(English) Map Updates 17. June 2011

Well this time (finally at last) the main work was done on the VeloMaps (probably online from Saturday onwards as the mirror will not get them tonight). I updated them from ground up more or less, so they got all the changes the Openmtbmaps benefitted from over the last 2 month. This also means the VeloMaps are now Nüvi compatible. I really should have updated it simultaneously with the Openmtmbap - it took me bout 30 hours to track all bugs down...

Besides I don't delete private ways any more, if they got sac_scale or mtb:scale information. I think this is a good compromise. But basically ways that are private, are of not much relevance to a map in my eyes, and if I don't delete them, places like Garmisch Partenkirchen start to look really bad (as someone tracked all ways in peoples private backyards). I also updated the legend to have a big city section, so for those that have problems finding cities in their Oregon search, they can reply hear now and say what cities are not found, I added the type to the city name for easy bugtracking.

Also for zoom resolution 18 there were problems with wrong display for NCN/ICN routes in combination with primary highways, that's fixed now too.
This time I'm using for the first time splitter with pbf instead of osm.gz output, I hope that it passes through without errors (should do so according to mkgmap mailinglist).

 

As for the promised Support Forum, it's already installed but I will wait for WordPress 3.2 until going live. It will be based on bbpress plugin (version 2) so rather basic, but should be better than comments and allow for stuff like integrating screenshots and so on. Expect to launch End of June/ beginning July.

Well and last but not least, there are new contourlines from Spain, based on IGN data for download. Quality is 1:1 Spanish topographical 1:25maps, so excellent. License is non commercial by IGN. As all other srtm contourlines available as .exe installer, gmapsupp, or zip file.

Next week Thursday to Sunday I'll be biking in Innsbruck (we'll be based in Fulpmes). We plan to ride one day on the Nordketten Singletrail (and end of the day with some nifty singletrail down the Hafelkar), and not yet sure where to ride the other 3 days. Focus will be on mtb:scale=3-4 (or a bit S5) trails. Twould be nice to meet up other people, so contact me if you're around and want to join up for a ride of bikebergsteigen/vertriding.

(English) Map Updates 10.6.2011

Hello dear Openmtbmap Fans,


Happy to be back from some great days at the Lake Garda, I have not yet found a lot of time to improve on the Openmtbmaps. I did spend a good day to use the same color scheme as for the easy maps for all the other map designs. So now the map layout should be easier to understand, but I might need to work out a bit to make it easier to differentiate the really difficult trails (for vertriders and mountaineers) to instantly recognize the difficulty level.

Hope you like it (though now there are no more lovely distinguishable blue paths - even though I loved them I am a bit tired of all the fuss about people not getting that ways can be blue too. Instead now ways for mtbiking are green.

For next week I will also incorporate mtb:scale=6 as new superior value for ways and nodes. I decided that it is really time to put a level on top of 5. I myself have improved quite a bit over the last 2 years on my mtb skills, and by now routinely ride scale 4, and also most scale 5 stuff. I notice many of my friends reaching the same level, so having a top of at 5 is simply not enough, there needs to be a classification that says, here you really cannot ride anymore. Therfore mtb:scale=6 on ways means noone can ride and have fun here anymore. Whereas if there are single difficult spots, that are well beyond the general difficulty of the way, put a node and place the difficulty onto the node. Here mtb:scale=6 as used inofficially by vertriders and other really experienced trialists, is still rideable (I myself will need another year or two, if at all, to attack such spots however...). Read up here: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:mtb:scale

 

Besides I spend about 15 hours trying to update the Velomap to the Openmtmap standards, but did not arrive yet. It's like 95% finished, but currently the style is really broken. Therefore I updated the VeloMaps with the same style as the last updates. Next update will get the VeloMap up to date (and Nuvi XXXX compatibility).

 

So for right now, I wish everyone a happy Whitsunday and thank everyone who donated to Openmtbmap over the last weeks. I'm really stoked about the support shown (first time since the beginning that i got a bit more money in that what I had as expenses to keep running the Openmtbmaps).