von Marwitz
Forum Guru
I have found an excellent tool to research terrain for ASL scenario design.
This tool covers only some areas of Germany, but what you get does beat Google maps by lengths.
I have previously hinted at this tool in the ASL Designers Forum (http://forums.gamesquad.com/showthread.php?109214-Very-nice-tool-for-researching-terrain-in-Northrine-Westphalia-Germany) but the thread title that I selected might have been somewhat unfortunate. For that reason please excuse me for pointing at this tool again - and with more meaningful examples.
It is possible to select English as a language for usage with the tool, which will be a very welcome setting for most of the ASL community.
Here is the link for the tool:
http://www.tim-online.nrw.de
Below, you find a screenshot with the English menu showing what area of Germany is covered.
View attachment 40430
Next is a screenshot of a piece of terrain from above. You will be able to easily discern numerous fortifications and trenches originating from WW I and WW II, that piece of land being situated at one tip of the Reichswald right next to the Dutch border.
View attachment 40432
Follwing you see a screenshot with a 3D view of the same ground. It is very interesting how much you can see the fortifications relating to the lay of the land.
View attachment 40433
At last, see a 2013 picture of Google Maps of the same area. It is striking how much superior the tool isto Google Maps is for a scenario designer. Google Maps can still be valuable to find out about the current terrain types, though. But the tool can do that, too for many places. It is sometimes even possible to blend in historical maps besides current ones over the terrain.
View attachment 40431
I hope this may be of use for some of you.
All the best
von Marwitz
This tool covers only some areas of Germany, but what you get does beat Google maps by lengths.
I have previously hinted at this tool in the ASL Designers Forum (http://forums.gamesquad.com/showthread.php?109214-Very-nice-tool-for-researching-terrain-in-Northrine-Westphalia-Germany) but the thread title that I selected might have been somewhat unfortunate. For that reason please excuse me for pointing at this tool again - and with more meaningful examples.
It is possible to select English as a language for usage with the tool, which will be a very welcome setting for most of the ASL community.
Here is the link for the tool:
http://www.tim-online.nrw.de
Below, you find a screenshot with the English menu showing what area of Germany is covered.
View attachment 40430
Next is a screenshot of a piece of terrain from above. You will be able to easily discern numerous fortifications and trenches originating from WW I and WW II, that piece of land being situated at one tip of the Reichswald right next to the Dutch border.
View attachment 40432
Follwing you see a screenshot with a 3D view of the same ground. It is very interesting how much you can see the fortifications relating to the lay of the land.
View attachment 40433
At last, see a 2013 picture of Google Maps of the same area. It is striking how much superior the tool isto Google Maps is for a scenario designer. Google Maps can still be valuable to find out about the current terrain types, though. But the tool can do that, too for many places. It is sometimes even possible to blend in historical maps besides current ones over the terrain.
View attachment 40431
I hope this may be of use for some of you.
All the best
von Marwitz
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