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A few questions about the map maker

rocketman

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There are a few options I'm not sure about how they work, so any help is appreciated.
  1. When calculating terrain tables, what does the "terrain grid size" do?
  2. What does "bitmaps across" do?
  3. What does "simplify lines/areas" do?
Also, it seems like "toggle control points" doesn't work.
 

Major SNAFU

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Well,

I am a bit rusty on this but here is my understanding:

1) The terrain grid size is a way of controlling how fine the features are on the map. It doesn't change the map size, but is changes how fine the level of detail is on the map. As a microscopist, I would say it increases the resolution of the map/image. This is the one I am least certain about. The other answers below I fell pretty certain are accurate unless there have been major changes for CO2 that invalidate my answers.

2) This refers to if you are using a bitmap underlay for use as a reference when drawing your maps. If the bitmap reference you want to use is too large, then you can use some other, external program, to break it into smaller pieces. Your options are 1 bitmap, 4 bitmaps and 16 bitmaps. i.e. a single file, a 2x2 matrix or a 4x4 matrix. The number is always upper left to lower right.

3) This removes some of the points on the line or area perimeter; as such it tends to smooth the line/area perimeter. Can help simplify the map and also reduce drawing times if there isn't a pre-made cache included with the scenario files.

I cannot replicate your reported issue with the toggle. It works fine for me.

Let's review the steps:

1) Select the multi-segment line tool.
2) Select any one of the road types.
3) Draw your road with X points on it. They should all be squares at this point. These are Corner points.
4) Complete your new road and return to the pointer tool
5) Using the pointer tool, click on the road to bring up the points.
6) using the pointer tool, click on just one of the Corner points.
7) Click on Ctrl+T - The point now will turn into a circle. It is now a Control Point. If it is any point except one of the end points, you will see the line shift way and now be some sort of curve between the point immediately previous and the point immediately following the new Control point (assuming all of the other points are Corner points - if they are also Control points, then the curve will be 'influenced' by the position of the Control points, but will probably not pass through them, unless you have drawn a straight line). You can now alter the shape of the curve by dragging the Control point around.

(Note: As I explain in more detail below - you can also toggle a point to be a Control point as you are laying the points down. The default is Corner points.)

I hope this helps.

SNAFU.

(Edited to clean up some grammar and to add detail and corrections)
 
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rocketman

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Thanks, regarding toggling control/corner points I thought it was used before making objects rather then editing already made objects.
 

Major SNAFU

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Roger that. You can also toggle during the drawing of the road. I omitted this from the above steps because I didn't want my explanation to become too convoluted and difficult to follow.

So let's say you have selected minor road and the line tool.
You click for your first point. It is a Corner point by default. If you now use Ctrl+T and then click to put down the next point, the next point will be a Control point and, unless in a straight line, you will get a curve from the last point to your new point. The next point you lay down with a click will again be a Corner point - unless you again Ctrl+T to toggle it to be a Control point. NOTE: You can also have the first point be a Control point by toggling before the first click - but I am not sure what this would benefit you.

So you can think of it this way. It you pick a road, and then start clicking to lay down points they will all be Corner points. For each point you want to lay down as a Control point, you must first Ctrl+T to toggle the mode and then click to lay down the point.

Usually, I lay down all Corner points, then go back to selectively change the ones I want to be Control points as I feel the need to introduce curves. I find this easier that 'herding cats' on a set of influenced curves right from the get-go.

Regards,

SNAFU
 
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