A QGIS and GRASS on Linux user from the UK

**cantab** · 07-09-2011, 08:24 PM

I do most of my mapping in QGIS and GRASS on Linux. Perhaps not the best tools for from-scratch world-building, but there's a lot of capability there. Certainly the ability to readily move between scales is nice - though I have been known to overstress my PC with too much detail. Presentation perhaps doesn't do justice to the "under the hood" work put in.

The purpose is to support my involvement in a Nations roleplaying forum.

Currently I'm working on a planet. The goals are Earth-like, plate-tectonic feasibility, detailed and realistic topography, and a degree of randomness. I've got as far as the plate boundaries and the rough outlines of the continents. Next is the "large scale" topography, which then gets the small-scale detail added to it. Then I sort out the rivers and lakes, then the climate, then things like the national borders and main towns, then the main roads.

I have a couple of pipe-dreams, that probably won't happen. One is a Google Maps style interface to my planet; doable, but not a high priority. The other is a complete simulation of planetary geology, something that's a tall order even if I radically simplify the chemistry.

PS: Where's the best place to ask about map projections?

**Redrobes** · 07-09-2011, 09:14 PM

Now I thought that both QGIS and GRASS could do map projections and reprojections but if your asking then I guess not since I know little about either. There is a GDAL library which has a set of utilities to do map projection stuff. Also, NASA has their G Projector.

http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/gprojector/

But again I have not used either. Flag down a member here called Waldronate who knows a lot about it and has written some apps which do some of them.

I write ViewingDale which can do the map zooming and scaling with raster maps instead of vector and can do the google maps type thing but not specifically as an interactive web page online - tho it does have a web server type thing built in. It will do a planet and all thats in it tho.

There is a members map about here where you can stick a pin into the approx position if you feel like narrowing down the UK a bit more. Links to viewingdale and the members map are in my sig.

**cantab** · 07-09-2011, 09:39 PM

Yeah, they can do projections. It's just I'm not sure what to use for a certain task.

**Steel General** · 07-10-2011, 08:24 AM

Welcome Aboard!

**Hai-Etlik** · 07-10-2011, 07:34 PM

Welcome, it's good to have another GIS type around.

**cantab** · 07-11-2011, 10:01 AM

Just testing the board time settings. EDIT: Yeah, they're correct.

**NeonKnight** · 07-19-2011, 01:36 PM

Welcome to the Guild!

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