Symbol creation question

I am trying to make a symbol catalog for a map style that has a canvas of 75 x 63 miles, it is a Harnic Regional map. When I make the symbols, is the VH resolution the size for the full view of the map and not the zoomed in view? What I have now appears to be in reverse.

Comments

  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    VH is the highest resolution image, and is the one that is displayed when you zoom close.
  • roy.dentonroy.denton Traveler
    edited December 2019
    Okay, that explains what went wrong with my symbols. The size I designed is for the zoomed out size. Is it possible to import using that and having CC3+ generate from there to VH?

    I got to thinking about it and most of these symbols don't need to be very large on the zoomed in view either, so I am not sure how to manage this. If you have ever seen a Harn regional map you would have an Idea, I'll post a picture of the map key when I get back to my other computer.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 40 images Cartographer
    Not a great idea. You generally need to start with the VH symbol, since higher resolution is not something any app can automatically generate. Start with the highest res and generate the rest on import.
  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    edited December 2019
    No. The VH image is the most detailed of the set, being 2500 times larger than the VL images. CC3+ cannot take a low resolution image and magically add detail to it to make it a high-resolution image.

    You shouldn't design symbols for a specific map size/zoom level anyway. Design symbols for an absolute size. For example, if you want your symbol to be 5 map units wide on an overland map (= 5 miles), make it 100 pixels wide, that is your VH image. (Overland map symbols are scaled 20 pixels per map unit by default, so 5miles wide = 5 x 20 = 100)

    Edit: Seems like a little mouse scurried in before me.
  • roy.dentonroy.denton Traveler
    edited December 2019
    This is the key for the Harn region maps.
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 40 images Cartographer
    edited December 2019
    Posted By: MonsenSeems like a little mouse scurried in before me.
    Heheheee!

    I am SO tempted to say "Gotcha back!" But I won't, oh ninja master :)
  • Most of these, like the natural and point markers would not change much between the full view and a zoomed in view since they mark things like a peak, falls, and such.
  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    Well, they would still change in size when you zoom in, meaning you would need a higher quality image for the zoomed view, or it might look pixelated.

    Note that for very simple symbols like this, you may elect not to create the four resolutions at all, simply don't check that checkbox, and CC3+ will import it as a single-image symbol. That genrally works very fine for simple markers.
    (For those simple markers, I would probably just have used vector symbols instead of raster symbols as well)
  • LoopysueLoopysue ProFantasy 🖼️ 40 images Cartographer
    Following on from what Remy just said, you can create your own vector symbols by tracing the parts of an existing symbol using solid colour polygons, and them selecting them all together and using the Symbol Manager menu to Define Symbol. The drawing will vanish, but when you click the little tiny button on the left underneath the Options button above the catalogue panel, you will see it has appeared as a new symbol.

    It will also appear in the list if you open the Symbol Manager, so you can save it in a symbol catalogue - even though there is no graphic other than the symbol itself - the one you just made.
  • Thanks for the guidance.
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