The sidebar about empty sheets offers a warning that empty sheets disappear when saving and also an explanation for the mystery POINT entity that a lot of older maps and templates have at 0,0 (it keeps otherwise empty sheets from disappearing). As Quenten points out, a change was made to the software a few years ago that lets the software save empty sheets, which makes those POINTs at 0,0 unneeded to keep sheets from disappearing.
If you have a map with POINTs at 0,0 and they are causing undesired results (for example, the Edge Striping effect may cause that tiny point to appear much larger), they can be easily removed using the UNPINSHEETS command.
Honestly, I wasn't even aware of this single point 0,0 thing until I read the sidebar. I just knew that my experience with the program did not quite fit with its statement about sheets.
I have now reached the point of the tome where there is an overwhelming amount of information. This isn't an issue with the tome or the program. There is just an embarrassment of depth and riches in it. It is like any course of study. If I am learning math, I can stop at beginning with just learning to count or I can strive to someday solve all the mysteries of the universe (pure mathematicians I know can sometimes sound more like mystics than scientists, but if they are right maybe that will be one in the same someday :). But I digress...
My goal for CC3 is pretty modest, I only want to reshape the real world according to the maps I draw. This story is already starting to explode in my head. After extricating herself form the comfort of her warm bed, mild-mannered and sweet, Snoopy Blue, pulls open her bedroom curtain and stares out the window. The view is mostly white and gray until she notices this bright splash of color beyond the water fountain. Strange orange and pink trees are growing at the edge of her garden. She blinks her eyes and shakes her head and they are gone when she opens her eyes.
"I got to stop mapping until 4 in the morning, but I do love Mike's monthlies," she mumbles to herself.
Then she hears the sound of a crowd and the first few notes of a lute from beyond her bedroom door.
And I digress again. sigh
The Contour Detour
This is an image to demonstrate one of the ways to use the Hue/Saturation Effect to create six levels of contouring with three bitmaps. I spent most of the afternoon trying to re-create an image like this. Here is where I finally gave up:
I think I learned how to use the effect, it just isn't doing what I want it to--to me this does not look like a hill in any way shape or form. I think this is where lack of skill and experience is the main culprit. I may have to learn more about contouring in general and keep practicing.
This unfinished map began with erasing the land outline, fractalizing the landmass, and redrawing the outline with change like draw tool.
I then used spatial matrix process on the sea background to emboss the sheet. It shows up much better on the map.
Screenshot from CC3+
I then used the color key effect on the land sheet to turn a blue polygon invisible and expose the sea background to make the river attached to the waterfall symbol. I wanted the color of the river closer to the blue in the symbol, so I added a Blend Mode sheet on top of the land sheet. I added the Blend Mode Effect and drew a solid lighter blue shape over the river. I also added glow and stripping effects. I left the stripping off the bottom portion of the river just to see how the embossing shows through the blending.
The one thing I couldn't figure out was how to make the color key work along the coast. I was sure it had something to do with the outline and that's why I erased it again, but it didn't help.
I am not sure I like the look of this particular map, but I am learning how to use the program to change and hopefully improve my maps in the future.
There is a saying that is very apt for my approach to making maps with CC3+--when all else fails read the manual.
Since I think I have covered a lot of the basics in overland mapping, I am going to pause on that type of map and move on to dungeon mapping for a while. Dungeons are definitely the maps that I have spent the least amount of time and effort in making over the years, so it should be interesting and challenging.
Comments
The sidebar about empty sheets offers a warning that empty sheets disappear when saving and also an explanation for the mystery POINT entity that a lot of older maps and templates have at 0,0 (it keeps otherwise empty sheets from disappearing). As Quenten points out, a change was made to the software a few years ago that lets the software save empty sheets, which makes those POINTs at 0,0 unneeded to keep sheets from disappearing.
If you have a map with POINTs at 0,0 and they are causing undesired results (for example, the Edge Striping effect may cause that tiny point to appear much larger), they can be easily removed using the UNPINSHEETS command.
Honestly, I wasn't even aware of this single point 0,0 thing until I read the sidebar. I just knew that my experience with the program did not quite fit with its statement about sheets.
I have now reached the point of the tome where there is an overwhelming amount of information. This isn't an issue with the tome or the program. There is just an embarrassment of depth and riches in it. It is like any course of study. If I am learning math, I can stop at beginning with just learning to count or I can strive to someday solve all the mysteries of the universe (pure mathematicians I know can sometimes sound more like mystics than scientists, but if they are right maybe that will be one in the same someday :). But I digress...
My goal for CC3 is pretty modest, I only want to reshape the real world according to the maps I draw. This story is already starting to explode in my head. After extricating herself form the comfort of her warm bed, mild-mannered and sweet, Snoopy Blue, pulls open her bedroom curtain and stares out the window. The view is mostly white and gray until she notices this bright splash of color beyond the water fountain. Strange orange and pink trees are growing at the edge of her garden. She blinks her eyes and shakes her head and they are gone when she opens her eyes.
"I got to stop mapping until 4 in the morning, but I do love Mike's monthlies," she mumbles to herself.
Then she hears the sound of a crowd and the first few notes of a lute from beyond her bedroom door.
And I digress again. sigh
The Contour Detour
This is an image to demonstrate one of the ways to use the Hue/Saturation Effect to create six levels of contouring with three bitmaps. I spent most of the afternoon trying to re-create an image like this. Here is where I finally gave up:
I think I learned how to use the effect, it just isn't doing what I want it to--to me this does not look like a hill in any way shape or form. I think this is where lack of skill and experience is the main culprit. I may have to learn more about contouring in general and keep practicing.
Playing with more Effects
This unfinished map began with erasing the land outline, fractalizing the landmass, and redrawing the outline with change like draw tool.
I then used spatial matrix process on the sea background to emboss the sheet. It shows up much better on the map.
Screenshot from CC3+
I then used the color key effect on the land sheet to turn a blue polygon invisible and expose the sea background to make the river attached to the waterfall symbol. I wanted the color of the river closer to the blue in the symbol, so I added a Blend Mode sheet on top of the land sheet. I added the Blend Mode Effect and drew a solid lighter blue shape over the river. I also added glow and stripping effects. I left the stripping off the bottom portion of the river just to see how the embossing shows through the blending.
The one thing I couldn't figure out was how to make the color key work along the coast. I was sure it had something to do with the outline and that's why I erased it again, but it didn't help.
I am not sure I like the look of this particular map, but I am learning how to use the program to change and hopefully improve my maps in the future.
Me too. Great work!
Cal
Thanks for the kind words, Cal.
There is a saying that is very apt for my approach to making maps with CC3+--when all else fails read the manual.
Since I think I have covered a lot of the basics in overland mapping, I am going to pause on that type of map and move on to dungeon mapping for a while. Dungeons are definitely the maps that I have spent the least amount of time and effort in making over the years, so it should be interesting and challenging.