Help Needed

[pengod]

Hi guys, I'm giving CC3 a chance. Has anyone seen, or can anyone help with a tutorial on sheet effects. I've used CAD based software previously so I can follow how things work b ut the results I'm getting are so dramaticall different that I must be doing something wrong.

In principle I'm just trying to 'blur' layers into one another so I get a gradient effect.

Thanks for the advice I'm sure to get.

[waldronate]

If I recall CC3 just composites the sheets one on top of another. It draw the background, then composites the first sheet onto that and then the next and so on.

Sheet effects take place after rasterizing the layer if that helps.

The blur will blur the whole area including the edges of the sheet entities. If you just want the edges to fade out there's an edge fade operation.

[Noon]

I'll try to answer, although I speak very little English.

Indeed, the effects can produce beautiful maps in CC3 (you'll find some examples in my albums )

I have no tutorial, but I advise you to use the templates provided with the software, which still contain some effects. It enables you already see what you can do.

The effects principle is as follows:

It is possible to assign effects on each sheet, and on the entire map. So, the effects are cumulatives.
The effects are applied to objects or symbols placed on the sheet.
The main effects are : blur, glow (inside and outside the objects), edge fade (inside and outside), transparency. You can also apply a texture, or a displace effect.
Parameter values are expressed in miles, and should therefore be consistent with the size of your map.
For example: for the blur effect, the radius will be 1 miles or 10 miles, which will show the objects more or less fuzzy, if you are on a local map. But for a continental map, the radius will be 50 or 100 miles.

That said, as I also struggled to understand the effects, I might try to make a tutorial. But someone has to correct the mistakes of language

[NeonKnight]

Hmmmm.....someone here (a lot of someones it seems) has not read my little dissertation on SHEETS & LAYERS in CC3.

http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=2549

[pengod]

I understand the idea of Sheets (photoshop Layers) and Layers as I work on CAD based software in my proffession, it was half of the attraction asw I figured it would simplify things for me. My quiestion was one more about the peramiters of the effects. The results I'm getting seem to vary dramatically from one value to the next.

[Noon]

I understand, I had the same problem initially.
If you like, this weekend, I'll try to take one of my maps, and show, effect by effect, what happens when I vary the parameters.
You should know, and it is very important that the level of variation depends on the size of the map: a large map, it will take a varying values to change a little effect (for example from 25 to 50), whereas in a small map, it will be very little variation of value (eg 1.5 to 2.5).

[NeonKnight]

OK, the help Guide (from the HELP MENU internal to the software) is actually very helpful.

The thing is, ALL the effects are expressed in UNITS. How much of a BLUR EFFECT do you want? Type in your units (or fraction there-of). How much do you want to 'fade' an edge by? Again, based on Units. Same for BEVEL, GLOW etc.

So, because the majority of the maps I make are dungeon maps (do a search for Thunderspire Labyrinth, Pyramid of Shadows, and Trollhaunt Warrens), my maps are initially made where a Unit = 5 Feet. So, knowing that,I know that if I make a GLOW effect equal to .1 Unit that is equivalent to 1/10th of 5 Feet or 6".

Does that help?

Also, if you are trying 'blur' on level into another, you want to make use of the EDGE FADE Effect, not BLUR.

[Noon]

As promised, here is a demonstration of the effects of CC3 on one of my maps.
You can access it via the URL below or download the pdf.
I hope this document will help you, and above all my translation is not too incomprehensible

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfwtc2jh_7c24wvjd9

PS : I have a french version, of course

[pengod]

Thanks Noon & Neon knight, both very usefull advice.

They helped me out a lot with getting my head around it

[NeonKnight]

No prob. What we are here for