MacroSystem Columbus 2 - Manual (Page 7)


and your PC, scan the map using a flatbed
scanner, then edit it if necessary on the compu-
ter (cut and crop) and finally transfer it to your
system.
• Make sure the lighting conditions are suitable.
After you import the map to your system, you
can edit it before using it. You can use such
effects as Image correction, Color correction and
any other image processing effects. And bigger
programs like Akaba – New Concept are also
very useful to use too.
2. Operation
2.1 The route
A route, i.e. the path to be followed, is defined
by positioning various waypoints, and a line is
then drawn over a configurable period of time.
The starting point, finishing point and key points
can be specially emphasized and used to influ-
ence the way in which the line is traced out.
A route comprises several elements that are
displayed and listed below:
(1) Line
The line can be displayed in various ways and
the following line properties are available:
• Various line thicknesses
• Various colors (invisible when alpha = 0)
• Various line patterns
For different parts of the route, you can make
the line appear angular (e.g. for roads) or curved
(e.g. for air routes).
(2) Waypoints
Waypoints are used to trace out the path that the
route takes. They are only visible during editing
but not in the final results.
(3) Key points
You can place key points along a route. You
can then label them in various ways, though
generally you use the same type of label for all
key points so that you can easily make global
changes. You can also define pauses in the pro-
gression of the line at key points. These can be
simple pauses or interruptions to the generated
scene. In the second case, for example, you can
interrupt your film at various points to display
the progression along the relevant route section
in your journey.
(4) Starting point
The starting point for tracing out the route
corresponds to the origin of the line. Apart from
that, the starting point provides you with the
same options as a key point.
(5) Head
You can also optionally provide the head (lea-
ding end) of the growing line with an object,
such as an arrowhead, hand, car, etc., that mo-
ves along the path as the line grows. An object
that moves with the head can be made to rotate
automatically so that it points in the direction in
which the line is growing.
(6) Finishing point
The finishing point represents the journey’s
destination and provides the same options as a
key point.
Various symbols are displayed within the colo-
red points along the route to indicate the po-
sitions of the above-mentioned points. These
symbols are explained in the table below:
Symbol Name
Ë Starting point
ü Starting point
£ Key point
r Finishing point