[Fractal Terrains 3+] Moving the Viewing Point
I have created a world in Fractal Terrains 3+ and now want to import part of it into Campaign Cartographer to create a more detailed map for my campaign area. In order to do this, I want to make sure that the centre of the campaign area coincides with the least distorted area of the map given the projection I am using,
e.g.
the centre of the area I want to focus on is 45°N 15°W
I am using a the Wagner IV projection, which is least distorted in the centre
How do I rotate my map so that 45°N 15°W is the centre of the map for the Wagner IV projection?
Comments
Use the pan tool (the hand) and hold down the Shift key to get a little "C" in the middle of the hand to drag around the center of projection. Alternatively, use Map>>Change Projection from the menu and enter the desired center of projection latitude and longitude into the appropriate fields on the dialog.
Unfortunately, I can change the centre of the projection E/W by either of those methods, but not N/S.
FT doesn't support a form of some projections (like the cylindrical ones) that allows for an arbitrary latitude center of projection. It can be done, but the mapping library used in FT doesn't support that.
Country Centered Map Projections - Engaging Data does what it would look like to move the center of projection away from the equator for a few common projections.
Thanks, yes, the site you have given illustrates exactly what I want to do, but, unfortunately, the projections supported by that tool are still no different in FT. It's starting to sound like, while FT creates a very pretty picture of a world, it's not really feasible to use that as the basis of a detailed map in CC.
I may be misunderstanding the secondary problem you mention there about lack of detail, but when you create a hi res world in FT it's usually too much detail that's the problem.
Perhaps increase the Editing Size of your world in World Settings->Editing? That may change the coastline a bit, but you will get more detail.
Remember to hit Appy.
Thanks for trying but that's not the problem. I'm perfectly happy with my world map. The problem I have relates to exporting part of the world in FT to CC with minimum distortion from the projection. Generally, that involves making the centre of the area I want the middle of the map, and that doesn't seem to be possible.
I am going to try give you an alternative approach.
Not sure it is going to work.
Use the one axis to that works to get that to the center. So now you have one Axis correct lets say east to west is perfect.
Export that to Campaign Cartographer.
Find where you want to move the north / south. draw a line there.
Break all the poly's along that path. Use the "move" command select everything. Then drag it to the opposite side of the map.
Fix all the poly's and you should have the result you want.
This may be a lot of work if there are lots of poly's to break. Or if it's continents you can just select the whole thing and drag it across to the opposite side.
I hope these ideas will give you alternative options to achieve the result you want.
Just save multiple copies of the FT and CC files so you don't mess up your originals.
I understand that you have a particular world projection in mind, but if you're willing to compromise a little, FT does have some projections that allow for focus on areas closer to the poles. Such projections include Stereographic, Orthographic, Gnomonic, and Azimuthal Equidistant. Each has its own characteristics and I expect that you've examined each in turn before rejecting them.
I have checked all the projections and most of the ones you suggest do not have a straight-line East/West axis, which would make it even more difficult to migrate. My first choice would probably be 8-way Interrupted Sinusoidal, which has very little distortion but there seems to be no way to change where the breaks between segments fall, and the area I want to focus on falls right on the break between two segments.