Sept / Oct '17 Lite Challenge: Caves of Chaos Section 7

[Redrobes]

Thought I would have a quick look at the main map, cut out my section and block in the old school style of map on the top just to check that I had the right squares all filled in.

It looks like I connect to 2 other maps but I have 4 other sections within my rectangle boundary. Because some of the squares I connect were sort of partially coloured I wondered who 'owned' them but I thought that it would make more sense to map a little ways into the connecting sector and let Bogie chop or blend out the exact point between the two maps. Otherwise you might get a couple of pixels gap between maps if they dont quite line up.

Also, I have been giving a small amount of thought to the backdrop texture. Since we have all done loads of community maps now I think ill try to do what I have done on the guild city and try to blend my background texture into those neighbours. The only issue this time is that I might have two physical maps done by different people for the same sector. So not sure if that is an option this time. I'll leave the background till later I think.

My map text says that the rooms should follow the slope of the mountain. Since there is a cave on my left side and that I am lower than that then those steps on my left side must be mighty steep ! The other rooms have some corridors where I can indicate a slope there. Potentially, the blue sector 4 could be a lot lower than my corridors so whilst it looks close on the map there could be many feet of rock betwen them.

As for DPI, I map everything in scaleless form so i'll just render out a final at the required dpi. I am 170 x 240 ft so thats 34 x 48 inches which is 2380 x 3360 pixels.

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[Azélor]

So we are neighbours then... (the purple area to the left)
Your place looks really charming with the torture chamber and the other things.

I was wondering where the transition would occur because it's not clear.
At the door or should I map the top of the stairs as well?

My map text says that the rooms should follow the slope of the mountain. Since there is a cave on my left side and that I am lower than that then those steps on my left side must be mighty steep !

If the stairs take 3 squares, that's 30 feet (or 9m) long and about the same height. That sounds reasonable.

[Bogie]

I saw there would be some transition issues between connected maps. I just assumed I would figure out how to piece them together when I got to that point.
A little overlap is probably a good idea.

Great start on the map RedRobes. Glad you got in on this!

[Redrobes]

Your place looks really charming with the torture chamber and the other things.

Hah yes its a totally charming place ! I was thinking of doing holiday lettings there.

"Put your feet up and toast them over the warm fire in our lovely homely chambers. Take it easy and stretch out on the rack whilst playing with the local petting monsters. Just a short hop from the Tunnel of love and scary ghost fun factory."

The whole descriptions and make up of the place is absurdly unrealistic and charming in its 80's old school game driven type of setup.

As for the transition I think just map a few squares into my sector and we'll let Bogie slice n dice the splice. I still may make those stairs very steep but heck, I dont think anyone should dwell on the realism or explaination for any of these places.

[Redrobes]

I started laying down some textures. Part of me thinks this is probably not the best way to do this map as trying to push any kind of realism onto it moves it away from the old school feel of the caves. But when I used to play D&D these old school maps used to feel inadequate at the time and then we all wanted better more realistic ones so maybe thats why I am more interested in trying to go for realism.

Anyway, I had some stone textures already but I looked around for a flagstone type that I could use on the floor otherwise it was all going to look like a sheet of noise in various shades of grey. I found this one: http://www.swtexture.com/ which says if I attribute it then I can use it

All images are free for any use (comercial or non comercial) except : Display it on the web without attribution (a link to this website) or Distribute the original work for sale.)

Which seems good to me

I rendered out the masks and generated some blured versions of them and used them to mask in various textures. The masks had noise added to roughen up the walls even though its not all that noticeable at the resolution for the WIP images. I have modified the geometric squares and rounded off corners and so forth to match up with the original image which has wobbly edges to the map. Also, in some cases I have pushed the walls a little to make some space so that I can put in some doors later. Most of the old school maps have doors which span across a space that does not match walls on either side of the door.

Will have to put some lighting in next. I think torches in sconces are probably the way to go.

Any comments ? Do you think flagstones are inapproprate for caves ? Too grey maybe ? I could easily be talked out of both of these choices !

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[Kier]

Looks great, still get the old school feel which I love so. I burned through so much graph paper back in the day, lol.

Regarding flagstones, its all about interpretation. That's whats going to make this challenge so great, every sees or reads something different. Just like the game, the better your imagination, the better result.

[Redrobes]

Thanks Kier ! My text says that the floor is natural so I am having second thoughts about those flagstones. Trouble with caves and realism is that all parts of a cave look much the same. Maybe I should have a more shingle / pebble / scree type of floor to it. I dunno - confused !

[Redrobes]

The flagstones had to go !

I found this nice CC0 texture and modded it a bit and then made it seamless.
https://pixabay.com/en/background-ha...lines-2042307/

So I am using that as my background texture now and moved the rock which was the background to the passageways. I like this style a lot more.

### Latest WIP ###

[Redrobes]

Roughened up the walls and added some lighting from torches in sconces...

### Latest WIP ###

[Bioluminescence]

Oh I really like the lighting effect - subtle and really evocative.