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"Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gosh DEM it! :)"

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sundevil_1997 (28 posts)
Jan-23-02, 02:10 AM (EST) "Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gosh DEM it! :)" So, I figured what the heck, got for some dem import. I was doing fine..until I got to the tutorial part that said I had to export the DEM data using MSTS-DEM. No google search or library search has turned up this wonder tool. Is it free? If so...WHERE? Thanks. Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
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Subject Author Message Date ID RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gos... lirc201 Jan-23-02 1 RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gos... sundevil_1997 Jan-23-02 2 RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gos... sundevil_1997 Jan-24-02 3 RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gos... pennsyfan2 Jan-24-02 4 RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gos... libredr Jan-24-02 5 I think I'm understanding DEM sundevil_1997 Jan-24-02 6 RE: I think I'm understanding DEM libredr Jan-24-02 7 RE: I think I'm understanding DEM sundevil_1997 Jan-24-02 8

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lirc201 (45 posts)
Jan-23-02, 08:48 AM (EST) 1. "RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gosh DEM it! :)" LAST EDITED ON Jan-23-02 AT 08:49 AM (EST)Go to Lawrence Kellie's site at:http://sd40.topcities.comYou need to download the program DEM-EX.Brian LaVelle Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
sundevil_1997 (28 posts)
Jan-23-02, 11:39 AM (EST) 2. "RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gosh DEM it! :)" Great, thanks...looks like that site is the one stop shopping for DEM learning. Honestly, I wouldn't even try something as complicated at this, but I suck at making scenery. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
sundevil_1997 (28 posts)
Jan-24-02, 03:04 AM (EST) 3. "RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gosh DEM it! :)" Great, that site had everything I needed. I actually got into route editor, and there was terrain! Woohoo!! Took a while to realize the XYZ data was in micrometers, not feet....I ended up with Crater Lake, OR in my route editor. Heehee. Pretty pretty.Any, my only question is this...every tutorial says to go in and reset the tile height by 1.0. So, I go in, hit the paintbrush...and there's lots of black tiles. They mean all of the black tiles, right? Not the blue ones? Pretty sure. Anyway, so I start resetting the black tiles. But I notice that each time I pick a NEW tile, and right-click it, select "Set tile floor and scale"...that the ceiling height is the same number I just put in. So in other words, even though I'm picking different tiles, it seems like it's the same tile ceiling. Am I doing something wrong? And am I supposed to see something visually from doing this? Everyone says to do it, so I'm guessing it's important...I just didn't see what it was doing.Thanks for the help everyone...if a moron like me can import DEM data, anyone can! Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
pennsyfan2 (45 posts)
Jan-24-02, 12:47 PM (EST) 4. "RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gosh DEM it! :)" Sundevil,Just click on one of the black tiles in each blue square. The blues lines are the tiles you see in the RGE.
Find the intersection of two blue lines and you can do four tiles in short order. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
libredr (58 posts)
Jan-24-02, 12:57 PM (EST) 5. "RE: Where the heck is MSTS-DEM, gosh DEM it! :)" LAST EDITED ON Jan-24-02 AT 12:58 PM (EST)LAST EDITED ON Jan-24-02 AT 12:57 PM (EST)You're new here, aren't you ;)A tile is defined by the blue lines, not the black ones. You have to select only one small square in each tile and reset the floor and ceiling. Selecting a small square can be difficult, you have sometimes to change the angle of the terrain to do it. A good trick is also to click first in an already resetted tile (this does always work) before a tile to reset. You will know soon what I am writing about !!
You are NOT obliged to change the value, just press ok. But if you have a lot of tiles, you can add 0.001 to each to know which ones you have already resetted. Another solution (that I use) is to put another texture in a small square for each tile resetted. It is then very quick (use the "tile selector")A recommandation : SAVE EVERY RESET (CTRL+S) !!! You will experience a crash every 3 or 4 resets in some cases !Good luck ! Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
sundevil_1997 (28 posts)
Jan-24-02, 02:16 PM (EST) 6. "I think I'm understanding DEM" New?? ME????? Oh ya.So, I need to add 1.0 (or less, it seems) to one black square in each BLUE square. That makes sense now the whole "where blue lines meet"....get 4 black squares, and you've done 4 blue squares. So, I hit F7....left click a black square....right click on it, and go to the Set tile ceiling.. option, and add 1.0 to the CEILING. Then, move to a different blue square and do the same. Does that sound like I've got it? I realize there may be other ways of doing it..perhaps even easier...but I"m struggling just to understand ONE way. Also...what does doing this gain for me? Does it somehow improve the terrain? I guess it's enough for me to understand that I NEED to do this....I can live with that.thanks! Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
libredr (58 posts)
Jan-24-02, 02:25 PM (EST) 7. "RE: I think I'm understanding DEM" LAST EDITED ON Jan-24-02 AT 02:29 PM (EST)No no no ! You need to learn why
In fact, dem-ex 0.6 does not update completely the tile data. But the route editor can do this for you this way. In fact, you do not have to change the value, AT ALL ! Just press ok. And you will see that your terrain change :
- the lightning will be updated and will seem emphasize the 3D
- when you approach the camera from the ground, you will not see anymore the small squares "disappear". Try it and you will understand what happens.
In another post, JohnCS has explained why you have to do it.However, new tools now do this job for you (in fact they update more deeply the tiles so that this work is not needed anymore). The only one which is free (and with it you can also "draw" your terrain by hand, useful if you have only scanned maps) is TSTerraform (see in the file sections). Two others, TSTools (by dcm group) and the upcoming DEM-EX 1 by JohnCS cost some money, but are good for beginners (for instance, TSTools does not need manipulation in microdem). Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
sundevil_1997 (28 posts)
Jan-24-02, 06:16 PM (EST) 8. "RE: I think I'm understanding DEM" Ok..ok...I think I've got it now...If I use DEM-ex..which I did...then I just go in and open up the Set tile height/ceiling dialog box...and hit "OK" without changing anything...and that will fill that requirement. OR...I can download that terraform tool thing (which sounds great, I'd love to draw my own terrain) and it will do it for me. Ok...I think I've got it.And unfortunately, I think I've read the "why"....it just still isn't going into the "Makes Sense" category in my head. Thanks for your patience. Anyone want to see crater lake? ;) Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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