Problems with Annual Overland Hex Map
I'm having a couple problems with the Annual Hex Overland map (CA43), that I'm hoping someone can help me with. I thought I might have an older version at first, but I went and installed the free annual sampler version just in case, and it's behaving the same way. To start, I'm creating a 500x400 hex map, with a grid at scale of 5 (created during setup). Dropping terrain on the map works just fine, but my troubles are coming with the structures:
- Structures aren't snapping to the grid as expected; instead, they seem to be trying to snap to the middle of some larger, not-visible hexes. I right-clicked on the Snap button in the lower right to make sure I had the 'user hexgrid' selected, after seeing someone else's trouble elsewhere in the forum.
- The structure symbols also change size if I save a map, close CC3+, and then re-open it later -- not the ones already added, to be clear, but new ones I go to add.
- The structures, even when added, don't seem to be ending up on the Symbols Structures sheet the way I'd expect, as I follow the directions in the PDF.
Does anyone know if there's a 'patch' for this map type, or if nothing else, some systematic adjustments I can make to my map to fix these issues?
Comments
Can you share the FCW file so we can have a look at the grid setup?
I have some general ideas, but would like to see the fcw as well.
I highlighted the issue of the symbols in this style not snapping to the grid correctly earlier. As that didn't draw a response, and from this topic, it's clearly an ongoing issue, which presumably hasn't been resolved by an update of the Annual more recently.
The structure symbols changing size could be because you changed the size of the symbols while you were mapping, but when you've reopened the file, it's reset to the default size for the area you're mapping (what you get if you click the "Set normal" button after calling up the "Symbol Parameters" information pane).
The structures will actually go on whichever of the Symbols sheets you currently have selected. If you didn't have any of the Symbols sheets selected when you placed the symbol, it will default to the ordinary "Symbols" sheet.
As Sue and Jim have said though, if you are willing to share the FCW file, that should allow us to confirm if anything else may be happening here.
Okay, I created a new map from scratch (I can repeat what's happening every time), and attached it above. Steps taken:
Any help from folks is greatly appreciated!
The structures aren't defined as Hex symbols, and I believe that is intentional. Hex symbols in CC3+ has some special properties, one being that they replace each other so there will only be one in any given cell. This enables quick mapping and easy changing of features without having do delete stuff first to avoid ending up with a stack of symbols. The mapping guide for the style also mention that they are not true hex symbols.
Unfortunately, that also means they won't scale automatically, so you need to manually set the correct scale before using them (although it should normally remember the scale if you just placed a hex, but if it doesn't set it manually). But once you have set the scale correctly, the snap grid for the map should allow you to place them correctly aligned on the hexes.
I did notice your snap grid was wrong, and after checking it seems like this is a problem that occurs because you set the grid from the new map wizard. Unfortunately, it can't set the snap grid from there for some reason (notice it is greyed out), so life is easier if you make the map without a grid, and then just add it immediately after creating the map from the wizard, as this allow the correct snap grid to be created. Not sure why it is like that, but at least adding the grid afterward is an easy workaround. (Or, you can just edit the snap grid manually afterwards, that works too)
You're right, re: the structures -- they're definitely intended to go "over" the terrain hex symbols. But you're right -- as long as I use one of the terrain hexes first after restarting CC3+, it does readjust the scale for the structures afterward. Also, adding the grid after rather than having the new map wizard create it does the trick for having the structures line up as desired. Between those tips, and manually swapping to the Symbol Structures sheet when I'm adding those, I think that solved all my problems. Thank you!
Hmm, not having the hex grid be effectively functional for any structure symbols if the grid has been created using the new map wizard seems like a pretty major flaw, especially as this is explicitly stated as how to set up this style of map in the mapping guide. It's surprising this has never been amended, but maybe very few people have used the style previously to identify the issue, or like me, simply made the adjustments by-eye.
I did also find in my experimental mapping that the various sea hexes ended up stacked WITH the land terrain hexes in the same place, and did not replace them. The sea thus ended up hidden if you had added a land hex there previously (as being lower in the Sheet ordering stack). Again, that's something which contradicts what's stated in the mapping guide. Again, maybe that should have been either noted or amended previously.
Given the interest in "Old School" style RPGs currently, maybe this is all something that could be addressed as a new or updated Annual issue now though, along with better black-and-white hex-mapping options, for instance?
Hmmm... I remember now having to turn snap off when using this map style. I don't remember if it was sea or land hexagons.
Otherwise it would overlap. Snap may be off center.