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  1. #1
    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Question Big Question on 'Elevation' representation

    Looking to emulate this style of mapping/showing a change in elevation in Photoshop.

    If anyone can help a brother out, that would be cool!

    MapElevations.png
    Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User

    Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!

    Any questions on CC3? Post them with CC3 in the Subject Line!
    MY 'FAMOUS' CC3 MAPS: Thunderspire; Pyramid of Shadows; King of the Trollhaunt Warrens; Demon Queen's Enclave

  2. #2

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    Hello NeonKnight

    If you are using CC3, its just a sheet with a heavy Blur Effect followed by a Multiply Blend Mode set to about 20% opacity, with lots of black polygons drawn on it.

    That's what I used to show the relief on the CC3 map; Merelan City.

    The heavier the blur, the softer the transition between light and shade.

    If you want to further enhance the effect by adding hightlights (I didn't bother with MC) you would need another sheet with the same heavy Blur Effect, followed by a Lighten Blend Mode set to about the same opacity, drawing solid white polygons on it instead of black ones.

    (Its drawing all the wiggly polygons that takes the time, but I did that using the freehand drawing tool, and converting the lines I drew to polygons)

    EDIT: the terracing in the example I gave you was created by using 8 sheets of rock texture (one for each terrace), each with an identical lit bevel effect on them. You have to be a bit careful with the way you set it up, though, as its a bit tricky to get it looking ok. I softened the bottom edge of the bevel by adding an edge fade inner after the bevel effect, and I softened the top edge by adding a layer of grass between each rock terrace. The grass layers had a slight Edge Fade Inner, and were drawn so that they overlapped the top edge of the bevel enough to hide the sharp edge.

    EDIT2: The relief shading sheets (I had 2 of them in the end) were on top of everything else in the map, except the labels. The reason I had 2 was to deepen the shade in the steepest parts. If you wanted to have various different blurs in effect (to express soft mounds and sharper ridges for example) you would again need more than one relief sheet - each with a different amount of blur on it.
    Last edited by Mouse; 09-29-2017 at 07:14 AM.

  3. #3

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    Knew I had one somewhere...

    This is an extract of MC with and without the sheet effects for the relief shading turned on so you can see what I mean. I've used the top of the island where the map is relatively clear of symbols so you can see it a bit better.

    Light shadow:
    Light shade MC.jpg

    Deep shadow:
    Deep shade MC.jpg

    Effects turned on:
    Effects on.JPG

    Sorry about the poor resolution. I think these were originally just screen shots rather than properly rendered images.
    Last edited by Mouse; 09-29-2017 at 05:57 AM.

  4. #4
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    That's cool simple elevation look to that map NeoKnight. Reminds me of the old squadleader maps, only updated. Not sure how to create it but Mouse seems to be on the right track.

  5. #5
    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Thanx Mouse, unfortunately, the persons I am helping out are prefer Photoshop, so that is what I am trying to help with.
    Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User

    Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!

    Any questions on CC3? Post them with CC3 in the Subject Line!
    MY 'FAMOUS' CC3 MAPS: Thunderspire; Pyramid of Shadows; King of the Trollhaunt Warrens; Demon Queen's Enclave

  6. #6

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    Aaaah.... I Seeeeee

    You mean a bit like this?

    Relief shading a mesa.png

    This is in GIMP, but if you want the actual file I can send it to you (if you PM me an email address). It would be easier than trying to explain the 7 layers involved.

  7. #7
    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mouse View Post
    Aaaah.... I Seeeeee

    You mean a bit like this?

    Relief shading a mesa.png

    This is in GIMP, but if you want the actual file I can send it to you (if you PM me an email address). It would be easier than trying to explain the 7 layers involved.
    Yeah, if I knew how it was made in GIMP, I could 'deconstruct' I believe back to PS.

    I believe this is the post you mean?

    https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=38229
    Last edited by NeonKnight; 09-29-2017 at 03:27 PM.
    Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User

    Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!

    Any questions on CC3? Post them with CC3 in the Subject Line!
    MY 'FAMOUS' CC3 MAPS: Thunderspire; Pyramid of Shadows; King of the Trollhaunt Warrens; Demon Queen's Enclave

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by NeonKnight View Post
    I believe this is the post you mean?

    https://www.cartographersguild.com/s...ad.php?t=38229
    YES! That's it! That's the one...

    Now I have to follow the link a second time to get the title... again...

    Snodsy's "Top Down Cliffs and Ravines" That's the title

    My method is a very scruffy and totally amateur version of his

  9. #9
    Administrator ChickPea's Avatar
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    That's super cool, Mouse! Even if it's not what NK needs, you wouldn't consider writing up a tutorial for the rest of us? Pretty please?
    "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams"

  10. #10

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    A tutorial?

    Wow! I'm really flattered now

    Not sure I know how I really did it myself, though.

    Its sort of a very scribbly crude version of Snodsy's rather splendid relief technique (and Mouse has forgotten completely the title of it! *rolls eyes at self*)

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