The death fields

[IdiotDogBrain]

Here is a map I created for a roleplaying game campaign. All the names come in german language- sorry for that. If you have ideas or critique I am happy as always.

Todesfelder.gif

[Klaus van der Kroft]

I really like your style and the colours are very nice to look at.

I only have two details:

-Turning the map clock-wise would be a nice touch.

-While I'm no expert in hydrology, I believe the Salfarsee should somehow flow into the ocean; the geographical features surrounding it don't seem extreme enough to create a fully locked water body, and the rivers flowing into it should eventually cause an overflow (unless we're speaking of a sufficient deficit caused by evaporation, or some kind of endorheic river that drains through the underground).

Other than that, it is a lovely map that deserves reputation.

[Lyandra]

Very nice colours, the map has something cheerful about it and I like that. This piece certainly deserves rep.
I agree with everything Klaus said before me about possible river changes. And please, let us see it right side up!^^

[IdiotDogBrain]

Uups, turning the map that way was not intended at all. Here you go.

I will add that stream between the Sulfursee and the ocean. I hope I did not screw the layers to much. I will repost it when the connection is done! And thanks for the rep!

Todesfelder.gif

[vorropohaiah]

nice map, but its too bright and colourful for something called the death fields! id expect a bit less green and discoloured lakes/seas (if im correct in understanding that is a sulfurous sea?)

[IdiotDogBrain]

Hi, the name is a bit misleading. The whole area was drained of life by a ash dragon centuries ago. The dragon then went dormant. Only decades ago nature started to regrow (wich woke the ash dragon again since he could drain the land once more but thats another story) so the whole area is rather greenish. The name still is derived from the decades of starving settlers in the region.

But you are right I had a much gloomier approach in mind. I think I might retain some cheerful aspects of the map (thats one of the feelings in the region cause the ecology is doing so well at the moment) and might try to play with colors in other places. The Sulfurous sea might be better of with some yellowish color.

Might take some time. I am not so much the designer and artist and color composition is always hard for me.

[IdiotDogBrain]

Here is my next try. Less color. Some added rivers. Yellowish Sulfursee with smoke coming out. How do you like it in comparison to the old version?

Todesfelder2.gif

[arsheesh]

I like the stylized "other-worldliness" of this map. Oh, and I think the second version is a definite improvement on the first. Lovely work.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[IdiotDogBrain]

Hi Arshees, could you define what makes the map "other-worldish" for you? Thats probably something I would like to improve in future maps...

[jfrazierjr]

The muted colors look much better. Personally, I am not a big fan of the purple water color.... Also the new green stuff in the Sulfursee is not consistent. My first thought on a the thumbnail was "hey, he replaced the lake with a forest", but then I opened it an realized it was not and was not quite sure what it was. I would still expect the water to be mostly the same color as the rest of your water, but with perhaps a few "lite" embellishments to indicate that there is something different about that water. Perhaps a few squiggle lines to indicate like fumes, but not at 100% opacity... perhaps more like 30% or so... Your mountains have different styles... it looks like you put them onto separate layers and blurred one layer and not the other, so there is an inconsistent look. Compare the mountains in top right corner vs top middle vs bottom middle.... they all look like they should be the same source brushes, but they are different enough to be jarring. I would also suggest toning down the saturation of the forests near Shefiererwald. Also, whats with the checkerboard pattern in the bottom right with some low opacity mountains?

Also(and this is more minor, but it just happens to annoy me since it's "detail"), you have a number of places where the symbols are underneath the mountain shading. Examples: Moosberge there are two rivers partially obscured.. either move them a layer down or mask/erase the shadows there or better yet, redraw the rivers to avoid the shadows. Nie Toten Talen, there are trees under the shadows. etc....

Please don't take this large number of specific critiques the wrong way. You have the beginnings of a very nice map, but you have to come up with some consistency of style(unless of course the idea is that the map was made by different people over time)