Train Depot WIP

[Virgil Vansant]

I have started building maps for a VTT game I'll be running set in the 1940s after World War II. For my first map, I've decided to start pretty simple with a single building--a small town train depot.

Obviously, this is a work in progress. There's no ground texture on the right side of the map yet. I'll probably place a small road running parallel to the tracks and some grass and dirt over there. I need to clean up the ground between the grass and the gravel from the rails as well. I like the way the platform is shaping up, and I want to add some more wear and cracks to it. It also needs more eye candy so that the platform looks like it's in use. I plan to add a luggage trolley or handcart, train signals, a bench, and it needs stairs and a ramp leading down from the platform. I haven't done any shadows yet, except for the roof.

This is my first map, so I'm looking for input and constructive criticism. Also, what's the best way to show ramps and stairs without making them look too flat?

[Redrobes]

Looking good. Id drop the scale on the grass. At mo it looks like each blade is a few feet long. It could do with better blend onto the gravel too. How to do that. Well you can get a mask and fade it out and add two textures or you can generate a stamp type brush of some partial grass partial gravel and put some of those down on the blend line.

The house looks fine, the platform looks fine tho bare at mo. No theres not a lot wrong with it so far.

Theres lots of web sites with dioramas of 1940's stuff with model trains, tanks and so on. Because this is a station I would think that there would be some images of platforms as reference. Also a no end of holywood films set in 1940's around platforms too. You didnt say which country its based on but theres probably a selection of historical pics to reference too. I would think that all the trains were steam at that time (not an expert) so coal bunkers and water tanks and all that gear could be added.

[wormspeaker]

I agreee with Redrobes. The grass texture is too large. Otherwise it seems to be shaping up well. I would point out that the overall size of the map is probably too small for a WWII encounter though. Everyone on this small map would be at nearly point blank range of everyone else on the map when using modern firearms.

[Virgil Vansant]

Wow, I hadn't even noticed the humongous grass texture. Thanks for pointing that out! I've fixed the border between the rails and the grass, too. The platform itself is shaping up with some more decorations. I've made a luggage trolley and put in some stairs, but I definitely need to add some more objects still. Fortunately, there are plenty of images out there of train stations and depots from the time period.

Wormspeaker, I'll see if I can increase the size of the map. I don't want it too large so that it becomes a single building with a lot of empty space. My PCs will likely not be carrying any firearms, but I want the map to be usable for others as well, so increasing the area around the train depot makes sense. Maybe I can add a switch or spur to the rails, and some other rail decorations as well, to at least increase the size north and south. I've already thought about making larger variations now that I'm assembling the pieces I need. Different sizes of platforms and buildings, for example.

I'll post a new WIP map later today.

[Virgil Vansant]

Okay, here is my updated version. Still lots of work to do, but it's coming along pretty nicely. I still need more clutter on the map, especially on the platform. Another flowerbed needs to be added along the sidewalk. The sidewalk itself needs some work to make it less uniform, and I think I will add a little driveway from the road to the dirt on the southern portion of the map. Some segue between the grass and the dirt, and some freight-type clutter along the ramp. I'd like to add a truck there if I can find or make one, too.

The shadows around the platform were both the hardest and easiest thing to do. Technically, they were easy enough to make with gradients. But I kept thinking that the shadows had to be consistent and coming from one light source in one direction. Making a top-down map required a different mode of thought for me, where the shadows are needed not to show lighting, but to demonstrate height and depth.

[Steel General]

This is coming along nicely.

You may want to adjust the scale on the dirt, to me at least, it seems a bit off. Also, your depot needs some shadowing like you did with the platform to give it some depth.

[armoredgear7]

I agree with Steel General about the dirt, it could be smaller.

Otherwise this is solid work; the grass/tracks blending is working well and the detail is coming along. Good job.

[Virgil Vansant]

Thanks for the input! I have shrunk the dirt texture, fiddled with the shadows some more, and I added some pallets to the platform near the freight ramp and a signal beside the rail. I'd do some more, but this was my relaxing procrastination time, so it's back to work for me for a little bit before I do any more work on the map.

[Steel General]

THis is progressing nicely...

[Coyotemax]

Was just looking and thinking... does the building use electricity? Yo could have power/telephone poles and lines go past, perhaps some street lamps along the street.

One of the things I do to break up patterns (the sidewalk blocks are looking better with the cracks, but towards the bottom of the map they still look pretty uniform) would be to add an overlay of some texture that goes the entire length of the sidewalk, that way they each end up with an individual look.

I really like the textures you've chosen for the dirt area, and especially the gravel. Very nice! (and the cracks are very well done)