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Maps

Didn't want to make a whole thread for this but can I ask; how do you guys make your maps? I've seen a lot of AARs with really good maps. Usually they're the F10/F12 images and have the specific realm(s) in question highlighted, other realms greyed out, etc. I looked around and there's a guide for an old version of Photoshop but everyone here isn't using a paid software right? And apart from that I've found no guides. I looked at using gimp but I'm very stupid and couldn't figure it out
 
I bought a copy of Paint Shop Pro (version 9) years ago and have re-installed it on at least five different computers. Most of my graphics needs are simple and PSP is easy to use. I prefer it to every other paint program I've tried, partly because I don't have to re-learn stuff.

For the map itself, I use a screenshot, or something I find searching the internet, or even Google Maps (as a map or with the terrain layer turned on).

As for practicality - you want it to be large enough for people to be able to pick out the places you reference but not larger than the area you need to show. Adding labels for places of interest may also help the reader get the gist of what is happening.

Hope that helps... I'm sure more graphically minded people will be along soon.
 
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Caeserion said:
Didn't want to make a whole thread for this but can I ask; how do you guys make your maps? I've seen a lot of AARs with really good maps. Usually they're the F10/F12 images and have the specific realm(s) in question highlighted, other realms greyed out, etc. I looked around and there's a guide for an old version of Photoshop but everyone here isn't using a paid software right? And apart from that I've found no guides. I looked at using gimp but I'm very stupid and couldn't figure it out
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For what few maps I've done, I use a combination of programs:

MS Paint for easy cropping of images, Paint.Net for use of layers (it's free), PowerPoint (Google Slides might also work) for adding special text/icons to the map.

1. I take a screenshot of whatever I want to make a map out of, then save as a PNG. Below, I took a screenshot of the forum as an example. I'm going to trace the icons and remove "Attach files":

Screenshot 2025-07-01 105604.png

2. Port that image over to MS Paint and crop it (box select with the button in the top left in the "Selection" panel, crop with the button to the right in the "Image" section). Again, keep it as a PNG to avoid pixel-loss.

Example 1.png

Crop and selection buttons in top-right.

Screenshot 2025-07-01 105604---2.png

Cropped image.

3. Open that cropped version in Paint.Net. This is where I do my tracing and coloring, since I find it's a lot easier to do with layers.
4. Activate/deactivate whatever layers you want visible. Save your file as a PNG.
Example 3.png


Screenshot 2025-07-01 105604---3.png

5. Move the new file to PowerPoint. Add text, fancy font, icons, whatever you want to make it feel authentic and fun.
6. Group all your used icons, text, etc. together With the "Arrange" button (top of screen) and CTL+Clicking each item. With everything selected, right-click and save it all as one image.
Example 4.png

Anything you don't CTRL+click won't be saved with your final PNG image. Make sure you get everything you need!

7. Save that as a PNG again. I also like to save a JPG copy too, just in case.
Picture1.png
 

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stnylan said:
Back in the distant day, in a CK1 AAR if memory serves, I had to step into an argument where an American reader was loudly calling out a British writer for using the word corn, declaiming to all and sundry how shoddy writing this was given that corn was produce of the Americas also called maize. What this unfortunate self-righteous pedant didn't realise was that corn, in British English, is a generic cereal, usually by default wheat (in the 20 or so years since this argument, I sense this usage is starting to shift, but that's beside the point). More to the point this pedant didn't realise that corn is an actually an old English root word, so the British writer in this case (a) referring to wheat rather than maize and (b) actually using a historically appropriate word for it. I admittedly don't quite remember how this ended, but the incident has stuck with me as an example of where our certainties about our own individual dialects and usages can get us into anachronistic trouble.
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A friend of mine (American, like me) was just complaining about Nicola Griffith's use of the word 'corn' as a staple crop in Hild (set iirc during Anglo-Saxon England), and I remembered this post and let her know. If there's one thing that I've learned from this community, this is it.
 
Cora Giantkiller said:
A friend of mine (American, like me) was just complaining about Nicola Griffith's use of the word 'corn' as a staple crop in Hild (set iirc during Anglo-Saxon England), and I remembered this post and let her know. If there's one thing that I've learned from this community, this is it.
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Glad it was helpful :)
 
View attachment IMG_E2097.jpg

On my recent trip to New York and Canada, I had a chance to view a few monuments. One of them turned out to be a father of AARLand, @Lord Durham.

He's the handsome one on the left. Thank you, LD, for a splendid afternoon of sparkling conversation. The only thing that could have improved the day is if I had said less and listened more.

For those of you who don't know or haven't met him, he's a sterling human being and a true gentleman - and that's the highest praise I give out.
 
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I've done it in the past. I think it's a question of genre; if you were doing a gameplay AAR where the whole point was attempting some extreme challenge, then people would react badly to it. But if you're just trying to tell a good story, then I would say that you can use console commands to further that story.
 
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john trask said:
Hello people i have a question people not have problem in use of consol comands for aar is cheating for you ? because i was thinking to abuse for the sake of narrative
have people trouble about that
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Ultimately, it's your AAR, so up to you. If using the console works well with whatever story you're trying to tell do it. Just be honest with your readers.

This topic was also discussed earlier here, if you want more insights.
 
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john trask said:
Hello people i have a question people not have problem in use of consol comands for aar is cheating for you ? because i was thinking to abuse for the sake of narrative
have people trouble about that
Click to expand...

@El Pip did it memorably in a Hearts of Iron comedy once...as long as you are clear on the story type, I don't think folks will mind.
 
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I’ve definitely done it to do some tidying up of narrative points here and there whenever the game does something a little far out for my tastes. But then my AARs tend to be about as far from gameplay as it’s possible to get. It’s horses for courses really. Do what makes it most fun for you.
 
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DensleyBlair said:
That’s a very good initiative, @Sirdramaticus. Hope you get some engagement from the higher-ups.
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I will give it a little time to build momentum and then start poking. This seems like the kind of task that would not be fun for programmers and that isn’t sexy enough to help sell Paradox games, so it will be a low priority even if it’s unjust. Yay capitalism.
 
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john trask said:
Hello people i have a question people not have problem in use of consol comands for aar is cheating for you ? because i was thinking to abuse for the sake of narrative
have people trouble about that
Click to expand...

I say whether or not I'm doing ironman to begin with, and go from there.

However, if you are doing an AAR and what happens in the game matters in any way narratively speaking (rather than gameplay only), do not use ironman. You need to be capable of cleaning up, nudging and adjusting the game sometimes.

The only reasons you don't use console commands is because you are doing a gameplay challange, or you are doing a narrative where it doesn't matter if the game does something unusual or random.

I've done both, and also turned a CK2 game into the latter after repeated ironman bugs, randomness and failures.

That being said, if something unusual does occur, have a think before undoing or smoothing it out with commands. Lots of strange and unusual things happen in history, and can be explained in universe rather than adapted out.

If we were restricting ourselves to the entirely historically probable and 'correct', much of EUIV would need dedicated console commands whenever, for example, someone discovers and colonies australia in the 1500s...
 
TheButterflyComposer said:
If we were restricting ourselves to the entirely historically probable and 'correct', much of EUIV would need dedicated console commands whenever, for example, someone discovers and colonies australia in the 1500s...
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Which highlights one of the issues we face as writers; writing fiction has the issue that - unlike reality - it must be believable.
 
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A quick commercial break.

I've added titles to recent topics and updated the Index. It would be nice if people checked the Index before starting a topic to see if it's already been discussed That is, unless revisiting a topic has an added twist to it. In addition, I did a bit of forum cleanup.

Director said:
View attachment 1329951

On my recent trip to New York and Canada, I had a chance to view a few monuments. One of them turned out to be a father of AARLand, @Lord Durham.

He's the handsome one on the left. Thank you, LD, for a splendid afternoon of sparkling conversation. The only thing that could have improved the day is if I had said less and listened more.

For those of you who don't know or haven't met him, he's a sterling human being and a true gentleman - and that's the highest praise I give out.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words, @Director. From one gentleman to another, it was a great day. I don't think there's a topic we didn't broach. Sparkling conversation, indeed. One regret was not getting to board the HMCS Haida. But who knows, maybe down the road. Now what's this about calling me a monument? Cheers, Porter.

(BTW, I never received an alert when you posted this, which explains why it took me so long to notice and respond)

Sirdramaticus said:
Hi, writAARs! For those who like to change the font size in your writing, please read this post in the forum improvement thread. I hope we can make a little noise about this issue.
Click to expand...

I read the post, though there's not really much I can do at this time. If it's any consolation, I have items on the wishlist, too. We'll keep an eye on it.
 
TheExecuter said:
@El Pip did it memorably in a Hearts of Iron comedy once...as long as you are clear on the story type, I don't think folks will mind.
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I am a firm believer that in a comedy AAR almost everything should be subservient to the jokes, so if cheating makes things funnier then do it without a second thought.

I'd add the caveat that if you were, for instance, including something on stupid AI and gameplay outcomes then you really shouldn't be using the console or cheats to create such scenarios. Saying "Look at this ridiculous situation or screenshot" when you have intervened to create that scenario feels a bit off, unless you admit the manipulation.

I suppose that is just an extension on @TheExecuter 's point on being clear on the story type and being honest about what you are doing.
 
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