User:Pezminer12/Archives/Mapper Tutorial

This is a step-by-step tutorial on how to do Mapping.

Step I: Launch Paint(.net)
Launch either paint.NET or Paint. Paint (or MS Paint) is a program that comes with all Windows installations that does some basic art. While paint.NET is a lot better in terms of quality, it requires you to download the installer and have an internet connection. Or, if you are rich, buy Photoshop. It has higher quality, but costs money.

Step II: Search or Draw
Now, we need to find a base map to work on. You have three options.

a) Google Search "Europe Map Blank" or something similar.

b) Use the "Maps for Mappers" page on this wiki.

c) Use the "Blank Atlas".

Drawing a map though is harder, it requires a green colored map to make it. Draw Europe or any other location(s) if you want to. Then, use the bucket tool in paint.NET (must set the tolerance to 0%) in either cyan or aqua, and fill in. People who are using Paint must do it manually though. This is why paint.net is the preferred mapping tool.

Step III: Talking
Remember the talking? It's the main part of the mapping, use the white color or gray on white water.

Use the text tool to make the nation say something. For example:
 * "Hey, Germany can I help you for the invasion from Russia?"
 * "I can see your face, I hate you!"
 * "We shall make a union called Yleran Federation!"

Step IV: War
War is a main thing in mapping. Reds are usually the aggressors (attackers) and blues are defenders.

In a war, the goal is to achieve land. The slides take longer, if you want war territories, you should get the nations keeping some of the land or all of it. Non-war territories claim and annex their territories.

Step V: Main Job done!
Finish your mapping video off. You may realize that you have 50-100 slides. Don't panic; that's common for a mapper. (You can make it smaller, just lengthen the fps [Frames per Second].)

Step VI: Making and Uploading the Video
So, use all of your finished slides, and then use 'Blur' for smoother transitions then publish it to YouTube. Good software that helps making videos are Windows (Live) Movie Maker or Camtasia Studio (paid). But in case you don't have money and a Windows 10 to you can also use the (YouTube video editor) by going to the video manager clicking create then clicking video editor the uploading the pictures to video editor and selecting music.

Step VII: Music
You can go ahead and put in music into your video. A good site for finding non-copyrighted royalty-free music is incompetech.com.

You can also use the YouTube Music Library. After your video is uploaded, go just below the video, above the description, and hit the music note. Search for the music you want and then hit the button that adds the song to your video. You can choose any music that you like (as long as it's not copyrighted of course), but, here is a list of Music designed for FoE!