I've got an evening off with nothing to do, I've busted my foot so I can't go out. I fancy a project... so I'm going to try and make a map in an evening, just for a bit of fun and a challenge. 1st decent idea in the next hour or so wins... Restrictions: it needs to be based off an existing map (preferably vanilla) as I'm not making new textures. I will not have time to do much in the way of objects and buildings. I might give some barriers a go, and a few buildings etc. but I'm not making new ones. Suggestions to include: - Base map (e.g. WCUSA/Jungle Island/etc.) - Overall type (island/canyons/hills/mountain/etc.) - Road types (dirt/gravel/asphalt/mixed) - anything else I've not thought of... - feel free to include any images (suggested layouts/road routes/or other ideas/etc.) If I pick your idea, I'll chuck a reference to you in there somewhere too. I'll update on progress as I go.
What if you were to make a map based on Johnson Valley? It would have an oasis and a city using some of WCUSA's buildings, and it could also have a small suburban area using ECUSA's houses. The city would be featured around the oasis. It could be mostly asphalt with a few dirt and gravel trails leading into the dunes. It would be a mostly flat map with sand dunes pockmarking the terrain. This isn't a request, it's a suggestion.
It would definitely be good fun. I do desperately want to include an urban area... but at the moment adding pavements is an absolute arse. I think I have a solution, but I need to try it out. I'll give that a go while I wait for any other suggestions.
I've got a quick one, you could use ECUSA to create a Georgia map! It's similar to Geogia though based on Maine and other northern states. The roads have to be made more hilly and the entire map has to be more... orange and depressing! Just a quick suggestion.
Georgia US? That definitely sounds feasible. benefit of the ECUSA map is that it's a bit more countryside/rustic (which means I can get away with being a bit sloppy with some of the elements...)
Remove all the trees (except for some) from ECUSA, and add more crops/make the grass tan-ish and long, and you’ll have North Dakota!
Yup, I forgot that there was a country called Geogia. But yes, Georgia the US state. I forgot about the 'rustic' bit. Beam does have abandoned shack/ garage/ building assets, right? Also, some tight and hilly roads would be perfect, they're scary as hell to drive on (especially at night) and would be good fun.
I did a dirt/gravel road version of ECUSA a while back, it was good fun. I'm trying to do a new map here though. Ditches are tricky. They're ok if you have a relatively small map, but as soon as you go above a certain size it is hard to have smaller terrain changes. It'd be awesome if you could have variable density terrain meshes, but at the moment we're stuck. I want to make a fairly large map, just because I like larger maps where you get some quite long roads.
Pretty sure ECUSA has that with paved roads. Shouldn't be too hard to translate into gravel roads! If this doesn't get made, I'll look into map making myself, shouldn't be a big project. Also, long road(s) in general would be cool.
Ok, the ideas boil down to: 1. a map based on Johnson Valley but with some buildings. 2. a US map (Georgia/Dakota) based on ECUSA 3. a bigger small island 4. a German map I'm gonna grab a drink and a snack, give it some thought, and come back to you. Then I'll try and smash out a map this evening. --- Post updated --- Ok, my thoughts (and I've had to be selective, so apologies, I like all the ideas to be honest): 1. a map based on Johnson Valley but with some buildings. Would work, and would be "relatively" easy, but we've only just got the new map, so it isn't old enough for me to be bored with it yet... 2. a US map (Georgia/Dakota) based on ECUSA This should work. I like the idea of a bigger ECUSA. I love that map, but it feels a little small at times, especially when everything in the US is massive... 3. a bigger small island I love this idea... but... I already have a project for this that I have abandoned (for now). If anyone wants that partially complete map, feel free to take it from here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_-wo3JtNyv_aLrJCKUJY-6v6wEnjeHUw?usp=sharing 4. a German map I like the idea, but I don't think I have it in me to do a decent one in an evening. Germany is like the UK. It is quite clean and relatively built up (of course both have a lot of countryside), but I think the ECUSA style of country houses will be easier basically. Plus the base map will be easier. (Sorry, time is crucial - perhaps next time). so I'm going for the Georgia/N. Dakota thing --- Post updated --- I'm aware they are miles away from each other... but I mean a sort of generic central to east US countryside type map... I'll see what I can find for a location. I think Georgia has some legs with the amount of mud that seems to be on the roads! --- Post updated --- Also, N. Dakota appears to be entirely made of straight roads...
Sweet! Actually, I'd LOVE if you combined the two states (in a sort of generic way)! Excited to see what you come up with!
My plan is to talk through my process on here. I'm not sure if people really care of not, but it keeps me entertained. My plan (liable to change) is as follows: 1. Get a heightmap - ideally from real world Lidar data 2. Create the basemaps for the terrain 3. Work out where I want my roads (different types) and smooth the terrain there 4. Place the roads 5. Place the forest 6. Place objects and other stuff 7. work out what I missed. --- Post updated --- So for 1. heightmap, I'm currently looking on here for a decent LIDAR map: https://apps.nationalmap.gov/lidar-explorer/#/ --- Post updated --- Georgia doesn't have as detailed LIDAR as some of the areas around it, so I went with this for now: --- Post updated --- (it's in the tiny blue square) --- Post updated --- No worries. I like the idea. but I had to start, or I'd never have time... --- Post updated --- I'm aware this doesn't really work like a chat, but whatever... The lidar I'm downloading to start with is here: https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/627f3921d34e3bef0c9a3486 --- Post updated --- I'm now downloading qgis, so I can visualise the lidar data with some map data on top. I'll post some screenshots as and when it works. But in the meantime, I will make a copy of the basemap. In the past I would do this by manually copying the folder and changing the references in all the JSONs. but thanks to AlexKidd's app, I can do this automatically. (https://www.beamng.com/threads/beamng-tool-for-map-creators-big-update.89058/ - highly recommend). So I now just make a copy of ECUSA and stick it in my mod folder, then change the name using the above.
I care! I want to make a Georgia map of my own eventually (already have the perfect area(s)) and seeing the progress like this will help a bunch!
I've downloaded the lidar, and QGIS, and dragged the tiff into qgis: --- Post updated --- You can then add an xyz layer for OSM (open street map). Move the lidar to the top layer and make it 50% opacity. --- Post updated --- That shows me that this area is ok, but not brilliant. There aren't any circular roads, and maybe a bit too mountainous? --- Post updated --- I can check this by getting the plugin 'quick OSM' and putting all the roads on. --- Post updated --- --- Post updated --- Ok, so I didn't like that one. so I'm trying another... https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/63f85482d34e4f7eda45990a and https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/629aeb26d34ec53d276f51de I'll have to merge them. --- Post updated --- Which gives me this: --- Post updated --- --- Post updated --- (right click and show image in new window to view them) --- Post updated --- Done: 1. Get a heightmap - ideally from real world Lidar data To do: 2. Create the basemaps for the terrain 3. Work out where I want my roads (different types) and smooth the terrain there 4. Place the roads 5. Place the forest 6. Place objects and other stuff 7. work out what I missed. --- Post updated --- For those that don't know, the easiest way to pain terrain with beamng is to use the terrain import/export tool. Basics: Export your map with the world editor, and it will output a separate image for each terrain type. this will be pure black and white (not grey, but binary). wherever there is white, that terrain is painted. Wherever there is black, that terrain is not painted. You then import these, and the terrains are painted (semi-) automatically. --- Post updated --- So I make the map copy using AlexKidd's software: --- Post updated --- For some reason, the copied map didn't work, so I had to make a new version and do all the name changes manually (find and replace with notepad++). such is life. --- Post updated ---
Combining Georgia and North Dakota is like trying to combine Finland and Spain, better to pick a prairie map or an appalachian map instead of trying to mix
