Posted By: dutch206I can't remember if I already posted this or not, so forgive me if I am repeating myself. I would like a symbol set for creating ruined structures and/or dungeons.
How about: 1) select nearest symbol on current layer/sheet command. 2) a file format that is inclusive. All symbols and pngs, bitmaps ect are included inside the file. Maybe stored in an archive. 3) Random smooth path command 4) A to symbol command that accepts a group of symbols. i.e. draw a dungeon tile of a corridor; then select it; use ToSymbol command and the floor, walls all disappear from the drawing but are in the drawing's symbol list. Do current symbols span layers? If not include suggestion. 5) Random fill with symbols that includes random rotation. i.e. fill a dungeon floor with 3 floor tile symbols that are randomly picked and randomly rotated 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees. That would expand some libraries with out adding more symbols.
Sorry I thought of some more: 1) a sheet/ layers window that is selectable. i.e. like the symbol window. So I don't have to select fom a dialog box. I can select the current, hide and freeze on the fly. 2) I don't think symbols span sheets/layers so either symbols that do or an ability to group symbols together and store the group like a symbol. 3) The ablity to preview the symbols in the catalog from the open dialog box.
I know I ask for tough ones, sorry. Thank you, Rykazz
Hello again. Sorry, two more. 1) How about effects like transparancy aplied to entiies or symbols. 2) A trace command that traces a vector and/or raster image. i.e. the ability to import a bitmap and trace a line. This one may be a bit difficult.
I believe this is the effect he is talking about. It can normally be fixed by the Path to Poly command though, although it would be nice if it never occurred.
What I think you are saying it that if someone manually closes a path, it should convert it into a poly. On the surface of things, this seems like a good idea, but it may have unintended consequences. Are there instances other than closing a path where corners go wrong?
I may be able to do a command where you select a bunch of corners and it will do its best to fix them. However, if there are differing walls widths or fill styles, if could cause problems.
Simon, uhm, I know I'm tired and this may not make any sense, but here goes.
If the command told you the lines varied in width, and gave the user the option of selecting a width for the lines to change to, or the user could cancel. Would that still cause problems ?
Seems I may be late to the party but here it goes:
Posted By: jaerdaph
I know that paths should be used for complex walls, but I've had times when particularly complex walls with thicknesses greater than 0 will have varied wall thicknesses.
So, would the right answer be a command that could draw walls of varing thickness? Say a command that at every point you can hit the +/- keys and the wall width grows/shrinks and if you just go and click the next point, the width stays the same?
Posted By: StevenavOtherwise I'd have said "fix the dang combine path tool")
The Combine path tool was the very first XP command I ever wrote. Now I have never claimed that I'm a great programmer and when you are first start coding in a new sandbox, I'm supprised it even works. :-) But ... I've heard that the Combine path tool is complex to use, but I've never heard it do the things your are talking about. Maybe you could start another thread in the Macros and XPs category? I would love to take another crack at it.
Posted By: StevenavAnother interesting tool I'd like to see is a multi type poly tool. You click it like a soft or hard poly tool, but when you do, you have a hard corner, soft corner, or arc section tool.
The tool would be used to create complex combo style paths for rooms or corridors.
If I understand your request correctly, that you want a path/poly that can combine curved and sharp corners, that command already exits. Its the default spline and spoly commands SPLINE2 and SPOLY2. If you look at the command line, after the first point, it will tell you that if you hit the letter 'c', it will insert a hard corner on the next point you click.
If I am wrong, can you elaborate?
Posted by: Highland_Piper Easy rail road and mining cart tracks
with symbols or primitives (individual paths)?
Posted By: RykazzHow about: Random fill with symbols that includes random rotation. i.e. fill a dungeon floor with 3 floor tile symbols that are randomly picked and randomly rotated 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees
Are you talking something similar to the ESC command (escarpment) where you can pick a symbol, choose a percent chance that it will appear along the selected path at each possible point and what the distance is between possible points, but with an area instead of a path?
(BTW, this is a cheap workaround but you can freehand draw a path - kind of like painting an area with a thin line then use the ESC command to randomly place - say trees along that line and then delete the freehand path.)
I'd like to see fonctions that would enable me to calculate shadows from elevation maps for building shaded relief maps.
I'd like to see a more complex house building tool in city designer.
I'd like profantasy to explore the world of 3D mapping in the next version. It would be nice to have 3D objects that cast their own shadows base on the position of the sun for city maps for exemple. 3D threes and houses.
I'd like a world building expansion not like fractal mapper. Just a cartography toolset to build 2D world maps.
I'd like to see better support from other arts and cartography tools. Some kind of plug ins for Illustrator or Bryce, Vue and ArcGIS. Sketchup also. It would be nice to have easy tools to import stuff from all these programes. Not everything can be done in CC:)
A wall tool, works like the house / street tool, that would allow you to set the size add details like towers, fill style (even bitmap), overlays like stone or brick. You could set distance between towers, select the tower type (round, square .....). Roof style for the towers and wall.
And now for the big one that has been around for ever. Player view. This would require multiple monitor support and a special fog of war sheet.
Don't know if this already exists but an "auto symbol arrange" where you select a bunch of symbols and they are automatically arranged on a z-axis according to their x,y position. In case you forget to start at the top left and work your way across and down when placing symbols or need to add a symbol in the middle of a group of existing symbols but don't want it to appear on top of the existing symbols.
Posted By: ScrybeDon't know if this already exists but an "auto symbol arrange" where you select a bunch of symbols and they are automatically arranged on a z-axis according to their x,y position. In case you forget to start at the top left and work your way across and down when placing symbols or need to add a symbol in the middle of a group of existing symbols but don't want it to appear on top of the existing symbols.
More standard png's for the symbol catalog. You cannot have too many assets to build maps from! I would even suggest selling packages of buildings, mountains, trees, etc... on the side.
So far getting back into CC3 after using photoshop for ages, one of the things I miss is easy shortcuts. I believe you can edit files to make shortcuts I know I did for CC2 but I can't for the life of remember how. And I don't want to break anything.
I noticed when tracing a map, using a spline or smooth poly tool means loads of clicking to follow a line. As a artist I prefer to use a mouse or pen tool to just draw the line like the pen tool can. Any chance we could either option added to the drawing tools to make this easier.
There used to be a programme you could use to make your own toolbars and add icons in, since CC3 uses toolbars so much, but one can add in so much personal functionality it would be great to see something like this feature added in. Also the Harn mappa project had some great tools it would be good to see them incorporated (unless they are and I'm missing something).
I second easy to fill octagon's pentagons and other such complex or simple shapes without having to make a load of guide lines.
Also I find list is invaluable for finding out what colour that road is you've just drawn, why isn't list built into change properties so the to can be used together. What I imagine having is a button at the bottim that opens a window with the bare list details, not all the node points, but entity tag, line size, layer, colour etc. So that if you weren't sure if that shade of brown was 36 or 37.
Anyway probably got some more ideas, but that's what I've noted so far. If by any chance anyone can tell me how these things might already be done in the existing set up I'd love to know.
In photoshop (yes I know raises eyebrows but stay with me) they have something called the Configurator. Its a nifty bit of code that allows you to add to it the shortcuts, tools or icons that already exist on one new panel, that you can have up instead of all the others. So instead of going from one side to the other, you can stick all your favourite work flow icons on to one of these, resize and make it fit wherever you like to use as suits your work flow best.
Anyway when I was thinking about being able to alter toolbar icon to suit this was what I had in mind.
What I would like to see is a layer attribute that allows you to automatically show/hide layers based on the zoom value.
Currently, I add symbols, text, etc on separate layers that I only want to see when I'm zoomed in. When I zoom out, those objects are too small to recognize so I have to constantly show/hide those layers at different zoom settings. Automating that would be very handy.
I echo previous posts about randomly filling a polygon area with a symbol. Here are six possible expansions to this:
1) A 'density' setting.
It might be difficult to define exactly what this means in programming terms but it would, for example, allow you to fill an area with a tree to produce 'light', 'medium' or 'heavy' wooded areas.
2) A 'size' setting.
Allow the filled objects to be a single size or a specified range of sizes (so each item placed is a random size between the limits).
3) A 'rotate' setting.
Allow the filled objects to be in their default position or randomly rotate them (so each item can be at any rotation).
4) Being able to fill with a mix of similar themed symbols (for instance different trees).
I realise that this would require some way of defining which symbols you want to use (maybe creating a tempory symbol library?) and so may be difficult to add.
5) Allow the fill to have three 'overlap' settings.
a) Full overlap ... No limit on where the items can be placed.
For example, if you want to create a pile of coins then you want overlaps.
b) Overlap other ... Symbols can overlap any other symbols on the same layer, but none of the 'fill' symbols can overlap each other.
For example, if you want to fill a marsh with randomly placed pools, you would not want the pools to overlap.
c) No overlap ... Symbols can not overlap any other symbols on the same layer.
Suppose you have a town with all the buildings on one layer. You could use this option to 'fill' the town with random civilians with none of the civilians appearing on the roof tops. (This would be even better if you could define which layer(s) acted as the boundries, but now I am getting into the realm of very wishful thinking).
6) 'Fill' rather than 'Polygon' option.
This is a variant of 5c. Rather than defining a polygon you select a point to fill from and cound symbols in the same (or other?) layers as the boundary.
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I apologise if any of the above can be done with the existing software but I am a relative novice with it.
1) Select a symbol style, and 2) Select symbol libraries in that style.
Each of these should be as simple as a drop-down box, or at most a dialog with a selection. At the moment, it takes numerous steps, each and every time.
Comments
1) select nearest symbol on current layer/sheet command.
2) a file format that is inclusive. All symbols and pngs, bitmaps ect are included inside the file. Maybe stored in an archive.
3) Random smooth path command
4) A to symbol command that accepts a group of symbols. i.e. draw a dungeon tile of a corridor; then select it; use ToSymbol command and the floor, walls all disappear from the drawing but are in the drawing's symbol list. Do current symbols span layers? If not include suggestion.
5) Random fill with symbols that includes random rotation. i.e. fill a dungeon floor with 3 floor tile symbols that are randomly picked and randomly rotated 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees. That would expand some libraries with out adding more symbols.
Thank you,
Rykazz
1) a sheet/ layers window that is selectable. i.e. like the symbol window. So I don't have to select fom a dialog box. I can select the current, hide and freeze on the fly.
2) I don't think symbols span sheets/layers so either symbols that do or an ability to group symbols together and store the group like a symbol.
3) The ablity to preview the symbols in the catalog from the open dialog box.
I know I ask for tough ones, sorry.
Thank you,
Rykazz
Sorry, two more.
1) How about effects like transparancy aplied to entiies or symbols.
2) A trace command that traces a vector and/or raster image. i.e. the ability to import a bitmap and trace a line. This one may be a bit difficult.
I may be able to do a command where you select a bunch of corners and it will do its best to fix them. However, if there are differing walls widths or fill styles, if could cause problems.
If the command told you the lines varied in width, and gave the user the option of selecting a width for the lines to change to, or the user could cancel. Would that still cause problems ?
If I am wrong, can you elaborate? with symbols or primitives (individual paths)? Are you talking something similar to the ESC command (escarpment) where you can pick a symbol, choose a percent chance that it will appear along the selected path at each possible point and what the distance is between possible points, but with an area instead of a path?
(BTW, this is a cheap workaround but you can freehand draw a path - kind of like painting an area with a thin line then use the ESC command to randomly place - say trees along that line and then delete the freehand path.)
I'd like to see a more complex house building tool in city designer.
I'd like profantasy to explore the world of 3D mapping in the next version. It would be nice to have 3D objects that cast their own shadows base on the position of the sun for city maps for exemple. 3D threes and houses.
I'd like a world building expansion not like fractal mapper. Just a cartography toolset to build 2D world maps.
I'd like to see better support from other arts and cartography tools. Some kind of plug ins for Illustrator or Bryce, Vue and ArcGIS. Sketchup also. It would be nice to have easy tools to import stuff from all these programes. Not everything can be done in CC:)
Thats about it for now.
Pat
In other words, more tools for Perspectives.
I remember Character Artist is being upgraded, that would help me to.
A wall tool, works like the house / street tool, that would allow you to set the size add details like towers, fill style (even bitmap), overlays like stone or brick. You could set distance between towers, select the tower type (round, square .....). Roof style for the towers and wall.
And now for the big one that has been around for ever. Player view. This would require multiple monitor support and a special fog of war sheet.
I noticed when tracing a map, using a spline or smooth poly tool means loads of clicking to follow a line. As a artist I prefer to use a mouse or pen tool to just draw the line like the pen tool can. Any chance we could either option added to the drawing tools to make this easier.
There used to be a programme you could use to make your own toolbars and add icons in, since CC3 uses toolbars so much, but one can add in so much personal functionality it would be great to see something like this feature added in. Also the Harn mappa project had some great tools it would be good to see them incorporated (unless they are and I'm missing something).
I second easy to fill octagon's pentagons and other such complex or simple shapes without having to make a load of guide lines.
Also I find list is invaluable for finding out what colour that road is you've just drawn, why isn't list built into change properties so the to can be used together. What I imagine having is a button at the bottim that opens a window with the bare list details, not all the node points, but entity tag, line size, layer, colour etc. So that if you weren't sure if that shade of brown was 36 or 37.
Anyway probably got some more ideas, but that's what I've noted so far. If by any chance anyone can tell me how these things might already be done in the existing set up I'd love to know.
Ab
Only problem is that once you import to CC3, you cannot put it back into CC2/Harn mappa.
Of course, it was years ago and I could be misremembering.
Anyway when I was thinking about being able to alter toolbar icon to suit this was what I had in mind.
Thanks
Ab
Currently, I add symbols, text, etc on separate layers that I only want to see when I'm zoomed in. When I zoom out, those objects are too small to recognize so I have to constantly show/hide those layers at different zoom settings. Automating that would be very handy.
1) A 'density' setting.
It might be difficult to define exactly what this means in programming terms but it would, for example, allow you to fill an area with a tree to produce 'light', 'medium' or 'heavy' wooded areas.
2) A 'size' setting.
Allow the filled objects to be a single size or a specified range of sizes (so each item placed is a random size between the limits).
3) A 'rotate' setting.
Allow the filled objects to be in their default position or randomly rotate them (so each item can be at any rotation).
4) Being able to fill with a mix of similar themed symbols (for instance different trees).
I realise that this would require some way of defining which symbols you want to use (maybe creating a tempory symbol library?) and so may be difficult to add.
5) Allow the fill to have three 'overlap' settings.
a) Full overlap ... No limit on where the items can be placed.
For example, if you want to create a pile of coins then you want overlaps.
b) Overlap other ... Symbols can overlap any other symbols on the same layer, but none of the 'fill' symbols can overlap each other.
For example, if you want to fill a marsh with randomly placed pools, you would not want the pools to overlap.
c) No overlap ... Symbols can not overlap any other symbols on the same layer.
Suppose you have a town with all the buildings on one layer. You could use this option to 'fill' the town with random civilians with none of the civilians appearing on the roof tops. (This would be even better if you could define which layer(s) acted as the boundries, but now I am getting into the realm of very wishful thinking).
6) 'Fill' rather than 'Polygon' option.
This is a variant of 5c. Rather than defining a polygon you select a point to fill from and cound symbols in the same (or other?) layers as the boundary.
----------
I apologise if any of the above can be done with the existing software but I am a relative novice with it.
1) Select a symbol style, and
2) Select symbol libraries in that style.
Each of these should be as simple as a drop-down box, or at most a dialog with a selection. At the moment, it takes numerous steps, each and every time.
(See also: http://forum.profantasy.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=1850&page=1#Item_8 )