Cross-Map Asset Porting for Overlapping Map Sections

[celestHawk]

One of the things that makes DCS maps so special is the level of detail and immersion, but as more maps are released, many of us are starting to notice the growing overlap between them. This creates a lot of potential—but also some frustration—for both mission creators and users who own multiple maps.

The wish:
Going forward, I hope ED finds a way to allow assets and detail improvements from newer maps to be ported or shared across overlapping areas on older maps. This would benefit:

• Every map → keeping them visually consistent and up to date.

• Mission creators → providing a richer, more unified sandbox to build in.

• Users who bought overlapping maps → rewarding their investment with an improved experience across all the terrain they already own.

I would personally be happy to pay for enhancements to my existing maps if that’s what it takes. If there’s one thing ED is very good at, it’s convincing us to open our wallets —and this would be a worthy cause!

Such a system would significantly improve the map ecosystem as a whole, reduce fragmentation, and future-proof our investment in DCS terrain.

 

P.S. Thank you for adding H3 bases to Iraq map and finish Liwa AFB for PG!

Edited yesterday at 03:43 AM by celestHawk

[Silver_Dragon]

The actual flat maps has none that capability and require rebuild with the future "Whole Earth Technology". 

The main problem, many maps has overlapped and has many 3rd parties will not share your sources.

 

Edited 21 hours ago by Silver_Dragon

[MAXsenna]

In a perfect world... I believe the main problem is that various maps are build with "different tech", and we also run into "the earth is flat" problems. 

[celestHawk]

3 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

In a perfect world... I believe the main problem is that various maps are build with "different tech", and we also run into "the earth is flat" problems. 

Why that is a problem

[MAXsenna]

Why that is a problem

Incompatibilitism?

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[Silver_Dragon]

16 minutes ago, celestHawk said:

Why that is a problem

It's as simple as this: the system isn't designed for it; they are independent maps. You can't load two maps simultaneously.  And speaking of the Middle East, there are three companies creating flat maps (ED, Ugra Media, and OnReTech), and even though there's some overlapping territory, none of them share maps or assets. (For example, the maps of Syria and Iraq have different levels of detail for the airbases along the Syrian-Iraqi border.) Each company creates its own assets, even though they use the same SDK for development (the TDK).

That's what the "spherical earth" and the "2.0" version of the TDK are intended to address: not only creating circular maps, but also allowing players to fly seamlessly from one map to another, all within a spherical environment that dynamically loads the necessary terrain (like some commercial flight simulators).

ED has working on that technology years, and Wags talked about them on the January 2025 Q&A. (from 10:53 to ahead some map topics, include the World Map and Map expansions).

 

Edited 17 hours ago by Silver_Dragon