Re: Xconq Maps from GIS Data

[Eric McDonald <mcdonald@phy.cmich.edu>]

D. Cooper Stevenson wrote:

> I am working to build an aggressive new image set for XCONQ. 

Excellent.

> The following is a tentative plan, is it possible? Is there a better
> way? 

One of the other contributors to the list, Matthew Skala, created a map 
of Antarctica from USGS data, IIRC. You may be able to get some tips, 
and maybe even a code or script (?) to help in this regard. His focus, 
though, was in using existing terrain images on a 
geographically-accurate map.

>   1) Download the GIS data and convert the image to a palatable image
> format
>   2) Overlay a hex grid (to scale) on the image
>   3) "Break off" each of the hexes and place them into a file similar to
> those found under the /lib/images directory painstakingly categorized in
> order by terrain type

When doing so, one would probably want to automatically generate the 
corresponding .imf files (found in the 'lib' directory of the sources) 
whihc actually reference the images in the .gif files.

>   4) Create a terrain file with the terrain information
> 
> I have created a complete outline here:
> 
>   http://www.gencom.us/xconq_design.html

I looked through your outline.

As far as your question regarding WCS (which I assume is what you meant 
by "Global Coordinate") data, I had not given that consideration before.

I am not sure whether Xconq should be made to take such data directly in 
.g (Xconq Game Definition) files, or whether it should be first be 
transformed to Xconq's natural coordinate system. I would probably favor 
the latter.

As far as your concerns about unit movement, and if I understand you 
correctly, one would need a translation program that bins terrain types 
  according to elevation variation, and then takes a supplied set of 
unit types and generates movement rules against these bins. The 
resulting Xconq .g output might be something like:
(table mp-to-enter
   (all-terrain-land-u* land-t* 1)
   (flat-terrain-land-u* land-type1-t* 1)
)
where 'land-type-t*' would be the bin containing the smoothest/flattest 
terrain. Or something like that....

> Xconq's engine can't be beat in my opinion. 

It is quite flexible and powerful in my opinion as well. There are still 
plenty of things that can be (and are being done) as far as improving it 
goes.

> Long term, just to throw it out there: is it possible to interface raw
> GIS coordinate data (longitude, latidude, etc.) directly with Xconq's
> engine?

If you mean whether *.g files can contain maps that are directly from 
GIS data, the answer is no, that is not currently possible. But, it is 
an area of interest. Another, possibly easier, route would be to write a 
standardized translation tool for anyone who wishes to create maps from 
such data. I think that would be quite welcomed by the community.

> I'm willing to perform the painstaking work if you're willing to point
> me in the right direction. 

Great! If Matthew is still on the list, maybe he can give you some 
useful advice. Also, if whoever created the giant world map is around 
(Stan Shebs, perhaps?), he may be able to give you some advice as well.

As far as the terrain images themselves go, there are some things to 
consider: isometric views, possibly different image sets for each of 
Xconq's different scales, tiling versus hex images (hex images being 
prefered). If you do hex images, you will likely need to apply 
rectangular regions containing a hex mask while you are extracting the 
images from the map data. If you do tiles, you only need to sample 
square regions.

Eric