Creating World Maps

[jfetters]

Ah, too expensive for me - I have too much Traveller stuff I have to buy.

Anyway, that is about what I paid for the ProFantasy stuff, so I better get my money's worth out of that.

 

[RandyT0001]

Originally posted by Jim Fetters:
That is one problem with the ProFantasy stuff - IMO, it is not at all intuitive and has an incredibly steep learning curve. Hell, I haven't even used it to create ship deckplans, which was my prime reason for buying the thing...

There is a html copy of my paper about creating deckplans with CC2 here:
http://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/shipyard/cc2deckplans.html
And a pdf copy here:
http://www.mega-traveller.com/downloads/Drawing-Traveller-Deckplans-with-CC2Pro.pdf
It helps to download the CC2 manual from Profantasy also.
I think there is an iso template for a world on the CC2 disk that doesn't DL onto your harddrive when you load it. Check it out. And there should be a sub-sector map also.

 

[Antony]

Something else to note about FT is it is usually set to produce altitude maps not maps showing what the place could look like from space. It is possible to do this but you may need to alter the palette you are using to get what you want. Or if one of the ones built in doesn't suit it is quite easy to make a new one.

 

[jfetters]

Yeah, I really like the options available for the product. Especially the bombardment options. But I saw some of the options to get a "cloud view" which is great when you want to have a cinematic look, but not so great on maps.

I just wish FT supported icosahedrons as part of its normal output.

 

[jfetters]

Originally posted by Randy Tyler:
There is a html copy of my paper about creating deckplans with CC2 here:
http://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/shipyard/cc2deckplans.html
And a pdf copy here:
http://www.mega-traveller.com/downloads/Drawing-Traveller-Deckplans-with-CC2Pro.pdf
It helps to download the CC2 manual from Profantasy also.
I think there is an iso template for a world on the CC2 disk that doesn't DL onto your harddrive when you load it. Check it out. And there should be a sub-sector map also.

Oh yeah, I remember this - good stuff, thanks Randy! This really helped when I first bought the thing. Do you also have anything that supports the Cosmographer add ins? They have deckplan templates, but I can't do any TNE 2x2m squares - they are all in 1.5 or hexes. I guess that it should be relatively easy to extrapolate from your instructions, but I will have to see.

Can you tell it's been a while since I last touched the product?

 

[TheEngineer]

Isn't FTs export to icosahedrons right for you ?

 

[jfetters]

Clarification - it would be nice if the icosahedron was one of its normal views, so that it can be selected as one of the standard displays while editing the world.

The bitmap Icosahedron export is fine to get it into CC2. Call me crazy, but I am picky about usability and intuitive UIs in my software.

 

[TheEngineer]

Ok, got it

 

[archhealer]

I purchased CC2, Cosmographer, and most of the add ons some time ago... I'll admit, while I was impressed with what it COULD do, actually making it do any of it was incredibly frusterating and time consuming, and I was very dissapointed. These PDF files look like they might actually help!

Anybody got anything the wrote up to help with making planet maps? I can't seem to do it any other way than making the whole thing manually one hex at a time... which is a huge pain.

 

[jfetters]

Archhealer,

Do you also have Fractal Terrains? Once I figured it out, it wasn't all that hard. There are some other subtle nuances with the FT that I am trying to master (like having an "icy" overlay or using a desert look), but once you get the bitmap over to CC2, is is just a matter of placing city marks on the world map and other things. Once I get some free time (hah!) I can get my VZ-hosted website together and write up a doc to put there.

The next step for me is doing the regional maps..

 

[TheEngineer]

Hi !

Typical procedure:
- generate map using the Gaia shader (FTPro) or the climate view with adopted color scheme (FT).
So You get ice caps generated, too.
- export to icosohedral (or so) format
- import into prepared CC2 template
- do individual mapping work

At least the first three steps should just take 5 minutes

Regards,

Mert

 

[jfetters]

Ah, very nice! Now I have to wait all day until I get back from work to try it out!

 

[archhealer]

I was really excited about the CC2 and companion programs, so yeah, I bought all of them. Thanks for the tips, guys, I'll definately try those out!

 

[aramis]

The learning curve is there, but worthwhile.

 

[grymlocke]

I just use the old 'papercrinlkle' method...
...take sheet of paper
...'crinkle' it into a ball of desired tightness
...unfold paper and with pen, start following randomly generated 'crinkles'
....outline coastlines, 'up crinkles' for mountains, 'down crinkles' for valleys, rifts and canyons
...photocopy to make clean map sheet

look at map of earth, tell the that's what it looks like? we're God's crinnkled ball of paper

 

[Berg]

Originally posted by Grymlocke:
look at map of earth, tell the that's what it looks like? we're God's crinkled ball of paper

Are you aware of the consequences of releasing secrets of the universe...

 

[Stainless]

Mickazoid, thanks for tipping me off about LunarCell and Flexify. They work great with Corel Photo-Paint, and not too expensive (LunarCell is $20 while Felxifly 2 is $35)

 

[inexorabletash]

Originally posted by Grymlocke:

I just use the old 'papercrinlkle' method...

Actually, that's very similar to the algorithm used by most fractal landscape generators:

- Take a sphere
- Select a randomly oriented/position "slice" through the sphere
- Displace every point on one side of the slice up/down by a certain amount
- Rinse & repeat

If you unfold a sphere's surface into a piece of paper, and consider each crinkle to be a bisection of the surface, then you're doing a remarkably similar procedure, at least as far as generating coastlines.

 

[Mickazoid]

Stainless - good to hear! Rock it!

 

[jfetters]

I think I may have to shell out the $$ for LunarCell. The UI looks incredibly cool - and intuitive, which is completely UNlike the FT Pro product.

Off to try the demo!

EDIT - well scratch that - don't have PaintShop. Oh well, maybe later. Not like I have a hell of a lot of time anyway!