Re: CHAT: Constructed maps

Hi, Roger.

First off, business. You want a spinning globe of your conworld? You can
have a spinning globe of your conworld! For this you will need:

- a world map of your conworld, twice as wide as it is deep, showing
everything from pole to pole (and suitably distorted as you move towards
the poles); and
- a copy of the latest stable version of The Gimp (http://www.gimp.org/)
suitable for your computer - I use Linux, so what follows might differ
slightly on other platforms.

1. load your worldmap into Gimp
2. go to Script-Fu > Animators > Spinning Globe
3. select the number of frames you want - the more frames, the better
the animation but the longer it will take to render
4. wait a few minutes (or longer) while the magic happens - your globe
should open in a new window
5. tweak to your satisfaction, and save.

Now to the other questions

I did the map entirely in the Gimp - I redrew everything by hand (using
a graphics tablet). The mountains are rendered. Layers are a godsend, I
tell you.

The numbers are latitude and longitude. The classical lat/long are
followed by the local version in brackets. I do have good reasons for
having a continent that crosses the international date line, but it
would be a long, rambling explanation.

The map did take a long time - about 2 weeks (80 hours or so). But if
you do get time, then I think it would be worthwhile. The web is a good
source of data, if you're willing to dig around a bit.

And many thanks for the response. I'm glad you like it!

Rik

Roger Mills wrote:

> Beautifully done!! Very professional looking. How are you doing this-- by
> hand, computer, other?? I remember the earlier maps too, that were very
> nice.
>
> What is the meaning of the numbers after the degree marks? i.e. "150E
> (10)...160E (20)"
>
> I've tried on occasion to do similar maps by hand of my planet Cindu, but
> between inertia, absent or fading skills and lack of a good cartography text
> (with all the necessary formulae, tables etc.), nothing satisfies me. I
> really want to make a globe, but am not sure how to go about it.
>