Creating World Maps

[Mickazoid]

Jim - I think you can use it in GIMP (the free Photoshop).

 

[jfetters]

Well, I downloaded GIMP, but it seems to expect all the plug-ins to be EXEs. I guess the designers are open source bigots.

So, that wasn't successful. However, I was able to use it to make "standard" Traveller world maps using the tools I have now, which is nice. (The downside is that it exposed yet MORE problems with FT and CC2 - I swear to god, the more I play with it the less I like it. )

I think eventually, I'll break down and get PSP or something, but that will have to wait a couple months.

 

[Mickazoid]

Jim - You may have downloaded the wrong build or maybe this link may help...
http://applications.linux.com/article.pl?sid=06/04/05/1828238&tid=39

In any case, please don't hesitate to contact me via PM if I can help.

 

[jfetters]

Thanks, mickazoid, that did the trick!

Time to play!

 

[Mickazoid]

Rock ON! Enjoy! That makes me very happy

 

[Liam Devlin]

Ms Mickazoid--
Being the salt-encrusted TU gearhead that I am,
1.)
where does one look for these world mapping proggy's?

2.) For those of us born on the cusp of the PC-revolution, and still very OJT-in their use, which mapping program do you vouch for, for someone say not interested so much in the 'color' of the finished product (though that's nice) but the content & "user-friendly" (i.e.-do they have a tutorial one might get acquainted with 'how-it-works?')?

In dire need of some B&W world maps every now and then, sincerely..

 

[Mickazoid]

Hey there -

1) I use the existing TAS form for worlds, and combine it with a terrain in flat and globe format that I generate using LunarCell (a Photoshop plugin). I also turn the flat terrain into an icosahedral map using the 'Flexify' plugin. Both are from 'Flaming Pear'.

2) I don't use a mapping program - mostly because I haven't found a delicious one for Macintosh. I prefer using real satellite photography, and the plugins to make photorealistic terrains like these:

I'm sure some of the PC users here probably have great tips for their programs-du-choix (check upthread as well).

 

[Mickazoid]

Liam:

I found a program that looks interesting:
http://www.dunjinni.com/

 

[Flynn]

Liam,

You should also check out:
http://rptools.net/doku.php

And:
http://www.gharat.net/pages/planetgen.html

Enjoy,
Flynn

 

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by mickazoid:
Liam:

I found a program that looks interesting:
http://www.dunjinni.com/

=================================================
Ah, well then I would have to go and hunt down java 1.4.2.

Thanx!

 

[Berg]

Originally posted by mickazoid:
Liam:

I found a program that looks interesting:
http://www.dunjinni.com/

If you like Dunjinni you should try Dungeon Forge
It's free, but only for the PC

For free user art check out...
The GM's Parlor
Steel Rat's Image Gallery

 

[grymlocke]

Originally posted by Joshua Bell:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />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. </font>[/QUOTE]so, I'm a pioneer?
the point of the spear, the true edge of the envelope, anerdinmyownmind...

 

[jfetters]

Originally posted by mickazoid:
Rock ON! Enjoy! That makes me very happy

Ok, so I had a good chunk of the weekend to get the GIMP + Plug-ins working, and in the process, also was able to get the FT Pro + CC2 working pretty smoothly as well. So I have been able to compare and contrast the two packages to some degree. I guess that is the problem with any graphics program - when you are used to word processing/spreadsheet/browser/programming interfaces, the world of graphics design is a whole new universe.

I'm at work now on break, so I don't have any images to post, but I do have to say that I had issues with the icosehedron generated in Flexify2. I exported the globe to a flat map, but when that was processed into the ico, two areas looked "pinched." It also did not seem to have the Traveller icosahedron with the split in the middle of a triangle.

I do like the ability to control the cloud cover and UI feel that LunarCell provides. On the other hand, I like the temperature controls and other post-fractal generation things that can be adjusted in FT.

I'll try to post examples later.

 

[Mickazoid]

Jim:

You need to have lunarcell generate a 'map color' image, not a 'cylinder' image. The ISO should be better. And since the Traveller iso has a split triangle, I just group n' dupe it myself before I make the final map.

And please - write an email to Flaming Pear re: temperature... that would be a good innovation.

 

[jfetters]

Thanks!

I will try that tonight. I even read the f'ing manual and still couldn't get it right.

And I'm glad that is what you did for the Ico - that was the only thing I could think of. I was able to make a pretty nifty looking map in FT & CC2 by editing the ico in GIMP.

 

[Mickazoid]

I can't wait to see your creations !

 

[jfetters]

Originally posted by mickazoid:

You need to have lunarcell generate a 'map color' image, not a 'cylinder' image.

I don't seem to have this option

 

[Mickazoid]

No frowns allowed.

Step 1.

Step 2. (Don't forget to turn off clouds, like I forgot here!

)

Step 3.

Step 4.

Step 5.

Step 6.

And combine.

 

[jfetters]

Ok, whew! THanks, mick, I think I was going crazy - it was step 4 that cleared it up for me - I didn't see the "input" type (yes, chalk it up to user error!

) - I was setting the input to "mirror ball." Oops.

Anyway, I have two worlds here - the first is just a relatively random world generated using LunarCell and Flexify within GIMP on the PC, then imported into CC2's hex template:

The second image is one of Gaakish, a prime cultural hub and (as I am developing it anyway) the subsector capital of the Gaakish subsector in Anatares. The UWP is that of Robject's draft regeneration. The world was generated with Fractal Terrains Pro, then exported as an icosahedron and imported into the CC2 Traveller world map template.

I picked Gaakish to generate as a world because I wanted to see what I could to with FT pro. Gaakish is known for three mountains that serve as the symbol for the region. I figured the chances of having the fractal program generate three peaks in proximity would be pretty rare, so I was able to "raise the earth" as it were to make them myself.

 

[Mickazoid]

Yummy stuff indeed! Great work Jim! I must say that I think I prefer the former for photorealism, but the latter for 'tweakability'.

Did you draw those yellowish swirls on the top image? Were they automatically generated? Are they clouds?

Those three mountains look like the three volcanoes of Mars' Tharsis Plateau:

(a great oblique view... look to the far left)

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mars/images/valmar_image.html