October/November 2014 Challenge: Valles Marineris

[Diamond]

Looking great, dude. I'm really looking forward to all the little details!

[J.Edward]

This should be an interesting one.
Looking forward to seeing your work on this.

[xpian]

Despite this being a location that exists in the real...universe...I wanted to have my own graphical assets for all of it. So I've been sketching out all of the regions I'm mapping, using reference images as a guide. I've laid them out in the wide arrangement I'd sketched out earlier.

Now I'll be adding in the layers of waters, foliage, and snows, as well as constructing the various settlements and technological facilities found there.

Current Concept: This map is a "report" of sorts prepared by someone who is part of an expedition returning to earth from a distant star. It's been centuries since they've had contact with anyone in the Sol system, so they aren't sure what they'll find. This map shows what remains of the once-promising Mars Terraforming Colony located in the great rift valley.

### Latest WIP ###
VallesMarineris_v3.jpg

[johnvanvliet]

Nice , it looks like you are going with a sandy " Arrakis" look ( Frank Herbert "Dune" )

[xpian]

Well, it's turning out that way. Mostly because all the reference images I've been using to sketch from are actual Mars photography and because I can't seem to get "sandy red planet" out of my head. I picked a tan color for the base and the rusty color for the surface.

However...I think there will be quite a bit of color shifting to come in the next couple of days. Because I've decided there should be jungles and seas and plains, as well as snow and ice. I want it to look like Mars, but to look like a Mars that went through a thousand-odd years of terraforming and wild growth. But also a Mars that is beginning to reclaim its desert self from the hubristic humans whose efforts are only barely holding up to the relentless creep of arid desolation.

[johnvanvliet]

Dunes ----

maybe some inspiration , or not ...

Two recent Mars Science Lab "navcam" images
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-ima...CAM00299M_.JPG
---
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-ima...CAM00299M_.JPG

they are black and white images ( the navcam is a B&W camera )
--panorama
/* from a different site */
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/i...=post&id=34169
http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/i...=post&id=33794

Color Mastcam
-- the green level is about 30% too high in the NON- calibrated jpg images
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-ima...91E01_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-ima...93E01_DXXX.jpg

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-ima...85E01_DXXX.jpg
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl-raw-ima...72E01_DXXX.jpg

[xpian]

Wow! Thanks again for all the great reference imagery.

[xpian]

Getting away, just a bit, from the heavy rust color. Adding in sandy dunes to the flat upper surface. Adding a dusting of snow, and snow dunes, on top of that.

### Latest WIP ###
VallesMarineris_v4.jpg

[xpian]

The great river system, with its lakes and seas, has been added. The base level of foliage has been laid down on the canyon floor and sides. Lots more snow has been spread around the upper surface. It is intended that there be snow clinging to the highest canyon levels just below the planet's surface, but I'll add that in if time permits.

There's a robot there: an Eggstructor. This simple droid exists by the thousands--or millions--wherever big construction projects are needed. They're capable of mining for raw materials, creating refineries, processing and manufacturing parts, and making more Eggstructors. They're simple to repair and able to traverse difficult terrain. Top pops open to reveal a solar panel dish for recharging. When the leg/arms are folded in, the armored egg shape they create is quite durable. In great hordes, these droids build massive structures for their human creators, moving vast quantities of rock in the process.

Next to come with the map is drawing in the various facilities in the zoom-up maps. I'll be going for different architectural styles, reflecting different factions, political regimes, and timeframes.

### Latest WIP ###
VallesMarineris_v5.jpg

[xpian]

Still chugging away. Working on filling in those buildings and the foliage around them in the zoom-up views, but I thought it best to get the text down there first, for completeness, should I wind up running out of time...

### Latest WIP ###
VallesMarineris_v6.jpg