modifying Fractal Terrains imports in cc3

cereth

This is an issue I've been having for awhile and have been unable to resolve. When I import a map file from fractal terrains into CC3, convert it to a CC3 file, and then edit the fill style of a landmass I get a very messy looking, chopped up result. Are the files created in Fractal Terrains compatible with the more advanced features of CC3 and is there a way to edit the fill style of landmasses created in FT?

If it will help I can post an image depicting what I am talking about.

Thanks much.

amdobritt

What if you import into CC2 first, change all land masses to hollow, then open it in CC3?

Anna M Dobritt
Cartography Unlimited for RPGs

cereth

When I try to change the fill to hollow in CC2, convert to cc3, and then try to change the hollow landmass to a bitmap fill in cc3 the program crashes altogether.

Here's and example of what I'm talking about.

Thanks. :-)

cereth

Here's what it looks like before I edit the fill style.

Ralf

THe very high-detail multipolies created by Fractal Terrains are problematic with bitmap fills. I'd suggest exporting the contours at a lower level of detail from FT. You can also try to not multipoly the contour on export, and then go in and delete all the small islands and lakes FT creates, but that takes some manual work.

JimP

I suggest exporting the FT file as a bmp and fcw file. Load the fcw file to check the dimensions. Import the bmp into CC3 into a template, or create your own, with the same dimensions. Make your own layer called bmp, import it to that layer. Trace over it, add symbols, etc. Delete the bmp reference in the new CC3 fcw file.

In instances like this, I also suggest doing a number of 'save as' before, during, and after each major change to the map.

So you will have filename01_001, then filename01_002, etc.

I have used the above technique to get ft files into CC3, no crashes.

Skaran

I've never seen this problem manifest with my FT exports into CC2 or 3 and I export at quite high resolutions. My FT world file is over 500MB in size. I use these maps direct in CC3. I replace each colour fill with a replacement bit map. So it may be the FT export settings?

The file it produces is basically a vanilla CC2 files but I have successfully used these in CC3 with sheets and sheet effects. A simple one of these maps I did is at http://karnorthe.skaran.net/people/pathe/pathe.html

The other thing to check is what versions of FT and CC3 you have in case it is a combination that is giving you the problem.

cereth

Usually what I end up doing is saving the FT map as a bmp or png, import the map into CC3, and then I just trace the whole thing. It is a very time consuming, tedious way to do it and I lose some of the intricacy that FT provides.

I'll keep playing with it to see if I can figure something out.

Skaran

Another thing, has anybody worked out a way to fix the rivers as imported into CC. The jpg images FT produces look find but the CC2 exports have rivers virtually tying themselves in knots, not to mention spurious "spurs" flying off in all directions.

I really do not fancy tracing over a continent of rivers, but this may be my only recourse.