Continent - The Aezin Isle (My First Map)
pixelkitteh
Traveler
I just got the 3 value bundle thingy and have been having an absolute blast! I've managed to map the continent I'm working on for my first homemade campaign setting. Constructive criticism is welcome. :)
Comments
Welcome
That's a fine map you've made there - even more impressive if you've only just started
There seems to be a shadow effect of some kind around some of the edge of the map. Is that intentional?
A lot of PS effects can be achieved in CC3. Have you tried using the sheet effects yet?
edit: I'll add an updated map shortly.
HQ here
Possibly you have it set as a 'percentage of...' (one of two options in the effect dialogue box). If that's the case you need to tick 'Map Units' instead. Whichever - the trees are casting shadows as if they are 500 ft in the air.
I've done it more than once myself when using drop shadow. I think the default set up is one of the 'percentage of...' options
That's what Ralf asked me to do when I converted the annuals, because those effects settings were designed for CC3 and they were configured for Map Units. The other effects-units options are new to CC3+. For overland maps, if you switch from Map Units to Percent of Drawing Extents Width, try dividing the effects value by ten (10). You can also try doing so if the effects are already set to use Percent... but they look off (which sounds like it might be the case here). You may need to tweak it but that's generally a good conversion.
Ralf explained it this way. Overland map symbols are not intended to represent things true to scale. An overland tree symbol is not meant to convey a single tree, or at the very least, not a tree at the size shown on the map, which could be 1 or more miles/km in size. Using map units (miles or kilometers) to set the effects can therefore be tricky. Overland symbols are typically scaled for maps that are 1000x800 map units (mi or km). This is true, even if the map itself is smaller or larger (e.g. 500x400 or 1500x1200). A percentage of the width is 1/100th, and 1000/10 = 100. Therefore, divide by 10. (Side note: Ralf actually said to multiply by 0.1).
Using the Percent... option lets the effects engine scale the effects to the map. It generally — though not always — preserves the look of the effect at different zoom levels. The same is not true when using Map Units. To be fair, for a few styles, I spent a lot of time making the conversion because dividing by 10 didn't quite do the trick. And, for some styles, I found it was best to leave them at Map Units. But for the vast majority, the "divide by 10" method did the trick.
For battle maps, dungeons and cities (and floor plans and deck plans, etc.), you would typically use Map Units. Symbols in those maps are to scale, so the effects should also, generally, be to scale as well.
In the end, of course, it comes down to personal taste and there is no "right" or "wrong" way to do it. But if you want to try to keep the effects at a more or less consistent (or at least similar) appearance, depending on the zoom, you may want to give the Percent of Drawing Extent Widths option a chance. Also, you can always save your settings first, before you make the changes so it's a snap to restore them. Or, of course, save the map, make the changes and then, if you don't like them, close and re-open the map.
Cheers,
~Dogtag
What is the other percentage scale meant to be for?
Then again, your maps might be better served by Map Units anyway. It happens.
~Dogtag
I always start my city maps on a Herwin Wielink template, though, because I use a lot of HW water. Maybe that's why the percentage thing never really makes much sense to me - because I'm drawing cities on overland templates
On the other hand, Percent of View Width actually scales the effect to the current zoom level itself (regardless of the actual map scale). I haven't really played with the two settings enough to identify the differences. I basically took Ralf's direction and ran with it. I had to change the effect units option and then covert the values for every effect, on every sheet, of every overland style, for Annuals 1 through 7, so I didn't bother comparing them at the time.
But now that I'm done with the annuals, I might tinker a bit to see how they differ.
As I do more overland maps than not, i will see about changing my effects from Map Units (which I mainly use) to Percent of Drawing Extents Width.