Custom Google Map Tiles part 1/2: Creating the map
This part is optional and only covers creating a map image from the World of Warcraft game files. If you are looking for a how to create a google map custom tiles from a map image please keep an eye on my blogs. I'll post part 2/2 before the end of next week.
In this tutorial we need the following tools/programs and games:
- World of Warcraft + The Burning Crusade game installed on your computer
- wowmapper The tool to extract the minimap image from the game data
- Photoshop or The G.I.M.P. to put together the map
We start with installing World of Wacraft and The Burning Crusade (if you want those maps aswell that is). This is something you have to do you self and goes beyond the scope of this tutorial.
Now we download and fire up wowmapper. Now we are going to follow the instructions on the site:
- open the 'initialisation' tab
- click "initialiser'
- the list of available section appears
- choose one section then click "generer carte"
- preview panel will open automatically
- select the zone you want to render with the mouse (highlight it)
- choose the output size (256 is the 1:1 format)
- click render
These steps will be repeated till you got all the images for on your map. I did all the PvPzones, Easteren Kingdoms, Outland and Kalimdor. Once you exported these maps fireup your image editor. IMPORTEND NOTE: While doing this step I plitted the map in 4 pieces of 16384x16384 pixels this costs about 1GB of RAM per image! Make sure that you have 2GB or more in your PC. (OR try out what happens if you have less.)
Now we got our images and our image editor open and create a plain black image and save it. We'll use this image to put the maps on. Once you placed everything on the map save it and close everything.
There you go, you have created your own map image now. Next week we'll continue to part 2/2. If something is unclear or if you have any other comment/question/feed back, please don't hesitate to leave a comment.
WyriHaximus
]
|
|
|
|
|
|
