Extracting the Map images from DCS

[104th_Crunch]

Can anyone please tell me if they know what image files to look at in DCS that make-up the in game editor map and/or the the map images for the Abris. Ideally we would like to figure out both. Thanks

[key_stroked]

Crunch, Polecat and I were able to find the location of the files which are CDDS files.

We can also use ModMan to view them, the only problem is there are 400+ images within the CDDS file that are assembled within the game to produce the entire map of the game.

 

My question to the community is, is there a program or piece of software that will fit all the images together to produce 1 large map?

I know it's been done before, as there is a map available on lockon files that shows the whole map (only problem is it has a grid overlay that I can't get rid of, and the author of the map seems to not exist anymore) which can be found at http://www.lockonfiles.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownloaddetails&cid=173&lid=288&ttitle=Full_size_map_of_Crimea#dldetails (you must be logged into lockon files to see this I believe).

If that guy can do it, it must be possible. I really don't think he spent a week sitting in photoshop fitting them all together like a jigsaw puzzle.

 

Any advice on this?

[104th_Crunch]

Great Halcyon. It seems we are getting somewhere. Keep in mind the map you linked at Lock On files does not contain the new area used in Black Shark. Still, I hope he responds to say how he did it.

[igormk]

I just started working on a map that would cover DCS BS (and LOFC2.0) area. I imagined it to be a 1:500000 scale map if printed on 120x90cm. Therefore I selected a map zoom so you can see 70x54km area at your screen, and since map in DCS covers approximately 600x450km are, made 9x9 (=81) screenshots.

 

Then a started to crop the screenshots, and arrange them together, and everything went great in the first row, but when I started to arrange the second one, small corrections were necessary, I had to bend the segments. Third row was a disaster since big corrections were supposed to be applied, and map started to look twisted. Then I realized that actually map in DCS is in 3D (curved shape of the earth is represented), so it’s a bit difficult to put it together like I imagined.

 

Now I’m going to see the .cdds files of the map at home, and if they are 2D, it will be easier to put them together. Still a lot of work, but (without any promises) I will try to do it. Unless there is a software that would do it automatically.

 

I’m also planning to put (hairline) grid that would represent WGS84 UTM and Lat/Long grid, so it will be easier to take out coordinates, if needed. That way if you have printed version of the map in front of you when flying LOFC 2.0 & DCS BS it will be easier for Ka-50 (which have D-Map) and others (which doesn’t) to coordinate.

 

I’m also thinking on adding radio-nav devices (location, type, frequencies…). What other features would you like to see on the map?

 

P.S. I saw the map on lockonfiles, and the one I’m planning to do is supposed to be much more detailed.

[104th_Crunch]

Thanks for your comments igormk. Please let us know how you make out.

[Grimes]

Obviously there is much detail missing, but from just extracting some of the cdds files you get something like this.... Granted they are they are further zoomed out... there is another zoom level which you can do, but without a batch processor to put it together I don't feel like spending the time on it. Also airbases, water, roads, and all that jazz are missing from just the cdds.

 

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1719724/Map_1.jpg

[Boberro]

Maybe just open ME in game and do print screens manually? It is a lot of work but you can adjust what you want to see (zoom level) and see roads ect.

[igormk]

Maybe just open ME in game and do print screens manually? It is a lot of work but you can adjust what you want to see (zoom level) and see roads ect.

 

Yes, that is exactly what I’m doing. And as Grimes said, since there are a lot of details missing in the .cdds file, it seems the only way to do it.

[trujillostm]

The map of the Mission Editor is different to the Abris map.

[Bucic]

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Graphic/Graphic-Others/Autostitch.shtml

 

I started similar work for another simulator a while ago but I gave up on it.

 

 

Lack of time and insufficient Inkscape knowledge. Yes, you should seriously consider taking advantage of vector graphics. I used autotracing feature of Inkscape, among others. I've already mentioned it in another thread - SVG vector graphics files are editable in simple text editor. Ask devs where each coordinates are stored (e.g. roads coordinates) and you have a chance of doing a lot automaticaly.

[igormk]

The map of the Mission Editor is different to the Abris map.

 

Yep!, But they are both valid. :)

 

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Graphic/Graphic-Others/Autostitch.shtml

 

Bucic, thanks for the Autostitch link. :thumbup:

 

I will try it ASAP, and if it’s doing his job, maybe the map will be finished sooner than I expected. :D

[Case]

We can also use ModMan to view them, the only problem is there are 400+ images within the CDDS file that are assembled within the game to produce the entire map of the game.

 

My question to the community is, is there a program or piece of software that will fit all the images together to produce 1 large map?

Are these CDDS files convertable into some sort of lossless compressed image format, like BMP? Also, do these images overlap or not?

 

If they can be converted and do not overlap (or overlap with known dimensions) it should be pretty straightforward to write some software to stitch them all together.

[AustinN360]

.cdds files are basically compressed folders containing .bmp or .tga files.

[Bucic]

You're welcome, Igor.

 

During my work with CDDS files I was using CDDS plugin for GIMP.

[key_stroked]

Are these CDDS files convertable into some sort of lossless compressed image format, like BMP? Also, do these images overlap or not?

 

If they can be converted and do not overlap (or overlap with known dimensions) it should be pretty straightforward to write some software to stitch them all together.

 

Case,

 

The CDDS files have the .bmp files within them.

For example, one CDDS file will have all of the hi-res map tiles, another CDDS file has the low-res with just basic colors and topographical lines.

And no, the images don't overlap.

If you have ModMan, you can use the CDDS explorer to open any CDDS file you want.

Once the CDDS file is open, you can choose any .bmp image in that file, and it displays it for viewing in the viewer. You can extract single files or extract them all into a target folder, which I did.

So right now, I have two different folders sitting on my desktop; hi-res and low-res, each containing 300+ .bmp image files (the map tiles) that make up the entire LockOn map.

 

I haven't looked at the Blackshark CDDS files yet.

[key_stroked]

Has anyone figured a way around the curve of the earth for the blackshark map tiles?

[key_stroked]

Still looking for help on this if anyone is willing to offer their findings.

[igormk]

Still looking for help on this if anyone is willing to offer their findings.

Hey Halcyon,

 

I’m working on it, but still I have some problems. I didn’t find .cdds files useful, so I proceeded with making screenshots and sticking them together. Still the Earth’s curve is making me problems, and my experience says that more zoom you use (when making screenshots from the ME), less problems you have. So I found a optimal solution for the zoom, so that names of the cities are still visible if the map is printed in 1:500 000 scale (what was my initial idea). I made 224 screenshots (14 rows x 16 pieces in a row). Then I cropped them, but so that maybe more than 50% of the screenshot goes out (I only needed the central part of each screenshot because that part is least curved. Then I joined parts from each row individually. Now I have 14 ideal rows, but the problem is that each row (starting from top to bottom) is a bit wider than the previous one. That is logical because all Meridians are ending on the North Pole (in this case). Now I have to find a way only to transform each row from rectangle to trapeze and I think it will be OK.

 

Uh, now when I reading my post, I’m not sure you will understand what I wanted to say :music_whistling:, but later I will try to post a picture of what I mean.

 

What is your experiance?

 

S!

[Case]

And no, the images don't overlap.

But do they join perfectly? Would it suffice to shift them next to each other? Cause if that is so, then a little program could be written to do this. All you'd have to do is the bookkeeping to keep track of which image going where.

[key_stroked]

But do they join perfectly? Would it suffice to shift them next to each other? Cause if that is so' date=' then a little program could be written to do this. All you'd have to do is the bookkeeping to keep track of which image going where.[/quote']

 

For the Lock On map tiles, as far as I know yes they join perfectly.

[jib]

Interesting read, I never knew the lockon maps took into account the curve of the earth or Meridians getting closer further north.

got me thinking one day we might have a combat flight sim map that spans the whole globe!

[Moa]

Halcyon, could you please give me the the names of the texture file/s (although a Mediafire rar would be better - since I can't access CDDS at the moment). It would take about 100 lines of Java to stitch an arbitrary number maps together, using the wonderful Java2D API (designed by Sun and Adobe, the latter certainly knew what they were doing).

 

That said, the plain map still wouldn't look as wonderful as igormk's map, with its grid and legends.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Moa