Agtim,I was going to email this but thought it better shared ;-)I have finished processing the N3 maps with the l3map6x5 tool (see the other related thread). These ones didn't process (I assume are not required):http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/161834.jpgAnd these ones did:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/161835.jpgI am still missing the picture though, and I haven't a clue what to do next! I looked at the tile index file, then looked at the map names, then tried to make sense of 1 or 2 of the 46 TGA files and I'm stumped *:-* Once I can identify what goes where, I'll try editing it and testing - but this involves another part of the picture that I cannot see yet - how it goes back together ;-)I AM learning how to use your great tools though, and I cannot imagine how this would be done otherwise :-waveOnce we get this sorted down to a process, it'll be night lights for everyone :-jumpyRegards,Jon Point

Andre,Leve57maker doesn't generate the level 5/7 files. It gives some error about not being able to... hang on...http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/161843.jpgI didn't HAVE a tilindex.bin file there (I assume it was created by the program) but there's one there now (12 bytes). Anyway, it first reports the number of files, then it says that the files were generated - then this error, and no files generated :-(I'll leave you alone for a while to think about all this - or how to explain it to me ;-) Or whether it matters at all - I don't know! Either way, I'm going back to landscaping for a bit, in between cockpit changes (Staggs sent me some instrument shots and I've been wanting to update the panels).If it all makes sense to you, please let me know what I can do from here - all or any suggestions are appreciated :-waveRegards,Jon Point

Hi Jon, Andre,I'll take on this little project to see if I can sort something out. (Unless there is a better offer out there?)It's something I've been meaning to do. Will post progress as it occurs (if in fact it does occur):-hmmm CheersBruce H

Hi Jon,There is a lot unknown here, may be the size of a L3 nightmap is not the same as a L3 daymap !?after rename of the night maps in the workfolder, i have use L3map6x5 http://www.agtim.ch/fu3/images/NIGHT6X5.JPGthis is producing a tga picture of a 5 row by 6 columns tiles area. Each tile has 512x512 part of the picture the named tile is in the top left corner. For the day maps they all fit together, but not for the night :-( http://www.agtim.ch/fu3/images/L3aaag.jpgIt's looks as they just have 256x256the bottom rows of this next picture are on the top of the first one. http://www.agtim.ch/fu3/images/L3abaj.jpgmay be when we put all 256x256 parts together we get the 6x5 nightmap ?I have no idea how the result must look, this was easier for the daymaps :-).If the L4 nightmaps have a different size as the L4 daymaps Level57maker will just crash :-(we will need specialized tools and there is not a quick way. :-wave agtim

Yes, they're very strange :-roll I wonder if they're actually all used? 3 things are obvious:*They aren't 'continuous'. There are large areas of nothingness!*Each individual map seems to consist of 4 parts. Look at the image directly above, second from the left. What's going on here?*Each part seems to also have 4 repeating patterns. I reralise that some of these may represent city streets but they can't ALL be like that (many are). I wonder if, like the day maps there is a lot of unused stuff in there and that only certain parts of tiles are used.Can we get any closer by deleting or altering night maps here and there? If I had a way of 'writing back' the maps, I could paint one really bright and go look for it at night ;-)Regards,Jon Point

I made a copy of n2aaag.bin and renamed it to n2aaaj.binthis is for the upper left corner of the Seattle region.using a hex editor I have modified the first 16 bytes from 00 to ffand repeated this 8 hex row later again and again for a total of 16 rowsin the tileindex I chaged the value of this tile from 3 to 7at night I can see a rectangle of white, yellow and blue dotswhen you go to the ground ... reaching level 1 and 0 not covered by the nightmaps then the dots are still there -> FU3 is using map2 for the level 1 and 0 also but level 2 is bright and then dots becomes smaller.AND DID YOU KNOW THAT NIGHT MAPS AREN'T DISPLAYED WHEN THE GRAPHIC ACCELERATOR IS OFF ! :-wave agtim

Andre,Interesting! So we're getting some 'cause and effect' Yay :-jumpyAs to the no-nite-maps-with-no-acceleration, I found this out years ago and have always concluded that the lights were therefore some type of video overlay and not actually discrete maps at all. When all is said and done, the day (terrain) maps are still there, and the night lights always follow ground texture elevation. I tried using this to my advantage to block some night lights out with models but at some distance, the lights always show :-(Geez, I wish I was suddenly 100% conversant with DirectX and video generation methods :-rollRegards,Jon Point