My First Digital World Map

[britt]

This is my first attempt, ever, at doing a digital world map. Right now I am struggling with a good way to make plateaus. If anyone has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.


*edit Forests and better color gradient on the land mass.

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*edit Improved the land texturing and playing with plateau formations.

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[johnvanvliet]

not bad for a early image

just really only one thing . You do NOT have to fill a square or rectangle

as to a plateau , what software are you using ?
Wilbur ?

they are just flat topped heightmaps



the first is the same noise but one has the values clipped the next two are 3d meshes of those noise images

[britt]

I am using gimp. The coastline is hand drawn. The mountainous regions are hand drawn masks then filled with noise using the felimage noise generator. The peaks are angular gradient fills... basically just multiple layers of noise built up to form mountains.. That's it. No other software. Its the technique that Keith Davies tutorial covers.

This was once a hand drawn map. I am recreating it from memory and, applying digital techniques to it. It is kind of "square-ish now that you mention it." But, that's ok.. it's just for me to practice with.

I see what you mean with the plateaus being cut off height maps.. I should have realized that. It gives me all kinds of ideas. Thanks.

[britt]

I improved the texturing and now I am messing around with plateau formations... next up looking to vary the shading and color across the landmass. Currently the color is a little too uniform.

[britt]

So I played around with gradients some more and, figured out how to get color anywhere I wanted it.

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The darker areas are generally more "evil-ish" in nature. But, I basically tried to represent drier areas versus greener and the bare beginnings of arctic in the north. I am currently re-working the forests as they are just not right for the scale I am working in. Once I get the forests right then it will be time for labeling.

[kacey]

Good job on you're first attempts at doing a digital world map. You're coast line looks really good, and I like the texture. At first I thought you were using Wilbur, I had no idea you could do this type of style in gimp alone, I'll have to check out the Keith Davies tutorial... If I can find it. In one area you have a river draining on two coasts, is this intentional? Good job overall, can't wait to see what else you do with it.

[britt]

I did switch to Wilbur after johnvanvliet mentioned it. I used Wilbur to redo my land texturing and, to create height maps for the plateaus. And, Yes, I have a lake which drains into two basins. This is known as a bifurcation lake. It is extremely rare for one to drain into two oceans but, not impossible.

[britt]

So here we have better color and much improved (though still not very realistic) forest cover. I think it's good enough to start labeling and applying the bits that will make it look like a map.

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