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[caldrail]

With all the maps currently appearing you have to admire the creative and artistic flair demonstrated. Nonetheless, there is a common issue with most maps that is actually so easy to address if you take the time. Map_F.tga.

I've decided to post a short tutorial on how to create a decent map_F file. This is not a guide to using paint programs. If you have trouble with that, seek some advice on techniques. To start, your map_F should have the same dimensions as the map_T.tga file. You will see some that are sized differently, but believe me, your map will look far better if you stick to the same size. Map_T is a greyscale bitmap, and map_F should be 24bit colour with an alpha layer.

What does map_F.tga do? Basically it's a giant mipmap. Instead of loading tons of texture files to paint landscape in the distance, it loads one, which it keeps in the background all the time. That reduces the number of 'tiles' IL2 has to keep track of during a mission. If map_F.tga is coloured correctly, there is a seamless change from detailed foreground to default horizon.

So how do you make a good one? First of all, finish your map. Don't worry about map_F until you're close to release. By then, you'll know which textures you're going to include and that's important.

Make copies of all the textures you intend to use and put them in a temporary folder together. One by one, load these temporary copies into a paint program and reduce the size to 8x8 pixels. Yep, that's what I said. Don't worry about the loss of detail.

Now load your map_t.tga file. Use this to select which parts of the map are coloured with a particular slot (the index of the greyscale is the same as the [FIELDS} section in load.ini, so colour 0 is Lowland0, 1 = Lowland1, and so forth until 31 = Water3). For each colour slot use the selection you made from map_t,tga, and flood fill that area on map_F.tga with the corresponding temporary reduced file as a bitmap fill., scaled 1:1.

I recommend making use of layers to allow easy editing, which means you should end up with around tewenty odd layers. Always make water areas (colour index 28 and 29) transparent and transfer those areas to the alpha layer. Remember that Water2 (30) is your riverbank, and Water3 (31) your beach textures. You really don't need to paint water on your map_F, nor will it look any better if you do, but I do paint in a dull and pale blue-grey colour anyway.

Finished? Then save your map_F and try it out.

It can get a little fiddly sometimes but be patient. The results are well worth the effort. Oh yes... You can delete your temporary folder now

[caldrail]

As an example of what's possible, I did a map_F for Agreaciers Hankow V3 map last night, armed with PSP7, a bottle of diet coke, and no shortage of middle aged arrogance. Took me nearly two hours to achieve this...

Example - (ag_Hankow) map_f.tga
https://www.mediafire.com/?91f30t88lq988he

Okay, it could be improved, but as with all things IL2 it's a matter of time invested. For those who want to see the temporary folder and the incomplete project files, have a look here. You'll pick up clues about how to go about this sort of thing.

Example - Work folder
https://www.mediafire.com/?azdyehgmves2l5u

[redko]

I don't know if it is really interresting or not but in my case, i tried to make map_f for some of my repainted maps but didn't find the good way to make make.

And as the game was equesting a map_F to launch the map i just created a transparent map_F and is works. No impact on fps or visual artefects (at least nobody reported me to have troubles with my maps) and i have the feeling (maybe it's in my mind) that in the far the landscape seems to look more realistic, more "transparent" i mean the athmospherical perspective looks better. 

I will check again this topic later to make a real map_f but i just wanted for now to report this....

[farang65]

i've been reading and re reading this good little tut 

As Boomer knows I have to complete a couple of map_F for excellent users.

It's a very good tutorial   

Gimp 2.2 works reasonably well on Win 7 ultimate with small photos so I'm keen to develope my 20 or so layers

Thanks again   

Kirby

[Seppel]

I didn't get it!?

Maybe my English is not good enough.

I understood the part with  scaling the texture files to 8x8.
I also understood, that I have to select the different colour areas in the map_t.*

But I didn't understand how to colour the areas???
I used the pipette to extract the colour from the 8x8 textures, but while I did this, I came to the conclusion, that this may be wrong?!

[mandrill]

I simply take the rawmap_c and reduce it to the size of the map_t. You need a shade of "distance colour" which will work with your water and another shade which will work with your land. The game makes colours a little lighter when it reproduces them from the map_f.

So I use a standard olive green as my land colour (light grey for winter maps) and a dark gray for my water colour. I replace all water on my scaled down former map_c with the dark grey and all land with the olive green. It works fine. No need to get fancy.

[Seppel]

Yeah! This is the same way I did! I descriped this in my handbook, too.
Except, that I used a third colour (dark green) for the woods.

Actually I read somewhere, that in Graphics on "perfect" the game doesn't use the map_f!

[mandrill]

Yes, the map_f is only used on "Excellent" setting or below.