Topographic Map Making Programs

[Ilsamir Lord]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if there were any good programs for making topographic maps which can be converted to Rome: Total War, like the NASA satellite data can be with BDH's technique.

Does anyone know of one?

I ask this because I want the same levels of detail as BDH gets for the Ilsamiren Wars' map for which I won't be able to get satellite data, seeing as it's fantasy.

Thanks!

[Lonely Soldier]

Anyone care to help this guy out?

[Monkwarrior]

Anyone care to help this guy out?

Probably nobody knows the answer.

If there isn't any program to do that, he should try some other approach. I can only think in making a map of the real world and copy/paste parts of it to fit in the fantasy world map. But perhaps it is not a good method.

[alpaca]

The problem is that there probably is no comprehensive program to simulate topography (and if there is it will only run on super-computers). So you can't do anything but use the old-fashioned way and create a realistic-looking map by hand, although, granted, you need to know a lot about geology to get it feeling right.

[Duke Malcolm]

I once happened across a 3D landscape program which would produce an image not dissimilar to the RTW map heights file (although the colours were different).

I shall have a looksee for this program...

[Bwian]

Most 3D landscape generators use a 'heightmap' to generate contours .... which, when you look at how RTW is doing it...is exactly the same.

The only other options I have seen involve random generation of contours, which are fine for some uses, but not really suitable for a large strategy map. You could try Bryce 3D .... but it's not cheap....and it's not simple! There might be some free software that does what you need .... Leveller or Terragen might work... but you are limited in what you can do with those