This is incredibly cool.
I've noticed there seems to be a small trend starting towards maps like this - there's a few other maps that remind me of this that have been not in the recent past.
Makes me consider getting my paws on some 3d software to mess with.
Can hardly wait to see how this progresses!
My finished maps
"...sometimes the most efficient way to make something look drawn by hand is to simply draw it by hand..."
Thanks guys....added the forest texture, using Ascension's coastline tutorial to get some nice dispersed shapes and used as a mask. Used as a mask, I'll be able to get the forest following rivers, generally hugging contours etc (not yet done). I was a bit silly, should have saved it as a smart object but forgot...never mind....onwards.
The next step is to use a gradient fill to hypsometrically tint the landmass should make the rolling hills etc stand out more.
I've got rid of the bumpmapping on the forest, I think it's clearer without and you can see the hill shading better...
Added the hypsometric colour (bit fast and dirty as I need to get to bed)...set it to colour burn and lowered the opacity. I think it helps the eye spot the hills. Need to desaturate it a bit though.
Last edited by ravells; 02-01-2010 at 06:54 PM.
Tried a close up (Mr De Mille), and I think it looks surprisingly good. I'm really pleased with the mountain texture and the land looks like it's got all sorts of little borrows in it and somehow (I don't know how) it's got quite a 'painted' feel to it. Very pleased so far, although the forest texture will need tarting up, but luckily some great brains have been kind enough to help me with the forests on another thread.
I do some completely free stuff for this here !. But you have to make the height map yourself or use the other free tool instant islands.Originally Posted by Coyotemax
redrobes: thanks, I'll check that out sometime tonight!
Ravells: oooh, that's coming along very nicely!
My finished maps
"...sometimes the most efficient way to make something look drawn by hand is to simply draw it by hand..."
yes indeed! Looks quite something else, and I think it will pull a lot of ooh and ahh at the gaming table :p
Sorry Shifty, I've run into difficulties with placing rivers. In the meantime, could you do me a favour please? Are there any more labels you want to put on the map? names of areas, mountain ranges, forests etc etc. in addition to those you already have? Is this map to be used as a player handout? Do you want a version where the geography fades into nothing for the players and a full version for you? The cities you currently have seem to be placed in a near perfect rectangle...is that intentional? Looks a bit weird.
cheers
Ravs
Hiya.
The map itself will be used as a player handout.
At this stage I was happy with the labeling (keeping it light) and only recognising the major townships etc. Anything less than those I am just treating as non-noteworthy by-road towns of no importance.
The Rectangular notion I got was a mashup between how they designed Canberra (our Capital City in Oz) and the concept of dead straight Roman roads... although I see what you are saying, and if it 'looks better' to offset them so be it!.
The large 'squared' pasturelands are a bit stylised, but typical of the massive farmlands and 'stations' as you see them from Aircraft over a lot of Australia - so yeah the image kinda stuck :p
As for handout, yes the players will be given the map as a handout, and will pretty much know what is where, so not trying to hide a lot. So probably just need the one version.
On the south side of the mountain range, not a lot is known, and the couple of fortifications and southernmost town are (assumed) to be ruins, as the civilised folks abandoned that area a while ago... of course everything IS actually populated, but not by the kind of things that want to give any travellers a hug and a cup of tea.
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