Topo Map

[Mosin Greymantle]

The Topo map just doesn't seem right to me, I seem to always guess wrong as to the elevation. It doesn't seem to match what I am doing, on a ridge when I thought I would be in a gully. Anyone else feel this way? Not a game killer, just something odd to me.

[James]

Yes, the hillshade is not done right. Normal values for calculating hillshade on a DEM (digital elevation model) should be around: altitude = 45 degrees and azimuth = 315 degrees. That way it provides a natural ridge/gully perspective for most brains. As it is now, the maps in COTW leaves me confused, lol. Perhaps a minority feel it is right, probably also the one that made the hill shading of the maps in COTW.

Now, I just look at the contour lines and assume the opposite of what I see in terms of ascending/descending terrain, lol. The funny part is, that in some (few) areas it is correctly shaded. That just makes it worse and indicate the method used is not consistent (not mathematical?).

[Mosin Greymantle]

Ah, thanks for response, I was wondering if I was the only person confused. :)

[snorski]

yep same for me, the landscapes are gorgeous, but cartographically the map makes very little sense when it comes to heightlines.

addidtionally complete roads and infrastructure are missing. for example the entire (functional) railway on the New England map is completely missing on the map. Inconceibvble that it would be missing on any real life map.