Mapping Goat island - With real goats!

[Gamerprinter]

I paid roughly $6000 for my large format inkjet printer/scanner that came with a PC and touch screen monitor. Ten years ago, I saw a 24" x 36" flatbed scanner for $50,000 - so scanner prices have really dropped, but still out the hands for most average people price-wise.

[Jalyha]

Oh, mr. fancy pants with the fancy equipments

Can I borrow it?

No but seriously, if I'm going to be doing any of this online, I'm going to have to invest in something >.<

Wonder how much a scanner would cost that could handle one of my larger canvases....

I need to win the lottery

Not entirely sure what kind of place you think this is You could draw a map in mud and take a picture of it and uploaded it if you wanted to. People just come here to learn how to get better at drawing maps

No mud here... only snow! Would that work? CANIDOASNOWMAPPLEASE?

Still need a camera for that, though.... >.<

Anyway, I think I can get used to GIMP, even if I can't get a scanner (I tried painting a landscape picture of my goat island this morning in gimp, and it turned out okay)

I think my main problem is *perspective*... I can't *see* the land from the top down.... I can *almost* but not quite, not always, see it from an isometric viewpoint...

I don't know how to turn the goat island I see in my head into a MAP. >.<

But I'll get it eventually. And in the meantime maybe rob a bank or two (kidding, kidding... couldn't afford the gun and mask ) (Okay bad joke, I'm just reaaaaaally frustrated )

[Larb]

Well at least I'm not the only one who doesn't own a cell phone then. I hate the things.

By the way, those monoprice drawing tablets are pretty cheap and I know at least one of them got some good reviews. I have been meaning to pick one up myself to compare it to my intuos 4 but have not been able to yet so I can not vouch for them personally.

[Gamerprinter]

Just so everyone understands, I'm not some rich guy with lots of cool toys, the equipment is for my digital print/graphic design studio - I do lots of photo enlargement printing, PDF printing, CAD plotting for engineers, manufacturers and the government, I do some work for USGS. Really, I'm the only shop in 30 mile radius that has the kind of equipment I do, so I serve everyone. If I weren't in business, I couldn't afford this stuff for just my purposes.

[Jalyha]

By the way, those monoprice drawing tablets are pretty cheap and I know at least one of them got some good reviews. I have been meaning to pick one up myself to compare it to my intuos 4 but have not been able to yet so I can not vouch for them personally.

Oh, now that looks affordable.

How do I know if it will work with my laptop? And what batteries to order? I hate technology >.<


As for the cell-phone... I'm kind of old school... I think when out and about you should be focused on what you're doing, and the people you're with. If you're at home, well, that's what a landline is for.

I also can't justify the extra expense, when it's still cheaper (for me) to have my home phone with 2 lines, call waiting, voicemail AND internet in my home AND access to a wifi network that extends almost anywhere I go regularly, so....

I just have Lizzie (my laptop, she's been with me for 7 years too) and my beat up old mouse, and my home phone

But a $30 drawing device I could squeeze in... although they will probably get me on replacemnt batteries and pens and things at some point

Do you know if that's a secure site to buy them from?

[Jalyha]

Just so everyone understands, I'm not some rich guy with lots of cool toys, the equipment is for my digital print/graphic design studio - I do lots of photo enlargement printing, PDF printing, CAD plotting for engineers, manufacturers and the government, I do some work for USGS. Really, I'm the only shop in 30 mile radius that has the kind of equipment I do, so I serve everyone. If I weren't in business, I couldn't afford this stuff for just my purposes.

You know I was just teasing you, right?

[Gamerprinter]

Of course, but since I don't frequent the guild as much as I used to, some people might not know who I am or what to think of me - just setting the record straight.

[Jalyha]

So, GP, I suppose the real question is, since you said you *wouldn't* have these things if it weren't for your business, what would you recommend *instead*, for people who don't have that advantage.

What would you use, if you didn't have what you have for work?

[Gamerprinter]

Well, I'd get at least an A4 sized scanner, you can find them for around $50, which is cheap. Once you go from letter size to tabloid the price really jumps, but for me that would be the minimum size I'd use for a digital scanner. I have done 11 x 17 scans of large format drawings in up to 6 pieces then stitched back together in Photoshop/GIMP in the past for customers before I ever had a large format scanner. Really, most people are going to draw at letter size up to 11 x 17 anyway and not larger, unless they have a sure thing scanning solution for the size they create at. Since I have access to large format scanner, I draw at large format scale - I probably wouldn't if my scanning capability was limited.

To me a digital camera is good for a lot of things, but never as a replacement for a digital scanner. Once the focal range is too far (more than a few feet), the image looks crappy with weird shadows cast. Despite the overall resolution of the camera (5 Mpixel whatever) most digital cameras take 72 ppi images even if the image is equivalent to 24" x 36" JPG - its still a crappy image, graphically speaking. I would have no problem using a digital camera to capture photo images you intend to use as texture fills in maps - rock surfaces, concrete, etc, but not as a digital scanner. Whenever I see a hand-drawn map posted from a cell phone image, I shrink with distaste.

It also depends on how much you'd be charged for going to your local Kinkos or other graphics shop with similar capabilities to my shop. How much do they charge for large format scans: B/W, grayscale, color? If its reasonable, and if you don't produce more than one map a week, and if you're being paid or otherwise reimbursed for your efforts (having a great game experience because of it), then it might be worth it. Of course if you're an extremely prolific mapper like me (maybe 2-3 maps per week) it could get expensive, then looking to purchase your digital scanner becomes more viable.

[Jalyha]

wait wait wait...

Do you think it would be less expensive, if I don't do a LOT of maps, I could just pay someone to scan them onto my computer? (I thought kinkos just made copies? )

Then I could go home and edit the images to my heart's content, right?

Is that less expensive?


(And if you cringe at cell phone pics, my webcam "scan" shots must send you into convulsions, LOL)