Map Editor :-(

[[TB] Karl]

How Do i go about importing Heightmaps into the Map editor NOW. Since an update i cant seem to find a way to import Heightmaps any longer. Is there another way than using MOOB to do it, Or i Guess I't a Waiting Game... :-(

[Potat al Gaib]

If you pre-order shame on Paradox\CO for fooling you
If you bought the game after this long, shame on you

On topic, you already are using an illegal way to access an unofficial, incomplete and broken map editor, so why are you complaining?

[pete1051]

How are you unlocking the editor in v19?
I was using MOOB in v18, but now that mod broke and appears to no longer have support.

In v18 of CS2, I had to first export any heightmap, which saves a .png and a .png.cid file.
Then I would open the exported .png in Photoshop, where I have the heightmap I want to import also open. Then I pase the pixels from what I want to import into the open .png that I had exported from the CS2 editor. And save and close that .png with the same filename that I exported. It has to match what the .png.cid file is named before the extension.

Also very important, it has to be a 4096 x 4096 pixel image, 16-bit greyscale.
CS2 uses that size rather than the 1081 x 1081 CS1 used.

It's a little tricky, but I have imported height maps.

I'd really like to be able to access the editor again, I was getting into making custom maps. I even bought the pro version of Gaea to make 4096 height maps (I also plan on using Gaea for more than CS2)

Too bad there really isn't a good place to share them. only if we had an actual workshop.....

[pete1051]

Originally posted by Potat:

If you pre-order shame on Paradox\CO for fooling you
If you bought the game after this long, shame on you

On topic, you already are using an illegal way to access an unofficial, incomplete and broken map editor, so why are you complaining?

"BOO-HOO game no workey for me, I hate everyone who is enjoying the game!!! whaaaa!"

It's getting old, kids.

[Potat al Gaib]

Originally posted by pete1051:

How are you unlocking the editor in v19?
I was using MOOB in v18, but now that mod broke and appears to no longer have support.

In v18 of CS2, I had to first export any heightmap, which saves a .png and a .png.cid file.
Then I would open the exported .png in Photoshop, where I have the heightmap I want to import also open. Then I pase the pixels from what I want to import into the open .png that I had exported from the CS2 editor. And save and close that .png with the same filename that I exported. It has to match what the .png.cid file is named before the extension.

Also very important, it has to be a 4096 x 4096 pixel image, 16-bit greyscale.
CS2 uses that size rather than the 1081 x 1081 CS1 used.

It's a little tricky, but I have imported height maps.

I'd really like to be able to access the editor again, I was getting into making custom maps. I even bought the pro version of Gaea to make 4096 height maps (I also plan on using Gaea for more than CS2)

Too bad there really isn't a good place to share them. only if we had an actual workshop.....

I think that "since an update" that OP is referring to, is that they came back in the game after the 19f update, lol they made a 3 week pause form playing, coping that the game will be fixed, oh the poor soul..

Originally posted by pete1051:

If you kids we're actually alive (or at least out of diapers) in the 80's, retro wouldn't interest you.
The 80's..... been there, done that, really wasn't that great.
We spent the time playing lame games, longing for the future when computers would be fast enough to do something good. It's like having ford pinto fro a while, then getting a corvette, why would you go back to driving the pinto?

So you are a Gen X and actually know what good games are, but you instead support the half ass development of gaming in this age? Lol fascinating

Originally posted by pete1051:

Originally posted by Potat:

If you pre-order shame on Paradox\CO for fooling you
If you bought the game after this long, shame on you

On topic, you already are using an illegal way to access an unofficial, incomplete and broken map editor, so why are you complaining?

"BOO-HOO game no workey for me, I hate everyone who is enjoying the game!!! whaaaa!"

It's getting old, kids.

Oh ok you are that kind of person :)
Off to reddit and PDX forum you go, and don't forget to get high on skittles and worship the rainbow, snowflake

[100_Series_Lexus]

I just import them in the editor menu without any issue. I'm running BepInEx 5 and a ton of mods..

Just make sure your resolutions are correct (4096x4096) and you preserve the file format if resizing. I think heightmap skydark pl site outputs in 1024x1024.

14.33km map size for near 1:1 scale. Cant remember what scale I used to make the heightmap to import for the worldmap (land outside playable area) I think I x1.5'd the map size or something and it required minimal modification to match up.

[ibuildcities]

I can't seem to find a thorough map/heightmap tutorial. I can edit and create generic maps, but I've really wanted a step-by-step for heightmaps.

PS - Some of you who are disappointed. Don't post where you're not adding anything constructive to the posters question. Just move along and let others do their thing.

[pete1051]

oh, ok answered my own question,no mod needed. use devmode, go to 'UI bindings' tab, scroll down, and there is a button for launch editor. It works from the main menu, just use tab to open devmode there no need to load or start a game.

and yes, the map size is 14336m x 14336m (4096 pixels x 4096 pixels, 16 bit greyscale)
Any time I have successfully imported a height map, it was with the ".cid" file I spoke of above from a previous export I pasted over in an image editor, then import that one.
It seems to want that ".cid" file for some reason.

AND both the same named .png and .png.cid need to be in the game folder in the user folder.
(user path on windows.sorry, don't know others...)\AppData\LocalLow\Colossal Order\Cities Skylines II\Heightmaps

skydark pl exports 1081 x 1081, the CS1 size. It has to be scaled up in an image editor first.

Height scale settings you just have to play with it depends on what range you are dealing with.

This is what I did, and it worked for me.

[[TB] Karl]

Yes, Now this i understand, Thanks Pete, and yes was browsing through files the other Night.. Now my Blah blah blah /Heightmaps Folder doesn't exist in my Files hmmm interesting,

[[TB] Karl]

so have they removed the /Heightmap File then?? Im Guessing

[ibuildcities]

Originally posted by TB Karl:

so have they removed the /Heightmap File then?? Im Guessing

I'm wondering if you could just create the folder and take it from there..

[[TB] Karl]

Ok i made a /Heightmap Folder Again,, It should Work Again Now !! Thanks Pete !!

Originally posted by pete1051:

oh, ok answered my own question,no mod needed. use devmode, go to 'UI bindings' tab, scroll down, and there is a button for launch editor. It works from the main menu, just use tab to open devmode there no need to load or start a game.

and yes, the map size is 14336m x 14336m (4096 pixels x 4096 pixels, 16 bit greyscale)
Any time I have successfully imported a height map, it was with the ".cid" file I spoke of above from a previous export I pasted over in an image editor, then import that one.
It seems to want that ".cid" file for some reason.

AND both the same named .png and .png.cid need to be in the game folder in the user folder.
(user path on windows.sorry, don't know others...)\AppData\LocalLow\Colossal Order\Cities Skylines II\Heightmaps

skydark pl exports 1081 x 1081, the CS1 size. It has to be scaled up in an image editor first.

Height scale settings you just have to play with it depends on what range you are dealing with.

This is what I did, and it worked for me.

[[TB] Karl]

Originally posted by jimhipolito:

Originally posted by TB Karl:

so have they removed the /Heightmap File then?? Im Guessing

I'm wondering if you could just create the folder and take it from there..

Was doing Just That,, It's seems to be Working,, im working on it

[pete1051]

Originally posted by TB Karl:

Ok i made a /Heightmap Folder Again,, It should Work Again Now !! Thanks Pete !!

Originally posted by pete1051:

oh, ok answered my own question,no mod needed. use devmode, go to 'UI bindings' tab, scroll down, and there is a button for launch editor. It works from the main menu, just use tab to open devmode there no need to load or start a game.

and yes, the map size is 14336m x 14336m (4096 pixels x 4096 pixels, 16 bit greyscale)
Any time I have successfully imported a height map, it was with the ".cid" file I spoke of above from a previous export I pasted over in an image editor, then import that one.
It seems to want that ".cid" file for some reason.

AND both the same named .png and .png.cid need to be in the game folder in the user folder.
(user path on windows.sorry, don't know others...)\AppData\LocalLow\Colossal Order\Cities Skylines II\Heightmaps

skydark pl exports 1081 x 1081, the CS1 size. It has to be scaled up in an image editor first.

Height scale settings you just have to play with it depends on what range you are dealing with.

This is what I did, and it worked for me.

I think mine was automatically created the first time I exported a heightmap. Can't remember.

Just went through my process again. The height scale settings can be tricky.
I found that the greyscale range the height map uses needs to be clamped to a min of 10% and a max of 90% white. Making use of most of the normalized range, but with extra room at the top and bottom for raising and lowering terrain in game.
(normalize in a terrain program rescales all height values to a range of 0-1, it ca be 'clamped' to a rang in between that.
Sometimes terrains will be little of a light to dark range, and will be too flat in the game.

Best to import the height map in to the game editor clamped like that and make visual adjustments to how stretched the height looks with the 'height scale' in the editor, it defaults at 4096.0, smaller values will make it flatter.

If the blackest parts are pure black, the is the very bottom of what can be edited while the game is playing, same goes for pure white and the highest you can raise terrain.

So, one has to leave extra space.

Also, when importing real world terrain, and trying to get rivers and streams to look right, the channels have to be manually edited in the CS2 editor to be more pronounced. I have spent the most time fiddling around trying to get water to flow where I want it to.

Also, I have found I sometimes need to exit to desktop and re-start the game and the editor when I add new water sources, to actually get them flowing. Seems to be a current bug in the editor.