Inland Sea Kingdom

[Torq]

Hi all

A friend has asked me to do a regional map for the land that his new D&D is situated in. Its a small kingdom that has grown up based on the commerce generated by an inland sea. The region has been fairly well protected due to its geographic location, but of late it has become the target of a voracious neighbouring empire and war is soon to come.

That was my brief. I would really appreciate some pointers and advice from the Guildies before I present it to him.

Torq

[Gamerprinter]

That's a great map, Torq. In some ways similar to your Greenstone Monastery but I can see improvements over that map, with this one. I especially like the edges of your forests - realistic blending into the background texture. I like. I also like those contour lines you create, as done in the October challenge too.

My only two criticisms (small though they are) one the blackline outline around the lakes kind of throw me off. Since everything else is such well done photo realistic terrain, the hard black line is too harsh. I would say try to create a "pillowed" edge where the shores look 3D ish, rather than an outline.

Although I love the forests in this map, the internal texture has some squarish shapes which looks less "treelike" in this respect - I'm expecting to see roundish trees not squarish.

Other than that, like I said, great map, Torq!

[pyrandon]

Hey, Torq--great to see you with a new map in the oven! I like this one as well, and I think your mountanous regions are better than ever. The forests, however, appear problematic to me: they are very blotchy in the map (mainly at a distance, but up close as well), which comes across as unrealistic. Perhaps it's the fact that you have either forest or non-forest & seemingly no inbetween? Also, I cannot think of an explanation for their distribution. They also appear to run over all geography from mountainous to plains, which I think is odd. I guess I'm not 100% sure why, but those trees seem to me an issue with the map.

I also assume you'll be adding rivers, which will be interesting based upon the environment you've created.

[RobA]

OK Torq -

I'm definitely demanding a tutorial on how you made the mountain range/ridgelines. Those don't just look awesome, I think they qualify as hawesome!


-Rob A>

[Redrobes]

Hi Torq, I think a few smallish changes to this map could have a big impact. Im with Pyrandon in that the trees seem blotchy and needs some more in between types of vegetation and I also noticed the black line around the water - maybe a mid blue there would be better.

For me the main thing that hits me is that the water looks like clouds and I cant see the map but for thinking its a shape with holes cut into it and then held against the sky. The water needs to be much darker to be more realistic.

You should look at this app as its free for non pro use and would make a map similar to this in many ways.
http://www.bundysoft.com/L3DT/downloads/standard.php

[alucard339]

HI there,

I love your montain and general terrain ajustment you've made.

Hope to see a tutorial here soon .

I think for my part that I would drop the lake contour and make it like the sand is taken over by the water (more realistic).

The other problem I see is with the forest, there is too much spot and not enough continuity, it look more like an army camo suit than a forested map.
Maybe try to make some more define forest that could go around the mountain an on top of them in some places.

Make sure to post the final version too,

Alu.