Cartography
Warning: this article is work in progress. Expect frequent changes.
added with the cartography update
Description
Cartography is a skill that allows players to create maps of the land around them. Creating a map is started by creating a survey of the land you would like a map of, then using a completed survey on a cartography table to create the map. You can then copy the map, expand the map, and stamp the map at your cartography table, and prepare them for adding to an Atlas.
Usage
Cartography is done in several stages. The First stage involves creating surveys, the Second involves creating maps from surveys, copying and expanding maps. the Third and final stage involves Stamping. Each stage requires different sets of tools, each requiring different sets of skills. Surveying requires a Dioptra, Range Pole, and Papyrus sheets. Creating Maps requires a Cartography Table, Ink pots, Ink Brush, Blank maps, and some form of Ink/Dye. Stamping requires Clay Stamps, Gems (for altering the stamps), and Stamp Erasers.
Surveying involves running around the area hunting down survey points, and collecting data to increase the QL of your survey. this is main way to gain Cartography XP, and is how you "Imp" a map. each survey adds to the QL a little bit, depending on the QL of your Dioptra and your skill level. Creating maps involves converting your surveys into actual Painted Maps, in game items that you can then copy, add to larger area maps, or add to an Atlas. Stamping involves linking individual stamps to in game landmarks such as deeds, guard towers, colossi, and mission structures. you can then use these stamps to mark your maps with the appropriate data.
To Survey you must first plant your Range pole somewhere in the world. this will be the Center point for your survey/map. then highlight your papyrus sheet, and right click on the range pole, and click Survey area. you will have a chance to create a survey based on your skill level, and the quality of the items used. if you fail, keep trying and eventually you will get a Survey. This will trigger a compass on the top of your screen showing you where the next survey point will be. a glowing ball of light will appear in the survey area. both the compass, and the light will disappear after a short amount of time. once you have a Survey in your inventory you can start to fill it out. Highlighting your Dioptra will allow you to right click on the survey to open addition options. Continue Survey, Find Survey location, and Find starting location.
Continuing the survey will require you to stand in the highlighted survey point, and face the range pole. the closer you are to the survey point, the more xp you gain, and the more info will be added to the map. if you do not face the right location you will get a "To record any usable data you need to be facing towards the starting location." error. if you are too far from the survey point you will get a "This area is too far from the best location to gather any useful data. You'll need to get closer to the required location." error. if you are near the area, but not close enough you will get a "This spot is far from the best location for the data you need, but you continue to record what little information you can from here anyway." message. this indicates you will not get the full xp or data you needed, and your map will gain very little QL. when you are close to the survey point it will give you a "You feel confident that you're in the best location to get the data required." message, indicating you are in the right location, and will gain the maximum amount from your survey. you cannot move while surveying
Find survey location will renew the survey compass, and highlight the area again for a limited time. you can move while the timer counts down.
Find starting location will add a Dioptra shaped icon to your cartography compass, beside the spyglass that points towards the range pole. this is the direction you will need to face to successfully survey a location. obstructions and objects will not matter as long as you are facing the correct direction.
To create a Painted Map out of a survey, you need to have a fully stocked Cartography Table available. a Cartography Table with Blank Maps, Ink pot (with ink/dye inside), and an Ink Brush will allow you to highlight a completed survey in your inventory, and right click on the table to Create Map. once completed you will have a Painted Map added to your inventory, spending the Survey. this painted map can be added to the cartography table if you wish to copy it, or expand a map.
Expanding a map requires 2 or more Painted Maps to be stored inside your Cartography Table. 4 are preferred for a small expansion (since the map formed will be a square. using 2 or 3 maps will leave a large gap on the final enlarged map.) once selected you will get an interface that allows you to move the maps into whatever form you want with the final product being a copy of everything imposed over each other.
Stamps require a great deal of preparation to do anything other then basic graphic stamping. to create a Stamp you simply need to shape some clay with your hands. once a clay stamp is made you can use a clay shaper to change the graphic the stamp represents. the default is an "X". [image of stamp graphics to be added] adding gems to your stamp before you fire it will allow the stamp to gain additional features.
- Sapphires allow you to link a stamp to a deed somewhere in the world. doing this will add the deed name, mayor name, and deed motto to a rollover under the graphic when you stamp a map with this.
- Rubies allow you to link a stamp to a Structure, such as a guard tower, Colossus, or mission structure. any relevant info of the structure will be shown on a rollover when you mouse over the graphic once stamped on the map.
- Emeralds allow you to add a date stamp to the graphic you link with this stamp.
- Diamonds allow you to add text to the graphic you link with this stamp.
- Opals allow you to link a stamp with a location on your in game map. this will allow a player to click on this stamp in the game map, creating a popup link to the atlas map of that location, if you have the Atlas available in your inventory.
each of these stamps must be "linked" to something to function. the sapphire and ruby stamps require you to find the object in the game world, and link it directly (highlight the stamp in your inventory, and right click the structure; Link Stamp.) the emerald and diamond stamps require you to right click them, and add a date/time or text before they will function as such. the opal will require you to stamp your game map, and your painted map respectively before they will link to one another. once a stamp is fired, you can no longer add gems, or change the graphic. you must add any gems or images before it is cooked to work. you can link the gemmed stamp to in world objects anytime after a gem is inserted, cooked or not.
Skills & Characteristics
- Cartograpy
Titles
- Mapmaker from Journal, Introduction: Cartography
- Philatelist from Journal, Introduction: Stamps
- ?? at 50 skill
- ?? at 70 skill
- ?? at 90 skill
