World Building and Tracking

**Arimel** · 04-11-2020, 02:12 PM

I was wondering if anyone here knew a good program (and preferably cheap or free) that would help me with a world building project.

Basically, I would like to input an image of a map that I draw. Then, over this image, put points on the map. These points could then be clicked on to show more detailed information about the point in question.

I know that WorldAnvil has a feature that does this but I have found it to be rather clunky to use and the points tend to cover a bit more of the map than would be preferable. I also find the pages to be a bit more difficult to navigate between. This could just be due to it being the free version though.
I also have got a bit more confused than is good in trying to do this by hand, which is why I am looking for alternatives. If anyone here has any ideas please let me know!

**Yrda** · 04-11-2020, 02:29 PM

Mmmmh ... I tried doing something like this with leaflet (open-source JavaScript library) once. But it was rather complicated (scripting instead of just clicking) and not what I'd call a tool where you can simply do what you described.

Maybe https://www.kanka.io can do that?
edit: I checked it out and you can create locations and add maps via location > edit > map. And in the edit view of the map you can add markers where you can link articles you already created.
But I'm not sure if this is more comfortable for you than World Anvil. The platforms seem similar in a way, kanka doesn't seem so well known and might be a cheap copy, but why not try it.

But I'm also interested in this and want to subscribe, if someone else has an idea.

**DrWho42** · 04-11-2020, 03:38 PM

i mostly use pen and paper but i'm definitely following this thread as computer programmes like wikis would help a lot!

**Bindusara** · 04-13-2020, 08:35 AM

Hi

Do you want to do something like that ?
http://bindusara.free.fr/web/mdt-geo...ICIEL=Officiel
The world map is clickable, and go to other html pages

I think the easiest way is to make a basic internet site, with this kind of clickable map (using the MAP html TAG over an image), each click going to a new page as i did on my own site. H

An exemple of map generator, using an image : https://sourceforge.net/projects/imagemapper/
CLick load image
Then for example Rectangle HotSpot
Go to the upper left side of your image : you'll see a square. Move it on your image, resize it in a rectangle shape.
In the bottom you'll see html code :
<html>
<head>
<title>Image Map Sample</title>
</head>
<body>
<map name='map'>
<area shape='rect' coords='418,255,681,311' />
</map>
</body>
</html>

and on the bottom right a window called "Outline". Click on the aera : it's the rectangle you've drawn.
On the upper right, a properties box : the main important thing is the HREF line : it's an html adress that you'll have to enter (the link to the information you want to give on your clicakable map)

At the bottom, it changes the html code :
<html>
<head><title>Image Map Sample</title></head>
<body>
<map name='map'>
<area shape='rect' coords='418,255,681,311' target='my html adress' />
</map>
</body>
</html>

ANd you'll say, what's next? Well : open a notepad, copy past the html code.

Add the green code below

<html>
<head><title>Image Map Sample</title></head>
<body>

<img src="NAME_OF_MY_IMAGE.jpg (or gif or whatever)"
width="600" (optionnal)
height="300" (optionnal)
usemap="#map"
border=0>

<map name='map'>
<area shape='rect' coords='418,255,681,311' HREF='the target html adress (another image for exemple, in the same directory' />
</map>

</body>
</html>

Save in your working directory with HTML extention. Copy your image in the same directory. Copy the image of the HREF property in the same directory.
Open your test file with Firefox, Opera or another internet browser. The image is clickable, you've got a link on it, only on the rectangular part you choose

And what's netx? Do the same for all the clickable area you need on your map : you don't need to do all the clickable parts in one session. If you split your work, do the same with new clickable area, and copy paste only the <area \> in your file, between the <map> .... </map>, adding it to others ones. It will works fine.
Some of your html link will be pages : make some html pages with libreoffice, Office365, or whatever editor you need.
Put the files int he SAME DIRECTORY! If you want some sub-directories, you can. The HREF will be "MY-SUB-DIRECTORY/my_file_name.html"

==> hope it will help. It's not very simple for a beginner. If it doesn't work well, i'll try to help you, don't hesitate asking question. But first try simple!! Just one image, one link. And then try to add a new one!!

it seems that you can do similar work with LibreOffice
See the tutorial on
https://listoffreeware.com/best-free...tware-windows/

**Bindusara** · 04-13-2020, 08:42 AM

add to my previous post :

i found this online site : https://www.image-map.net/
That do the same, but you can make some polygonal areas, that far better. It's seems easier to do the work with that.

**Styescape** · 04-15-2020, 12:41 PM

I know, I recommend it very often these days, but QGIS might be an option

You can have a look into the tutorials, maybe that is, what you're looking for.

**Arimel** · 04-19-2020, 11:58 AM

Thank you for the suggestions everyone!

**BobDaBuilder** · 05-14-2020, 10:51 PM

I'm also after something like this; with an uploaded map, adding points of interest, which gives me more detail about it.

But what I'm also after, if possible, is the ability to add selectable regions (likely with the use of an overlay), with the ability to use different levels (like state levels and province levels), and I can get the details depending on which overlay I'm using.

This last one would be a fantastic bonus, but if I could somehow tie it to a fantasy date system, so I can see the territory changes over a period of time, similar to what EU4 (and also this really cool world map project online that covers historical territory) does.

I'm likely asking too much, but I'm hoping there is something like this that can give me so much control over my maps and just allows me to easily reference material more than any handwritten stuff could ever provide, even if it's just the first two.

**Bindusara** · 05-15-2020, 08:40 AM

For your fist need : you can do that with my solution and some javascript, but as i see it, it's quite complicated for beginner : you have to define a map by level (city/countrie/continent or whatever) and define some buttons to choose the level. When pushing the button, javascript change the "usemap" in
<img src="NAME_OF_MY_IMAGE.jpg (or gif or whatever)"
width="600" (optionnal)
height="300" (optionnal)
usemap="#map"
border=0>

when flying over the different parts, you can have a text that changes depending on where your mouse pointer is on the map

I don't know EU4, but i think what you want to show with a chronological evolution can be made with javascript too : when flying over your chronology, images changes, showing different evolution of your map. Pb : you need as many map as you have evolution in time (lets say X map). Second pb : if you had the Y layers on it for information on city/region/country etc , you'll have to define area maps for each one so X * Y clickable maps ....

**Razgriz05** · 05-30-2020, 10:47 AM

Thanks for the metric ton of recommendations, I've been having trouble with my world as I don't have any "physical" or electronic platform to keep my info in, everything's in my head, and I sometimes get things mixed up due to the amount of "data" I have to keep in mind. I'll be trying some of these sites and hope they'll make my life easier!

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