglobal file were based on this established walk speed
Presently I'm going through the process of scaling down literally thousands of map objects on the Devil's Den map. If anyone sees a flaw in the above processes to establish 'True Distances', please weigh in to help this mod along, or to just convince me to stop the madness. :woohoo:
Determining True Distances
True distances were established by scaling down soldier sprites until their height equaled two yards (6 feet - The average man during the American Civil War was around 5'6" or 5'7", according to Wiki). This criteria was established on the flat Kansas map by the following procedures:
1) the game was started and two infantry opposing units were set so that their engagement range was 100 yards (103 yards - Engagement Distance, attachment below)
2) screenshot - centered camera between both units wide enough to include the flags of both engaged units
3) opened screenshot in Paint.net (or any graphics program that displays pixel measurements)
4) measured the height of an infantry sprite in one of the engaged units (sprite height of 26 pixels, then divided in half, attachment below)
5) measured the distance between engaged units' flags (1294 pixels, attachment below)
6) divided height of infantry sprite in half (this establishes how many pixels per yard, figuring sprite height at 6 feet, or two yards), after dividing that number, now representing 1 yard, divided it into the distance between engaged units (1294 pixels divided by 13 pixels = 99.5, attachment below)
7) the goal then (by scaling down the troop sprite size) is to get that last divided number (now representing yards) as close to 100 as possible.
These seven steps result in a fairly accurate map distance of 100 yards in proportion to the size of troop sprites and map objects; end result setting for troop scaling is 46.5%. Note below the engagement range of 103 yards, the calculator readout of 99.5 yards, resulting in a 3.5 yards difference:
Determining Marching (walk) Speed for 'True Distances', resulting in 'Real Time' play
As noted by a recent post by MarkT, for centuries the accepted normal speed of marching infantry is three miles per hour. The following steps established this ‘walk’ speed:
1) edited the Kansas map to have no movement impediments, then added two objectives from the Devil's Den map, 'The Peach Orchard' and 'Little Round Top', which are one mile apart
2) opened the game and used this edited Kansas test map to march an officer between these two objectives
3) based on the 3 miles per hour speed, it takes 20 minutes to walk 1 mile, the officer’s journey was timed as so, tweaking the walk speed until the 1 mile destination was reached in 20 minutes
4) walk speed was established at 2.6 using this process
5) all other walk and run speeds in the unitglobal file were based on this established walk speed
Presently I'm going through the process of scaling down literally thousands of map objects on the Devil's Den map. If anyone sees a flaw in the above processes to establish 'True Distances', please weigh in to help this mod along, or to just convince me to stop the madness. :woohoo:
