What is best template to use for small area maps

dagorhir · August 2018

Hi everyone,

I have a small area map that should be around 2550 feet by 1590 feet in size. It is an outdoor map with forests, a river, a swamp and contour lines.

I wondering what would be the best template to use for this map?

Thanks.

[Deleted User] · August 2018

I use Local Area Maps, CA109, Annual 9 (2015). For an example see here

Monsen · August 2018

Depends a lot on the style of mapping you intend to employ, but for a map that small, I'd probably considered using a dungeon or city template, and use overhead view symbols (as opposed to the isometric symbols used in most larger-scale overland maps)

dagorhir · August 2018

Posted By: MonsenDepends a lot on the style of mapping you intend to employ, but for a map that small, I'd probably considered using a dungeon or city template, and use overhead view symbols (as opposed to the isometric symbols used in most larger-scale overland maps)

I was considering using CD template since the area also contains a small keep (and other small built up areas) and combining the keep map with the area map. Since I tend to use the maps within CC3+ anyway it is easy for me to zoom in and out of areas.

But I'm worried it would overload the map with symbols. I think fills for the forests and swamps would help on that end, perhaps using a transparency to allow symbols and contour lines seen under the fills.

Of course that brings another problem with the grids. I need 2 different grids that I need to be able to display one at a time. I have yet to find the tick in doing that.

@ Quenten: Your map is beautiful but my map would have a fraction of the surface area, being 0.48 miles by 0.30 miles.

[Deleted User] · August 2018

THEN DEFINITELY GO FOR EITHER CITY OR dUNGEON mAP (IT ALSO INCLUDES SMALL OVERLAND MAPS THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND, NOT JUST UNDERGROUND AREAS).
DAMMIT- CAPS LOCK ON - TOO LATE TO CHANGE (IE, I AMD TOO LAZY)

Loopysue · August 2018

LOL! Can I take my fingers out of my virtual ears yet?

[Deleted User] · August 2018

NO!!!!!

Loopysue · August 2018

LOL!

dagorhir · August 2018

You people can be quite funny.

Choosing the right style and template is complicated. There are so many. I'm looking in the tome of ultimate mapping for inspiration but any idea is welcomed.

Thanks

Loopysue · August 2018

Its not as ridged and inflexible a situation as you might think, dagorhir.

Even if you choose the 'wrong' template you can still open symbol sets from other templates, and load textures from them as well.

A template is not a cage from which you cannot escape. Its more of a desk tray that you can put stuff in - whatever you like.

That's the way I see them anyway

Loopysue · August 2018

And we're all one happy family here... one MAD happy family :P

dagorhir · August 2018

The starting template tends to drive everything when I make maps. I'm not very good, so I get into trouble pretty easily.

I remember there was a way of getting the symbols and textures from multiple templates into one drawing. I'm not certain what it was and so far I haven't found to trick yet.

Still looking...

Thanks

Loopysue · August 2018

If you want to open a catalogue of symbols from a different template, click the folder button at the top of the symbol palette (just underneath the options button).

Then navigate to the symbols you want, and back up one level to load the catalogue file (not the actual symbols, but the file with the .FSC extension.

Double click on the FSC file and the catalogue should open for you.

If you want the fills from a different style, import a map made in that style (you can undo the import as soon as you've done it - the fills are automatically imported)

dagorhir · August 2018

Since I generally don't have any maps to import, perhaps I could import the related template since templates are essentially map files with a different extension.

I have to experiment a little.

Wyvern · August 2018

dagorhir noted:I need 2 different grids that I need to be able to display one at a time. I have yet to find the tick in doing that.

The simplest way to do this would be to set up each grid on its own Sheet in your CC3+ drawing. You can then choose to hide or show one, both or neither using the Drawing Sheets and Effects dialogue box (left click in the "S:" = Sheets pane around the top centre of your CC3+ window, and then click in the second column box to hide - when the "H" appears there - or show - when the box is empty - any specific Sheet you wish. You can create or rename the Sheets to add these grids into using the same dialogue box too.

There is another method for switching Sheets on and off more easily, but it's one which need a bit more work first. If interested though, see this blog posting by resident PF Forum expert Remy Monsen.

dagorhir · August 2018

Posted By: Wyvern
dagorhir noted:I need 2 different grids that I need to be able to display one at a time. I have yet to find the tick in doing that.
The simplest way to do this would be to set up each grid on its own Sheet in your CC3+ drawing. You can then choose to hide or show one, both or neither using the Drawing Sheets and Effects dialogue box (left click in the "S:" = Sheets pane around the top centre of your CC3+ window, and then click in the second column box to hide - when the "H" appears there - or show - when the box is empty - any specific Sheet you wish. You can create or rename the Sheets to add these grids into using the same dialogue box too.

There is another method for switching Sheets on and off more easily, but it's one which need a bit more work first. If interested though, seethis blog posting by resident PF Forum expert Remy Monsen.

I tried placing the grids on different sheets but the grid command always created them on the same sheet, ignoring the sheet setting that I chose. I will try moving the grid to the desired sheet after I created see if that gives me what I want.

Thanks

Wyvern · August 2018

Yes, sorry, the standard grid command will indeed set up your chosen grid on the GRID Sheet and HEX/SQUARE GRID Layer, but once it's created, you can easily change those to your preferred Sheet and Layer options using the Change Properties dialogue panel (available via the square icon on the left of the standard CC3+ window just to the right of the pencil-and-eraser icon = Erase command, or via the drop-down menu under Edit > Change Properties...).

dagorhir · August 2018

The edit property work perfectly to move the grid to the desired sheet.

Thanks

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What is best template to use for small area maps

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