The World-Continent of Lhem (WIP)

[pjrush]

Hello all,

This is a major remake of my first-ever fantasy map. The original version I posted here was basically the first thing I made when I bought Fractal Terrains a few years back and has been my personal bugbear ever since. But, like a good bugbear, like a teddy-bugbear. To put it another way, a major personal worldbuilding project.

Below are a couple of style variations from my master Photoshop file (with layers for different types of data). This master map is mostly for my reference and will be eventually be broken down into a number of smaller regional maps, so the labeling is less-than-ideal for a broad overview.

First, a true-colour version using image climate resources for FT3 I found so long ago I'm not sure I can properly credit them. They're either from a2area's awesome Israh tutorial or the Terraformer resources from Profantasy (or more likely a combination I made and then stupidly merged the layers from).

Re-make 04c 2.jpg

Then the topo layer with the first few completed countries laid over.

Re-make 04c.jpg

You may notice from the coordinate lines that Lhem exists on a true discworld. The atmosphere bulges at the perimeter of the disc creating colder climates toward the bottom of the map.

[pjrush]

I wasn't really happy with the topography so I re-made it at a finer resolution. Much happier with this.

Re-make 04c.jpg

[Lingon]

This is neat! I really like the land shape, lots of nice features, and you're doing a great job on the modern atlas style. The relief shading doesn't quite work in my opinion, hard to say what it is that feels off but I think the detail is too small and scattered. Fewer, larger swathes of shadow would better sell the mountainous landscape. Don't know how editable you file is but if possible, I'd suggest experimenting with that

[pjrush]

Thanks Lingon!

The relief shading is a problem I agree. To me it looks too fuzzy, but without it the relief just doesn't pop.

I took it straight out of FT3 but now that I've made so many edits by hand, I can't replace it easily. It's a separate PS layer, so I'll maybe fiddle with contrast settings or sharpening it or something...

[milanvasek]

wau, so much detail! it looks really believable and real

[pjrush]

The detailing process has begun in earnest now.

Changes you may notice:
1) A butt-ton(ne) of island chains around the large gulf to the left of the map. A few elsewhere too.
2) A hopeful boost to the realism of the giant fjord system near the upper right. A smaller bit of "fjording" elsewhere.
3) Have begun the process of bringing the rivers down in width to be closer to scale; you'll notice it mostly to the left-hand side of the map.
4) A few areas of river wandering in the flat areas. May add some oxbow lakes too.
5) Karst-like land erosion around the peninsula at the mouth of that gulf I mentioned. It's mostly limestone there.
6) I tried to indicate a huge swampy delta to the bottom of the map. This is caused by a series of enormous beaver-like dams that have remade the landscape for thousands of sq. kms. into a massive artificial wetland. I'd love any thoughts on how well that comes across. I don't want it to just look like a random mess.

I'm going for a high level of realism and detail, but this is a fantasy world so there are also features that would stretch credibility in (say) a science-fiction world. My hope is that I can integrate those elements seamlessly into the rest.

Comments & criticism welcome!

Re-make 04d.jpg

[jshoer]

That sure is a lot of little islands. Working all those in takes patience; good job. I really like the overall continent shape, too.

[J.Edward]

This thread has lots of goodness in it pj
I enjoyed all of these maps. Great work.