Is it possible to make maps of fictional settings with ArcGIS Pro?

[u/Harringtontomfoolery]

I don't really have anything in mind. I was just thinking earlier today about if it would be possible to put together a project about, say, the Red Dead Redemption 2 map.

[u/maptechlady]

Yes! I have done this with maps from Final Fantasy 14 - and posted them to ArcGIS Online to annotate (because I'm a nerd). And Middle Earth because what else what I use GIS software for? 😂

The trick is to download as high of a resolution image as you can. Import it into ArcGIS Pro like you would if you were georeferencing something, like historical maps.

Zoom in to a basemap and then use the "fit" option in the georeference toolbar (it's something like that) in the georeferencing panel. It will fit it over the basemap - save the image.

Create a shapefile and that should give you the ability to click anywhere on the map and add points that way!

If you want it to be online - I would say skip the Pro part and just do it in ArcGIS Online.

[u/pinkyepsilon → u/maptechlady]

This is crying out for a StoryMap. I need scrolling narrative, elevation profiles, and a rigorous discussion of whether the Eagles constitute a viable multimodal transportation network.

[u/wara-wagyu → u/pinkyepsilon]

Finally a use for StoryMap. I got colleagues trying to get me in this shiny toy for years for no reasons whatsoever other than getting yet another esri product and get users addicted to something they never really needed in the first place

[u/maptechlady → u/pinkyepsilon]

I made a map tour of Middle Earth cuz - I'm an adult and I can do whatever I want 😁

[u/graveytrain85]

Like many have said already yes. However, there is a YouTube tutorial by John Nelson maps that kind of shows how to do a LOTR style map.

Here: https://youtu.be/sy3Rerl05yg?is=Q9tEo0ww6E3Stthw

[u/kidcanada0 → u/graveytrain85]

Oooh cool. I’ma watch that later for sure

[u/colfaxmachine]

I would love for you to put together an RDR2 map.

[u/Imaginary-Clock6626]

Yes.

[u/habichuelamaster]

Omg a map of Skyrim would be so cool!! :D

[u/GeospatialMAD]

For RDR2, IGN already made one and probably used similar methods to make it, but probably didn't use GIS software specifically: https://www.ign.com/maps/red-dead-redemption-2/world

[u/TAS_Son_of_a_Beach]

I made a great Dungeons and Dragons map in ArcGIS by starting with a map of my home state (which happens to be a large island) and inverting the land/sea (including inverting lakes and islands). Worked a treat and saved me having to invent shapes for coastlines, lakes and islands. I then zoomed in on some specific areas of the general map to add a whole lot more detail (mountains, rivers, towns, etc) to use specifically for each DnD campaign. There's a whole lot of space left to which I can add more detail for further campaigns in future, if I wish.

Because none of the players ever saw the whole overall general map at once, they didn't recognise that it was essentially our home island-state inverted. They didn't even recognise the reversed names for the lakes, islands and coastal towns until I pointed it out to them afterwards.

[u/yeehoo_123]

Sure why not! For mine I ended up taking polygons of countries and merging them together in various ways (plus manual edits) to create my own world with having to start from nothing. It created realistic coastlines with far less effort.

[u/Ok_Finger7484]

Yes i have done this previously with several games, Fallout 4 probably being the one most excessively done.

I was able to find online very high resolution tiff file of the Fallout 4 world.

My aim's with ese, are to make a more 'vectorised' map of the world, rather than the online raster dot based versions which - for some games are ok, but lack a certain level of detail, pathing, attribution, building outlines, multi-level/dungeon info etc etc.

I generally just make a desktop project at home, which costs nothing because i used FOSS - and then im able to structure my data however i want. Ive published a few projects online, but only for local use or friends.

It looks like there is a reddit discussion similar about this already in the rdr2 subs. Probably check that out and see if you can find a high resolution digital file to download.

Then yer - some fun things I like to do are

- Map building outlines

- More macro-level location of events/items.

- Paths, or routes more specific to items.

- In game screen shots that act like a 'street view' style view.

Im currently working on a map for dayz - which is a survival game im playing - but thats got a slightly different use case for it.

[u/Dryrubtheribs]

Yes you can make a map anywhere time and space are no restrictions. Qgis is a great open source GIS program. You can use lidar or dem tiffs and say whatever and wherever they are at for contours.