The Town of Lakefall

[Mouse]

This is coming on very nicely, RaNaketh

I really quite like the way you do your trees, though some of them are a tad on the blue side... unless they are conifers of some kind?

I agree with Elterio, in that the open space in the town is just shouting for some kind of focal point attraction. This is just a matter of personal taste, I know, but the river is very blue. Maybe it could do with a little more texture with the white detail, like you added at the narrow point, but more generally? If you look at aerial photographs - google earth, for example, you can see that grass also has a tendency to go more yellow and grey with altitude, and isn't quite as bright as it is in the valleys. It depends on how high the castle is compared to the village. Another thing you might consider is hill shading - basically a slight shadow on the slopes away from the direction of the light?

Keep up the good work

[RaNaketh]

This is coming on very nicely, RaNaketh

I really quite like the way you do your trees, though some of them are a tad on the blue side... unless they are conifers of some kind?

I agree with Elterio, in that the open space in the town is just shouting for some kind of focal point attraction. This is just a matter of personal taste, I know, but the river is very blue. Maybe it could do with a little more texture with the white detail, like you added at the narrow point, but more generally? If you look at aerial photographs - google earth, for example, you can see that grass also has a tendency to go more yellow and grey with altitude, and isn't quite as bright as it is in the valleys. It depends on how high the castle is compared to the village. Another thing you might consider is hill shading - basically a slight shadow on the slopes away from the direction of the light?

Keep up the good work

Thanks for the tips Mouse, I'll do some research on grass and water colouring (so much to learn!) and also some cliff shading.

I'm glad you like the trees but they are actually just place-holders that I threw down so I could outline the general map of the town with context. The plan is to remove and re-create it all once the full layout is established and the farm fields, estate walls, and extra little buildings / sheds are detailed. I'll probably dampen the tree colours when I do lay down the final layer.

The middle plaza will contain a central attraction and market, which is why it's a large blank space at the moment, I just haven't got to it yet. :-)

So much to do and little time...

[Mouse]

Well if those trees are just the placeholders, I look forward to seeing the real ones

One last tip. If something is half way working but not yet quite right, save the file as a new version before making any drastic changes. That way you can go back if you don't like the new one as much.

[RaNaketh]

Well if those trees are just the placeholders, I look forward to seeing the real ones

One last tip. If something is half way working but not yet quite right, save the file as a new version before making any drastic changes. That way you can go back if you don't like the new one as much.

Good idea! I just did that before slashing (err updating) the grass, lake, cliffs and adding in walls, entry roadways and farmland for this update. :-)

The only thing I'm not 100% on if I like or not, is I experimented with some road lining to see if it would enhance the map look. I have it on a completely separate layer, so can easily strip it... but a bit undecided at the moment if it works...

v0.5

Lakefall v0.5.jpg

[Mouse]

I think it works. If you think about it, and unless the lord continually invests in road maintenance and repair, roads are worn down into the landscape by use (unless you have a modern tarmac road), so unsurfaced roads would tend to sink into the land, which would give the verge a shadow at the roadside.

I like that you haven't just drawn the roads as smooth even lines but bothered to actually drawn them as entities in their own right.

[RaNaketh]

I think it works. If you think about it, and unless the lord continually invests in road maintenance and repair, roads are worn down into the landscape by use (unless you have a modern tarmac road), so unsurfaced roads would tend to sink into the land, which would give the verge a shadow at the roadside.

I like that you haven't just drawn the roads as smooth even lines but bothered to actually drawn them as entities in their own right.

Thanks Mouse, I'll trust your instincts and knowledge on the roads as it far exceeds mine and leave them in there! :-)

It took a while to stroke the road paths and entry's into each abode, but I felt it's worth it for the look.

I've added another farm, trying out some different crops and a cow paddock and fencing. The fence has some line shadows, and I never knew how hard it was to represent a cow top down on a small map so hope the blobs work for people?!

v0.6.

Lakefall v0.6.jpg

[Mouse]

Cows are a very awkward shape, but these are so tiny to go with the scale of the map that even if you haven't got them perfect I don't think it really matters that much

I think I should maybe point out that I've only been mapping for about 4 months myself, and the only reason I have "expert" by my name is because I've made over a thousand comments here at the Guild. It doesn't mean I know any more than you do - just that I'm an incessant chatterbox! LOL.

[RaNaketh]

Cows are a very awkward shape, but these are so tiny to go with the scale of the map that even if you haven't got them perfect I don't think it really matters that much

I think I should maybe point out that I've only been mapping for about 4 months myself, and the only reason I have "expert" by my name is because I've made over a thousand comments here at the Guild. It doesn't mean I know any more than you do - just that I'm an incessant chatterbox! LOL.

Well you've at least seen 1000+ posts, which probably helps towards being the 'expert' and gives you a broader perspective than me, so I'll take whatever assistance comes my way! :-)

Keep chattering!!

[jpstod]

Keep in Mind ...everyone has a personal touch and likes..

Myself for city maps I don't like ultra details...such as the "Road" wear and tear''
Especially if the Map will be a one and done map.....don't be disappointed when your PCs run out of town without exploring

[RaNaketh]

Keep in Mind ...everyone has a personal touch and likes..

Myself for city maps I don't like ultra details...such as the "Road" wear and tear''
Especially if the Map will be a one and done map.....don't be disappointed when your PCs run out of town without exploring

Very true jpstod! Which is why we played with v0.2 of the map! ;-)

The rest has been purely for my enjoyment of detailed town mapping, and learning new things. There is no way I'd bother putting cows onto a town map purely for players of any RPG.