15.02.2008, 03:53
Good find Yamato
Looked at using GIS data and associated programs before, but not comfortable with it. The projection format from some sources is Clarke1866 which needs manipulation if you are using DEM/SRTM data which uses WGS 84. In other words if you mix maps made with GIS and maps made with DEMs/SRTM you may need to stretch/modify the maps in one to fit the other. Secondly, the rivers etc are drawn as vectors, and at some scales they appear very road like with lots of straight lines. Some of the data in these can also be offset by up to 2km in some datasets you can download, so if accuracy is your game, be aware.
Another program which uses this format is the ARC series from ESRI. http://www.esri.com/
I believe this mapping format, GIS, was intended for the ease of producing maps for presentations, books etc quickly with different data, ie roads, climate, traffic, urban sprawl, pollution.....
A good source of data is The Digital Map of the World at http://www.maproom.psu.edu/dcw/. You will need to convert it though using Import71, unless there are other methods of importing the data.
Look forward to seeing how people get on with this and bring their knowledge to the table. Personally I have not had much luck and time available to get to understand it. It is definitely another tool in the map workshop
CW
Looked at using GIS data and associated programs before, but not comfortable with it. The projection format from some sources is Clarke1866 which needs manipulation if you are using DEM/SRTM data which uses WGS 84. In other words if you mix maps made with GIS and maps made with DEMs/SRTM you may need to stretch/modify the maps in one to fit the other. Secondly, the rivers etc are drawn as vectors, and at some scales they appear very road like with lots of straight lines. Some of the data in these can also be offset by up to 2km in some datasets you can download, so if accuracy is your game, be aware.
Another program which uses this format is the ARC series from ESRI. http://www.esri.com/
I believe this mapping format, GIS, was intended for the ease of producing maps for presentations, books etc quickly with different data, ie roads, climate, traffic, urban sprawl, pollution.....
A good source of data is The Digital Map of the World at http://www.maproom.psu.edu/dcw/. You will need to convert it though using Import71, unless there are other methods of importing the data.
Look forward to seeing how people get on with this and bring their knowledge to the table. Personally I have not had much luck and time available to get to understand it. It is definitely another tool in the map workshop
CW