Official ICE Forums

Systems & Settings => Spacemaster => Topic started by: PiXeL01 on May 17, 2007, 01:40:39 AM

Title: Planetary Maps
Post by: PiXeL01 on May 17, 2007, 01:40:39 AM

I was wondering if it was possible to get planatery maps on the planets mentioned in the Datanets. I know Helios isnt needed, but for the other two it could be usefu. Not necessary full blown high detailed maps, but maybe a page with the continent lay out as well as the major cities

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Defendi on May 17, 2007, 03:33:19 AM

ICE doesn't like the maps I do myself and I'm relatively certain that they can't afford to hire an artist.  So I'm guessing the answer is no.  Sorry.

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: munchy on May 17, 2007, 07:39:32 AM

Couldn't you post the maps as inofficial additional material on your homepage for free?  ;D

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Rasyr-Mjolnir on May 17, 2007, 02:55:38 PM

He could upload the unofficial maps in the Downloads section of the forums....  ;D

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Griffonbait on May 18, 2007, 07:26:45 AM

There's bound to be someone out there who loves such programs as Campaign Cartographer who could/would take a crack at a more professionally presented map for you Defendi? ???

BTW, that isn't me as I know not how to use the program.

Cheers,
Griffonbait

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Defendi on May 18, 2007, 07:33:17 AM

Well it's the CC maps they don't like.  :)

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Griffonbait on May 18, 2007, 07:38:18 AM

LOL <cry>

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Rasyr-Mjolnir on May 19, 2007, 08:30:46 AM

Its not that ICE does not like CC maps, its using them in official products that is the issue....

Rob is welcome to upload them to the Downloads area....

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Defendi on May 19, 2007, 09:29:24 AM

Well in THAT case the problem is that they don't actually exist.  Do you mind if they are REALLY rough?

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: PiXeL01 on May 19, 2007, 06:25:25 PM

all I am asking for is continental layout, general geographics and a few major cities ;)

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Defendi on May 19, 2007, 06:50:20 PM

Yes, but what I'm asking is do you mind if they're rough.  :)  What you just described can take 20-40 hours for a single map, or it can take a half hour as a sketch map done by hand and scanned with my scanner.

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: yammahoper on May 19, 2007, 09:34:06 PM

Rough maps should be ok...I thought thats what SM stood for...liking it rough...

 :-X

lynn

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: PiXeL01 on May 19, 2007, 11:22:15 PM

oh sorry, hand drawn are fine :)

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: David Johansen on May 20, 2007, 12:42:40 AM

Are there liscencing issues with CC?

I always use hand drawn, but that is an interesting problem.

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Defendi on May 20, 2007, 03:06:41 AM

No.  CC has issues with their bitmaps, but these are just a distrbution issue.  Any map created with CC is your own creation, just like any story written on a word processor is your own story.  The only things they've said is you can't create a CC2 map that's just a means of distributing their symbols (real maps containing their symbols are fine) and you can't distribute the CC3 bitmaps in any way.  This means that people have to own CC3 to see your maps, but there SHOULD be a viewer coming with encrypted bitmap packs so that you can view and print CC3 maps without owning the program.

Heck, they let me sell symbols to work with their program with little or no hassle at all (and the hassle that's there is COMPLETELY justified, I sought out some of it on my own because I wanted to be above board.)

I'll put the sketch maps on my todo list.  They'll probably only take about an hour, now that I know they don't need to look professional.  :)

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Cormac Doyle on May 20, 2007, 10:03:01 PM

They are in the process of releasing a "viewer" that will enable you to "view" a map without having the symbols ... it's in beta at the moment ... once it's released, a "viewer-compatible" map will be possible ...

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Defendi on May 20, 2007, 11:40:04 PM

Thanks for telling them that.  I'm on the Beta team and I can never remember what's public knowledge and what isn't.

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: markc on May 20, 2007, 11:57:42 PM

 I was looking at AstroSynthsis and Fractal Mapper, do you know anything about them?
 They seam to fit system design really well. I need to create some custome systems with planets in specific places and the program will do all the physics for you. Crank out the months/days night dark cycles ect. But the price is sort of steep for me right now as I just bought PhotoShop CS3.

MDC

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Defendi on May 21, 2007, 12:59:51 AM

I know of it.  It's on my todo list.

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: markc on May 21, 2007, 06:46:22 PM

I was just playing around with the free version of Astrosynthsis 2.0 and it seamed sweet. I know thier will be a bit of a learning curve but it looks good. I think I am going to email the company and see if I can enter the info I need to create a map. I have a very unusual system in mind and I did not see a way to create it when I read the notes.

MDC

Title: Re: Planetary Maps
Post by: Jorik on August 29, 2007, 09:15:32 AM

Where the maps ever uploaded? I couldn't find them in the vault section.

I'm honing my mapping skills with Photoshop and thought of giving it a crack - if anyone wants to give me a map draft and a description of the planet - i can try to map it.

Here's an example of a map im working on (not final):

(http://jorik.50webs.com/images/islands1.jpg)

Roy.

ps

here's a link if the image above doesn't show:
http://jorik.50webs.com/islands.html (http://jorik.50webs.com/islands.html)