QGIS for D&D part 2: picking up projection.

As it was discussed earlier, it could be wise to create a GIS-support for D&D campaign.  Let's describe it further. I suggest you read the manual for QGIS if you are not familiar with this software. And for information about projection, please read section 6 of QGIS manual (at present time manual for 1.6.0 version is available)

As we decided to use GIS, the first thing we have to take into account is projection(s) we will use. 

QGIS (as other GIS software) is a scientific programme and was not meant to be used for imaginary word, which parameters are obviously different to Earth. But I believe it is not a problem. Firstly, in QGIS it is possible to determine your own parameters for the ellipsoid of imaginary planet. PROJ4 is used in QGIS so you can read documentation if you want to do it the hard way.

To my mind it is Ok to use Earth parameters for your world - it will save a lot of time and our planet is actually big enough to place everything you need ;-) 

Here is my approach:

1. It is necessary to define projection for the entire map - it should represent adequate squares of the empires, mounts, oceans, etc.
2. It is necessary to define projection for the layers of the map - it should be easily utilised in any projection of the map.
3. Projections for the map and layer are not necessary to be the same.

It is necessary to define projection for the whole project (section 2.5 of QGIS manual) and for the layers. Projection of the map should be equal area, because it will be handy to understand sizes of the Great Deserts and Dead Man's Lakes. To my mind Albers equal area conic projection is the best choice if only a part of the planet (world) is designed. You should decide where on the Earth globe your area is located ad define projection parameters accordingly. 

For example I use these parameters for current campaign: +proj=aea +lat_1=40 +lat_2=55 +lat_0=0 +lon_0=-120 +x_0=0 +y_0=-4000000 +ellps=WGS84 +datum=WGS84 +units=m +no_defs

You will need to adjust lat_1 and lat_2 parameters to frame latitudes for the desired location, and other parameters could be the same.

NB: units for the given example are meters, but it is obvious that DM would prefer foots for the length measurement. This is not a problem due to it is possible to set up needed units in project properties.

For layers it will be the best choice to use unprojected lat/long WGS84 reference system. It will allow its easy usage when you will decide to extend your world and evade a lot of re-projection issues.

The next issue to be encountered is starting drowning in the right place: the map will be totally empty and it will be hard to understand where the borders of the area should be located. But there is nothing to worry about: just decide where your area would be located at the Earth globe (lat/lon frame), then open the layer (lat/lon) in totally new project and use "Numerical Vertex Edit" tool (you will have to install ot via "Fetch Python Plugins" menu) to place several points with needed coordinates that will be an orienter for the area borders.

Hope these insights will help.

See also:

QGIS for D&D. Part 1: Do you need a GIS support for your world and campaign?

About GDP flaws

Here you can find some short and clear insights about GDP flaws in prosperity measuring and about The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) implementation instead.

• GDP TREATS CRIME, DIVORCE AND NATURAL DISASTERS AS ECONOMIC GAIN
• GDP IGNORES THE NON-MARKET ECONOMY OF HOUSEHOLD AND COMMUNITY
• GDP TREATS THE DEPLETION OF NATURAL CAPITAL AS INCOME
• GDP INCREASES WITH POLLUTING ACTIVITIES AND THEN AGAIN WITH CLEAN-UPS
• GDP TAKES NO ACCOUNT OF INCOME DISTRIBUTION
• GDP IGNORES THE DRAWBACKS OF LIVING ON FOREIGN ASSETS

Me in the TV

Diploma for participating in live TV broadcast

I was in the middle of cleaning my inline skates' bearings when my scientific adviser called me. I thought he finally found some time to check my thesis's plan, even if the probability of such event is even lower than the probability of the question he asked me: 

- "Do you have a time to take part in the discussion on the TV today?" 

- "Let me think about it..." - I said while was cleaning my fingers from the lubricant, - "OF COURSE I DO!... By the way, what is the subject of discussion?"

Beauty

Terje Sorgjerd sacrificed his sleep for a week to create this: 

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Night and fog

Yesterday I've send a great time with friends of mine in Solnechnoe (Eng). There were as always a disguise party and a "Shit Was Gushing" filming, but that's another story imprinted with a lot of cameras.

Even I had my DSC-W310 (which has one of the best price to quality ratio) they've brought me back from a 1,5 month trip across the India. In the night on the way back to the electric train station the covered the landscape. I had to take some pictures despite I had no tripod, which would provide a great help in such conditions.

For this picture I've used a parapet to replace a tripod. 

Spring night's fog

Unfortunately it was imposiible to replace tripod with something for other pictures. Nevertheless the fog's drops in the flash-light looks mysterious.

Waste and culture

Yesterday I saw something awful. I was finalising my paper for DigitalGlobe 8-Dand Chahallenge on a subject of illegal dumpind detection when behind the window a yard cleaner who was collecting waste accumulated in the snow (citizens find it acceptable to through waste on the ground) suddenly started to dig the ground. He was a guest worker from an Asian part of the former Soviet Union like the most of the yard cleaners in St. Petersburg nowadays, so I was extremely suspicious of his actions. 

I'm not a xenophobe, but these foreign guys without education and a language knowledge are a patterns of the criminal activities of any sort initiated both by and against them. I would ban unqualified labour migration. There are plenty of hoi polloi in Russia already. And now the infrastructure of the whole city depends on them, cause it's being built and repaired by their unqualified hands!

Back to the guest worker. The worst nightmare for the ecologist and the one who is involved in researches related to the waste management come true: a person who is responsible to treat waste properly was burying the waste into the ground!!! Immediately I took the camera and shoot him... O-o-o... I wish I could shoot him!

Son of a bitch is burying collected waste into the ground!

The next moment I've opened the window and shouted at him to stop this, collect the waste and put it to the trash bin. This fucking bustard just nodded to me. I doubt he was even able to understand what I was talking about. I was furious!

The first phone call was to this bastard's employer. No response. I called to the company for 2 hours but there were no answer. The second call was to the public prosecutor's office for environmental issues. They respond, but the girl told me that they care only about industry (I highly doubt that they do officially have such limitations) and advised to call to the public prosecutor's office of my district. I did so, but my third call didn't succeed either: no one answered. By the way, you can appeal to the prosecutor via internet... e-e-h... it's a bullshit... "Sorry, your appeal wasn't submitted". Guess I have to appeal in person.

In the evening my wife told me that her co-workers were the witnesses of such actions in other parts of the city. So it seems that guest workers were not the only one who is responsible for these crimes. Obviously their employers ordered them to do so. They are trying to save money on waste disposal regardless we (the citizens) pay for it! Remember what I wrote about guest workers as the patterns of the criminal activities - they can't resist criminal orders coming from their owners. But anyway there are no excuses: even if he was ordered to commit the crime, he was the one who actually did it. 

Both the guest worker and his greedy employer must be punished. Hope I will be able to bring them to justice.

P.S. The culture was mentioned in the title of this post. If you are not aware, St. Peterssburg has the title of the "cultural capital of the Russia". Yes, it is... Amen.

It was too good to be true...

http://news.opensuse.org/2011/04/01/the-canterbury-distribution/ Almost believed them)))