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Newbie: What should i do first?

JirakenJiraken
in Mapping with ProFantasy's Software
Hello,

iam new in this community and software.

I would like to build a map for my own pen and paper... but i dont know how.

I have draw a worldmap with a pencil and i would like to make it digital with cc3+.

But there are some questions in my head:

Can i make a worldmap and scale it so, that i can zoom in for regional maps and citys? Or have i to build new maps?

What i should do first? The whole world is written down.


Sorry for my bad english, iam german nativ speaker.


best greetings Jira
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  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 46 images Cartographer
    edited July 2017
    Posted By: JirakenCan i make a worldmap and scale it so, that i can zoom in for regional maps and citys? Or have i to build new maps?
    It is theoretical possible, but not recommended. When you put enough details on a map to support the zoomed in level, it looks extremely cluttered at world/country view. This isn't like google maps where details can appear and disappear based on zoom level. There are also several performance reasons why this is a bad idea, and it is hopeless to build proper sheet effects to support all levels.
    Instead, I highly recommend you make the world map with only a reasonable detail level (including what would normally be seen when zoomed out), and produce detail maps for the relevant areas (continents, then countries, then local areas, cities, dungeons and so on.). You can put links in your maps, so you can navigate betwheen them with a click, for example clicking on the city will bring up the detail map.
    This approach also ensures that you don't spend too much time detail mapping everything, which quickly leads to mapping fatigue and an unfinished map, but instead can focus on the important parts.

    See the community atlas for how this can be done in practice. (Notice that the atlas uses a whole lot of different styles, but you can of course use a consistent style across your maps if you prefer that)

    Also, since you are new to the software, I highly recommend you work through the manual and do the tutorials in there if you haven't done so already. There are many points that separate CC3+ from more common drawing software, and learning the proper workflow is very important to end up with good results.


    Welcome to the community.
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  • JirakenJiraken
    Thank you very much Monsen.

    This helps me. :)


    When i make a worldmap and this detailmaps - is there a possibility to take the areaoutlines (coast...) from my worldmap in the detailmap, something like exported copy or something? Or is there a special function?
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  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 46 images Cartographer
    Yes. It takes a little bit of work, but it's not really difficult. The trace tutorial on page 58 of the manual outlines one way of doing this.
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  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    edited July 2017
    If you want to see such maps go to my Crestar site and you will see hemispheres, then continents and then nations, then city/region maps, etc.

    No adverts there. Link should be fixed now.
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  • TopdeckerTopdecker Traveler
    If you scan (or even photograph) your paper map, you can easily import and trace it. If I had a map to recreate from paper, that would be my first step.

    Tim
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  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    I converted, on my old site no longer up, over 1,000 scanned 5mm hexagon maps, so once you get the hang of it, it goes fairly quick.
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  • JirakenJiraken
    edited July 2017
    Thank you very much. :)

    Can i import a scan from my papermap in CC3+?


    I have a problem. Can i merge this two landmasses?

    btw. can i make the outlines more fractial?
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  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 46 images Cartographer
    Posted By: JirakenCan i import a scan from my papermap in CC3+?
    You can import it as an image to keep in the background and manually trace over it. Use Draw -> Insert File, and make sure to put it on it's own sheet, and place that sheet so the scan will appear below whatever you are working on.
    I have a problem. Can i merge this two landmasses?
    The recommended way to work isn't by drawing a new piece like you have done here, but to use the editing feature of the drawing tool. Look at the command line, when you start the tool, it should offer you the option to hit E to edit an existing entity. Check out editing with drawing tools in the manual for details.
    btw. can i make the outlines more fractial?
    Yes. Use the fractalize command found in the left toolbars. Note that this only fractalizes a single entity at a time, so I recommend deleteing the blue outline, apply fractalize to the landmass, and then use "Change like Draw Tool" (found by right clicking change properties) to turn the landmass back into the style of the drawing tool, which will reapply the coastline.
    Be careful with fractalize, each value of depth will double the amount of nodes, usually you don't want to use a depth higher than 1 or 2.
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