Tel'lar (a "Median" world)

[Steel General]

I think it's really a matter of just getting used to the fact that it is indeed an alien world. I'm just used to the typical "big blue marble" scheme, so when something different pops up it s a bit "shocking"

[Sinnyo]

Thank you, all! I'll see to shuffling those colours about - your critique's a big help. ^_^

[Sinnyo]

I've extended the deserts in order to try and combat this quite obvious and narrow band of colour. I've also brightened and desaturated various parts, including a 'melting' of some of the icecap regions. I hope this improves things, even if it is subtle.

20100513 Tel'lar (annotated, 2000).jpg

[Dean]

I really like this map, because it totally evokes a sense of being an alien world. So, you're on the right track!

Some constructive criticism: Personally, my eyes aren't accepting the visual cues that land is land and water is water. Since you have much of the land being black, it seems to be deeper (like on a height map). Likewise, except for the red stripe in the middle, the water stands out more, and appears higher. My brain keeps telling me that your seas are actually land, and your land is actually a hole into outer space (due to the colors you chose).

*shrug* But it's a cool style, and I'd hate for that to be lost, so dunno what I'd advise should be done about it.

[rdanhenry]

I'm not having any problems with the colors. While the colors seem a bit odd, that's intended. I have no difficulty distinguishing which is land and which is sea, even without reading the labels. An equatorial desert belt indicates zero or near zero axial tilt, so seasons are likely non-existent or at least quite mild, unless the orbit is highly eccentric.

[Sinnyo]

An equatorial desert belt indicates zero or near zero axial tilt, so seasons are likely non-existent or at least quite mild, unless the orbit is highly eccentric.

Aha, thank you! That's precisely the sort of geography I manage to glance over too often. Duly noted - that'll help with the galactic map I need to produce soon.

Thank you very much everyone! I'm saying that a lot, but this is the first proper map I've submitted to the guild, so I'm quite humbled by your feedback.

[Dean]

OK, that was strange. I think I either have to re-calibrate my monitor, or my computer is not working properly. When I saw this map last night, everything was MUCH darker. Like, all the purple countries were pitch-black. Hence my negative comments about the color-scheme. But after checking it today, all the colors are so much brighter. It looks great!

Sorry! This piece-of-crap PC has been giving me headaches for a while now. Maybe time to switch back to my Mac....

[Sinnyo]

OK, that was strange. I think I either have to re-calibrate my monitor, or my computer is not working properly. When I saw this map last night, everything was MUCH darker. Like, all the purple countries were pitch-black. Hence my negative comments about the color-scheme. But after checking it today, all the colors are so much brighter. It looks great!

Not to worry - like I mentioned earlier, Firefox has been bizarrely tainting this and other images for me, too. I can switch from the original file in Photoshop to here and see the purples turn completely dark. I wonder if that's the browser, my monitor being dodgy or something else...

[Jaxilon]

Well, I like the colors. Yeah they are different but then that's the point isn't it? You don't really want it to look "normal".

One thing I noticed however was the white lettering on the pinkish background was a little hard to read. You might consider making those letters darker or maybe putting a shadow on them?

Either way have some rep and thanks for sharing. This adds another pressure point to my drive to get back to my own world map project.

[Sinnyo]

Thank you, Jaxilon! I'll bear that in mind for the next revision - I've had to shelve the mapping projects for a week or so.