User Interface
By default, when you open the software, a random map is generated (according to the saved, customizable settings).
This can be changed, so that when the software is opened, it will display the last saved map (instead of generating a new one).
What is shown to the user when opening the software, is the map (with a certain composition of layers that will be described later), its scale, as well as a button that allows opening the tab menu of fmg.
The first time the software is activated, the layers shown on the map are of the predefined layer group "Political Map". The following times what will be active is the predefined group of layers that you selected last time.
Understanding the different types of controls that make up the user interface can contribute to a general understanding of fmg.
For example, the paint brush button appears in many windows, and in all of them it has a similar meaning - opening the element in the design tab. Instead of explaining every time what this button does, in each separate window, you can describe the operation of the button once, for all the places where it appears.
These elements appear in many places in the UI, for example in the various windows.
Such as the various editors.
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A panel that displays a description of a certain element.
This is a non-closeable window. Instead, it closes automatically when the mouse cursor leaves the element to which the legend belongs.
For example, when going over a regiment, it will be displayed for example:
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Such as the tables that appear in the overview windows.
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If the element has a numerical value, it will be possible to sort in ascending or descending order.
If the element has an alphabetical value, it will be possible to sort alphabetically, in ascending or descending order.
The sorting criterion will appear next to the column of the table, for example:
Here the biome column in the biomes table is shown, with the table sorted by biome names, in alphabetical order.
If you want the next map to have a fixed value, and not regenerated, you can lock a certain value using a lock button. The button is found, for example, in the options tab, but also in some editors.
In general, whoever wants to generate a map with fixed characteristics, he should lock everything possible.
The map, that can be presented in several view mode.
When moving over a certain element (on the map or in the windows), a description of it will appear below.
In addition, if it is relevant, a description of what can be done with the control will appear.
In addition, if it is relevant, a shortcut for activating the control will appear.
For example, when going over the layer control of the rivers:
By clicking on the upper left triangle.
Or by the keyboard shortcut Tab.
By hovering over the upper left triangle, a new map generator command will open. or by the shortcut F2.
There are several way to zoom:
Using the mouse by Double click,
Using the keyboard by Pressing + (plus) and - (minus), or press numbers (from 0-9, The higher the number, the higher its zoom level).
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There is also support for touch screen and mouse pad.
By dragging the mouse, or by the navigation keys (right, left, up and down).
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fmg menu contain 5 tabs:
Layers, Style, Option, Tools, About.
Any of the tabs contain the Lower Menu Section.
Increase by shortcut keys ctrl & +, and decrease by ctrl & -.
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Ctrl + click on a certain toggle will turn on the layer and will also navigate to the style editor tab configured for the element of the layer.
For example, if you click on the rivers layer with ctrl pressed, you will navigate to:
The buttons on the Lower Menu Section is in any of the menu tabs.
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Generates a new map (according to the settings in the Options tab).
The map size depends on the screen size, as fmg tries to fill the entire screen. Alternatively, you can edit the resolution in the "options" tab.
Export the map to a certain format.
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There are several buttons for downloading images in different formats (svg, png, jpeg).
Note: Generator uses pop-up window to download files. Please ensure your browser does not block popups.
There is also a buttons to download a zip of several tiles (in a separate png file) of the map. After click the tile button, a new window will pop up, allowing the user to select number of Columns and Rows.
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There are several buttons for downloading some data in GeoJSON formats (data can be cells, routes, rivers, markers. TODO - add links to wiki pages for each).
There are several buttons for downloading some data in JSON formats.
Saving a file in .map format, which contains the current state of the map, so that we can load it in the future using the load button.
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Save to local PC.
Saving to the dropbox account, if connected.
Saving to the browser's memory.
Loading a previously saved map.
The buttons correspond to those of the save window.
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Reset zoom to its initial position.
Additional layers of information can be displayed on the map to enrich it.
A map without layers will be a completely white map, only showing the land on the surface of the ocean, and lakes if there are any.
Each layer is a toggle, which means that clicking on a certain layer will cause it to be displayed or removed from the map.
For example, the "Rivers" layer will display the rivers on the map. Clicking again on the rivers layer will hide them.
There are layers that cannot be represented together with others (For example, Heightmap and Biomes layers).
You can drag the different layers and thus change their display order.
When a certain layer is pressed, and you hover over some element in the map that is relevant to the layer, the lower label will display relevant information. For example, if the Heightmap layer is on, hovering over a cell will display its height.
In addition, you can press ctrl and a certain layer, to navigate to the style tab when it is configured to customize the display of the layer you clicked on. For example, if you click on the rivers layer, you will navigate to:
Texture, Heightmap, Biomes.
Each of these layers is drawn on the entire map in an opaque manner, that is, it comes at the expense of the other, so that they hide each other.
The one that will be displayed is the one that appears last in the order of the layers (to change, you can drag the layers and change their display order).
The other layers can hide parts of other layers, but they cannot hide the entire map.
Note: you can change the design of the above layers so that they are not opaque, this is in the style editor tab. But by default, the above layers are opaque.
Religion, Cultures, States, States, Temperature.
These layers are drawn on the entire map, but they do not completely hide the above 3 layers, and they can work with each other without full hiding.
A dropdown that displays a set of predefined layers.
For example, the group of layers called "political map", contains (and toggle) the layers of the states, borders, rivers, etc.
In this group, you can only see the ocean, the coastline, the land, the lakes on the land, and the scale bar.
This layer shows the division of the land into biomes.
When this layer is on, when hovering a cell, its biome will be displayed in the tooltip. Biome is a term from the field of ecology that describes a large-scale ecosystem that is characterized by environmental conditions such as climate, the type of soil, and the flora and fauna that characterize it. For example, tropical rainforests, deserts, tundra, savannas, etc. Each of the biomes is characterized by a unique ecosystem of living species found in it naturally and in the environmental conditions that prevail there.
Default biomes:
- Tropical rainforest
- Tropical seasonal forest
- Hot desert
- Savanna
- Grassland
- Temperate rainforest
- Temperate deciduous forest
- Cold desert
- Taiga
- Tundra
- Glacier
- Wetland
In general, the biomes are derived from the topographical map (which can be edited in tools or options), and from the temperature (which can be edited in configure world).
This layer shows the icons of the burgs. When this layer is on, when hovering a burg icon, an offer to edit it will be displayed, along with its name and its population will be displayed in the tooltip.
This layer shows the topographical map. When this layer is on, when hovering a cell, its height will be displayed in the tooltip. A topographic map describes the height (relative to sea level) of the map at the various points (cells). All secondary data (rivers, cities, countries, markers, etc.) depend on the topographical map, so it is of great importance.
Each cell is associated with a height, which is a number between 0 and 100.