Dev Tutorial [Editor] Digital Elevation Model (DEM) Data (1 Viewer)

Since Omsi 2, it has been possible to import DEM data into Omsi maps to allow for more realistic real-world maps with nice gradients and hills that aren't isolated on a flat map. For the DEM data to work, your map must be using real-world coordinates.

To be able to use DEM data, you first have to download the files for your area. Now, there are several places you can get them from, both free and paid. The data I choose to use is from NASA's SRTM (or, if you're in the USA, you can get higher definition imagery from the same source). This data is from the 'Shuttle Radar Topography Mission' that NASA carried out in February 2000 using the Space Shuttle Endeavour and this 60 metre pole with a radar on the end of it:
0a5ab93aa56264fb417475def3182133.jpeg

What this means is that although this data is some of the best out there (I don't know of any free data that's better), any changes since February 2000 won't be shown; the height data is sampled about every 30 metres, so details less than that size won't be seen (particularly steep slopes like embankments or cuttings for example); and because it's radar reflection from orbit, things like trees and buildings prevent the radar seeing the ground and result in falsely high readings and even February 2000's weather can affect the accuracy. You shouldn't rely on this data being perfect, but it significantly reduces the amount of work that has to be done to the terrain to make it look right.

Now the next thing you'll need in order to download your data is to know which file(s) you want. For Europe you'll want to select "Eurasia" and then download the correct file(s) based on the coordinates of the location. If for example I wanted to download the data for 51.389500, 30.099139, I'd want N51E030.hgt and if I wanted -22.899500, -43.209000, I'd want S23W044.hgt (that is to say that you'd round down for places South of the Equator or West of the Meridian, the values are prefixed with S and W and still rounded down, but then converted to positive after rounding down).

Depending on the length of your route and how close it is to file boundaries, you may find you have to get more than one file. It's quite obvious if you run off the edge of a DEM file as there will be a cliff in the middle of a tile down to 0 height. The downloaded files should be placed in \OMSI 2\DEMImport\SRTM\Data\.

From there you can go into the Editor onto your map and select the "Tile" tab. There is then a "DEM" section from where you can select the importer DLL in the drop-down (it's not pre-selected for some reason) and click "Run curr. Tile" to import DEM for the tile you're on, noting that it will erase all terrain extant on the tile to replace it with DEM.
upload_2017-1-15_12-15-34.png
 
Last edited:

Raymond Souster

Banned Member
Apr 28, 2017
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Hi guys , I am trying to get Finsbury park into the game but having no luck what so ever.

the google map coordinates are :

51.565913, -0.106668

in game editor it shows as N51 W006

So i have in my data folder , N51W005 , N51W006,N51W008 (There is no N51W007) in the DEM database but still when i press on the "Run current tile" it don't effect anything or change the tile and wondering what files i do need since i seem to be selecting the wrong files

Kind regards

Raymond
 

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Road-hog123

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for 51.389500, 30.099139, I'd want N51E030.hgt and if I wanted -22.899500, -43.209000, I'd want S23W044.hgt
Note how the numbers in the file names are the coordinates rounded down to the nearest integer. So 51.565913, -0.106668 becomes N51W001.
 
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Road-hog123

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Two things:
  1. Make sure you are loading the correct map - the conversion to world coordinates creates a copy of your map, so you need to ensure you load that and not your original map.
  2. You might have converted the coordinates to filename incorrectly - without knowing what your coordinates are I can't tell you which file you need. Make sure you're rounding towards negative infinity, not 0, and that you've got your directions round the right way.
 

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LT586

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Oct 25, 2016
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Hi all
Not sure if this thread is still going, with the current situation I hope there is a response as there's no excuse to be out! lol

Jokes aside, if I add DEM data to an already populated tile does that work? So for example I've got some streets, pavements, bus stops and such down but I am working on a map which has a lot of hills and distant hills as well.

The problem I have with OMSI at the minute is it just doesn't play ball with it, it would be easier to know what the terrain heights are and we level the map ourselves, is there any way to find out this data?
 
Dec 25, 2018
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Hi all
Not sure if this thread is still going, with the current situation I hope there is a response as there's no excuse to be out! lol

Jokes aside, if I add DEM data to an already populated tile does that work? So for example I've got some streets, pavements, bus stops and such down but I am working on a map which has a lot of hills and distant hills as well.

The problem I have with OMSI at the minute is it just doesn't play ball with it, it would be easier to know what the terrain heights are and we level the map ourselves, is there any way to find out this data?
This will work, but you will need to change the height of the objects and all that.
 
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Nov 14, 2016
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Two things:
  1. Make sure you are loading the correct map - the conversion to world coordinates creates a copy of your map, so you need to ensure you load that and not your original map.
  2. You might have converted the coordinates to filename incorrectly - without knowing what your coordinates are I can't tell you which file you need. Make sure you're rounding towards negative infinity, not 0, and that you've got your directions round the right way.
How can I make an elevated section of map with retaining wall without going past the wall using the terrain tool?
 

whistlehead

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How can I make an elevated section of map with retaining wall without going past the wall using the terrain tool?
You can't, due to the resolution of the terrain mesh.

The workaround is to raise the terrain up just behind the retaining wall and to use terrain splines to fill in the gap.
 
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