[Wanted?] Map Colour Mod

[Nisgeis]

EDIT: If anyone is looking at this and wondering where the maps are, it's because this is the WIP thread, there are two release threads:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=141812 for U.S. Subs
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=141977 for U-Boats, but works with U.S. Subs as well.

Orginal message:

Hello fellow subsimmers. I find the pastel shades of the standard map a bit hard to discern the gradients. Also there's no terrain height info with which to navigate by. I think nautical maps are generally only concerned with the depth of the ocean, not the height of the land, but with points of departure being used to plot departutre courses at the start of patrol, they must have used maps of the land that showed elevation as well as the sea depth?

Anyway, is there any interest in a mod that changes the map's default colours? If so, what would you want them changed to?

Here's the standard map:

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/OriginalColourScheme.jpg

And here's what a new map could look like, note that height information has been added and the depth information is clearer:

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/NewColourScheme.jpg

Comments please!

[Egon01]

I like the colors, the normal map is to gloomy for me and for sure I will download it when you finish it :up: Good job.

[ivank]

love it

[cdpca]

That's just great!

[Nisgeis]

I like the elevation but the depth colours are too flashy IMO.

Suggest a colour scheme? What would period be? I have a feeling that pastel wasn't it.

[DeepIron]

You might try cutting your blue colors with about 20-30% grey just to tone them down a bit...

[Nisgeis]

You might try cutting your blue colors with about 20-30% grey just to tone them down a bit...

Cutting with grey, would simply mean adding more red colour, I'll give that a try.

What about the terrain elevation colours though? Yellow to dark brown is OK, or should it be yellow to dark green?

[Carotio]

You might try cutting your blue colors with about 20-30% grey just to tone them down a bit...

Cutting with grey, would simply mean adding more red colour, I'll give that a try.

What about the terrain elevation colours though? Yellow to dark brown is OK, or should it be yellow to dark green?

Me likealot :yep: :up:

Though, I agree with the constructive criticism:
reducing the contrast of the ocean colours a little would do fine.
The way the terrain colours are presently is fine with me, but it's your call.

[peabody]

Could you do polka dots?

I like the brown tones. I think the only part that catches my eye (and it may be my monitor) the water seems a little too "purple". Edit: I mean in the darkest parts, not overall.
Peabody

[STEED]

A vast improvement. :yep:

[swdw]

I dunno. I think the devs got it pretty close

http://historicalresources.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/asia-pacific-theater-maps/

Here's another 1942 map that was "top secret" at the time.
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/airfields/tonga/tongatabu/map.jpg

Try googling WWII "nautical chart" in images for more

[DS]

I like the land effects, though they may not be historically accurate. That said, the nautical charts I've seen tend to use progressivly darker blue the SHALLOWER the water gets. Deep water areas tend to be white.

[Bosn]

Love the idea of changing up the chart coloring. I spend a lot of time in RL working in marine navigation, and if you need any input, I would be glad to help.
An example of "modern" chart coloring is here:

http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/18721.shtml

Most charts stick to the pastel shades because they are still discernable under red or blue lighting, which was commonly used to preserve night vision. Many different shades of blue to signify depth would wash out under blue lighting, which is why deeper water is white on modern charts.

Not sure if anyone is interested or if I'm just babbling. Just in case you wanted to know.

[cgjimeneza]

I hope you also do the Atlatic Ocean for those of use that have two jobs (Nimitz/Doenitz, pls dont see this LOL)

Great Idea!

:up: :up: :up: :up:

BTW, expect me to do more posts... Im a torpedo man, not a medic

[Ivan Putski]

I also like the land effects, a real improvement over the stock in game map, hope you work out a solution for the ocean colors. Puts:yep: :up:

[Jaeger]

On normal maps you can find positions of lighthouses (perhaps you could combine your new map texture with sergbutos lighthouse mod?) and buoys. with this information it is easier to navigate through shallow water areas near the ports.

[Nisgeis]

Thanks DS and Bosn, I didn't know about the shallower being darker thing, I tried it and it looks pretty good. I've made three sets of colour schemes, one I really hate, but they're not for my use :D .

Thanks everyone else for the feedback, the first one was a bit bright, but some like it over the toned down version. Anyway, here's the set I have at the moment:

Original Map Scheme with added terrain detail.
For those that don't like any of the following schemes and think original is best:

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/Originalmapwithterraindetail.jpg

Map Scheme 1.
High contrast map. Light blue for the shallows, dark blue for the deep.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/Map1.jpg

Map Scheme 2.
High contrast map. Inverse of previous colours. Dark blue for the shallows, light blue for the deep.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/Map2inverted.jpg

Map Scheme 3.
More contrast than stock map. Light blue for shallows, medium blue for deep water.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/Map3.jpg

Map Scheme 4.
More contrast than stock map. Inverse of previous scheme. Dark blue for shallows, light blue for deep water.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/Map4Inverted.jpg

Any more suggestions or colour schemes people would like?

[DeepIron]

Personally, I like the original with the added land detail. :up:

[tigone]

Nisgeis wrote:

> but with points of departure being used to plot departutre
> courses at the start of patrol, they must have used maps
> of the land that showed elevation as well as the sea depth?

Nautical charts generally ignore elevations and terrestrial landmarks, except as they would be used in coastwise navigation (i.e., piloting). Both natural (e.g., mountatin peaks) and man-made features (prominent buildings, radio masts) are commonly found on small-scale charts, but anything not clearly visible from a vessel is simply left off. The stock charts are generally correct in that regard. Adding terrain shading is aesthetically pleasing, but not really historical (or currently) correct.

> Anyway, is there any interest in a mod that changes the map's default colours?

Making a little more distinction in the bathymetry colors would be useful, especially for folks with vision limitations or not-so-good monitors. I personally would not fundamentally change the stock colors, but would try to increase the contract between them.

I like Scheme 3 most. Do not invert the colors -- darker should be deeper; that seems really intuitive to me.

[Ivan Putski]

For me it`s a toss up between the original with land textures, and map 3. I`m an older skipper, and the printed locations are easier to read, especially on the ocean in those colors. Puts

[cgjimeneza]

I think scheme 3, else it would be difficult to follow marcks and plots with the high contrast versions.

we are used to clear being shallow and dark deep and could get confussed with the "negative" versions

excellent

will this mod affect also the Atlantic???
will it work with the kriesgmarine grid mod?

yes, I ask a lot!

[Nisgeis]

Just to be clear - All of the colour schemes will be available and you'll be able to choose which one you install.

Anyone have any extra requests?

[peabody]

I like two of them, the original with land detail and #3, but I think the added contrast in 3 gives it my 'vote'. I think one problem with the white for deep, on nighttime missions especially convoys ans taskforces it would take longer for you eyes to adjust after looking at all that white.

Peabody

[Nisgeis]

I like 1st and 4th, what do you think of a 5th with Terrain detail + inverted stock sea colours ?

Here's what that would look like:

Inverted stock colours with terrain detail.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/InvertedOriginalMapwithTerrain.jpg

[Bosn]

Nisgeis,
That last one with the inverted stock colors and terrain detail looks pretty darn close to the real thing!
Do these new charts take on a red tint during night lighting?

Great work, too bad I am waiting on a video card RMA!!

[Nisgeis]

Do these new charts take on a red tint during night lighting?

Yep. They're not really new charts, just a change to the pallette used to colour the charts. Like everything else, it's easy to change once you know which bit does it!

[Ivan Putski]

Nisgeis, That looks good too, very readable, all those should give a variety of map textures that should please any taste. Puts:up:

[Orion2012]

Looks great, that would be my pick! thanks for your patience :D

I agree, I like the last one shown.

[conus00]

Yeah me too. maybe just a little bit of saturation to the ocean.
Good job!

Also is there a way to change the fonts? Neither one UBI used looks too historical to me.

[Carotio]

Looks great, that would be my pick! thanks for your patience :D

I agree, I like the last one shown.

For me too, but I want to try them all out anyway. :yep:

[keltos01]

I like the last one as well :up:

[DS]

Another vote for inverted sea colours. Adds t othe realism.:up:

[swdw]

Me likee 1 and 4:D
Good idea you had to put all versions up.:up:

[ivank]

number 1!!!

[Hitman]

Very nice :up: Could it be possible to make a version that replicates the Kriegsmarine Grid maps, with water in white and land in green? :hmm:

[Nisgeis]

Very nice :up: Could it be possible to make a version that replicates the Kriegsmarine Grid maps, with water in white and land in green? :hmm:

Yes, it wouldn't be a problem. Is the whole of the water completely white? Have you got a link to an example?

[Hitman]

Yes both sea and land are flat because it was a tactical map, not for naviagtion.

Anyway here is an example (Though the colours are a bit too worn):

http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/articles/feature6.html

[LukeFF]

Here's another example of a KM nautical chart. It's of Norway 1945:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/LukeFF/Norway1945.jpg

[Nisgeis]

The land in those maps doesn't look particularly green to me.:hmm:

[Hitman]

The link I posted seems to be a copy of the AOD map, but I have seen a real map and it was mild green, that's for sure. In M.Gannon's "Black May" book he also refers to that map as part of what was captured aboard U-110, and it states clearly water in white, land in green.

Will try to find a better example, I think Lurker included a good one in his OM mod, will see if I can make a screenshot.

[LukeFF]

The link I posted seems to be a copy of the AOD map, but I have seen a real map and it was mild green, that's for sure. In M.Gannon's "Black May" book he also refers to that map as part of what was captured aboard U-110, and it states clearly water in white, land in green.

Will try to find a better example, I think Lurker included a good one in his OM mod, will see if I can make a screenshot.

I think what you're talking about is the maps which were not meant to be used for navigation (they say as much at the top of them), which indeed are green. The pic I show above, which is a chart meant for navigation, obviously doesn't have land shaded as green.

[Hitman]

Yes yes Luke, you are right and that's what I said above

it was a tactical map, not for naviagtion

but I like very much the looks of it, and since I spend most of the time at high seas that is what I appreciate more.

It would be great however to have a map that looks like the pic you posted above, that one is lovely and certainly looks like other KM navigational mpas I have seen.:up:

[EDIT]

I think that the KM map Luke posted is more or less like the map option nº 4 from Nisgeis, only withouth land elevation. Would it be possible to have that, Nisgeis? Thanks

[Ishigami]

I think that the KM map Luke posted is more or less like the map option nº 4 from Nisgeis, only withouth land elevation. Would it be possible to have that, Nisgeis? Thanks

I second that! :up:

[Nisgeis]

Hmmm, it's quite hard to match the colours, as the game changes them according to the ambient light in the sub and the come out darker and colur shifted.

Here's one that matches as closely as I can (albeit a bit dark, but it is in a sub after all). The map that LukeFF posted seems to only have one level of shallow. I suppose no one at that time had accurate depth info except round the coast, so I made a colour scheme with only the shallowest parts shaded blue and a slightly more salmon pink land mass and a sandy yellow deeper water. Of course, no terrain detail.

KM Chart Colour Scheme 1

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/KMColourScheme1.jpg

KM Chart Colour Scheme 2

Salmon land mass, no terrain detail but with the water colours multilevel and from US Scheme #4. It might be less historically accurate, but it is a bit more useful.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/KMColourScheme2.jpg

What about those two, either of them close to what you are after?

[ivank]

I like number 1 for both templates

[Hitman]

Fantastic Nigeis :up: I take #1 also, looks almost perfect to me.

If you want green KM green lines you can replace the colour codes in menu/kgrid/kgrid.cfg with this one : 0x2e8b57FF, it should look about right.

Cheers, that was going to be my next question :up: :lol:

[Nisgeis]

Fantastic Nigeis :up: I take #1 also, looks almost perfect to me.

If you want green KM green lines you can replace the colour codes in menu/kgrid/kgrid.cfg with this one : 0x2e8b57FF, it should look about right.
Cheers, that was going to be my next question :up: :lol:
It's a good job that Mikhayl had the answer then, as I wouldn't have had a clue about that. I didn't even notice the lines were green :roll:. I just don't notice these things. I'm happy with text.

0x2e8b57FF Hmmm, a splash of red, a half of green and a third of blue should give a nice dark bluey green - is it wrong I can see what colour it would be in text only? I'll give it a try. Thanks Mikhayl.

[LukeFF]

#1 looks excellent there, Nisgeis. I think we'll go with that one for RFB. It's a known fact the US Navy charts of the Pacific were very outdated when the war began, so the lack of exact depth information is in fact historically accurate. It'll make one decide whether they should use their depth-sounding equipment and risk giving away their position to the enemy.

[Ishigami]

What about those two, either of them close to what you are after?

Yes KM Chart No. 1 is perfect.

Edit: And thanks for the hint to change color of the lines and text. It looks very historical now.
Great mod :up:

[cgjimeneza]

thanks...

the maps now for my Uboat and Fleet subs now look alive!

muchas gracias

if you develop a KM colur scheme Im for it

excelente!

[Nisgeis]

Hmmm, I can't seem to get the stock small grey squares to go away, but I can get the larger KM grid squares to change.

Here's what it looks like in the U-Boat missions with the file Mikhayl suggested changed to something to approximate the posted chart. I modified the alpha to something more blending and the result is:

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg307/Nisgeis/PE%204/SH4%20Map%20Contours/KMColourScheme1withGreenLiines.jpg

Is that what you are after?

[Hitman]

Looks great :up: I would say that a bit darker green would do even better because the lines are thinner than the real map, but may be it's a matter of the screenshot light? Would need to see it in my own game to be able to form a more precise opinion :ping:

[Nisgeis]

@Hitman - Check your PM.

[ancient46]

So I took Nisgeis' advice in the other thread and tried my hand at making a map gradient for myself. I liked the idea of a less detailed depth chart as in LukeFF's post, it's more dangerous but it might be more fun.

I went with the terrain, since it made the map more interesting to my eyes. I used greens instead of brown because I thought they gave a more detailed look. I took Deep Iron's advice and added grey to the water colors.

Anyway thanks go to Nigesis for showing the way and his suggestion to try it ourselves. Thanks for all the fun I had making my own.

http://home.comcast.net%7Eancient25/Pictures/greenmap.jpghttp://home.comcast.net/~ancient25/Pictures/greenmap.jpg
http://home.comcast.net%7Eancient25/Pictures/greenmap.jpg

[Nisgeis]

That looks really nice. Looks less like desert. Are there meant to be more pictures? There's a couple of boxes with Xs in them.

[Matilda]

I want to thank you for this small mod. I am using one of your maps and I find it much better on the eye than the old stock one. Keep coming up with ideas. So far I've enjoyed everything you've been involved in. Thanks again.

[Nisgeis]

Thanks Matilda, I usually keep an eye out for things people request, for ideas on what to do next. This map colour mod, I found out how to do it whilst looking for the controls for something else and thought, I'd just whip up a quick mod.

[LukeFF]

Thanks Matilda, I usually keep an eye out for things people request, for ideas on what to do next. This map colour mod, I found out how to do it whilst looking for the controls for something else and thought, I'd just whip up a quick mod.

Any plans to do more work on your radar mod? It was looking very promising last time we saw an update to it.

[Nisgeis]

Any plans to do more work on your radar mod? It was looking very promising last time we saw an update to it.

I shelved it for a while, whilst I had trouble at work (which is still ongoing) and didn't feel motivated. The version for 1.4 won't work with 1.5, even though there are no noticable differences between the radar in 1.4 and 1.5. It'll turn up sooner or later, I'm sure.

[Hitman]

I really would like to see the 1.4 version fisnished, I have 1.5 only for U-Boats, as 1.4 is easier to mod and understand for me, plus is still compatible with some older mods I likle to keep :up:

[Doolittle81]

Where are these MOD maps? I can't find a working link...

[Nisgeis]

Where are these MOD maps? I can't find a working link...

This is the WIP thread and for some reason, people liked posting in this rather than the release thread. I don't know why :D.

There are two threads, one is the original:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=141812

Then there's a Krigsmarine colour scheme, as requested by Hitman, which you may also like:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=141977

I'll update the first page with these links, in case there is confusion in the future, as the release thread is with Davey Jones.

[adariusbelly]

Brilliant map! All the other coloured maps appear fuzzy but this one looks just superb..modding is getting more and more intense every month. I wonder what else we can discover..

[Nisgeis]

Brilliant map! All the other coloured maps appear fuzzy but this one looks just superb..modding is getting more and more intense every month. I wonder what else we can discover..

Blimey, where did you dig this one up from? This sank about 18 months ago!