January/February 2024 Challenge: 500 years on Ovryn

[Ink_alpinist]

Thanks! I am not using any tutorials, but I certainly have learned a lot of different techniques from tutorials in the past. I am doing this all in Gimp, except that I took the base heightmap into Gaea to do a bunch of erosion work and create the water masks.

As for the snow on the mountains, prior to terraforming all water ice on Ovryn was concentrated in the southern polar ice cap (similar Mars' ice caps). Once terraforming transformed the atmosphere, the planet warmed the ice cap reduced and new water cycle initiated through terraforming led to snowfalls, both near the poles and on the high mountains. One thing I need to figure out is if I need to add a northern ice cap as well in the pre terraform stage. In theory, a single ice cap is possible depending on the planet eccentricity and some other factors, so I may just keep it that way (but then may need to reduce the northern polar region in the post terraform stage). Open to suggestions if there are any experts here who want to opine.

I see, thanks for the anwser, Turambar ( or should I call you Turin? ). GIMP does look much more powerful than I remember (I used to play around Gimp but for regular character illustrations, not maps), I guess I should learn to use it better. Regarding Gaea, I never heard of it, looks interesting, but maybe complex? Anyway I must still delve deep in the tutorials from the forum.

Now, how cool! Terraformation seens really a intricate web of relations and butterfly effects, good luck. I know the final result will be great

[Turambar]

I see, thanks for the anwser, Turambar ( or should I call you Turin? ). GIMP does look much more powerful than I remember (I used to play around Gimp but for regular character illustrations, not maps), I guess I should learn to use it better. Regarding Gaea, I never heard of it, looks interesting, but maybe complex? Anyway I must still delve deep in the tutorials from the forum.

Now, how cool! Terraformation seens really a intricate web of relations and butterfly effects, good luck. I know the final result will be great

Thanks! It is certainly complex, and I am sure I am not getting everything scientifically right. But I try to get it loosely right at least.

I decided to take a break from the terrain and focus on the frame. I am going for pseudo art deco style. I still need to add a bit of terrain detailing and labels, and also figure out if I need a northern ice cap on the pre-terraform map.

Ovryn wip 2.jpg