Map Making - Need thread link

[Harry Tuttle]

A long time ago, in a forum far, far away, there was a thread that was started that explained how to create a Civ2 map by breaking a real world map into segments. I believe this process was used for a Vietnam map and a few others. Does anyone have a link?

[Harry Tuttle]

Also, what projection should I use to get a good accurate map of Europe, Eastern Asia (including most of the Indian subcontinent), and Africa (at least down to the Blue Nile / Kush area)? Mercator is not a favorite due to the Northern hemisphere distortion. I want to match travel times, meaning that I want to get a nice flattened sphere.

[McMonkey]

If it was the method I use I just photocopy the map I want to use, draw a grid on the Civ2 Map editor (using something bright like the glacier terrain) then work out how to draw a corresponding grid on to the photocopy. I then just copy it square by square starting with the coastline, then adding mountains, rivers etc... Finally I get rid of the grid and blur the terrain a bit and I'm done. Pretty simple really, just takes a lot of patience. Hope that helps.

[Harry Tuttle]

Thanks! That was what I was thinking of.

[McMonkey]

My method isn't very high tech but the results look good. I'm not sure how accurate they will be with regards to distances from N-S and E-W though.

[Harry Tuttle]

I'm sure it depends on the map being copied.

[McMonkey]

Haven't the distances got something to do with the Civ2 squares so that it is quicker to move N to S than it is E-W (or vices versus)? I remember reading about it in a thread once. If this is the cast then a really accurate map may look pretty weird if the map you were copying from was a more accurate projection and you also had to stretch its length or height!

[Harry Tuttle]

Well, yes, an accurate map will look squashed when converted seeing as the civ2 tiles are basically squares set at an angle. I'd rather the map look a little odd rather than the player not be able to traverse the map similar to real life.

Not that accuracy is everthing though. I just want to mirror travel time for what I'm doing.

[techumseh]

The diamond shaped tiles are twice as wide as they are high. So when you make your "square" grid, you must count 10 up and 10 across. So each "square" in your grid looks twice as wide as it is high on the main map view, although movement-wise, it is the same. However, in the upper right corner, the "World View" shows it as it really is.

[McMonkey]

I think that's what I do. I can't quite remember right now. However I do it the map looks spot on when looking at the radar view and pretty good when zoomed out on the main map. I tend to work it out again each time I make a map using my fingers as a calculator and if it gets really tricky I take my socks off and use my toes too!