World Scale To Regional Scale

Sheelon

Hi guys

Fed up with trying again to go from world scale map, or even a portion of this size (last attempt was 3000 x 3000) and zoom down to regional scale level, eg a 500 x 500 map of the northeast of this large map. I've done two things: use the world scale map to place umpteen features on the big map, then zoomed in to use the result as a regional map. This obviously is VERY time consuming and I must admit I'm never really happy with the final scale of the map, the features looking ok on one never looking quite right on the other.

Other method is attempting to figure out exactly where the borders, landmass/sea and features will lie on the zoomed in map and then redrawing it at a zoomed in level, but again I'm never happy with the continuity between the two.

Has anyone got any other methods to share for doing this laborious task or am I setting my sights too high to produce this? I love doing a large world map as background to a campaign if for nothing else than to supply flavour and history for the region.

Any thoughts?

Apologies: Using CC3, don't have and not getting FT.

Sheelon

Monsen

Usually the best way is to create a separate map for the regional map. To get the appropriate details from the world map, just copy the landmass and other important features from it, then either trim out the parts that are bound to end up beyond the map border (Using CUT/BREAK), or using the trace functionality of most drawtools to trace the parts inside the map border, then delete the original entity. Usually, the best approach is a mix of these two for different entities. You may also wish to use fractalize to make the coastline more detailed for the zoomed-in version.

Check out the 'Editing with Drawing Tools' section in the Editing chapter in the manual, it is basically an example of this.

Sheelon

I've tried to do this previously albeit some time ago, went over it again of late when I needed to do a new map and rediscovered why I didn't like it. Its just too unwieldy, too many clicks and ultimately I just cant get it to work. When I am clicking Outside the Map to erase the contents of the map - to leave me with the contents of the regional map that I'm trying to isolate I believe? - either EVERYTHING is erased leaving nothing or nothing is erased leaving everything. I get that to someone who's done it, it seems easy but I'm just not getting what I'm doing here with these features.

I find again that I'm back to drawing an enormous map and using the zoom commands to close in and draw small features which turn out to be minute on the Zoomed Out map. It does work but its certainly not an ideal solution.

As a suggestion for a possible future feature (I don't know if this following is even doable) might it be possible to draw a text box style frame and lift everything within to emplace it in a further map at a different scale? I can live with deleting features as its part and parcel of map creation and we're all used to that.

JimP

You might look around here for 'larger map to smaller' subject. We dicsussed several way to do this.

AEIOU

And there is Annual 2012 which has a 10-page step-by-step "how-to" on this. I bought that annual for the map tools but found that tutorial interesting and helpful for understanding the methods.

Sheelon

I checked out a thread on Larger Map To Smaller map but some links inserted by one JimP to his website aren't working...lol...just found another post with link to this tutorial so checking it out now

Going to have a look at the annual too.

JimP

I try to update my links in here, but I don't always find the ones I want to update. crestar.drivein-jim.net is now crestofastar.drivein-jim.net and the article numbers are different.

Dungeon Master Gaz

When I'm crating a regional map from a world map, or the like, I just create a grid scaled to the world map (hex or square, whatever is best for you) and export a rectangular section of the area to be detailed as a .png

When selecting an area to detail, use the grid to make the selection a fraction of your world map size that translates back to the original size when you create the regional map. So if your world map is 1000 miles x 800 miles then make your selection 100 miles x 80 miles, or 10 miles x 8 miles, etc.

Then open a new map and create a BITMAP sheet and layer, and move the BITMAP sheet to just above the Common sheet. Make sure you've selected both the BITMAP sheet and layer, then use the Draw menu to insert a file using the .png you exported from the larger map. when the placing tool appears just align the crosshairs in the top left-hand corner of your new map and drag the .png to fill the new map. Then hide the BACKGROUND layer and draw your new map using the inserted .png as a guide.

you have to draw a completely new map every time you create a more detailed area, but if you keep the grid as a guide, all your distances will translate perfectly from one map to the next.

You'll have to post your results, and let us know how you eventually did it.

Good luck!

DMG

JimP

Posted By: SheelonI checked out a thread on Larger Map To Smaller map but some links inserted by one JimP to his website aren't working...lol...just found another post with link to this tutorial so checking it out now

Going to have a look at the annual too.

My apologies. I checked around 50-60 html pages still on my site and found the navigation meus on the Dwarf Home pages outdated. I fixed them Monday night.

Sheelon

Posted By: Dungeon Master GazWhen I'm crating a regional map from a world map, or the like, I just create a grid scaled to the world map (hex or square, whatever is best for you) and export a rectangular section of the area to be detailed as a .png

When selecting an area to detail, use the grid to make the selection a fraction of your world map size that translates back to the original size when you create the regional map. So if your world map is 1000 miles x 800 miles then make your selection 100 miles x 80 miles, or 10 miles x 8 miles, etc.

Then open a new map and create a BITMAP sheet and layer, and move the BITMAP sheet to just above the Common sheet. Make sure you've selected both the BITMAP sheet and layer, then use the Draw menu to insert a file using the .png you exported from the larger map. when the placing tool appears just align the crosshairs in the top left-hand corner of your new map and drag the .png to fill the new map. Then hide the BACKGROUND layer and draw your new map using the inserted .png as a guide.

you have to draw a completely new map every time you create a more detailed area, but if you keep the grid as a guide, all your distances will translate perfectly from one map to the next.

You'll have to post your results, and let us know how you eventually did it.

Good luck!

DMG

I will do - this sounds as good a way as any, and similar to other ideas such as that by JimP (no worries about the website, good old Google served me well). It IS a work in progress and I've been somewhat sidetracked now by being forced to draw up a dungeon in DD3 to use. I'll try and keep you posted!

Many thanks to all for the advice and time!

EDIT FOR CC3 ACTION: Got a quick hour to try this out, and now the problem I seem to be running into is exporting the 1k x 1k section of the 3k x 3k map. It seems no-matter how I tackle it I end up lifting the entire map plus borders from the original and placing it into the smaller scale regional map.

JimP

Jim's tutorial entrance page

Monsen

Posted By: Sheelonthe problem I seem to be running into is exporting the 1k x 1k section of the 3k x 3k map. It seems no-matter how I tackle it I end up lifting the entire map plus borders from the original and placing it into the smaller scale regional map

Based on the text you quoted, I assume you are working with the method of exporting an image from your original map to insert. When you go to the save as dialog, are you remembering to choose the rectangular section PNG export option, otherwise you won't be able to export just part of the map.

@JimP:
I tried your link, and from there clicked the large map to small map link, but from the resulting 'entrance page' of that tutorial, I was unable to find any links to the rest of the tutorial.

Sheelon

Posted By: Monsen

Posted By: Sheelonthe problem I seem to be running into is exporting the 1k x 1k section of the 3k x 3k map. It seems no-matter how I tackle it I end up lifting the entire map plus borders from the original and placing it into the smaller scale regional map

Based on the text you quoted, I assume you are working with the method of exporting an image from your original map to insert. When you go to the save as dialog, are you remembering to choose the rectangular section PNG export option, otherwise you won't be able to export just part of the map.

This does sound like what I was trying. Will make another attempt tonight. Edited for "o" key not working...!

Sheelon

This method has worked like a charm. Pics below:

Original 3k x 3k map

Sheelon

Original map with 1k x 1k grid in red

JimP

Argh... I see what happened. I'll fix it.

Sheelon

Zoom in on grid at top right where I intend to start mapping. Note that no other features eg mountains or forests have been added, this is a dry run for this method.

Sheelon

Mid placement of Save As PNG Rectangle from zoomed in section. Its about to be placed on Bitmap Layer & Sheet. Its really quite simple when you know how...!

Sheelon

Last one:
Final map, 1k x 1k, set to be traced on as necessary.

Many thanks for your help. With hindsight its a doddle!

JimP

@Monsen. I fixed it. Should be a set of 'entrance, part 1', etc. links just below the large yellow menu bar on each page of the tutorial.

Sheelon

And now...to go back to the original map and start putting stuff in!