Hello Everyone!

[Seether]

Hello there. I have lurked around this site sporadically for a long time now, and have always been a little nervous to post. I wanted to get a good understanding (beyond just the FAQ and Code of Conduct) of what the community is really like before I introduced myself. I look at what goes on here, and can only think "WOW." The cumulative talent I have seen is off the charts!

I unfortunately have no skill in mapmaking at all. It's one I wish I had, but really just don't have the talent. I'd need to take full courses even for the basics.

I'm actually really here to find people to collaborate with to write non-profit products with me for the D&D Forgotten Realms setting known as Maztica. It is a setting that is woefully in need of an update for the 5th edition of the game and I have now written nine products for the setting without really a single map (other than a few some folk donated to help long ago).

Other than that, I often just come to this site to gawk. I find so much of the work inspiring and it often leads me to do write ups, even without using the map in question.

Pleasure to meet you all!

[Josiah VE]

Welcome to the guild Seether!
No need to be nervous, we're a friendly bunch.

It's never to late to learn mapmaking! We all start somewhere.

But, if you've been lurking I assume you know where to post a mapmaking request if that's what you go for.

Glad to have you here.

[ChickPea]

Hi Seether, welcome to the Guild. Hope you can find someone to collaborate with, but if not, there's plenty of advice in the tutorials section. You may surprise yourself! As Josiah says above, it's never to late to learn.

[Tonnichiwa]

Hi Seether, welcome to the guild. Maztica huh? Good idea. I knew about Maztica when it was origionally released but I never got to play it very much as my d&d group was far more interested in Oriental Adventures. So I've been slowly working on trying to update that to 5th edition. Sadly, I haven't completed anything for it yet though. But I'm presently working on a map of Kozakura, trying to map every single province.

[Seether]

Thank you all for the kind words and warm welcome! Yeah, I might check out some of the tutorials and play around with some mapmaking programs. I recently made a "map" (if you could call it that) for a book called Blood Offering that I wrote (it can be found here: http://www.dmsguild.com/product/1810...Blood-Offering ) but to be honest I was too embarassed by it to even mention it lol. It's a hollowed out Aztec (Maztican) temple with a few layers of vamps to push through. I made it on Google Sketchup.

Hi Seether, welcome to the guild. Maztica huh? Good idea. I knew about Maztica when it was origionally released but I never got to play it very much as my d&d group was far more interested in Oriental Adventures. So I've been slowly working on trying to update that to 5th edition. Sadly, I haven't completed anything for it yet though. But I'm presently working on a map of Kozakura, trying to map every single province.

Now that is something I'd love to see! The non-European cultural regions of the Forgotten Realms were always my favorite.

[Tonnichiwa]

Thank you all for the kind words and warm welcome! Yeah, I might check out some of the tutorials and play around with some mapmaking programs. I recently made a "map" (if you could call it that) for a book called Blood Offering that I wrote (it can be found here: http://www.dmsguild.com/product/1810...Blood-Offering ) but to be honest I was too embarassed by it to even mention it lol. It's a hollowed out Aztec (Maztican) temple with a few layers of vamps to push through. I made it on Google Sketchup.



Now that is something I'd love to see! The non-European cultural regions of the Forgotten Realms were always my favorite.

Well, you are in luck then as I have been documenting my tiny progress on this (at least the mapping part) right here on this website. Since I am terrible with computers and have no clue how to link to my thread I guess I will just tell you if you want to see it search for "Tonnichiwa's Workshop (using cc3+)." You can find it in the "General and Miscellaneous mapping" thread.

I am doing more than just mapping though. I am converting old 1st edition Oriental Adventures characters into different archetypes for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons, and I am using the old Birthright system to simulate the Samurai ruling structure. Eventually I will be making a Kozakura themed battle map so I can use the war system of Birthright to simulate different battles for different provinces of Kozakura. The idea behind the whole thing is for one of the characters to become Daimyo, the other characters to support the kingdom in its various duties, and the party together to try to unite Kozakura into one kingdom. It is a monumental task for one person but I'm passionate about it so it will get done.

[Elterio Delgard]

No talent?
The secret is to AKNOWLEDGE the fact that it WILL take time, but that you WILL SUCCEED. I would like to ask you to make a small mental reflection if you wish to draw maps. What is it you REALLY have a hard time with? Me, at first, it was my mountains and forests that were disgusting. Once you know what you have a hard time with, you may and up knowing that some others things you are doing quite well! Never give up! (but you may give down if you like play on words )

[Josiah VE]

My first map were a LOT worse than that Elterio.. I've only been drawing maps for a year or two.

[Elterio Delgard]

Actually, this was my third map, My two first versions I never kept them so I cannot go further back.

[tilt]

Welcome to the guild. try running through our tutorials, maybe you'll find something you can 'try on for size'? ... we're happy to help what ever you choose