first map posting

[Ilmari]

Hello everyone,

I've been enjoying looking at everyone's maps (I just joined the group), so I thought I should share back. This is a map I've been working on for a long time for a fantasy novel series I've been world building.

Some background to the map: The story is set on earth about 250 million years into the future. I did the map in photoshop using google maps images as the starting point, but torquing everything to represent what the planet will be like in 250 milliion years (using the paleomap projects plate tectonic projections to get the right shapes but feeling free to play as well adding islands at will, etc.) and retexturing to get projected climate changes in. I used textures from google maps made to tile in photoshop to get the various landforms and sea bottom so I could get as close to satellite style as possible. It was fun reconstructing the continental shelves and shaping the inner sea, especially.

Much work still to be done in laying out the cities, etc. But at least I know where the main character lives!

I hope you enjoy the map, and comments are welcome,

Ilmari

The Paleomap project is fun to see: http://www.scotese.com

[Chick]

Very nice! And welcome to the Guild!

[Sharpes]

Looks great Ilmari! Looks like my home of Australia lost its unique island continent status.

[Chashio]

That's a fine piece of work, Ilmari. Very impressive. I do wonder what some of the textures and colors signify, though others are pretty clear; it might be nice to have some sort of key describing and/or showing the different climates and biomes. That's not a criticism, though, just a wishful thought. Keep up the great work!

[Ilmari]

Thanks for taking a look and letting me know what you think! I hear you about the textures. I was aware when making this that I was losing a lot of texture continuity in all the twisting and shaping and blending I was doing. I may go back in and clean that up. When I have a really clear idea where the nations are, I'll probably put in some boundaries in another layer and fix the textures then set up a map key. I'm not so happy with the way the huge mountains look, either, in retrospect, where the new continents join. Sad about Australia losing its continent status, but I guess that's the way the plates hit in a few million years!