January/February 2024 Challenge: 500 years on Ovryn

[Turambar]

I have decided to map the barren planet Ovryn at the time of its discovery and 500 years in future as human terraforming efforts begin to take hold. I haven't done much yet, but I am experimenting with the idea of mapping this on two rotated Robinson projection maps. I know it's weird, but I want to try something different looking.

Wip1.png

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[Diamond]

I'm all for seeing unusual map projections!

[Ink_alpinist]

Damn, what a cool ideia!

A sci-fi map is by itself unnusual, and one that shows terraforming, I bet one must give a lot of thought into this. Looking forward to it!

[Turambar]

I'm all for seeing unusual map projections!

Damn, what a cool ideia!

A sci-fi map is by itself unnusual, and one that shows terraforming, I bet one must give a lot of thought into this. Looking forward to it!

Thank you both!

I have quite a bit of progress on the topography:
output-onlinejpgtools (4).jpg

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[Ink_alpinist]

@Turambar, it is a lot of progress! It seens to me that the techniques involved are very different from usual fantasy map making, textures and stuff, are you using some tutorial as a guide, what is your inspiration?
Also, I saw that now 500 years some mountains have snow caps, this would be why? More water in the atmosphere? I am just curious.

[Turambar]

@Turambar, it is a lot of progress! It seens to me that the techniques involved are very different from usual fantasy map making, textures and stuff, are you using some tutorial as a guide, what is your inspiration?
Also, I saw that now 500 years some mountains have snow caps, this would be why? More water in the atmosphere? I am just curious.

Thanks! I am not using any tutorials, but I certainly have learned a lot of different techniques from tutorials in the past. I am doing this all in Gimp, except that I took the base heightmap into Gaea to do a bunch of erosion work and create the water masks.

As for the snow on the mountains, prior to terraforming all water ice on Ovryn was concentrated in the southern polar ice cap (similar Mars' ice caps). Once terraforming transformed the atmosphere, the planet warmed the ice cap reduced and new water cycle initiated through terraforming led to snowfalls, both near the poles and on the high mountains. One thing I need to figure out is if I need to add a northern ice cap as well in the pre terraform stage. In theory, a single ice cap is possible depending on the planet eccentricity and some other factors, so I may just keep it that way (but then may need to reduce the northern polar region in the post terraform stage). Open to suggestions if there are any experts here who want to opine.

[Ink_alpinist]

Thanks! I am not using any tutorials, but I certainly have learned a lot of different techniques from tutorials in the past. I am doing this all in Gimp, except that I took the base heightmap into Gaea to do a bunch of erosion work and create the water masks.

As for the snow on the mountains, prior to terraforming all water ice on Ovryn was concentrated in the southern polar ice cap (similar Mars' ice caps). Once terraforming transformed the atmosphere, the planet warmed the ice cap reduced and new water cycle initiated through terraforming led to snowfalls, both near the poles and on the high mountains. One thing I need to figure out is if I need to add a northern ice cap as well in the pre terraform stage. In theory, a single ice cap is possible depending on the planet eccentricity and some other factors, so I may just keep it that way (but then may need to reduce the northern polar region in the post terraform stage). Open to suggestions if there are any experts here who want to opine.

I see, thanks for the anwser, Turambar ( or should I call you Turin? ). GIMP does look much more powerful than I remember (I used to play around Gimp but for regular character illustrations, not maps), I guess I should learn to use it better. Regarding Gaea, I never heard of it, looks interesting, but maybe complex? Anyway I must still delve deep in the tutorials from the forum.

Now, how cool! Terraformation seens really a intricate web of relations and butterfly effects, good luck. I know the final result will be great

[Turambar]

I see, thanks for the anwser, Turambar ( or should I call you Turin? ). GIMP does look much more powerful than I remember (I used to play around Gimp but for regular character illustrations, not maps), I guess I should learn to use it better. Regarding Gaea, I never heard of it, looks interesting, but maybe complex? Anyway I must still delve deep in the tutorials from the forum.

Now, how cool! Terraformation seens really a intricate web of relations and butterfly effects, good luck. I know the final result will be great

Thanks! It is certainly complex, and I am sure I am not getting everything scientifically right. But I try to get it loosely right at least.

I decided to take a break from the terrain and focus on the frame. I am going for pseudo art deco style. I still need to add a bit of terrain detailing and labels, and also figure out if I need a northern ice cap on the pre-terraform map.

Ovryn wip 2.jpg

[Turambar]

I think I may be done with this one barring further inspiration and maybe some tweaks if I see anything...


This map shows the transformation of the planet Ovryn, a Mars-like planet barren and devoid of life or water, save for the polar ice caps, over 500 years. The first map on the left shows Ovryn in 2346 C.E. when the colonist ship from earth first arrived and fully mapped the surface of the planet. The second map shows the planet 500 years later in 2846 C.E. following 450 years of terraforming efforts. After the first 250 years, all contact with earth and other colonies was cut off, leaving the budding nations on Ovryn to fend for themselves with increasingly obsolete technology and deteriorating scientific knowledge. By 2846 C.E. the still relatively sparse population of Ovryn is divided into numerous fiefdoms and loosely organized kingdoms tightly clustered around regions with water, especially the Fertile Crescent, Callanan, and the Highlands of Ladrian.

Ovryn wip 3.jpg

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[Ink_alpinist]

Indeed your thread delivered what was promised! The final map is really interesting and beautiful
Also this bit of lore make everything cooler.

Is there a reason for not showing cities?

Maybe another map with political borders would be cool, also.

And the "pseudo art deco style" was right decision. Good job!