Creating a map using blueprint
What you will need to get started (The Tools)
The only tool really needed is "Mapconv". The other tools available are there simply to make your life easier. A list of common mapping tools are as follows:
Mapconv
SMFED
Grout
SMD Creator
Start Position Editor
Das Bruce's Mapconv frontend
These tools have been compiled into a zip available here: http://springfiles.com/spring/tools/mapping-tools
Keep in mind that mapconv is still being developed, so it may be necessary to update the included Mapconv to a later version, located here: http://springrts.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=21458
Creating a Heightmap
You will need a good image editing program to make heightmaps. Many of the aforementioned terrain generation programs will also generate heightmaps as well, but you can draw them by hand. They can be either 8bit or 16bit greyscale PNG. If you have photoshop or the gimp, you can use these programs to help you create your heightmap.
Here is an example of a 16bit heightmap:
Heightmaps work upon the idea of height according to color values. Black is the lowest, white is the heighest. In spring mapping, the waterline is defined by a negative height value. In other words, you define the heights of the map, anything below 0 is under water. So on this heightmap, you might use -50 for the lowest value and 300 for the highest height value. The aforementioned tool "Mapconv Gui (a.k.a Das Bruce's MapConv Gui) has a waterline calculator that will help you calculate the correct waterline for your map.
Compiling your map
This tutorial assumes that you understand how to make a texture map and it also assumes that you know how to use terrain generation software.
Commonly used terrain generation programs are:
Spring Map Edit (Does not work on 64bit machines)
L3DT
WorldMachine
Bryce3D
Carrara
Texture Specifications
Texture map size is related in pixels and in spring map size. 2x2 MapSquares in spring are equal to 1024x1024 Pixels. Texture maps mus be in multiples of 2. I.E. 2x2, 6x10, 12x16, 16x16, etc. No odd sizes are allowed (Example: 15x10).
Height Maps are Texture Map size / 8 + 1 pixel. In other words, if your texture map is 8192x8192 (16x16), 8192 / 8 + 1 = 1025x1025
Metal Maps share the same sizing formula as heightmaps.
