03 - Atlas Ward [Mouse]

[Southern Crane]

Ok - I think I may just have broken the unspoken rules by drawing a rather large rock in my area, when there are no hills marked out for me on John's master plan.

Now that I've learned how to do it so that I can re-draw it in another map I don't mind removing it and replacing it with a more conventional building. (Put simply I was just messing around and got carried away!)

I'll leave it to the popular vote to decide...

Attachment 91922

The rock looks awesome! Is there a tutorial or PDF on doing elevation from top down like that? Its never something I've tried and I just realized I have some hills. I'm currently just saving that area for last hoping I learn how to do it even half as cool as yours !

[Mouse]

Ummm.... I may yet have to remove it from this map, Southern Crane, but I'll use it somewhere else in the not too distant future if I do

This is a CC3 map, but the method is generally applicable. There are 4 layers. Each has a texture shape on it (the same rock texture I've used for the base of the map), and a bevel effect. There is also a directional shadow being cast by each layer with a very fuzzy outer edge, so that the shadows merge and become deepest where they overlap.

This isn't properly honed just yet. If it stays I will adjust the extent and colour of the bevels and shadows to make it look more natural.

I am ashamed to say that I don't really know if there are any Guild tutorials on how to create top down relief shading, because I use CC3 and there aren't that many tutorials of any kind for CC3 here, so don't generally go looking for them... but I have seen a pretty good tutorial for PS on YouTube - Fantastic Maps

[Southern Crane]

Ummm.... I may yet have to remove it from this map, Southern Crane, but I'll use it somewhere else in the not too distant future if I do

This is a CC3 map, but the method is generally applicable. There are 4 layers. Each has a texture shape on it (the same rock texture I've used for the base of the map), and a bevel effect. There is also a directional shadow being cast by each layer with a very fuzzy outer edge, so that the shadows merge and become deepest where they overlap.

This isn't properly honed just yet. If it stays I will adjust the extent and colour of the bevels and shadows to make it look more natural.

I am ashamed to say that I don't really know if there are any Guild tutorials on how to create top down relief shading, because I use CC3 and there aren't that many tutorials of any kind for CC3 here, so don't generally go looking for them... but I have seen a pretty good tutorial for PS on YouTube - Fantastic Maps

Cool thanks! I also just found another one too if any one else is looking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed1GeD5tW-M

I just realized that everything I had saved was more from that diagonal map perspective so this is going to be a fun learning experience.

What you say makes sense and I think I'll be experimenting a lot before a final version.

[Straf]

The base map was just a guide IIRC and elevation features can be added or removed unless they're on a border where they would have to be agreed with a neighbour. Of course there are general rules on relative elevation, like the river should really run downhill otherwise the river police will be forever issuing writs for failing to maintain a compliant section of river.

[Mouse]

Southern Crane - If you show your progress in your WIP thread you will find that there are plenty of very talented PS mappers on board doing the city, who will probably be able to give you excellent and more appropriate advice about how to achieve what you want in PS than I can.

EDIT: Ninjad by Straf! LOL!

EDIT 2: Mearrin69, who made that video you linked to, is one of our Community Leaders. He has made many extremely good videos that are referenced in the tutorial section of the forum if you want a more convenient way to get to them

[Quenten]

Mouse, you need to put the key numbers back in. But I love the map - methinks you just get off on drawing cities!

[Mouse]

Damn! My secret's out!

LOL! Thanks qwalker

[Mouse]

I think I'm done with this section now

### Latest WIP ###
Atlas_Ward_11_comp.JPG

If you see any bloopers, like bad English or spelling mistakes, or things stacked in the wrong order, or things that just look a bit wrong... please let me know?

Thanks

I haven't forgotten you qwalker. I'm posting this in the Finished Maps forum with the numbers back on it

Finished map

[J.Edward]

It looks wonderful Mouse.
I love that big hunk of rock in there... might be able to watch a match from up there.
Lots of nice shapes in there... oh, wait - Mouse... didn't you want locations to be numbered?
I don't see numbers in there.

[Mouse]

Aw thanks, John

I left the numbers out because they don't have any meaning on the big map, where the key isn't visible.

I could use labels instead?

Not sure. What's everyone else doing? I can see that some mappers have labels, and some don't.