JMcGuire Posted April 28, 2001 Share Posted April 28, 2001 Here and there I've seen people suggest planning maps on graph paper before firing up the CM editor. This made sense to me, but there was something about it I just didn't like. I think I've found a better answer: Visio. You get essentially all of the benefits of using graph paper, with all of the convenience of using your computer. Visio has a super-awesome free-form curve generator which actually makes nicer looking contour lines than probably most people could draw on paper (and unfortunately, nicer than CM can generate), you can move & rotate things, create layers (I put my contours on a separate layer from the units), label anything, group things together, print it out, use color-coding, etc. Even cooler, if you're doing a historic scenario, just size the image appropriately and load it as the background. You can essentially "trace" your map on top of it. Then hide the background image and print it out. The same goes if you're doing a scenario based on a real location for which you have overhead pix or drawings. Now if the scenarios I created just didn't suck so much in and of themselves... Seriously though, it's a great tool, try it if you have it. Too bad the CM file format isn't documented. Maybe somebody would write an exporter... Anybody want to create a CM symbol library? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berlichtingen Posted April 28, 2001 Share Posted April 28, 2001 The method I use is scan the map I want to reproduce and the (in Photoshop) overlay a CM scale grid over it. Print that out and go to work in the CM editor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted April 29, 2001 Share Posted April 29, 2001 Does anyone use the COCAT system? I D/L it from one of the CM sites. It is really cool! I just wish i could figure out how to make my own maps on it? Does anyone know???? Spike Out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holdit Posted April 29, 2001 Share Posted April 29, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Spike: [QB]Does anyone use the COCAT system? I D/L it from one of the CM sites. It is really cool! I just wish i could figure out how to make my own maps on it? Does anyone know???? [QB]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> What is it and what does it do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holdit Posted April 29, 2001 Share Posted April 29, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Berlichtingen: The method I use is scan the map I want to reproduce and the (in Photoshop) overlay a CM scale grid over it. Print that out and go to work in the CM editor<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I really must get a scanner. I do it the hard way: print the map out and use a pencil and ruler to make the grid. ----------------------------- Combat Mission Map Case [ 04-29-2001: Message edited by: Holdit ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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