Real-world heightmap data?
by Rodney (OldRod) Burns · in Torque Game Engine · 12/11/2003 (1:30 pm) · 11 replies
Does anyone know of a place to find heightmap data for real-world locations? For instance, if I wanted to make a Torque landscape based on the island of Cuba (just an example) is there a heightmap someplace out there I could use?
Anyone know of such a resource?
Anyone know of such a resource?
#2
12/11/2003 (6:28 pm)
Can you convert the DEM data to a heightmap? I've never seen that before :) 
#3
This guy converts the DEM's to something that TerraGen can read, and I read in another post that you can make a heightmap with Terragen, but don't hold me to that last part. :)
[edit]http://www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=5393
This thread explains how to convert from Terragen
12/11/2003 (7:50 pm)
Go to http://www.terrainmap.com/This guy converts the DEM's to something that TerraGen can read, and I read in another post that you can make a heightmap with Terragen, but don't hold me to that last part. :)
[edit]http://www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=5393
This thread explains how to convert from Terragen
#4
12/11/2003 (9:08 pm)
Worst case, you can write your own importer.
#5
12/12/2003 (2:29 am)
Thanks guys :)
#6
They also have some information on real world data.
-- Markus
12/12/2003 (2:59 am)
You could also check out: http://www.vterrain.orgThey also have some information on real world data.
-- Markus
#7
I've done this before, not with Torque though (although I probably will sometime in the future).
Here's where I went to get the data (afaik US only):
http://seamless.usgs.gov
They have an interface to download the elevation data for just about any part of the US that you need. What you'll want to do (as far as I remember) is grab the TIFF version of the NED (national elevation dataset). Basically, you select the area you want and then download it - and before you download, you'll be able to set the various options of what you want to download.
The TIFF format they send you is GeoTIFF - I had problems importing the files into the graphics programs that I had - but there's a nifty program called HyperCube that will let you import the GeoTIFFs and then export them to a TIFF file that's readable. I can't remember exactly where to download HyperCube so you might need to Google it - but there are Windows and Mac versions available.
Once you've done that, you should have a nice, useable elevation map that's ready to go (although you might want to edit it a little bit). The results are pretty cool, these are screenshots of a terrain that I imported into Giant Citizen Kabuto:
http://macgiants.freeservers.com/cgi-bin/i/buto.jpg
http://macgiants.freeservers.com/cgi-bin/i/hurl.jpg
http://macgiants.freeservers.com/cgi-bin/i/village.jpg
I'm not sure if freeservers lets you link from another page to jpegs, but I've got links on the main site to the screenshots.
12/22/2003 (12:51 pm)
Hi Rodney,I've done this before, not with Torque though (although I probably will sometime in the future).
Here's where I went to get the data (afaik US only):
http://seamless.usgs.gov
They have an interface to download the elevation data for just about any part of the US that you need. What you'll want to do (as far as I remember) is grab the TIFF version of the NED (national elevation dataset). Basically, you select the area you want and then download it - and before you download, you'll be able to set the various options of what you want to download.
The TIFF format they send you is GeoTIFF - I had problems importing the files into the graphics programs that I had - but there's a nifty program called HyperCube that will let you import the GeoTIFFs and then export them to a TIFF file that's readable. I can't remember exactly where to download HyperCube so you might need to Google it - but there are Windows and Mac versions available.
Once you've done that, you should have a nice, useable elevation map that's ready to go (although you might want to edit it a little bit). The results are pretty cool, these are screenshots of a terrain that I imported into Giant Citizen Kabuto:
http://macgiants.freeservers.com/cgi-bin/i/buto.jpg
http://macgiants.freeservers.com/cgi-bin/i/hurl.jpg
http://macgiants.freeservers.com/cgi-bin/i/village.jpg
I'm not sure if freeservers lets you link from another page to jpegs, but I've got links on the main site to the screenshots.
#8
10/22/2006 (5:24 pm)
Hello. Brand new user, day 1. This post related to something I'm looking for, which is heightmaps. I'd like to design my levels in say, Photoshop using shades of grey representing different heights and import that into TGE. Is this possible?
#9
10/22/2006 (5:32 pm)
Also, do levels have to be a preset size? Any info on importing terragen info into TGE?
#10
10/22/2006 (9:53 pm)
Please just post a new thread. And if you google (or just search the site), you'll find those answers.
#11
10/23/2006 (4:45 am)
Wow, thanks.
Associate Ben Garney