Processing FTPro exported maps in CC3 (a semi-how-to)
kmunoz
Newcomer
I thought I'd offer up the process I use to process maps exported from FTPro into CC3. The exported maps include all of the fiddly bits that are possible in a FTPro map, but they are all on layers instead of sheets. I'm sort of obsessive about "accuracy" so I like to create my world maps in FTPro and then export orthographic projections of various parts of that world. (Orthographic is the best way to prevent distortion while at the same time keeping all of the resulting maps "interlockable" --- i.e., it's not a good idea to use different projections for different areas if you want the maps to look consistent.)
First, I export what is essentially a Full Monty CC2 file minus the grid lines. Then I open this up in CC3 and enter the SELBYL command.
Next I create the necessary sheets (in the following order): Ocean, Coast/Sea, Climate, Rainfall, Temperature, Plain, Desert, Forest, Mountains, Ice, Contour, Rivers, Lakes, Symbols, Symbol Color, Borders, Map Border, Labels, Labels (Ocean), Grid and the four Cbars (altitude, climate, rainfall, temperature; you could have just one cbar sheet for all of them but I don't like to rely on showing/hiding layers).
I move the contents of each layer to the appropriate sheet (hiding every layer but one, then moving everything visible to the right sheet). The Relief/Counters and Contour Outlines layers both end up on the Contour sheet. Not every sheet gets used at this stage.
Then I enter the SELBYD command.
Next I go to the Climate sheet and separate out the various pieces: ocean areas to the Ocean sheet, forest areas to the Forest sheet, etc., using the climate cbar as my color guide. Shrub and savannah go to Plains, desert and chaparral go to Desert. Once everything is moved over, I go to the Sheet Effects and add the effects I want, mainly Blur, and Transparency on the Contour sheet.
After this, I hide all the sheets except Plain, Desert, Mountains, Ice, Forest, Lakes, Cbar Altitude and Contour. I activate the sheet effects so the Contour sheet fades out a bit, then manually add rivers using the altitude contours as a guide; I use River Overland CC3 in four sections per river (small to large width), using Node Edit to adjust the gaps at each segment break.
Then turn off effects and add mountain, forest and plain symbols. I create a Political Borders Temp sheet and copy any layers that will help guide me in making political borders, then Explode all the elements of that sheet. I then use Mercator Historical tools to create the borders (on the Borders sheet), using the stuff on the Political Borders Temp sheet as the guidelines. I've found that the FTPro exported objects are inconsistent as to whether or not the Mercator tools will properly trace them, which is why I duplicate and explode them onto a temporary sheet (which gets deleted after the borders are completed).
First, I export what is essentially a Full Monty CC2 file minus the grid lines. Then I open this up in CC3 and enter the SELBYL command.
Next I create the necessary sheets (in the following order): Ocean, Coast/Sea, Climate, Rainfall, Temperature, Plain, Desert, Forest, Mountains, Ice, Contour, Rivers, Lakes, Symbols, Symbol Color, Borders, Map Border, Labels, Labels (Ocean), Grid and the four Cbars (altitude, climate, rainfall, temperature; you could have just one cbar sheet for all of them but I don't like to rely on showing/hiding layers).
I move the contents of each layer to the appropriate sheet (hiding every layer but one, then moving everything visible to the right sheet). The Relief/Counters and Contour Outlines layers both end up on the Contour sheet. Not every sheet gets used at this stage.
Then I enter the SELBYD command.
Next I go to the Climate sheet and separate out the various pieces: ocean areas to the Ocean sheet, forest areas to the Forest sheet, etc., using the climate cbar as my color guide. Shrub and savannah go to Plains, desert and chaparral go to Desert. Once everything is moved over, I go to the Sheet Effects and add the effects I want, mainly Blur, and Transparency on the Contour sheet.
After this, I hide all the sheets except Plain, Desert, Mountains, Ice, Forest, Lakes, Cbar Altitude and Contour. I activate the sheet effects so the Contour sheet fades out a bit, then manually add rivers using the altitude contours as a guide; I use River Overland CC3 in four sections per river (small to large width), using Node Edit to adjust the gaps at each segment break.
Then turn off effects and add mountain, forest and plain symbols. I create a Political Borders Temp sheet and copy any layers that will help guide me in making political borders, then Explode all the elements of that sheet. I then use Mercator Historical tools to create the borders (on the Borders sheet), using the stuff on the Political Borders Temp sheet as the guidelines. I've found that the FTPro exported objects are inconsistent as to whether or not the Mercator tools will properly trace them, which is why I duplicate and explode them onto a temporary sheet (which gets deleted after the borders are completed).