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Re: [CC-L] fractalising
Date: 10/19/99 3:11:30 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Simon Rogers
From the archives:
This is one way:
> 1) Start a path exactly on the map border (use the ON modifier)
> 2) Click a few points then finish ON another map border.
> 3) Fractalise the shape.
> 4) Select the Edit icon, select Closed.
> (If you are at a corner, you will also need to do the following)
> 5) Select the Insert Node icon. Choose a point on the long segment of the polygon.
> 6) Select the Endpoint modifier.
> 7) Select near the corner of the map.>
From: Phil O'Neill
I have drawn a basic coastline that meets the map border with the "on" command so that effectively I get a nice closed polygon with 3 straight sides and one wiggly one (the coastline) so that I can fill it with my ground colour.
Problem is, when I fractalise the coastline, the entire thing goes wavy, including the 3 straight sides!
Is there any way I can:
1) Draw the coast to fit the borders, AND
2) Fill the internal area with my ground colour, AND
3) Fractalise the "wiggly" side that forms the coastline?
From: Ian R Malcomson
Yep. Try this:
1. Draw the straight edges using a single path.
2. Draw the coastline (the bit that's going to be wiggly) as a path, using the ENDPOINT modifiers to start and end it at the endpoints of the path drawn in (1). You may need to hide or freeze your border to do this.
3. Frac the coastline.
4. Use the combine command ("CMB") to connect the wiggly coastline to the straight bits. You may need to use the "F" and "S" keys during the command to get rid of spurious connection lines.
5. EDIT the resultant single path. Check the "Closed" box.
From: Fredrik.Stahlbrandt@cvsi.se (Fredrik Ståhlbrandt)
Try this:
1: Draw the coastline as path or smooth path selecting a start and finish point on the border via the ON button
2: Fractalize the coastline
3: Draw the straight path from one ENDPOINT of the coastline via border corner ENDPOINT to the other ENDPOINT of the coastline
4: Select the settings you wish to have on the filled land, such as color and fill style.
5: Click the multipoly icon and select both the coastline and the straight path, multipoly them. Done.
[CC-L] RE: A simple question, I hope
Date: 10/19/99 4:28:29 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
1) Start your map based on the 10000 x 8000 template & set the TEMPORARY layer as the current layer & the color to black.
2) Turn SNAP & CSRSNAP on (these buttons are on when they are depressed & are located at the bottom of the screen)
3) Turn the GRID button on, right click on it & select 500 mile, 1 snap
4) Using PATH & the MIDPOINT modifier, click on the top border of the map & draw a straight line down to the bottom of the map. To use the MIDPOINT modifier - choose PATH>MIDPOINT> then click on the border
5) Do exactly the same thing, drawing a path from the left side of the map to the right side.
6) Now HIDE ALL layers, change the color to red & using BOX, start where the lines cross (in the middle) & draw 4 boxes. Use the lines as guides. We want to make 4 boxes of equal size. Check the size of one of the boxes (Info>Distance) & make sure it is 5000 x 4000
7) Ok - now change the color to black again & subdivide each of the boxes using steps 4 & 5 in each red box.
8) Change your color to Blue & using Box draw 4 blue boxes in each red box. Check the size of the blue boxes, it should be 2500 x 2000.
9) ERASE> click somewhere on the screen & then choose Color (from the list)>Black>Do it.
Now change to the COAST/SEA layer & Show All/Freeze All. At this point you might want the Grid, Snap & CsrSnap turned off.
Start drawing your map borders using PATH. When you get to a Blue line or a Red line, end your path (use the ON modifier to get the path right on the line), to continue start a new PATH (attach it to the other path using the ENDPOINT modifier) By stopping each path at the Red & Blue lines you will make it very easy to extract these parts of the map later.
After you've done your coastline it is time to start adding in the landmass polys - for example the forest contour polys, the mineral/mountain polys, the swamp & marsh poly, etc. Switch to the appropriate layer, choose your color & Freeze All other layers.
For contours that cross Red & Blue lines:
Use POLY & start to draw the contour - as you approach the Red or Blue line, use the ON modifier to get the poly to attach to the line, then use ON again to attach the next point on the line. You only want these 2 points on the line. Now finish up this part of the poly. It would look a little like this:
____ | line
\|
poly |
|
/|
¯¯¯ |
To complete the contour (on the other side of the line), choose POLY & use the ENDPOINT modifier, attach this to the poly you just drew, attach both points using the ENDPOINT modifier & then finish up drawing the rest of the poly.
Do this for every poly that crosses a red or blue line.
Now finish up your map, add the symbols, rivers & roads (start & stop them on the lines), add your text. When you are ready to extract sections, just show the temporary layer & Clipboard>Copy & select the entities in one of the boxes & paste into an appropriate sized template.
It may not really be worth the extra effort to use this method for making even smaller divisions, but you could if you wanted to.
> From: <Radeark>
> > Here is what I want:
> > I want to draw a main world map on the 10000x8000 template. Then I want it to be easily subdivided into smaller maps. Maybe each map will break down into 4 5000x4000 or something like that. Then each 5000x4000 will break into 4 2500x2000 maps etc... How can this best be done?>
RE: [CC-L] problem with dd2 symbols
Date: 10/19/99 5:48:39 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
Make sure you only explode the geomorph symbols.
2.28 Dungeon geomorphs do not display correctly
-------------------------------------------------------
Problem
When inserting geomorph symbols the walls do not scale correctly & are too wide.
Solution
Due to the program improvements geomorphs no longer work exactly as originally specified. When you scale them, the width of the walls also scales. To deal with this:
When you are finished inserting the symbols -Explode all the geomorphs and select Edit > Change Line Width, select by layer Walls, Do it, then select a new line width.
> From: jbs
> >The reason the lines get bigger when you resize the geomorph is that the ability to rescale line width was a new feature of version 6.0. Profantasy figured the new feature was important enough that they would sacrifice the scalable geomorphs.> >
> >To work around, go ahead and place the geomorphs with the wide lines. When you are done, then just select the symbols, explode them and change line width. (You can't use the change line width on a symbol unless you explode it).> >
> When I do this the floor disappears.
Re: [CC-L] Slow Symbol Placement
Date: 10/25/99 7:02:06 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Simon Rogers
Right click and turn off smart symbol cursors.
From: Jay
> I just got v.6.0 and CD2 and when I try and insert a symbol, the symbol outline is so choppy as it moves about that placing it accurately is extremely difficult! >
Re: [CC-L] A CD2 random street question.
Date: 10/28/99 2:21:23 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Simon Rogers
> Random Streets
> From what I can see in the manual the random street is always plain lines, no curves allowed? Are there collision detection somewhere, so if I made to crossing streets, houses wouldn't overlap? (Not a big deal, really.)>
If you don't select an entity, the street builder will create a straight street in any direction. If you select an entity (straight or curved), the street will follow the curve. Collision detection, whilst possible, would have doubled the large amount of code written for the Street and slowed it down. It's trivially easy to erase extra houses, as they are all grouped.
Re: [CC-L] First city map with CD2
Date: 10/29/99 2:18:07 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Simon Rogers
Good work. Notice that Ralf has already put buildings on the correct layers and use Color Buildings to show the demographics. Choose City > Layers > All Buildings with Color to see this. The color scheme is a combination of FR Atlas (City background, roads and city walls) and the CC2 one (greens, blues) Other nice touches include the contour outlining round the keep (it crosses over into the brown area) All we need now is a height key!
RE: [CC-L] Campaign Mapper
Date: 11/2/99 4:35:39 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
Please do not attempt this unless you have a good backup copy of your registry & you are sure you want to substitute CC2 for CM. It MUST be version6 of CC2 if you have the FR Atlas. We are not responsible if you mess up your registry - please be careful.
Danger!! Is your registry backed up?
****************************************************************************
Launch REGEDIT
1) Edit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/EvolutionComputing/CampaignMapper/AppPath. Change this to be your CC2 path (e.g. c:\cc2)
2) Edit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/EvolutionComputing/Campaign Mapper/AppName.
Change this to fcw32.exe
****************************************************************************
When you've changed the registry entries, cut and paste these into (at the bottom) of your fcw32.mac file (open fcw32.mac in Notepad or Wordpad) Fcw32.mac must be saved as a plain text file.
MACRO LINKE
SENDM 1 Encounter
ENDM
MACRO RCV101
GL data ECON RDON SENDM 2
APND data
APND data rcvdata
APND data;
ACTIONM data
ENDM
To link to a Core Rules encounter, simply type LINKE at the command prompt. You can also add the command to the menu by editing fcw32.mnu (open in
Notepad) and adding the line:
Link with &Encounter:|LINKE;
RE: [CC-L] Trying to make a smaller map from a big one
Date: 11/2/99 5:40:55 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
When you do ctrl C you still need to select the area you want copied. So - ctrl C & then right click on an blank area of the map to get the selection method & then make the selection.
After you make the selection, right click to accept the default (look at the command line near the bottom of the screen), then open a paint program & paste.
Edit > Clipboard > Options has some resolution options for you to set up.
> From: Radeark
> I have made a 10000x8000 campaign map. I am trying to cut a piece out of it and create a smaller map. I cannot seem to cut out a piece of it using cntrl c? Can someone give me detailed instructions on how to cut pieces out of a map and create a new map from them>
From: pjlareau@visi.com (Paul J. Lareau)
(1) Choose the area you want to appear on the smaller map.
(2) Measure its dimensions using info/distance.
(3) Choose a smaller template in which it would fit.
(4) Use clipboard (cntl-c) to select all objects that are even slightly included within the area you wish to copy to the other map.
(5) Choose a point on the picture that you want to appear in the center of the new map.
(6) Load the smaller template as the template.
(7) Open a new map based on that template.
(8) Copy from clipboard (cntl-v) placing the copy at the center of the new frame.
(9) Move the frame to the front.
(10) Trim all the entities at the frame, using the techniques on p123 of the new CC2 manual.
RE: [CC-L] Curiosity could kill a cat...
Date: 11/2/99 11:18:32 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
To attach one entity exactly to another - the easiest way to do this is the use straight paths/polys (if they are polys temporarily make them hollow) & using Attach mode (bottom right corner) right click on Attach mode & chose Nearest ENDPOINT. Guess what? This is a continuous ENDPOINT modifier – it will attach to the endpoints until you turn it off :) Sure saves a lot of extra click when you are doing the kind of task you've mentioned. OK – once Attach mode is on, zoom in quite close to the poly you want to attach to & just choose path or poly & start clicking along the existing path. If you miss don't worry too much as you can go back later & use dynedit to adjust the stray nodes.
From: Simon Rogers
This perhaps more difficult than it needs to be, but here's one suggestion:
1. Copy the coastline you want to abutt off the map somewhere.
2. Break it so that only the shared section is left. If you have trouble, use "SPLIT" twice then erase the extra bit.
3. Start a new path, select the ENDPOINT modifer, zoom into one end of the remaining section then select near the end of the segment.
4. Draw the rest of the shape until you approach the other end of the path. Select endpoint, then the other end.
5. Use Combine to make this into a single path, the EDIT to close it, or else select MULTIPOLY and select both sections.
[CC-L] Weld/Join/group
Date: 11/3/99 3:49:17 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
CC2 also has a group command - it groups several entities together so you can move them around as a single entity but otherwise not change their properties. This is really handy for when you've got a certain mountain range just perfect & you want to move on to something else. If you group the mountain range you can't accidentally disturb it. For example when you insert symbols they are assigned a color (the current color) so lets say you make part of your mountain range with the current color being black. Now you save the map & tomorrow you work on it again but you have change the current color to yellow. OK - now you work on the mountains some more & later - in a different area - you decide you don't like that yellow poly you drew – so you just delete the color yellow (you delete by Color) - yikes - half of your mountains also get deleted! There are 2 ways to handle this - group the mountains or when you delete by color use Delete > Color > NOT > Symbol reference.
RE: [CC-L] v6 problems?
Date: 11/7/99 6:33:04 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
The Symbols Fills are made up of 2 parts. In the top section of the Symbol Fill Dialog Box we have the Fill Style's name & in the bottom section is the Symbol that name is linked to.
To rename a Symbol Fill - choose the name you want to change in the upper box & make sure that the associated Symbol shows up in the bottom box (if it's blank - choose the correct Symbol from the drop-down list). Now Choose rename & a box will pop up for you to rename it. Now Save the map
Now choose your new name & in the bottom section modify the setting you want & then Save the map again.
The clipboard/copy thing. To copy within the same drawing you do not need to use the clipboard - just use copy. You would choose Copy & then select the entity & then when it says Copy from point type 0,0. Now it says place - just type in 0,0 & then Front by Prior. Copy places the copy behind the original.
The 0,0 is the coordinate for the starting point of the map. You can change the origin View > Move Origin & then just click the lower left corner of your map or area you are working on.
Re: [CC-L] Replacing symbols
Date: 11/7/99 7:22:51 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Ian R Malcomson
>What is the easiest way to replace a symbol (say "Tree 1") by another ("Tree 2") in maintaining the exact location, scaling, redraw order, etc. ?
In v6:
Place the new symbol somewhere in your drawing, then delete it. This ensures that the new symbol is stored in the symdef of your drawing.
Go: Symbol -> Rename -> select the symbol you wish to replace -> select the new symbol you've just inserted. Hit "OK" and all that as necessary.
The old symbols should now be replaced with the new.
The downside to this is that if you try and insert an instance of the old symbol into the drawing, CC2 will actually use the new symbol instead.
RE: [CC-L] Some questions. CD2 and CC2 mostly.
Date: 11/8/99 5:52:13 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: William Wire
In CC2, you CAN draw a polygon defining the area you want "filled" and use what's called a SYMBOL FILL for it's fill style. This will fill in a large area with trees for example. Personally, I prefer to place each tree symbol by hand for a more "random" look to it since symbol fills are very regular. All the trees will line up perfectly like in an orchard. However, it's just a matter of taste really.
RE: [CC-L] FAQ Me -- Trim to Entity
Date: 11/9/99 3:04:03 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
This happens to me every once in a while, too. Try deleting a node from the poly on the side you want to discard & then Trim to entity again & see if that works. If not then break the poly quite close to the purple box & Dynedit the last segment & use the "ON" modifier & place it on the border. there's no need to redraw it.
> From: Michel Vaillancourt
> Using CC2 v5.2. Copied several closed, filled polys (contours) from my top-level Eurania map to a smaller 500x400mi template to create a regional map of the initial area the players will be in when I start the campaign. EDITed each and unchecked "Closed". Drew a bright purple box on the same layer and then tried to "Trim to Entity" where the box was the edge of the map.
I can select a contour poly to trim, but nothing seems to happen>
RE: [CC-L] remembering the layers
Date: 11/9/99 6:39:28 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
If you use KEEP on entities already added to the map KEEP will automatically change the layer, color, line styles, etc. for you for you :)
After you just start the map (or get your layers corrected) & you need to use the same color or you want the same layers - just click on KEEP & select an entity that is already that color or layer.
RE: [CC-L] Leaking Multipolies
Date: 11/10/99 7:13:25 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: William Wire
To fix leaking multipoly’s, the best advice I have is to draw a box around the "vertex" of any leak artifacts. Then explode the MP. Zoom in on each of your boxes. They should be zoomed in on the endpoints of two segments. Zoom WAY in on the junction and look for gaps & overlaps. Sometimes, even if I don't see one, I'll Edit Node and use the ENDPOINT modifier anyway just to make sure. One think to keep in mind, you may have duplicate segments. You can check for these using List, or any other command where you select entities (such as change color) will list (2 entities selected). If 2 isn't what you expect, you have a duplicate you'll need to rid yourself of.
One thing to take note of: It doesn't matter how many nodes your segments have. You're only checking the endpoints. What's important is how many segments your MP is constructed of.
[cc2-l] Re: CC2 Options
Date: 11/11/99 4:18:43 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Simon Rogers
From: Bill Howard
>>1) Can I agree that the Smart Symbols are incredibly useful 10% of the time they are also "a pain" the other 90% when I want to control symbol placement. It would be useful to be able to toggle Smart-Symbol mode on and off.>>
You can do this from the symbols dialog box, although the setting is not stored in the registry. Choose a symbol, select "Disable Smart Sym". If you want to turn Smart Tracking off (where the cursor flips to align with entities, uncheck Smart Tracking as well. This becomes slow in very large drawings.
>>2) I too have trouble with symbol fills. I don't get the crashes but it seems a process of trial (and lots of error) before I can get the scaling right. As an error can leave me helpless as the screen takes 15 mins to fill with the hopelessly wrong scaling, I fume and think that there must be a better way. Is there?>>
If you use symbols that are the same size as existing symbols and start by using fill style scale that is about the same as all the others, this shouldn't be a problem.
[cc2-l] Re: CD2 Question
Date: 11/14/99 4:43:28 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Holger Poschpich
City Walls
How to draw city walls
1) Set fill style to Solid, layer to Walls. Freeze all other layers.
2) To draw the wall, set the color to 14,choose a suitable line width (like 20) then start a Path.
3) Draw the path, following the walls. If there is a break, start a new path.
4) When you have finished, copy the path from 0,0 to 0,0 (type these at the From: and To: points)
5) Change color, select Prior, Do it, select color 16.
6) Change line width, Prior, to a smaller width than the current width (e.g. 12' on a 20' wall)
7) Copy both the color 14 and color 16 paths from 0,0 to 0,0
8) Change color, Prior, Do it to 0 (black).
9) Change fill style, Prior Do it to Hollow.
How to draw circular towers
1) Set the layer to Walls, fill style Solid, line width 0, color 14.
2) Draw a circle somewhere off the map.
3) Set the color to 16, put snap on.
4) Draw a circle. Press the right button to accept the previous center.
5) Give the new circle a smaller radius than the first.
6) Copy both circles from 0,0 to 0,0.
7) Change the color and fill style of the copies to black (0) and Hollow, respectively.
8) Copy the tower from the center of the circle to the endpoints of the path that forms the walls. Use the Endpoint modifier, or set Attach Mode to Endpoint.
[cc2-l] Re: Reversing a Symbol
Date: 11/16/99 3:06:42 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Simon Rogers
Yes. There are two ways.
1. Mirror the symbol
2. Replace the symbol, putting in an X scale of -1 and a y scale of 1.
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
> Is there a way to reverse the physical orientation of the symbol once it's placed on the map?>
[cc2-l] First regional level map on site
Date: 11/17/99 9:52:48 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Michel Vaillancourt
I created a layer called "screen" and FRONTed it. I then drew a BOX the same size as the map border and a poly around the outside of the Kingdom. I then MPOLY2'd the two together. I changed the fill-style to .25 Right Diagonal, spacing of 3, color grey. I then FRONTed the couple of things I wanted "unscreened" such as the map name and the key for the trade routes. It looks worse in JPG than on screen or printed.
The URL is
"http://www.atlantic-online.ns.ca/adnd_eurania/index.html". This is my first "regional level" map, and I'd like some constructive comments on style and layout.
Incidentally, the problem I was having in v5,2 with "Trim to Entity" seems to have disappeared with the upgrade to v6.033. That and I *really* like the FRX command... I just have to remember to use it *before* using "trim to entity", since FRX seems to randomly add length to paths as part of the process. I wind up having to TRIME it all over again.
[cc2-l] Re: Macros and a Wish List
Date: 11/18/99 2:07:09 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
MACRO SHOW123
HIDEA
SHOW 1
SHOW 2
SHOW 3
ENDM
You can make as many of these macros as you want - substitute the layer names for the 1, 2 & 3. Alternatively:
The following Macro is a toggle that will hide all layers except the Symbols definition & current layer. it can be modified to Hide & show different layers based on what you need.
MACRO HIDETOG
APND hstime -1
GV hstime hstime
IFZ hstime+1 hsfirsttime
IFZ hst 1hidetog
GV HST 0
SHOWA
GO ehidetog
:1hidetog
GV HST 1
HIDEA
SHOW SYMBOL DEFINITION
:hsfirsttime
GV hsftime hsftime-1
GL HST 1
HIDEA
SHOW SYMBOL DEFINITION
:ehidetog
ENDM
> From: Greegan
> Would there possibly be macros to command the Utility (beit CC2 or CM etc) to command only 2 or 3 out of, say for example, 6 layers? One macro would show layers 1,2 and 3 and the next 4,5, and 6 and another 1,4,6? I would be very interested in this.>
Re: Another Hotspot Question
Date: 11/24/99 5:51:29 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Mark Fulford
To edit hotspots:
1. Select Show Hotspots from the Info menu
2. Click Edit then select the box (not the text) of the hotspot.
No shape other than rectangular hotspots is possible.
Re: City Walls...
From: Linda Kekumu
version 6 uses COP (dynamic Copy) & I was using COPY when I work those instructions. The difference? COP places the copy under the existing entity & COPY places it on top!
> It seems to be that either CC2 is putting the copy BEHIND the original, OR that when I use Select by Prior I am actually selecting the original line. It has always been my understanding that CC2 puts the last object you created on top - and that's why this behavior is puzzling me.>
[cc2-l] 6.034 Upgrade temp fix
From: Linda Kekumu
Wherever the command GOLAYER appears in a macro, move it to the first line of the macro. For example:
MACRO MI
CATALOG #Symbols\Maps\Filled\Mountains.fsc
GOLAYER MINERALS/MOUNTAINS
FSTYLE Solid
LSTYLE Minerals
COLOR 14
ENDM
becomes
MACRO MI
GOLAYER MINERALS/MOUNTAINS
CATALOG #Symbols\Maps\Filled\Mountains.fsc
FSTYLE Solid
LSTYLE Minerals
COLOR 14
ENDM
Subj: [cc2-l] Re: 6.034 Upgrade and a question.
From: Christof Wuttke
Reply-to: cc2-l@egroups.com
From: Brian Leybourne
> Assuming I start with a 'sea' template, I can draw in land, but if I want land that borders the border, I start to draw on the coast/sea layer, go from one point on the border, to the top corner, to the other top corner, to another point on the border, and then start to move across the page towards the first point (all as per in the manual). When I finish, I have a nice land above - sea below look etc, very nice, but if I try to fractalise the land-meets-sea-edge across the page, it will also fractalise the edges that travel up the sides and across the top. How can I get around this?
Two possibilities: Either just delete the nodes fractalising adds to the edges on the map border. Or as described in the manual (mine at least ;-) ): Use two paths, one for the coast one for the edges on the mapborder, fit them together using the Endpoint modifier. Fractalise the coast line only. After it fits your taste make a poly out of the two paths either by using Multipoly or Combine (you'll have to use Edit on the combined line to close the poly). The latter method makes the poly more efficient (especially the redraws on maps with many multipolys will become slower) but cannot be used if you used a smooth path for your coastline.
[cc2-l] Re: OK, please explain how I do this...
From: Ian R Malcomson
>Anyhow! I want to copy the portion showing Tuern/Uttersea and then connect it to the main map as a 'hot spot'. I've read the book and tried to understand how to do so, but it makes no sense.>
From the map showing Uttersea: Edit -> Clipboard -> Copy, select the island entities you wish, then "Do It". Choose a good spot for the origin of the copied entities (suggestion: the centre of the island).
Select a CC2 template that closely matches the size of the island. Once the template has been selected, File -> New.
Edit -> Clipboard -> Paste, and save the new map.
To link the main map to the new map, open the main map. Make the "Map Links" layer current, then select Info -> Link With Map. Draw the link box around the island.
[cc2-l] Re: Paths to Splines (and Polygons)
From: Ian R Malcomson
To turn a path into a smooth path (a spline):
Hit the "Edit" button, select the path, select "Cubic B-Spline" from the smoothing drop-down list, and press OK.
To turn a polygon into a smooth polygon:
Follow the same procedure as above.
To turn a series of paths into a smooth polygon:
Use the "CMB" (combine) command to join the paths together. Once the paths are all connected into a single path, use the Edit button to get the dialog as used above. Check the "Closed" box, and select "Cubic B- Spline" as above.
[cc2-l] Re: Making Templates of Specific Sizes
Date: 11/29/99 5:56:22 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Ian R Malcomson
> I need a map template that is roughly 4500 mi. x 3500 mi. and I'm not quite sure how to go about setting this up.
Create a new map using the template closest to the one you wish to create, and delete the entities it contains. Draw a rectangle, but instead of using the mouse to enter the coordinates of the corners, type them manually:
When prompted for the lower-left corner, type "0,0" and press enter When prompted for the upper-right corner, type "4500,3500" and press enter
Finally, you may need to mess around with the scaling of symbol that have been scaled to match the template. The easiest way to get these ball-park right is to divide the area of the new template (in your example case, this is 15750000) by the area of the template you're using as a base. Apply the resultant value as a multiplier directly to the end of the symbol spacing and scale entries in the symbol fill style dialog (e.g., if the calculated value comes out as 1.56, and a symbol fill currently has x & y spacing values of 40 and scales of 18, then the entries would look like this:
40*1.56
40*1.56
18*1.56
18*1.56
...before you press "OK" to get CC2 to calculate the new values and store the results).
It isn't a good idea to scale the various grid symbol fills, though.
You may find other issues you need to consider, such as symbol scaling (the values listed in the text box of a template). These can generally be found by experimentation.
Once you've done, select "File->Save As", and choose "Campaign Cartographer FCT template" for the file type.
[cc2-l] Re: Paths to Splines (and Polygons)
Date: 11/29/99 7:44:36 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: AJM
To turn a path into a smooth path, select the Edit button and then select the path. The Edit 2D Path dialog should appear. Under the Smoothing pulldown, it should currently say No Smoothing since you are dealing with a normal (i.e. jagged) path. Select the pulldown and choose one of the two smoothing options (you can always try/undo each method to see what looks best). If you select OK at this point and re-Edit the object, you will now see the dialog has a title of Edit 2D Spline since it is now smoothed. To change the spline into a polygon, simply select the Closed check box under the Options group (directly under the Smoothing pulldown). If you re-Edit the object now, the dialog title will be Edit 2D Smooth Polygon.
Of course you can do both smooting and closing in one step or do just one. For instance, if you want to change a path into a polygon without doing any smoothing, just Edit the path and only select Closed. You will now have a 2D (nonsmoothed) polygon.
Watch your fill style - if you have solid fill (or some other fill for that matter) defined when you close a path, the entity will get filled with that fill type - obviously make the fill style hollow to avoid this.
[cc2-l] Re: Forgotten Realms Atlas Symbol Fills
Date: 11/29/99 11:44:28 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
Open up the Waterdeep map & choose Dirt as the fill style. make a box & then copy that to the clipboard. Now open the map or template you want to add it to & paste it in. Save.
> From: Roger Nicholls [mailto:roger.nicholls@LineOne.net]
> On the FRA there is a symbol fill used in Waterdeep called Dirt. I can find Dust on Campaign Cartographer but I cant find Dirt.>
[cc2-l] Re: Text Labels
Date: 12/1/99 3:15:44 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
Close - Copy your text to a different layer (Copt to Layer) then Change text > prior & choose the Outline Only option at the bottom of the dialog box. Now Change color >Prior & pick a different color & finally front the regular text (not the outline)
> From: Philip Hendry
> > Version 6 has a way to outline the text in a different color - it works great & since your version 6 is on it's way >
[cc2-l] Re: Layers Problem
Date: 12/1/99 1:17:56 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
File: hstog.bmp (246 bytes)
I posted a macro that does exactly that. It is a toggle button macro, so you need to add a Toggle button to your menu & there are instructions for doing that either in the help file or at the Tips & trick http://www.profantasy.com/tips1298.html
All you need is the bitmap & because it is very tiny, I have attached it for you :)
From Richard A. Hunt:
> > Essentially, if I hide the SYMBOL DEFINITION layer the mountains, hills, cities, and vegetation symbols all vanish even though they are not on that layer.>
> From: Andy Staples
> I'd almost reached the point of suggesting a "Hide All but Current and SymDef" button on the layer dialogue box.>
[cc2-l] Re: Endpoint modifier
Date: 12/2/99 7:25:23 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Simon Rogers
You can attach coastlines to borders using ON, hide the MAP BORDERS layer in mid-command, then use endpoint. You can also EDIT a path that touches a single border at two points, close it, and you have a solid landmass.
[cc2-l] Re: City Designer
Date: 12/3/99 5:37:49 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Ian R Malcomson
>Can you make circular buildings (ie round towers) in the House command in CD2?
No, but you can draw them manually quite effectively using a circle and a wedge (Draw->Arc->Wedge). I believe there was some problem with circular buildings and the advanced features the House command in CD2 offers.
>Also, in the House command. I used to be able to do flat roofs with the edge around them with the flat roof type. But now, they look all screwed up compared with the way they looked with the prerelease version of CD2 I used while working on the FR atlas. Anybody know how to get the flat roof to work with out all the weird ridges etc.
Play with the house settings (from the House dialog, press the House Settings button). In there, you can set hatching on or off, ridges on or off, and the width of the "outside bit" of flat-roofed buildings, among other things.
[cc2-l] Re: Symbol creation 2
Date: 12/7/99 5:02:08 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Linda Kekumu
Yes - symbols require an uneven number of outline entities in order to be visible when dragged.
The Symbols Definition layer & symbols. CC2 stores the definitions on the Sym Def layer & then references the definition to make copies of all of the additional symbols. You "can" make symbols on any layer you want to but, the symbol will not display correctly unless that layer is visible.
For example - you make a symbol that has 3 different layers - Walls, Walls1 & Walls2. If you decide to hide the Walls2 layer that part of the Symbol will also be hidden. This can be useful for some symbols like traps or for the city symbols where there is a demographics layer but as a general rule it is easier to remember that that the Symbol Definition layer must not be hidden rather than whatever various layers you have chosen.
Only the first set of control points works in a symbol - additional control points are ignored. That is why with the chimneys for example we have some horizontal & some vertical ones
[cc2-l] Re: Text problem
Date: 12/7/99 8:01:33 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Ian R Malcomson
>It seems that any time I rotate text away from the horizontal, when I click the left mouse button to place the text, it disappears. This does not happen when text is scaled up or down.>
It should be working okay. Try both rotating the text using the properties of the text entity (either click on the "Properties" button and set the angle before placing the text, or use the CHANGE TEXT PROPERTIES button to alter the angle for a piece of text already placed), and using the dynamic rotation functionality (hold down SHIFT and CTRL when you have a text entity "picked up", and move the mouse to rotate it).
If the text does not appear, try selecting it "by window" (drag a selection box around the area you believe the text to be in) using a "move" or "erase" function, then look at the command line to see if CC2 is registering anything being selected. If it is, you may have either changed the size of the text (so it is too small to see).
Try using the "Zoom Text" command (type "ZTEXT", press enter, type the text you wish to zoom to, press enter), and see if CC2 zooms into the entity you cannot find.
From: Linda Kekumu
You need to right click on the text to place it. When you left click it brings up the bearing or something & then if you cancel the text seems to disappear.
[cc2-l] Re: Random award
Date: 12/8/99 5:06:24 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: Ian R Malcomson
I designed a macro that places the current symbol at a random angle.
1. Choose a symbol. Cancel it.
2. Type RSYM and press ENTER
3. Place the symbols.
4. Right click to finish.
As an additional piece of functionality that's in there by accident:
3a. If you want a new symbol mid-flight, do not right-click to cancel the RSYM process, but select the new symbol, right-click to get the symbol properties dialog, then press the "Finish" button. The RSYM command picks up where it left off with the new symbol.
Blindingly good macro is this for drawing ruins and trashed rooms.
[cc2-l] Re: OK....
Date: 12/8/99 5:19:11 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Ian R Malcomson
However, to add an outline to a solid-fill text entity:
* Copy -> Copy To Layer -> select the text -> Do It -> choose a relevant "Text Outline" layer
* Change colour -> Prior -> select desired outline colour (white?)
* Change Text Properties -> Prior -> check the "Outline Only" box
* Bring to front -> select the original text entity (use NOT->layer-> relevant text outline layer to deselect outline)
To add a solid fill to an outline only text entity:
* Copy to layer -> select text outline -> Do It -> choose a relevant non-outline text layer
* Change colour -> Prior -> select desired colour
* Change Text Properties -> Prior -> uncheck the "Outline Only" box
From: Linda Kekumu
I always front the solid text & leave the outline in the back - it seems to look better that way.