February 2014 Entry: The Guild Empire

[Diamond]

I'm glad you guys like it. It actually didn't occur to me until now how much it looks like Middle Earth... it wasn't intentional. "Left Justified Continent" - ha!

Vorro - the relief was probably the easiest part of it - I did the same thing I did on that Paksennarion map in the challenge a while back. It's just pieces of real-Earth online atlas, merged and rotated and meshed to make something interesting. I spherized it to match the shape and size of the hemisphere, then just masked out the ocean bits. There was some rough pixellation at the eastern edges, and I went in with the blur tool and softened it up a bit there. The northern ice cap and a bit of that far southern land I painted a little, especially the ice cap, to make them look a little nicer.

[vorropohaiah]

the relief was probably the easiest part of it - I did the same thing I did on that Paksennarion map in the challenge a while back. It's just pieces of real-Earth online atlas, merged and rotated and meshed to make something interesting. I spherized it to match the shape and size of the hemisphere, then just masked out the ocean bits. There was some rough pixellation at the eastern edges, and I went in with the blur tool and softened it up a bit there. The northern ice cap and a bit of that far southern land I painted a little, especially the ice cap, to make them look a little nicer.

cant seem to find that thread in a search. any idea where you got that map from?

[Diamond]

You mean the atlas bits? I honestly don't remember. I never had a 'complete' online atlas; I just took screenshots of interesting bits and pieces back years ago and they've been following me from hard drive to hard drive ever since.

The Paksenarrion map is here: http://www.cartographersguild.com/ma...ons-world.html

[- Max -]

Very nice Diamond! Maxime fertile lands

[Diamond]

Added one more name - how could I forget the Treething Forest? And my little signature thingy.

### Winner ###

[ravells]

The abandoned land of Caravania made me chuckle. Beautiful entry - brilliantly observed.

[Chashio]

This is superb! Painter's Bay, haha

I'm half-tempted to ask for a framed print, but I have nowhere to put it.

[Bogie]

Great Map Diamond! See what you can accomplish when you don't have to run the challenge.

[Cunning Cartographer]

I think this has by far had the most effort put into it insofar as thought and creativity of the naming. Most of the other entries have felt more like maps with mentioning Guild member names in a really uninspiring uncreative manner. This has a lot of time and effort both on the map and the labeling.

[- Max -]

Most of the other entries have felt more like maps with mentioning Guild member names in a really uninspiring uncreative manner.

I think it's a bit harsh. Of course you're right, Diamond's map is really an inspiring work but THW shown a very creative map on this challenge for instance.