February 2019 Challenge: Laugdenor's Tower

[ladiestorm]

thanks, Bogie! And you're right, it is a lot of work! Especially with the added issue of smaller symbols in the same amount of space creating gaps if you are trying to keep them relevant to the the rest of the map! Hence the cloud cover to 'hide' the blank spots.

[Kier]

The title and border look good. I really like you you made the view of the gardens change with the increased height. Most people keep the view the same and just add increasing blur. Your method is a lot more work but more realistic.

You beat me to it! That was the first thing noticed. I love that little touch showing the height difference.

Very well done. I like this one, and I am not just saying that because I spied my old unicorn statue in the garden below, lol. Great choice of colors as well.

[Domino44]

This looks awesome! I love it!

[ladiestorm]

@ Kier - that's yours?!? I love it!!! I use that little statue whenever I can fit it in, realistically. I have ALWAYS loved unicorns! It's kind of my sigil.

@Domino44 - thanks, hon... I've had a lot of fun working on this.

[ladiestorm]

So I am almost finished with this map. In the end, I'm glad we had the extra time, because it has been necessary for me. But hopefully, within the next couple of days, this map should be complete. This is the point I will be needing some help from my fellow profantasy users, as I'm trying some things I've never really done before. or I have, just not to the extent I'm doing them now. So, here is my progress:

### Latest WIP ###
Laugdenors Tower17.JPG

[ladiestorm]

So I finished setting up where my lighting is supposed to go, I just need to add the pools of light on the floor. However, when I posted the start of this map over at the profantasy site, one of the members asked the question why I needed lighting, when the tower was filled with light.

I realized she was right... at the particular time of day (evidenced by the directional shadows), there should be light flooding through the windows. I might still need light at the stairs, because the walls on the stair cases would block the light coming from the windows, but the truth is, I just don't need as much light as I have added. So the amount of torches I've added, is going to change. I also tried to fill in the white around my border with black, I wanted to see how it looked. I don't like it, so I will be changing that. But here is my progress:

### Latest WIP ###
Laugdenors Tower18.JPG

[Mark Oliva]

at the particular time of day (evidenced by the directional shadows), there should be light flooding through the windows. I might still need light at the stairs, because the walls on the stair cases would block the light coming from the windows,

But there really should be enough reflected light (unless you've painted the walls black) to make that unnecessary.

but the truth is, I just don't need as much light as I have added. So the amount of torches I've added, is going to change.

Hmmm. It seems to me that you have a problem here, but you're dealing with the wrong one (unless the sun in your world shines 24 hours a day). You do need torches on all levels (top too!) if nighttime comes in your world, but because you're showing a daytime view, the torches should not be burning. I don't know if the ProFantasy symbol sets have unlit wall torches anywhere, but you can find them in DD3 mode with the CSUAC 2/Dundjinni Archives icon CSUAC/DA Furnishings under Lamps and Torches.

The map would be enhanced, as you mentioned, by having light shining through the windows - not necessarily flooding in - but only on the side where the sun is shining.

Nix für Ungut!

Servus,

[ladiestorm]

@Mark - actually, Mark, yes the sconce I used does have an unlit version, that's a very good point. And thanks for that thought about the light coming in the windows! You are absolutely right, they would only come in through about half of them, which will cut down the work I still have to do to this, considerably.

[ladiestorm]

I'm on the home stretch. All I have left to do, is to set up the pools of light coming through those beautiful second floor bay windows. Here's the issue: I'm not sure which shape I should use to create the light pools... circular light? half circle? A sort of arc of lght? Any suggestions?

### Latest WIP ###
Laugdenors Tower19.JPG

[Mark Oliva]

Here's the issue: I'm not sure which shape I should use to create the light pools... circular light? half circle? A sort of arc of lght? Any suggestions?

The bowed windows won't decide that, but:

The sides of the light pattern will be straight, but they will have a feather or edge blur.

The top of the light pattern will be straight or curved, depending upon whether the top of the window is straight or curved, but it will have a feather or edge blur.

The angle at which the light falls is determined by the position of the sun in relation to the tower. In the sample below, note the "crooked" angle of the lowest light pattern.

The length of the shadow is determined by the height of the windows and the angle of the sun above the horizon, which is determined by time of year (low in winter, high in summer) and time of day (longer and darker light pattern in the morning and evening, shorter and brighter light pattern at noon).

Assuming that north is at the top of your map, it shows shadows in the southern hemisphere at mid-morning.

The following is a very quick and very dirty example of horrible graphical quality tossed together in 5 minutes time. If your end result is as bad as this, leave the light patterns out. But it might give you some idea of what I mean.

sample.jpg

Servus,