Lands of Fagacea

[Chashio]

Your terrain could perhaps use some more contrast; brighter highlights and deeper shadows to make the mountains and cliffs and hills pop up. Also, the mountains themselves appear to differ in style from the cliffs... which makes the map harder to read; I can't tell if the mountains are supposed to be read top down or on an angle, if the cliffs are supposed to have vertical faces or slanted. If the mountains are meant to be read on an angle, they might benefit from pulling some of the higher peaks above the range behind them so that you can't see the backsides of the mountains.

For the marshy valley (dark area) wide open flat spaces would be more likely to see a ton of light from the sun because there's nothing to block it, so definitely lighten it up. If you want to make it appear as a depression then pull the terrain up all around it (shadows touching the western side of the depression and highlights in the east and north, according to your sun position). The mountains on either side of the strait in the upper left corner is a pretty good example of that.

[aquarits]

Your terrain could perhaps use some more contrast; brighter highlights and deeper shadows to make the mountains and cliffs and hills pop up. Also, the mountains themselves appear to differ in style from the cliffs... which makes the map harder to read; I can't tell if the mountains are supposed to be read top down or on an angle, if the cliffs are supposed to have vertical faces or slanted. If the mountains are meant to be read on an angle, they might benefit from pulling some of the higher peaks above the range behind them so that you can't see the backsides of the mountains.

Guess i understood what you said, mountains seeing like from top and cliffs with some angle. But i cannot use it just for representation? I saw many maps using different cliffs not following the same style of the mountains or other element. Maybe unconscious i followed it from somewhere?

I put LIGHT and worked to get less dark colors. Included the regional borders and background. The orange color in the capitol is exactly what i wanted, but still not happy with the inner glow separating the districts. I keep looking for some other maps to try follow same style.
The icons will be arranged when i start put the roads and gain when i start label.

[foremost]

I actually quite like the mountains of your directly above attached map, so I don't see any problems. Nice work.

[aquarits]

Thanks for the feed back foremost and thanks to come back to my thread.

Here is just a small update to see how i want it going.

[Chashio]

Yeah, you can disregard my previous comments; the style took a different turn than where I thought you were going with it. It seems to be working well.

[aquarits]

Nice!! Thanks Chashio!!
I said few posts before in what i am basing the map, for my roads in this realm.

Thanks Will
I published the map in the finished area you can check here:

http://www.cartographersguild.com/fi...tml#post211611

Now going to other map, that i was anxious to do. I will try do something like a road map, this place the special feature will roads, since it was the main tatic where Fagacea found to conquer the independence from Hirkania. Want something based in this, but with a medieval touch.

Attachment 53194

I just started work in the topography and made some icons that i believe get some updades to make more a medieval style.

Attachment 53195

Here i am posting some progress, detailing the west side.

[- Max -]

Interesting job and nice landshape. though it's not legible everywhere. I'd get rid of the forests - especially because they looks like a bit rushed and since it doesn't really matter on this kind of map in my opinion, to make it more neat and clear. Also I'm not fan of the blue/green icon colors, too bright in my opinion. They could be more legible. Another thing : your coastlines are pixellated...
I must admit that I'm a bit confused. Looks like very modern (roads with numbers/some modern icons) for your kind of fantasy world :/

[aquarits]

Fast test to check. If better without forests i have to work a bit in colors, suck but i have some colors in same layer ¬.¬
Both maps linked to comparative.

Too much information in one time, i cant understand

--> Not Legible: is because have a lots of names? Is is coz of this, its ok i guess, i have some maps like this, that where have a complex of roads you have to check it closer to can understand.
-->remove Forest: I dunno, i guess i need it to explain some roads, check the road upper west cliff. without a forest can't explain why you have to walk a lots around.
-->Icon colors: i Followed a standard in first time Blue for federation, yellow for states and green for military. Nothing that i can make some tests with other collors.

the main question, what you mean with "your coastlines are pixellated"? I feathered a lots for proposal, to get rid of the details that i dont believe be possible in a medieval era. Its not a rt, is a tool map i guess

I agree with modern, but can understand it following the background history. In the Independence War (Fagacea vs Hirkania) the roads was the secret fr the win. Sometimes the soldiers of Hirkania just not understand how the sources appear so fast. They whisper about magic or getting the sources using white Dragons. but the secret was just transportation. The cits in the south just produced soldiers and sources, receive things in the harbors and send to the north, with paved roads connecting the main sites, simple roads connecting every town and secret trails working as shortcut was the victory weapon to win the War. Hirkania has the masters of the Knights, but Fagacea showed that brain can works better, turning the masters in the land transportation.

[- Max -]

I prefer the version without forests but it's just my opinion, maybe others will give their thoughtds about it too. I think the icons colors can be improved to make them more legible and solid. And yes the coastlines are pixellated, look at them closer you' ll see that :p
I understand the story about the map but still think it's odd to have modern touch on your world :/ The way you did the roads/iroad symbols makes them more highways or modern roads or something than paved roads or trails. Just my two cents

[Chashio]

Yeah, I must have skipped over reading that particular post.

That's a neat history.