Idea for a new AAR tool

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niceguy2005
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Idea for a new AAR tool

Post by niceguy2005 »

I proposed something like this in The Thread a couple weeks back and it seemed to generate some mild interest, enough that I thought I would post it out here and see if people think it might be useful.

So, I may have a method for displaying WITP data to Google Earth. I'm thinking of turning this into a Tool for displaying Combat Reports, Op Reports and Intel Reports graphically. My mind is already a whirl with some of the possibilities, but I'm trying to keep it limited to just getting some basic info to show accurately to start. I can foresee though a tool that will read all the reports keep a data file and can replay any or all over some user specified period of time. It might be a lot of fun for doing AARs.

I'm not very knowledgeable at all though about map projections. I could use some help from someone who know a lot about maps and specifically the WITP map system to make sure I get the translations correct. Any volunteers?

I need to decide on a basic approach. Two ideas I have for doing this are:
1. Create a database of bases from witp list and represent them on Google Earth stock globe using the WITP icon art.
2. Overlay the WITP map onto Google earth. The user would see the familiar WITP map, but it would be in the 3D environment. This is by far my least favorite option. I think it takes away a lot of the 3D feel of GE, but would be the easies to implement...probably.
3. *I just thought of this one as I was writing. It may work best. I could create a database of "witp hexes" and map each "hex" to GE with an algorithm. THe GE environment uses Lat, Long, Alt coordinates. The result is that some "hexes" might be distorted, but I wouldn't actually draw the hex lines
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bradfordkay
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RE: Idea for a new AAR tool

Post by bradfordkay »

You may have some problems because the projection used for WITP is not a true world map projection. By that I mean that many of the map distances are not consistent across the WITP map when compared to any true map. Thus some of your combat results will show up on a google earth map in a wierd location (like a naval battle in the middle of the Australian desert). 
fair winds,
Brad
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niceguy2005
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RE: Idea for a new AAR tool

Post by niceguy2005 »

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

You may have some problems because the projection used for WITP is not a true world map projection. By that I mean that many of the map distances are not consistent across the WITP map when compared to any true map. Thus some of your combat results will show up on a google earth map in a wierd location (like a naval battle in the middle of the Australian desert). 
This is one of the things for which I'm going to need a work around and folks with some knowledge.
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