Fantasy Maps by blade2k5

[beskhu3epnm]

You seemed to be the only one using paint at the time that managed incredible success with it. The fact that you still use it today is a testament to your skill and patience. To be able to visualize what a slightly lighter color of grey will look like in 3D takes a great mind. Thankfully, I was spoiled by the terraformer early on, otherwise my exit from mapping would have happened a long time ago!

Also, you can import 8bit images to TF and apply the elevation scale, right? But rather than do that, you should begin using the compressor sometime... It works wonders for maps, and will offer you great ideas...

Keep it up, you are a machine!

[blade2k5]

To be able to visualize a slightly lighter shade of gray from another doesn't take a great mind, just a set of rally good eyes    As for importing 8-bit images into TF and apply elevation scales is something I've never heard of...what I do is change the RGB codes for each layer of gray I lay down in Paint.  I figured that out a long time ago by making city maps for SC3KU.   I still haven't figured out the compression tool yet, every time I open the NHP terraformer, all I get is a black map, even after making sure the shadows were turned off and it does this with every map I've loaded so far.  So for now, I'm using the one I had before until I can figure out the 'black' map issue.

Oh, and I intend to 'keep it up' Travis   Like I said, I have lots of map ideas swirling about inside my head

[wouanagaine]

black map even if the map is mountaineous
If the map is flat and at an elevation which is a multiple of 10 it is black, but as soon as you change the elevation it should not be black anymore

[blade2k5]

Yes, even if it is mountainous...what I'll do is take a screen shot and post it here in a couple of days.....

I'm back to a full work week with one day down and four more to go...did ok tonight...went on 18 deliveries [between 4-9:30pm], burned half a tank of gas and came home with $80 in tips in my pocket

[wouanagaine]

and what happen if you press the 'g' key to switch between grid and contour lines mode ?

good tips

[dadyrghluv]

i take it blade is a delivery guy. 80$ total, now deduct 30 for gas for that half tank, and u made $50 bills my friend. can i borrow some money? ROFL j/k

[blade2k5]

Wou, I haven't tried the 'g' key to switch between contour lines and grid.  I'll have to try that, thanks.

dadyrghluv, Yes, I'm a delivery driver for Pizza Hut and yes, I'll have to subtract about $25 for gas .  Ever since Wisconsin put that ethanol in our regular gas, I've been burning gas like it's water and losing roughly 10 miles to the gallon which means I filling up a lot more often than I did before

[dadyrghluv]

just another tool for u to spend more money on gas these days. here where i live it's $3.20 a gallon and going up.

sorry i'm being off topic  .

what does wou mean by using the "G" key for contour lines or grid? does he mean in SC4T or in the actual game? i wasn't aware u could use the "G" key in SC4T thats why i ask.

[beskhu3epnm]

Standard in the Terraformer, you will see contour lines in the map editing screen. By pressing the *G* key, this switches to the standard grid found in previous versions, and found in SC4. Same key as in SC4 to remove the grid as well!

[blade2k5]

And Wou's suggestion worked!  Thanks Wou for the tip

[wouanagaine]

So that is due to your graphic card not supporting the shader, which card you own ?

[dadyrghluv]

SC4T needs shader 2.0 right? most cards of yesterday have that version and are supported. if u don't have that version at the least, u need a new card my man lol.

[blade2k5]

I have no idea what kind of graphics card I have....I'm not that knowledgeable on the inner workings of pc's  but as long the 'g' key works,  I'll worry about a new one later...have too many other things I need to purchase first before I begin upgrading my new pc.

[dadyrghluv]

think of it as an early xmas gift to yourself lol.

to find out which card u do have, do the following:

right click my computer
go to properties
click the hardware tab
click device manager
click the "+" next to display adapters

this should be your graphics card. if need be right click it in the hardware manager, and checjk your driver version. it's handy to know how to find what graphics card u have and what driver ver. u are running, incase u ever have a problem, u will be able to identify it rather quickly.

if u want the short answer, just go to:

start
run
type in "dxdiag" and let it run, when finished it will tell u all the info about your computer including hardware, and if any conflicts are arrising. if u want u can copy and save to your desktop or a different folder of ur choosing.

hopen this helps some. 

[blade2k5]

Thanks...my graphics card is a Radeon X1650.

[Kitsune]

X1650? That definitely shouldnt be giving you any issues at all. Should prolly check and update the drivers for it.

[dadyrghluv]

much agree'ed kitsune, thats a pretty good card considering. more than likey its the drivers. ATI drivers are famous for not working correclty with SC4, why idk. they just hate this game lol. glad i could point u in the right direction.

head to ATI site, and update the drivers when u can, remember to remove the old ones first, or it may cause issues.

[Shadow Assassin]

The X1650 should not be giving you an issue at all, it's a SM3.0 card!

I use the exact same video card, and apart from huge areas of black in areas that, as Wou said, happen to be located at 10m intervals, it works just fine.

ATI drivers are famous for not working correclty with SC4

The newest ones are. However, the old, old ones work just fine. It most likely has something to do with code that ATI cards don't like running/aren't supported properly by those cards. It's why some games run better on nVidia hardware, vice versa for ATI.

[beskhu3epnm]

I think the large black section you all speak of is basically just one big contour line. Press the *G* key to switch to the grid and it's gone!

Another alternative would be to raise the terrain 0.01m, making the flat terrain at 10m intervals not a 10m interval anymore, removing the contour line.

X1650 is very much the twin to my 7600GT, and I have no problems! The black section is there if I use the contour lines.

[blade2k5]

Here you go besk.....the template for the Archipelago Map   Now go work your magic....any questions give me a holler