-~@ July 2011 Challenge - All About The Big Boys @~-

[Yandor]

So just to be on the safe side, I did this super super quick, but this was the idea I had in mind to "change" the shapes up... will something like this be allowed then??

I outlined the original in red

[Ascension]

If you were making a political map then the shapes would be there and easy to see so yes, it would be okay.

I was hoping this might stir you to action, bro. Been a long time.

[Yandor]

hmm well poop, its not a political map... Well I'll post what I got, if its a no go then I'll fix it, but I'll wait for a verdict

[Gamerprinter]

Well of course these days, I have very little time for challenges - heck, I have very little time for sleep...

My first thought in looking at the shapes is seeing it as negative space, as in lakes, or even a straight between two continents with lakes surrounding and an unplaced ocean or sea above and below it. I'd probably go that route, if I wanted to have no sleep at all and get involved. Unlikely, though.

Speaking of which, I think I'll go take a nap - having had about 8 hours sleep in the last 3 days...

GP

[Ascension]

Uhhhm, ok then. Our loss I guess.

[Gamerprinter]

No, the loss is all mine. Just sayin'. I wish I had the time to participate, but I never do any more - it sucks. I love the challenges... (I've participated in nearly 30 I'd say since I started here.)

See like right now, I'm behind schedule to create commercial maps, I've got probably six I need to create this week. While I love to map, when it's got to done and you're behind - it becomes work, and 'less fun'. Its hard for me to map for fun, when I have this nagging feeling I need to do other maps first, which inhibits my creativity. Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that I get to create maps and earn some income, sort of 'playing D&D all week long in my head, while I map and get paid for it'. But I miss the challenges.

On top of that, I am writing the mechanics for 30 Ancestral Relics, a kind of 'weapons of legacy' type of magic item. I've got 15 done, and 15 to go. Then I have to make an intro, creation rules, tables, and I've illustrated 10 objects so far. Which according to Steve is more than enough, but I think every item deserves its own illustration. The book is intended as PDF only, so I have no page count limitation due to print costs. After that I have to do page layout.

Plus the other writer, Jonathan McAnulty is writing other supplements for Kaidan, with my interjection, and I have to do their page layouts and spot illlustrations when they are edited and ready - on a required deadline for layout and release schedule.

Its a dream job, being a self working D&D (Pathfinder) pubisher, writer, designer, developer, cartographer, and layout artist (and artist).

I have still a full time graphics shop to run in the day time.

It eats up all my time. I love what I do, but it keeps me away from the other thing I love to do - participating in CG challenges.

So it's my loss.

GP

[anonymousfromyou]

I am a little confused on the objective of this challenge. Is this a free-for-all image? we can do whatever we want even if it has nothing to do with maps?
Thanks

[Gamerprinter]

It's always a map challenge. Take what you see in the image as inspiration for some kind of map and create it. Maybe its a deserted island a pirate has been exiled with headhunters on the one of the other islands, or the site of ancient lost civilization now overgrown in jungle, maybe its a starport for an intergalactic vacation spot for a water world experience. Or as I thought, use the black shapes as water with land surrounding it, or adding in a sea on north and southern edge connecting them. Use the image to inspire your own idea of what those black shapes mean to you as a map.

GP

[anonymousfromyou]

Thanks,

I sort of created a map.. Yeah, its a map. Just in space. It was too good for earth.

[Steel General]

If its a map (even a map of space) and the shapes are recognizable you should be good.