Mapping class 101
Tonnichiwa
🖼️ 16 images Surveyor
Hello everyone
First off let me say that I am not really sure where to put this particular topic so I guess the best place is the Show and Tell thread.
I was reading through the boards when I noticed a lot of people seem to be having problems learning how to map. So I got the idea of having a sort of work along thread where everyone signs up to a sort of mapping class, then once we have all the interested people, we all decide on a map style (it should be one that everyone has access to, like, Herwin Weilink's style or something).
The class would begin by telling people to do a task or two (or three) every day or few days. Everyone in the thread follows along and does what they are told to do, thus learning how to map and what each function of the mapping does. If someone knows of a better way of doing something than the way the mapping technique is told, they can speak up and teach everyone that technique. Everyone then lets people know they are ready to move along to the next few steps and we then do those.
Eventually all of our maps will be done and we can show how we did by posting our results in the thread. I'm sure that even though we would all be using the same style for the map that the maps would be very different from each other and we could all learn something new.
Does this sound like something anyone might be interested in?
EDIT: This is the area I will be putting bullet points of things we have already done in the class so people can just glance at it and tell what we have covered so far.
1. How to save, and export your map.
2. How to upload your map to the Profantasy website forum.
3. How to get to and use the New Drawing Wizard to pick a drawing style.
4. How to use Sheets.
5. Paying attention to the Command Line.
6. How to draw a landmass.
7. How to draw a Background Bitmap Fill.
8. How to access the Symbol Catalog.
9. How to read and understand Symbol Identifiers.
10. How to change colors on a Varicolor Symbol.
11. How to create a new Sheet.
12. How to move a Sheet up and down the Sheet List.
13. How to move a Symbol to a new Sheet using the Change Properties button.
14. How to erase a Symbol.
15. How to use the Undo button.
16. How to move a Symbol to a different position on your map.
17. How to use the SYMSORT command on the Command Line to have CC3+ sort your Symbols for you. (explained by Dogtag)
18. How to select and de-select an Entity/Symbol for Editing.
19. How to place Symbol's better in your map.
20. How to use the Trace Command.
First off let me say that I am not really sure where to put this particular topic so I guess the best place is the Show and Tell thread.
I was reading through the boards when I noticed a lot of people seem to be having problems learning how to map. So I got the idea of having a sort of work along thread where everyone signs up to a sort of mapping class, then once we have all the interested people, we all decide on a map style (it should be one that everyone has access to, like, Herwin Weilink's style or something).
The class would begin by telling people to do a task or two (or three) every day or few days. Everyone in the thread follows along and does what they are told to do, thus learning how to map and what each function of the mapping does. If someone knows of a better way of doing something than the way the mapping technique is told, they can speak up and teach everyone that technique. Everyone then lets people know they are ready to move along to the next few steps and we then do those.
Eventually all of our maps will be done and we can show how we did by posting our results in the thread. I'm sure that even though we would all be using the same style for the map that the maps would be very different from each other and we could all learn something new.
Does this sound like something anyone might be interested in?
EDIT: This is the area I will be putting bullet points of things we have already done in the class so people can just glance at it and tell what we have covered so far.
1. How to save, and export your map.
2. How to upload your map to the Profantasy website forum.
3. How to get to and use the New Drawing Wizard to pick a drawing style.
4. How to use Sheets.
5. Paying attention to the Command Line.
6. How to draw a landmass.
7. How to draw a Background Bitmap Fill.
8. How to access the Symbol Catalog.
9. How to read and understand Symbol Identifiers.
10. How to change colors on a Varicolor Symbol.
11. How to create a new Sheet.
12. How to move a Sheet up and down the Sheet List.
13. How to move a Symbol to a new Sheet using the Change Properties button.
14. How to erase a Symbol.
15. How to use the Undo button.
16. How to move a Symbol to a different position on your map.
17. How to use the SYMSORT command on the Command Line to have CC3+ sort your Symbols for you. (explained by Dogtag)
18. How to select and de-select an Entity/Symbol for Editing.
19. How to place Symbol's better in your map.
20. How to use the Trace Command.
Comments
Cal
Just so people know, this isn't going to be a super fast class. I didn't want to rush people who have very little time. This should be fun because you can't really learn anything if you are stressed out and mapping is much more fun when you aren't worried
To new people on the forums who are lurking and not bothering to say anything, you are most welcome to join in. If you want to make a profile and say hi, please do, we are a friendly bunch and love to see what people create.
If you are more comfortable lurking, that's cool too. You can follow along at home and I think you will have a great time watching us all try to learn mapping better.
Have fun mapping everyone!
Even if someone doesn't want to do it yet is reading along, if you have a better way of doing something, please don't be shy about telling everyone. I'm no expert at mapping but I figured with our combined knowledge we could start a thread that may help a lot of the new people that are buying the software to learn how to use it better. With all of us giving our insights and experience with mapping this could be a great help to everyone. I know I could stand to learn quite a bit more about this program.
Later we can do larger land masses then a later class can be exporting a fragment of a landmass.
Each mapping 101 project could have a set of effects that users vote on that they want to try work with. Maybe once per map creating a custom symbol each in a specific style that we could collaborate and make a symbol set.
shared by the group.
Mac or PC available?
thx!
But I will at least stop by here when I have time.
Note that I have a tutorial on my web site on how to make a small part of an overland map into a larger and more detailed local map. It isn't the same method as in the Tome. A search in these forums should give you a link. Note that all of my Crestar maps should link to http://crestofastar.drivein-jim.net/ not an older site which is long gone. The article numbers will differ as well. So if you need one, just let me know which post here and I will fix it so it links to the newer page and site.
So I just got in from chopping wood and getting myself a cup of coffee so now I'm gonna settle down into my uncomfortable computer spot and see what we can do about getting this started.
Welcome everyone to Mapping 101
I am tonnichiwa, a user of Campaign Cartographer since January 2014. I lurked on this site for a while before joining up and since I did I have learned a lot about the Profantasy suite of products. My main focus has been overland maps but I have dabbled in dungeon design, the Cartographer's Annual's, cities, and perspectives.
We actually have a good turnout for this, which I admit surprised me as I wasn't really sure how many people would actually want to do this.
Our classmates that have signed up are
tonnichiwa
AEIOU
qwalker
cobra mustang
Loopysue
Barliman
Calibre
Graxx
Teresa
taustinoc
POUTROR
And five watchers who may pop in from time to time
Shessar
JimP
Lorelei
Wyvern
Dogtag
So, again, welcome everyone. (and welcome to anyone who may be lurking!) I am keeping everyone's name in a notebook so I can mark when everyone has checked in that they are ready to move on to the next lessons in the class. I also wanted everyone to know who their classmates were just because.
So there have been some great ideas from people in this thread on what we should do first so lets get an idea of what people think.
So far we know that we need to do an overland style that is available in cc3+ because that is the one program that absolutely every class member has.
cobra mustang came up with the idea to make an island because it is easy so no one is overwhelmed by trying to make an entire region or continent in the first go.(I love your idea for coming up with symbols that we can all use, too)
and Loopysue would like the first effect that is taught to be Edge Fade Inner.
Is everyone in agreement with that?
So before we can do either of those though, lets pick an overland style.
What overland style would people like to use?
That's a good idea Sue. My vote is also for the Mike Schley style.
But I would like to hear from others as well before we move on so that we are all on the same page.
On a side note, if more people wish to join and say so in the thread I will add their name to the first name list so we all know who is participating.
But if I may come with a suggestion: Start out easy, don't have too many objectives for the first (couple of) maps. Remember that things like effects are basically just icing on the cake. They can make a good map beautiful, but they can't do too much to a poor map. It is much more important handling basic tools and mapping techniques before diving into more advanced stuff. Starting with the basics allows you to ensure that everyone is on the same page when discussing things like the finer points of effects.
Or we could mutually set ourselves a task each fortnight?
Depends how busy everyone is, and how complicated the tasks are.