New Maps

Post by **Seneca37** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 6:03 pm

I think its about time we updated our maps. The current maps floating around show strange landmasses, which are past or future plans, or are so dark that you can't see anything. I've created a new map using the createmap feature of MW, and all of our latest files.TR_BaseMap_141020.png

I've scaled down the original map from each exterior grid element being 256x256 pixels to 64x64 pixels. This seems to be a reasonable size to work with. The original map went from grid element (-41,29) down to (49,-60). I extended the top portion up (11 grid elements) so that a title could be added. This makes the top left corner of the grid (-41,40). In addition, I made a Simple Map for those occasions where the detailed landscape is not needed.

What I am looking for here are comments on these maps. Is the size ok? Are the colors ok? Any changes you 'd like to see in them? I'd like to get these finalized in the next couple of weeks so that people can start using them.

I also think we should adopt Katze's thoughts, and from now on just make overlays for these maps. This way, when the map gets changed (and it will), all that hopefully will need to be changed is the underlying map. In an effort to help our cartographers, I've made 3 Gimp-python plug-ins to put 1) Text, 2) Icons and 3)Colored regions on the map. They work by reading in text files, and use the map grid system. Here are some of the overlays I've created for my maps. Title Overlay, Grid Overlay, Places Overlay , Fort Overlay , and finally Regions Overlay . These are primarily just tests of my plug-ins, showing what could be done. The grid itself was made in Gimp, the text on the grid was done with my plugin. I like the icons that
[url=http://www.uesp.net/wiki/User:Pardot/Sandbox]Pardot[/url] made for the UESP wiki interactive map. If there are no objections, I'll incorporate all of them into my plug-in.

sasquatch2o · Post by **sasquatch2o** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 6:16 pm

This looks great but I would upload the full resolution version for internal use. Much of the maps utility is the ability to zoom in on detail. The heightmap itself could use more extreme variation IMO and the Thir should be more river like in the future.

Post by **Seneca37** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 6:36 pm

Just so you know - a full size map (with each grid being 256x256) takes a minimum of 1.4GB of memory when working in Gimp. And doing just about anything to the map causes Gimp to crash. (I am working on a Window 7 (64bit) machine with 8GB of Ram).

Yeti · Post by **Yeti** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:57 pm

I hope this doesn't mean Swiftoak has stopped work on his awesome conceptual map, has he? Sure it doesn't line up with our current lands, but I fully think it represents the closest we've come to an idealized map of the province. I think we have room for both it and a working map that shows our lands as they currently are.

Of course, I don't want to suggest your work on this isn't appreciated, seneca.

RyanS · Post by **RyanS** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 12:44 am

Very nice work, Seneca! Everything seems to look great.

I'm sure this map could be used for a range of things that the master map may not contain. (For example, if somebody needs to use an 'in-game' map, rather than a drawn one, this would be the map to use.)

Rats · Post by **Rats** » Thu Oct 23, 2014 10:02 am

Thank you immensely for your effort, seneca! The map is great. Hopefully we'll start utilizing it in our planning and documentation.

Seeing all the place names, I think it'd be a good idea to revive the [url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?t=24579]New Name Dedefecation thread[/url] from its post-summer slumber and come up with a TR 'canon' of what certain names are AND how they're supposed to be spelled. I take a slight issue with some of the settlement names in Uld Vraech, for example.