Oct / Nov '17 Lite Challenge: Thunder Island

[QED42]

The main map is looking pretty impressive already!

I might give that city generator a go myself. Did they really come out just like that, or have you already prettied them up just a bit with coastlines and jetties?

Nope, those are the untouched, virgin versions. I wish the generator would use a bit more variety in colour to make it easier to separate out the different parts but it's pretty good otherwise. The first "issue" I've spotted from the generator is in Gloomhaven at the west gate one of the buildings is completely blocking the gate. Seems like bad city planning to me!

[Mouse]

Maybe its meant to be one of those gate houses - you know, with an arch through the middle?

Or a port cullis arrangement?

EDIT: Oh. I don't think my browser supports it, or something. I'm just getting a blank screen Never mind. At least you got your cities sorted out

[Kier]

Maybe its meant to be one of those gate houses - you know, with an arch through the middle?

Or a port cullis arrangement?

EDIT: Oh. I don't think my browser supports it, or something. I'm just getting a blank screen Never mind. At least you got your cities sorted out

I have never been able to get it to work either.

As said before, this is coming along real nice.

[Falconius]

The scaling in the cities is a bit weird too. For instance either those walls are 40+ feet thick or those streets and docks are super narrow.

Just as a general note (nothing specific with the map generator): I understand people like to draw fortifications around the city and leave the coast bare of any defences, but that generally didn't happen. They either fortified it all and had a fortified harbour as well, or they built the walls behind the docks. There is no point in spending all that time effort and money to build a great honking big wall around your city only to leave it open and vulnerable on one side.

[QED42]

The scaling in the cities is a bit weird too. For instance either those walls are 40+ feet thick or those streets and docks are super narrow.

Just as a general note (nothing specific with the map generator): I understand people like to draw fortifications around the city and leave the coast bare of any defences, but that generally didn't happen. They either fortified it all and had a fortified harbour as well, or they built the walls behind the docks. There is no point in spending all that time effort and money to build a great honking big wall around your city only to leave it open and vulnerable on one side.

We have the technology, we can extend the walls! But I think that's something I'll likely only do for the larger cities. For Gloomhaven I'm imaging the wall is a bit more for show than practical use as it's not the major settlement of the island.

Here's what I have so far for Gloomhaven. I'm not sure how much detail I want to go into for these settlement maps. Also I'm not sure if I want a texture for the grass like I've used here or if I'll go with just a flat colour. Going heavily with textures might get lost when the images are scaled down.

gloomhaven2.png

[rdanhenry]

It depends on what the wall is meant to keep out. Enemy armies will take to sea, but if the woods are full of savage beasts or if there's just a desire to restrict access for various purposes (channeling traffic through a gate or the harbor is pretty much necessary if you want some control of what goes in or out of the city), then the open harbor may just be the "sea gate" and needs patrol, but not so much defenses. Or the people may feel that their naval power is supreme, but they still need to worry about land-based attacks. So, water-side defenses are certainly normal, but they are not always necessary (or may incorrectly be seen to be unnecessary if the supreme naval power is not as supreme as believed).

[Mouse]

Coming on really well, QED

Try without the textures. You can always add them in later - or better still you could simply multiply a layer of parchment over the top of the entire map to unify it? You might want to consider using lighter colours generally if you do that, however, since parchment textures are rarely strong enough to show in areas of strong colour. (I'm learning this mistake in my own maps right now!)

[QED42]

Forgive me map makers for I have sinned, it has been 4 days since my last confession/update.

Here's the current state of the three settlement maps. They are fairly basic right now and I'm not 100% on the colours used. I would really appreciate some suggestions on that front.

gloomhaven2.png
mistholm2.png
storms landing2.png

[Mouse]

The cities are looking fine... with perhaps a slight exception on the first one, where the roads are just a bit too straight to look manmade?

Colours....

Hmmm....

You could try getting hold of that parchment texture right now and imposing it on the map. I think you might realise any issues a lot better if you can actually see the result, than if I go rabbiting on for several pages about what I think might happen

[ThomasR]

Nice satellite view and the cities will be a real good ornament !