Hello out there

[Jaxilon]

That looks like a good way to show floating islands. Did you do that with a 3D package, and pick the right angle, or do it all with perspective (and a mark one eyeball)?

The whole thing was based on a splotch pattern we were given. I just added the "roots" of the islands and textured everything. I use the Gimp so no 3D package there. I originally just printed it out on paper and drew it with pencil by hand, then I scanned it back in and went from there. It was a fun challenge but I didn't win. Everyone came up with something different. Anyway, enough about that.

Just go for it, when you post something up in the WIP area I'm sure you will get a ton of input that will help you. Most likely the first few pieces you do will be throw away anyhow until you develop the style you want for it.

[NeonKnight]

Welcome to the Guild!

[teevee_etc]

Welcome from another new mapper! I sometimes feel like an eternal n00b too, yet all the tutorials, resources and great maps from the other mappers on this forum, do inspire me to create my own map. Although I do not draw the inspiration from a game map, but a fictional medieval/renaissance story I am writing, I do look forward to the adventure of making my first map. And probably many more

[Big Mac]

Well some of them swap positions occasionally if I remember correctly. I've been meaning to dig up my Gamecube games for another playthrough of it recently.

If they swap positions, but don't change in shape, perhaps separate maps could cover you.

It also complicates things that most islands have inhabitants on the surface and in subterranean tunnels within the islands.

I've been reading some tutorials, and some software lets you use something called layers. So if you learn how to use them, you could probably have one layer (or one set of layers) for the underground bit and another layer (or another set of layers) for the surface bit. That should make it easier to line up entrances and stuff like mine shafts.

But I only really understand the theory so far. Perhaps one of the experts can help you with more detailed information.

It was a really visually stirring game. People traveled in airships. I'm talking classic pirate ships, flying through the air on the heavy lower atmosphere.

Yarr!

The whole thing was based on a splotch pattern we were given. I just added the "roots" of the islands and textured everything. I use the Gimp so no 3D package there. I originally just printed it out on paper and drew it with pencil by hand, then I scanned it back in and went from there. It was a fun challenge but I didn't win. Everyone came up with something different. Anyway, enough about that.

Sounds fun. When I get a bit of talent, I might give that a go myself.

Just go for it, when you post something up in the WIP area I'm sure you will get a ton of input that will help you. Most likely the first few pieces you do will be throw away anyhow until you develop the style you want for it.

Thanks for that advice, which I think applies for me as well as Carto-noob. I suppose that even if an early map I attempt is pretty awful, it will at least help other people to understand what I am trying to do (better than words). So even bad stuff is progress. (I'll probably keep all my early rubbish, as I lost a ton of 3D art from a course a while back and regret not having it to see how I was doing.)

[Carto-noob]

I was just wondering where the WIP section is that you mentioned in here... I am unsure which section that is lol... noob here...

[Aval Penworth]

I was just wondering where the WIP section is that you mentioned in here... I am unsure which section that is lol... noob here...

Choose the most appropriate section from Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) and start a new thread.

[tilt]

welcome to the guild carto-noob, I'm sure we'll get you up and running soon

@Big Mac: The layers mentioned in photoshop (which are those mentioned most) are internal layers in the "artwork", see them as a lot of transparent foils you draw on and lay on top of one another - the advantage is that you can edit or remove a single layer without destroying what you got on all the other layers - but in the end, it all ends up as a single image. However programs like InDesign also have layers, and from those you can make a layered pdf, where you can turn on and off layers to see "what lies beneath" or add effects, monster positions or anything else interesting. So they work like you'd want them to

[Big Mac]

welcome to the guild carto-noob, I'm sure we'll get you up and running soon

@Big Mac: The layers mentioned in photoshop (which are those mentioned most) are internal layers in the "artwork", see them as a lot of transparent foils you draw on and lay on top of one another - the advantage is that you can edit or remove a single layer without destroying what you got on all the other layers - but in the end, it all ends up as a single image. However programs like InDesign also have layers, and from those you can make a layered pdf, where you can turn on and off layers to see "what lies beneath" or add effects, monster positions or anything else interesting. So they work like you'd want them to

Thanks Tilt. I hope that helps Carto-noob. It certainly educated me.