CC3: Starting and Scaling

[netgeist]

Hello folks! I'm brand new to CC3 and world mapping. I've gotten the software, followed the tutorials and I'm anxious to start working on my own creations.

There was very little info about scale in the tutorial so I'm not sure how to get started. I'm hoping that if I do a map, I can either:

1) Start with a region (say a continent) and then later easily place it in a global map
2) Start with a global map and then isolate areas to work in as seperate files

First question...does CC3 allow me to do either? Secondly...what's the easier and better way to start?

- netgeist

[NeonKnight]

Hello folks! I'm brand new to CC3 and world mapping. I've gotten the software, followed the tutorials and I'm anxious to start working on my own creations.

There was very little info about scale in the tutorial so I'm not sure how to get started. I'm hoping that if I do a map, I can either:

1) Start with a region (say a continent) and then later easily place it in a global map
2) Start with a global map and then isolate areas to work in as seperate files

First question...does CC3 allow me to do either? Secondly...what's the easier and better way to start?

- netgeist

I would say:

Start with a global map and then isolate areas to work smaller. This is the method I used for me home campaign world of Auren. I strated with the Continent, and then 'zoom' into other areas to work smaller.

CC3 has a means of copying portions to a clipboard that can then be inserted into a new map. Alternately, I often save an image of the area I want to zoom into as a BMP, and then insert the BMP and trce over it to make my maps.

[jaerdaph]

Hi Netgeist, welcome to The Cartographers Guild.

What you are asking, essentially, is should you design your world from the top down (world map to regional maps) or from the bottom up (start with a small region and build from there). It's sort of a question that only you can answer, and in many ways is independent of the software platform (in this case, CC3). Are you planning on using your world in a roleplaying game campaign? If so, what notes do you have already about your campaign? Have you put together a grand scheme of how the world is with notes about all the different locations and places of interest, or is most of your material concentrated around a single area or region (like a city or a valley)? If it's the former, then by all means create the main world map first and then a regional map of the area you plan on starting the campaign in from that. If it's the latter, you might want to start with a small regional area map and perhaps a city or village map, then work from the bottom up as the players explore more of the world and you create more about the world.

Essentially, the answer depends on what you've got and how you want to approach it. The software is just a tool and it will accomodate you either way.

Hope this is helpful.

[netgeist]

I know what you mean, Jaerd, and you're right about the philosophical questions. I posted in software because I'm new to CC3 and don't know how well it supports scaling either way. As a newb, I'd rather take the approach that's easier for a newb!

For example, Neon, when you zoom in to a region, are you just using the zoom tool in the program? Can you then save that zoom as a seperate file so you can 'blow-up' your regions? Does it scale automatically? What do you do about the actual scale symbol on the new blown-up map?

I'm sorry if these questions are rudimentary but I've looked all over and with no manual, it's kind of hard to piece together.

- netgeist

[NeonKnight]

I know what you mean, Jaerd, and you're right about the philosophical questions. I posted in software because I'm new to CC3 and don't know how well it supports scaling either way. As a newb, I'd rather take the approach that's easier for a newb!

For example, Neon, when you zoom in to a region, are you just using the zoom tool in the program? Can you then save that zoom as a seperate file so you can 'blow-up' your regions? Does it scale automatically? What do you do about the actual scale symbol on the new blown-up map?

I'm sorry if these questions are rudimentary but I've looked all over and with no manual, it's kind of hard to piece together.

- netgeist

Not really, no (and not many do).

What I do, is I zoom to an area that I want to make 'BIGGER', and then do the following:

1: Turn my snap on to a known quantity (say a 100 mile snap to make a closer region, or even 50 or 10 mile depending on scale I need).

2: Choose SAVE AS and select rectangular BMP

3: Select the area I want to save as a BMP image.

4: Start a new map, and set my snaps. For ease I then make a colored box the same size as the area I save in Step 3. If I save an area 200 miles by 400 miles I make a 200 Mile x 400 Mile box.

5: Choose DRAW and then INSERT FILE. I paste the BMP image inside the box, and then I start maping from there.

Probably an easier way to do it, but it is the method I have used for going on 5+ years.

[Richardb]

The challenge is inherent in how CAD programs work. Either scaling up, or down, you will have to deal with a few things:
1. YOu will have to explode your poly's, draw in the new contour extensions, and then make sure your new poly's are all properly closed, or else you will get some really crazy things happening as you move around your newly filled objects. Just make sure to properly close your shapes using the trim commands, then multipoly the whole thing.
2. In general, you will have to re-do your text and your symbols to make it look right.

It will be a lot of work. I find that simply saving as a BMP and overlaying it and starting over can be easier at times when going up in size.

I always start from the lowest level of detail (the world map) and work down, it has saved me a lot of time over the years.