Map Making

[lion_of_judah]

thanks, appreciate it

[Raindem]

Obviously, I don't check the forum very freqently. I'm available to answer any questions about ODD, but it's probably better to email me directly. I believe the address is in the help file.

As pointed out, there are limits to ODD's accuracy for map making. The larger the map, the bigger the discrpency. I've used it for all of my scenarios and some tweaking is usually in order.

Curt

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

The main advantage that Latlong has over grid overlays is that you are guaranteed to get a sinusoidal projection. With grid overlays you're at the mercy of whatever projection the overlaid map used.

For me, the biggest challenge is that once you've done your grid overlay, you're stuck. You need to refer back to the master map if you want to pull in data from other maps.

With Latlong, you're using a fundamental grid which can apply to any map.

[Lobster]

I don't understand what you are saying.

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: Lobster

I don't understand what you are saying.

The last map I made, I used ODD.

First, I had to get a map of the whole (very large) area at the right projection, with enough detail on it to lay out a framework of features to refer to.

I went on to use other maps for roads, rails, terrain, rainfall, vegetation and airfields. That's at least six other maps, each of which had to be referred back to my original map.

If I'd just used Latlong, I could have taken the co-ords of the airfield and plotted it straight on to the map. No need for "OK, it's about 40km from Harrisburg, so that's almost two hexes and..." forgetting of course I may well have had Harrisburg in the wrong place, because I'd placed THAT based on another map too. By this point, I was wishing I'd started with Latlong.

Every time you add a manual step, you introduce error. Latlong means you have the fewest possible manual steps. It might be easier to make a map with ODD, but the result will not be as good as Latlong.

[Lobster]

You are entirely wrong. I can easily make a map as good as you get with latlong. Furthermore, once that map is done the first time it can be made to any scale per hex with no further work than clicking two buttons. Just because you chose an arduous and complex method to make a map does not mean latlong is easier or better, it just means you made more work to get the map you wanted the way you wanted it. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with getting the results you wanted using a method you were happy with. But that doesn't make latlong the end all of grid laying. It isn't.

Just out of curiosity, what map were you referring to?

Forgot to mention, any military topo map worth it's salt has all of the details you have described already on it except for rainfall of course. It would also have waterway depths, fords, what the waterway bottoms consisted of and a plethora of other details needed by the military. I think the Russians are best at making the most detailed maps. They have mapped the whole planet it would seem.

[golden delicious]

ORIGINAL: Lobster

You are entirely wrong. I can easily make a map as good as you get with latlong. Furthermore, once that map is done the first time it can be made to any scale per hex with no further work than clicking two buttons. Just because you chose an arduous and complex method to make a map does not mean latlong is easier or better, it just means you made more work to get the map you wanted the way you wanted it. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with getting the results you wanted using a method you were happy with. But that doesn't make latlong the end all of grid laying. It isn't.

Perhaps you're some sort of super genius, but I actually find it quite brain-achey to read one map, compare it to a second map, and then overlay the results into a half-finished TOAW map. Even more so when a project is very large and I work on it over a period of several years. I'm confident that I make errors in this process but I'm glad to hear that you don't.

I have on the other hand used Latlong in the past. There's a hurdle to get over to get the thing set up. When you've done that, it becomes a completely straightforward (albeit still time-consuming) task. Off the top of my head, I believe I used Latlong to make the outline map that ultimately got used for USXPat's Europe scenario(s).

Just out of curiosity, what map were you referring to?

This is for my Fall Grau at 25km/hex map.

Forgot to mention, any military topo map worth it's salt has all of the details you have described already on it except for rainfall of course. It would also have waterway depths, fords, what the waterway bottoms consisted of and a plethora of other details needed by the military. I think the Russians are best at making the most detailed maps. They have mapped the whole planet it would seem.

Do they have North America in 1943?

In any case, unless their materials are published, free and online, I don't think this is relevant.

[Lobster]

Ah, yes. They are free online but you wouldn't be interested.