Relationship Map (help wanted)

[geneocide]

Hi everyone,

I'm new around here, but I've been working on this thing and I've got it to a point where I think I could really benefit from some help from 1 or more of you. And thanks, btw, for the wiki. I have been using it extensively while working on this.

The project I'm talking about is this giant map of the relationships of characters in the books. I wanted to make a giant family tree, but have added non-familial relationships, and so it morphed into this. I'm using VUE which allows me to make each character a node and chart the relationships. It's pretty out of control, and frankly not terribly useful yet, but I have some ideas.

One major problem is I don't know a good way of collaborating on this type of file. I'm pretty sure it's not set up to work, but if any of you have a solution to that problem, that'd be great. Otherwise we'll just have to muddle along mostly on our own.

I am looking to make a stripped down basic version here first. I want all the nodes to be as small as possible to allow someone to fit as much on a screen as possible. Later I will add links, notes, nicknames, titles, extra relationships, maybe even images, but for this version I'm trying to keep it compact.

I'm looking for people to check my work for errors and omissions, of course, and also I am looking for someone who can reorganize this map to be as readable as possible. I'm pretty sure someone out there can arrange this in a better way than I have. Once it's arranged in a semi-optimal way I can put stuff into Layers. With Layers it will be possible to select what you want to see and everything will be much more useful.

Anyway, that was my plan anyway. It's available for you guys to do something different, though, too.

Here's an image you can look at w/o installing VUE.

Here's a version you can open and edit w/ VUE.

Oh, and obv there are some spoilers in this. I assume ya'll are caught up, but if you aren't you can still look at it. Probably won't ruin anything unless you actually study it.

[Scafloc]

Hi Geneocide,

Wow your picture is really detailed. Must have been a lot of Work.

I would say that a complete map of all character is probably a too much info in one piece. Then it lacks oversight.

But it could work if you cut it up and make maps that concentrate on one character (or organization). For instance the part of Daenerys. In the current article the focus is more on her "story" in which other characters are very briefly mentioned. A map of the relations of Daenerys would definitely give more insight in her entourage.

Or is it the idea of the layers to show different levels? That the top level only shows, let's say the contenders for the Iron Thrown. And that by opening a layer you can zoom in?

Currently I don't think it is possible for the wiki to read the vue files directly. I did a quick search but could not find a wiki that supports the file type.

The best think to do would be to upload it in a file type that is supported such as png. There are two downsides for that:

-you probably loose the layer structure

-other users can only change the picture (by using a drawing program) not the vue.

[geneocide]

Yeah, I know it's a bit much. I figure a few people will download VUE and the whole file and use all the layers and whatnot to create the more useful smaller pieces that can be uploaded for others to enjoy. Also, it does have the ability to save as html, which maintains some interactivity, like the links, which would make for more usefulness in the future.

Using pathways one can create groups of node that are highlighted with a unique color. These highlights and the nodes they mark can be shown or hidden. It should be possible to use these to make the map more manageable. I will probably start working on that soon.

I've also discovered that the icon marking links and notes can be turned off in preferences. So that's nice.

[geneocide]

I dunno, I feel like I could make pretty much any submap pretty quickly now that I've got the huge map. Not exactly in the spirit of open source but if you guys have any requests let me know. I'm gonna continue to build out the megamap w/ data in the meantime. And I'll give out the megamap as interest dictates.

[superdeluxe]

Is there a key? I did not see one. I ask because there are different colors, different shapes etc

[Timekeeper]

From what I can deduce, rectangles are males, rounded edges are females. Characters are typically done in reference to their house colors (if any) in most cases. Red on black for Targ, black on red for Blackfyre, red on blue for Tully, etc. It must have taken some serious work. Very cool kudos to you, Geneocide!

A question. According to the chart, if I read it right, it says Catelyn is a cousin to the Old Bear?

[SpaceChampion]

One option is to do it from the point-of-view perspective of the books, so that for example if you do a Dany version only include those she's related to, encountered, has history with, or is just mentioned in her POV.

By the way it looks like you made Domeric Bolton to be Fat Walda's son, when he is the son of Roose's previous wife.

[geneocide]

Alright, this is what I like to see, people actually finding stuff. Here we go.

Is there a key?

I have made a key since the upload. It is in the new versions I will link below. It is sorta in the top left area if you can't find it. Also, it is on it's own layer so you can see only it or remove it.

From what I can deduce, rectangles are males, rounded edges are females. Characters are typically done in reference to their house colors (if any) in most cases. Red on black for Targ, black on red for Blackfyre, red on blue for Tully, etc. It must have taken some serious work. Very cool kudos to you, Geneocide!

A question. According to the chart, if I read it right, it says Catelyn is a cousin to the Old Bear?

Your deductions are all correct. I apologize to anyone with any color vision issues, or aesthetic sense. I had to go far afield to accommodate all the Houses. I didn't know there were so many when I first thought that was a good idea.

The Cateyln -> Old Bear cousin relationship is actually between Maege Mormont -> Old Bear. The line goes right through Catelyn, though. A symptom of my map's messiness.

One option is to do it from the point-of-view perspective of the books, so that for example if you do a Dany version only include those she's related to, encountered, has history with, or is just mentioned in her POV.

By the way it looks like you made Domeric Bolton to be Fat Walda's son, when he is the son of Roose's previous wife.

Making such a POV map would be relatively simple using the Explorer Tools of VUE. With them you can hide all nodes more than a set number of nodes from a target node or nodes. And I agree, that would be a good use for this.

Also, you are correct. I have fixed Domeric Bolton's parentage. Thanks.

Ok, so I have started adding even more ridiculous things but I split that into a different map. Here is the .VUE and the .PNG. I have just begun to add stuff (around Jaime and Cersei mostly) but it has links and notes on a few nodes. These would be active if I hosted some html, which I might be able to do on the wiki, but I think I'll not do that unless I'm given specific permission. If you'd like to see those effects you can do it from the .vue file, by Saving-As HTML and then clicking the on the created .html file.

Here is the .PNG and here the .VUE of the old map, but w/ the key and the correction from SpaceChampion.

Oh, and I had Jaime spelled Jamie in the original, but I caught that myself.

[Scafloc]

I found out how to add links to pictures. Basically what you do is create a template with the picture. In this template the coordinates of the picture should be defined, let's say. Then when you want to add text you call the template and add the coordinates of where you want the text to appear. The text itself can be a link.

The only downside is that the only link of the text to the picture is through the coordinates. So it still cannot read the information of the VUE file.