Polygons with one fractalized side

Okay, so, in CC2, if I had a rectangular map border (as I often did), and I wanted to create a landmass that butted up in one, two or three parts against the map but on the "free" side still had the appearance of a piece of coastline for instance, there was a simple procedure - some of you may remember it:

1) You drew the line that was to represent the coast or non-butted line.
2) You fractalized that line until you were satisfied with it.
3) You then told the program what you really wanted was not a line, but a poly, so it closed the line and made a rude looking poly.
4) You inserted nodes and dragged the line (which in turn inflated the poly on the side where you were doing the dragging) and you carefully stuck the line into the corners of the border the poly was to butt up against. It helped that CC2 had a function that allowed you to attach things accurately.

So, I purchased CC3...but here's the problem - I don't know how to do steps 3 and 4, or what I am meant to do instead of those steps. I can create a line and fractalize it easily, but I can't seem to find how to turn the line into a poly and then insert nodes that will let me stretch and drag the resultant poly into the corners of the map border I wanna attach it to.

Am I missing something? Could someone please help me? I need to create polar land masses and I am having a devil of a time with this supposedly improved product...

Thanks guys :)

Comments

  • RalfRalf Administrator, ProFantasy 🖼️ 18 images Mapmaker
    Hi there, nothing much has really changed in CC3. It can still work the same way - but you also have the option to do it much more easily:

    The easy method:

    - Start an overland map from any of the templates.
    - Start the default Landmass drawing tool. It already draws a fractalized line, which you can also modify while drawing or later.
    - Draw your fractalized piece of coast until you reach the map border.
    - Click once outside the map border, then again outside the next corner, and so on, until you reach the point where the landmass meets the border on the opposite side. Right-click to finish the map.
    - The Landmass is automatically butted up against the border.

    See Joe Sweeney's basic CC3 video tutorial for an example of this in action.

    The old method:

    - draw your rough path for the coastline
    - fractalize it to your heart's content
    - Either use EDIT (the # on the left toolbar) to make the path "Closed".
    - Or use "Path to Poly" (right-click Explode button to access) on the path you've drawn - this can be used on multiple entities.
    - use "Insert Node" (left of the # button) to enter the new nodes for your polygon.
    - either use the snap grid, or On (F9) and Endpoint (F5) to place them on the map border.
  • Hey Ralf:

    Thanks for answering me so fast.

    I can't use your first method, because there doesn't seem to be a white land mass available in the templates (a glaring overight IMO, considering how many other templates there are), but your advice is otherwise very helpful.

    When I use the other method and insert nodes, they aren't as good at affixing the landmass to the map's borders. I have a good computer with good RAM and a dual core processor but once I put the node in and try to manipulate it, it slows down to a chug, and it doesn't seem to want to drag one or two sides of the poly to the borders as easily as it did with CC2. Am I missing something here?
  • 1.You can draw your straight lines first
    2.then drawn an open fractal path from the end point (F5) of one line to the endpoint of the other.
    3.Use then Line To Path (right-click Expliode) on all those entities (the lines & the path).
    (4.)Some rare times Line To Path is not enough so follow with Path To Poly as per Ralf's instructions.
    Posted By: Corradusthere doesn't seem to be a white land mass available in the templates
    There is also the possibility of designing your own tool :
    1.click on the hamer & chisel icon (All Drawing Tool button)
    2.click on the advanced button
    3.click New and type a name for your tool (ie "Land, White")
    4.make sure the "Restrict to map border" option is checked
    5.in the Draw Method area select either Path/Polygon or Fractal
    6.make sure the "Closed" option is checked
    6.set the properties for the outline with the "Outline" button and for the inside with the "Properties" button
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