Nob Biranit - Desert Fort (Inspired by "Compact Castles")

[Kier]

Very Cool. It is nice to see a "real-size" fortification. So many get to be huge and unrealistic.

CC3, I have only begun to touch it. Made my first map, then got addicted to GIMP and making my own symbols, lol. Just returned back to CC3 to try the new symbols and floor tiles out. Do you use one of the addons, like DD3? or just free for all on the main CC3? I really should do some of tutorials in the Tome of Ultimate Mapping.

[anomiecoalition]

I also have DD3 and CD3 (though I'm not sure how much I use the tools provided by those add-ons...its hard to tell...I mostly just draw shapes/add effects/drop symbols.) The youtube tutorials are essential and I haven't gotten the tome yet, but I plan on it. The most important thing is just making a bunch of maps and pushing to see what the program can do.

I've experimented with Gimp and Photoshop (prefer PS), but I find them to actually be a little less intuitive for me (probably just a result of me learning CC3 first). I wish I had the artistic ability to make my own symbols.

[anomiecoalition]

New update...did a minor gaussian blur on the 2nd floor (1 px)and slightly more on the roof (2 px). Also messed around with text effects and created room labels. Think its just about done, but would welcome any comments/critiques that could make it better.

Nob Biranit - Put Together.jpg

*In retrospect, I wish I had been a little less faithful to the original plans provided and expanded the size of the rooms a little bit more (an extra 5' all the way around each room would have left more for objects and gameplay.) It also occurred to me at the end of the process that the plans were also missing a water source and stables of some kind (for camels). While these would likely be outside the fort, its something I should have added (but don't feel like redoing everything for it now.)

**None of that should be construed as a critique of the original plans provided in the castle book...(Its AWESOME!)...just regret that I didn't step outside of the box a bit more.

[Bogie]

Fantastic AC! I agree about the size, but like Kier said, real world outposts had tiny rooms. I should be easy just to add a well outside the front door. The border around each map is great, how did you make it?

[anomiecoalition]

Thanks man. Yeah, the border was a real pain (probably cause I'm still so new to photoshop). I downloaded these free arabian-themed brushes (can't remember where) and brushed it in. But, if I increased the size of the font, they were too thick. So i had to paste them in regular size and then cut them into 4 corners. Then paste in a bunch of copies of the middle section...then repeat the whole process 4 times.

anyone know of an easier way to do that sort of thing (i.e. manipute the dimensions of border brushes?)