Canadian terrain data

[Runsliketurtle]

Found this website online for Canadian terrain data, along with some 1m terrain data sources.

https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/ ... 83c0057995
https://ftp.maps.canada.ca/pub/elevatio ... tm_mnt/1m/

Can this be used to make good heightmaps for Canadian terrains?

[Snake Man]

Yes!

So some years ago I created you terrain source files, those use SRTM heightmap data, that is 1 arc second which is 30 meters resolution. Meaning when your heightmap has 4096 x 4096 grid points, those points are thirty meters apart, so lets say you want to have a road ditch or any other detailed heightmap feature... the most accurate you can get is 30m. That means in simple terms that there is no way for you to have ditches with 30m heightmap resolution.

Now when you use higer detail (meaning lower meters value, which is kind of backwards heh) data like 10m what US NED is (details from PMC Terrains FS19 page), then you still cant see much of any ditch details, however once you crank the details to 1m which is hardcore accurate, then you get full road elevations and ditches etc. Note that farming simulator 17 through 22 default unitsPerPixel is 2 meters, so technically 1m data is twice as accurate as farmsim uses.

Note that heightmap*unitsPerPixel when its 4096*2 that is pretty good details, so you can make any elevated road and ditch you want in L3DT or GE, but when you download SRTM 1 arc second 30m heightmaps, you can forget about road ditch details.

I have not mentioned this publicly before but a few days ago on PMC Iowa Garden City 8km I tested USGS 3DEP online download for 1m heightmap data, when using 2m unitsPerPixel on my terrain it immediately brought up road elevations and ditches, it looks AWESOME!

So yes, with 1m or even with 2m heightmap data for canada you can definitely make extremely good heightmaps which show elevated roads, ditches and all the good stuff.

Some info explained from your website. DTM is Digital Terrain Model and DSM is Digital Surface Model. The difference is that DSM includes objects like buildings, trees, grain bins etc, while DTM is the legit terrain level, meaning buildings will not cause a big ugly bump in the heightmap. DTM is awesome.

Here is an quick google image I found to illustrate DTM and DSM differences: https://d3i71xaburhd42.cloudfront.net/1 ... ure5-1.png

GeoTIFF is an image format which includes geographical data, this allows GIS tools like Global Mapper what I use to automatically align it to correct coordinates.

I downloaded 1m/AAFC/Middle_Creek/utm12/dtm_1m_utm12_e_6_146.tif image and when loaded to global mapper it looks like below.



Pretty cool.

[Runsliketurtle]

Are you able to use these sources to make a 1m heightmap?

[Snake Man]

Sure, if there is 1m data available I can load it into Global Mapper and export out as Farming Simulator heightmap.

[Runsliketurtle]

Snake Man are you able to chat on discord? Can't seem to private message you on here.

[Snake Man]

Hmm it must be the three posts newbie limit, you have done that now so should be able to send private messages.

[Snake Man]

I don't use discord anymore, its a dead end waste of time, nobody is chatting and its filled with money hungry bastards and newbies who ask questions which have been answered in tutorials. All you need is forum which is accessible to anything (search engines) and everyone.

[Snake Man]

So what did you want to talk about? Something about this canadian terrain or something else?

[Runsliketurtle]

I have given up on attempting to get 1m terrain data, since like me and you discovered, there doesn't seem to be a single area in all of Saskatchewan that has 8kmx8km square for 1m terrain data. Was thinking about giving up and starting to make another map, as I really just want to make a map.

[Snake Man]

Good thing to remember is that we were doing just fine before discovering 1m terrain data resolution, selecting an area for a any terrain (farming, arma3 or otherwise) should be about the location instead of data availability (well if satellite imagery is completely covered in clouds then perhaps that is the exception).

I cant recall what resolution data was available in canada, was 10m readily available there or was there nothing better than global SRTM 30m, but if the location is awesome farming area, it could be done even with that SRTM 30m.

Other option is that if you have newly found enthusiasm / fascination for 1m high resolution heightmap data, is to just make some american location which has this data. Yes I know you like the canadian side of the border things, but just a though if the super high res stuff is what you really want to do.

Probably 99% of farming simulator community players have no clue about heightmap source data resolutions, they cant tell the difference in-game.

[Runsliketurtle]

Just took a break from Farming Simulator, about a 3-4 month hiatus. Given that my 2 maps are now complete, I'm wanting to start another project. Would you be able to help me with that? I'd appreciate it, again I'm thinking of somewhere in Saskatchewan.

( 52.7982487, -106.8751441 ) or this link: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.7982487 ... ?entry=ttu

I think these coordinates would be a good place for the center of the map. Thanks for everything you've done for me so far, you've helped a lot.

[Snake Man]

Two terrains are complete, cool, but why haven't you posted release topics on Farming Simulator 22 General area yet?

[Runsliketurtle]

Never thought about doing that, but next time I’m on my computer, I can do that. After all, they wouldn’t have been possible without you. When I got back from my hiatus, I ended up finishing a mod I had made from the ground up but I love making maps. Have you completed any terrains recently?

[Snake Man]

Would be great to have official terrain support topics from you here in PMC forum, but I guess overall I meant that if you completed two terrains then where are they, I just searched online "runsliketurtle farming simulator 22 maps" and got no real hits, one result was in our forum heh, so was wondering have you released them or not (obviously not as nothing comes up at online info).

If you want your terrains get added to Farming Simulator 19 Terrains and Farming Simulator 22 Terrains pages I can easily get them done, if you want your own screenshots featured then send me the high resolution versions, or with terrain download links I can start them up and take my usual PDA and farmland screenshots.

You can easily see what I've done/released lately here on PMC forum, everything is updated here. One easy way to check latest posts is PMC Tactical Forum Active Topics quick link, if its long time since you were away you can scroll to the bottom left, there is "display and sorting options" where you can select longer time period than default one week. As for farmsim specific you can always check PMC Farming News page.

[Runsliketurtle]

Yes I have not released them, and I might end up releasing Raymore eventually, we’ll see when the next Farming Simulator comes out. If I make another terrain, I will most likely release it. I just need to maintain steady progress on it til it’s completed. Most North American maps are based in America rather than Canada, so I figure I should focus on that.

[Snake Man]

X marks the center position in the grid. Hows this looking?

[Runsliketurtle]

X marks the center position in the grid. Hows this looking?

I’ve changed my mind on the location. These coordinates are the new center of the terrain I want to create.

50.5716078 -104.2997008

[Snake Man]

So in google/maps link it would be this location? google/maps

[Runsliketurtle]

So in google/maps link it would be this location? google/maps

Yes that’s the spot.

[Snake Man]

Okay terrain grid created, how is the location now?



Hmm the bottom right edge kind of has a road there, hmm should I shift the location just a bit left/west to cut the road off or perhaps whole a lot to right/east to include it?

BTW when you reply, you don't have to quote me as my message is the previous one.

[Runsliketurtle]

Hmm the bottom right edge kind of has a road there, hmm should I shift the location just a bit left/west to cut the road off or perhaps whole a lot to right/east to include it?

Yes I think if you shifted it to the left a bit and completely remove that road. It’ll be tricky having to include that road if it’s right on the edge.

[Snake Man]

Relevant links for getting terrain done:

FS19 terrain editing tutorial home page

GIMP paint cultivator_density image

Cultivator, fruit_density with painted roads

Farmland painting in GIMP

GIMP paint fruit_density image

Heightmap

heightScale

Roads painting in GIMP

unitsPerPixel

PMC Editing Wiki: Tools

Source data downloads are complete. Heightmap source is SRTM 1-arc second so 30m details (considered low in recent standards), satellite imagery ie satellite texture source is ArcGIS world imagery with 1 meter / pixel resolution (very good).

Your real world data for this canadian terrain is ready, here are the important specs:

Code: Select all

heightmap size 4096 x 4096
heightScale="68"
terrain width="10240" height="10240"
unitsPerPixel="2.5"

Check private message for download link. Download, unpack the 7-zip and then reply back to this topic so I can delete the file.

[Runsliketurtle]

Your real world data for this canadian terrain is ready, here are the important specs:

Code: Select all

heightmap size 4096 x 4096
heightScale="68"
terrain width="10240" height="10240"
unitsPerPixel="2.5"

Just to clarify, this is an 8km x 8km terrain, correct? I will check it out when I get on my computer later tonight. Thank you.

[Snake Man]

No, its 10.2 kilometers x 10.2 kilometers terrain size.

You probably missed or forgot the chat already some years ago where all this was talked about, doing no more power of two size terrains, 2km, 4km, 8.1km and 16.3km as those are very bad, reserved for the farmsim community fantasy people who still believe that you can only do four different size of terrains. Guess you could say that with fs22 "ten is the new eight" now, well not really but within this context it fits great

[Runsliketurtle]

10-4. Yes I missed that part, but that works out better. I prefer a 10km terrain vs an 8km terrain. I am on an 11am-11pm shift at work right now so I have no time on my computer until Saturday when I’m off. I will check it out as soon as I get the chance.

[Snake Man]

No problemos, take your time. And anytime you need any help, just create a new topic with specific title/question here in PMC forums FS22 editing area and I'll do my best to help.

And if you need more real world data terrain source files, just ask

[Runsliketurtle]

I got the files downloaded, however I noticed the satellite image isn't the greatest. Would you be able to source me an older/better satellite image?

[Snake Man]

That is ArcGIS world imagery which generally for world wide data is the best free source, I can try google/maps but it has watermark and bing aerial but I have very limited experience with bing.

Are you talking about the white parts? They look a bit odd, my thinking is that its snow on those parts where its not melted yet in the spring, dunno.

[Runsliketurtle]

Are you talking about the white parts? They look a bit odd, my thinking is that its snow on those parts where its not melted yet in the spring, dunno.

I believe you are right, the white parts are snow banks that have not yet melted. Seems like the northeastern part of the satellite image has better looking imagery. Yes if you are able to source me another satellite image that doesn’t have unmelted snow, that would be ideal.

[Snake Man]

Got maps.google aka google/maps satellite imagery downloaded. Check your private messages, same as before, reply back here when you have downloaded and unpacked the 7-zip so I can delete. Let us know how the imagery looks like, is it usable etc.