October Challenge: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Maps

[Robbie]

This months challenge is another Alliance based challenge in that we all decided to work from image prompts. The winning entry of this months challenge will of course win the challenge winners award and will become the basis of next months challenge at Plotstorming.com.

We're going to go a little beyond just mapping a subject within a time constraint. You're going to look at the image prompt we have here and you're going to map based only on that image and a little bit of storyline.

Pictured below is a monastery, this monastery is obviously a real location since it is a photograph of a real place...but since we're focused on fantasy, you have to do this map in a fantasy aspect. Here's the storyline as you currently have it, the rest of the story will be made by the folks of Plotstorming.com based on the winner.

"A cult has taken over a local monastery and has made prisoners of the monk caretakers. They are transforming the monastery into a temple where they intend to worship and perhaps summon their dark gods."

GUIDELINES

• The map should match the shape of the building given only the view you have from the picture
• Adhere to the story seed as best as possible
• Provide a scale for the map
• Bonus consideration for mapping some of the surrounding countryside (does not have to conform to photo)

Remember to adhere to the contest rules...create a thread for your entry (WIPs welcome) and if you have any questions please put them in this thread.

Photo courtesy of Nickdan at Deviantart - be sure to check out his work and if you have a DA account (which is free), leave him a comment.

Be sure to check out the other alliance sites.
Plot Storming
The Campaign Builders Guild

[ravells]

It's worth going to Nickdan's site if you want more reference pictures of this and other monastaries.

Looks like an interesting challenge, but I think I'll be sitting this one out and working on other projects this month. I might even give the plotstorming one a go!

By the way, everyone go to the Plotstorming site and see their fiction entries for the Glass Ocean!

[terrainmonkey]

yeah, this one's right up my alley. already done with the basic idea just looking at the pic. you'll see my entry in the next few days. good luck to all the other entrants, you're going to need it. bwah ha ha!

[NeonKnight]

OK, I think I should excel at this challenge. Likely not win but my map will kick donkey!

What is funniest, is I wrote a 2nd editional home mode based exectly on this premise!

[KeshFerrar]

It'll definitely be fun to see what you guys create. And every bit of detail could help out the PlotStormers next month. Bloodstains, chains, inventive names, even little nuances could spark a brain cell!

And as Ravi said, check out the Glass Ocean stories, they're worth the read.

[RPMiller]

Thanks for posting that link. I was having a heck of a time trying to figure out what was what.

[Robbie]

I'm thinking about tossing my own hat int he ring on this months contest...I dunno tho...I'm thinkign about trying my hand at photoshop mapping.

[KeshFerrar]

Thanks for posting that link. I was having a heck of a time trying to figure out what was what.

Are you telling me I need to rearrange the PlotStorming boards?

[RPMiller]

No need for that. I was having a hard time because I was thinking that PlotStorming's challenge was before CG's for some reason and so I was looking at the wrong month and scratching my head as to where the Glass Ocean stuff was.

[Gamerprinter]

I am really enjoying the different techniques, software and approach being taken by every participant to this month's challenge. I say, it should even be more difficult to judge, since every map is "apples and oranges" to every other map.

Terrain Monkey is creating hand-drawn and digitally enhanced maps.
NeonKnight is using both CC3 and DD3 to create with.
Torq is using Dundjinni
I am not sure what Midgardsormr is using, probably CC3 or Inkscape.
And of course I'm using Xara Xtreme

The variety is great!