Reply With QuoteI will check that out.Originally Posted by chick
Is there any chance you are using some kind of anti-aliasing in the .jpg export?
I will check that out.
I figured it out. The effect was done on a custom alpha channel. I had to create a new layer with a black fill, then add a layer mask using the custom channel. Played with the opacity and done. So here is what the original map posting should have looked like:
Vaehelm_3.7.jpg
Still working on the mountains. Used the clone tool to get some of the outlines placed to where I plan there to be mountains. Just need to do some clean up and shading.
Since you were kind enough to comment on my map, I shall reciprocate. I like the map you just posted. It has a solid color scheme and the texture is nice. My only issue is that the coastal shading in the Kingdom of Gren is a little blocky.
Thanks, it does like to be blocky doesn't it
This is coming along real nice! And the new land-background is a LOT better, imo. Well done.
The only thing that comes to my mind right now: can you lighten the lines around your rivers a bit? At the moment, they are a bit distracting to me...makes the rivers look weird. The lines are too dark and dominant, imo.
Any chance you're willing to give us some lore about this world? Tell us a bit about it!
I'm trapped in Darkness,
Still I reach out for the Stars
Still working on mountains right now. I will take a look at the rivers after with some of the suggests provided.
This campaign world is for AD&D and did a few games of Warhammer FRP there as well. So the lore...
There was the dark overlords that ruled the universe. The slaves they had took their power source ( a magic pool) lead by the supreme goddess Xia. The dark ones were thrown down and a veil was created to imprison them. The newly free slaves became the gods and goddess. 4 of Xia's children from the world of Vaelhelm ( I mistyped the title of this thread, oops) for them to live on. There they created the floral and fauna, the birds and the beasts, and eventually man, elves, dwarves, etc. There they dwelled together until a breach in the veil allowed some of the dark ones into the world. They remained hidden and corrupted a few of the gods/goddesses but their creations as well. A great war erupted. In the end Xia was triumphant. She took the gods/goddesses away from the world, to a cloud city. However the land where they lived with man was devastated and the dark ones minions still roamed. Xia told her followers to flee to the east and a new land is there for them. She created a wall of mountains with one pass for her worshippers to escaped (where Ozdis is) and when the last had left She would destroy the rest of the land.
During the migration there was battles with her worshippers and those aligned to the dark ones. a massive battle took place where Ozdis, but the followers of Xia prevailed. They spread out across the continent and established several empires and kingdoms that rose and fell through the ages.
Now, Ozdis is ruled by a servant of the dark overlords and has raised undead legions from the remains of that by gone battle. The Dead March protects the other realms from this scrounge.
The Kingdom of Narken was once powerful and ruled all the lands around the inner seas, but fell apart. However a new king is trying to reclaim what was lost.
The north west, there is the elven kingdom of Telonia and the human kingdom of Palanor who are at odds with Narken. The north east has dwarven kingdoms (Fellowship of the Talofellows), giant realm (Journer), orc kingdom, and other wild men.
Duchy of Ilkrad and Kingdom of Naulek were once part of Magocracy of Sor'zr, which was another ancient empire that has wane since its witch queen, Lenkor De'Rala disappearance. Sor'zr is now a collection of city state ruled by sorcerers (which were named after by the land, not the land being named after sorcery, sorcerer).
The south has some conflict. Idlon is an orcish seafaring nation that raids. There are skirmishes between Darnor and the Nipek Empire as well as Ranoia. The Freehold Society is a collection of robber barons and city states. Conterna, Ina, and Tyranmay are quite peaceful. Emircal and Cuermolen are allied, Emircal is a merchant nation and Cuermolen is a realm of zealot worshippers of the god Jabal.
The lands in the south west are unknown, but it is believe that the empire of Draklen is there. in the first age of man, there was the Dragon Empire. When it fell, the leader of the empires flight of dragons took them and all who were loyal to him south, never to be seen again. It is spectulated that he form his own kingdom beyond the mountains. Some explorers have sought out the truth, but none ever returned.
Most of the adventures I ran were in Darnor, Palanor, and Ilkrad.
I'll post some updates I hope in the coming weeks. I return to work tomorrow so won't have as much free time to work on the map
Here is an update. Still working on the mountains/hills. I think I'm about halfway through. Playing around with volcanos and smoke. Added some rhumb lines based from major ports and a soon-to-be compass rose in the upper right. Added some swamps/marshes as well. In the lower left I did an overlay of signifying the unknown lands there. In the upper left this is what is called the Field of Ash, which is part of the Shattered Lands. This was where the gods devastated the world during an ancient battle.
Enjoy...
Vaehelm_20150118.jpg
The map is coming along nicely, keep up the good job!
A few omments/advices:
- labels could be improved in a few ways. First, you have some city labels that overlap the icons, you may want to take care about that. I would also reduce kerning on the city/towns/Castles labels and increase their size for the sake of legibility.Then, territories labels shouldn't overlap the other labels. I would choose a darker color (or pick a dark colors for settlements and light color for territories) and use path tool to curve those labels in order to place them properly on the map.
- rhumb lines don't match up between the compasses, they're supposed to be connected.
- I'm not a big fan of the upper and bottom western areas, what is it supposed to be?
Thanks for the feedback Max.
Label were experimenting on my part. I know I still have a bit to go on those. But your advice is much appreciated.
Rhumb lines - I read the thread on rhumb lines and seems there was some vagueness on the matter. I centered them on major port cities. More artistic than based in reality I guess.
So the upper western part is known as the Field of Ash. It was where the gods and man first lived together. Well, one thing lead to another and the gods destroyed the land, forcing the survivors to march east into this section of the world.
The lower western part is unknown territory, there are rumors etc of what is there. Those explorer who have venture there have never returned. I was planning on putting a cartouche with information/keys in that area later.
