Atlas Elyden #9 - Hololach

[Robulous]

Another brilliant map - so you are going to publish these as an atlas ebook eventually? I'm intrigued to read the text that goes with it.

I really admire your consistency of design. I've been credited with having diverse styles as a good thing but it's mainly because I've struggled with getting a uniform style to work across different kinds of environments. You've really nailed this atlas style, it's something I aspire to

[vorropohaiah]

Another brilliant map - so you are going to publish these as an atlas ebook eventually? I'm intrigued to read the text that goes with it.

I'm actually a bit torn about the text. My original idea was 5 volumes, each forming part of a large encyclopedia:

• Vol 1 is the traditional encyclopaedia (think Encyclopaedia Britannica). Currently at about 400,000 words - this is the most comprehensive volume so far, though is still severely lacking in some areas. basically every name you see on one of these maps has at least one entry in this volume. Updating this is one of the more time-consuming aspects of creating the atlas maps as I need to pause to add the entry with every new label I add.
• Vol 2 is the natural encyclopaedia, detailing things like physical characteristics (astronomy, geology, astronomy, pjhysics, continents, climate, flora and fauna, and various miscellania. Currently at about 80,000 words - certain parts are finished whilst others are little more than place-holders with 0 information.
• Vol 3 is the travelogue, detailing both extant and extinct nations, city-states and major cities. I imagine this to be like the regional portion of a normal RPG campaign setting. Currently 200,000 words. Many regions are fully-fleshed out, though most are still just a title and little else.
• Vol 4 is the mystical book, detailing religions, gods, philosophies, mythologies, creation stories, and magic. currently 40,000 words - apart from the creation myths and generic magical info, this book needs the most fleshing out by far, though it would be the smallest book once completed, anyway.
• Vol 5 is the Atlas, containing all sorts of maps in the style of the atlas maps I've been doing so far, including different scale maps, so it will eventually feature cities, continents, world maps, featuring different things, like climate, trade, politics, etc. Iv'e barely scratched the surface of this book so far, and only really have these 14-maps finished, out of possibly hundreds...

that means the atlas wont have much text and will be a pretty traditional atlas. I could combine the 3rd and 5th volumes into one larger one, possibly divided into two volumes as I imagine combined in this way it will end up being very large. what do you think?

either way I dont imagine the atlas would make ma good ebook as they're black and white. Though I'll certainly think of a PDF, at least.

I really admire your consistency of design. I've been credited with having diverse styles as a good thing but it's mainly because I've struggled with getting a uniform style to work across different kinds of environments. You've really nailed this atlas style, it's something I aspire to

thanks ,though it did take me a while to get here (as you can see from the first pages on the Atlas Elyden thread. and pretty much every map I make has some changes, albeit subtle ones. for instance, the latest map has a new cartouche design that looks a bit more professional and possibly too modern. Not sure yet, though I'll stick to that for now. At the rate I'm going I'm going to have to overhaul the first bunch of maps to fit in with the new ones.

[Cambragol]

I am curious whether you drew any inspiration for this 'encyclopedia' idea from the old "Harn" roleplay system (Encyclopedia Harnica to be precise). I loved Harn, and I certainly think your plan is as or more impressive. Do you do any work on the encyclopedia's themselves (layouts, etc. in Indesign for example) or is your focus the maps?

I am fairly curious as I have begun the inklings of a similar idea to yours, albeit without any where near the scope or progress.

Regarding how you could format the books, I would recommend/suggest the Encyclopedia Harnica format. It combines the info of your 5 volumes into one, but then issues it periodically. That allows you to produce something, then add to it as you finish areas. The plan you outlined above requires an all or nothing approach, which means a long time until the 'payoff', whatever that may be. As you are on patreon, I think a periodic approach works better there, though I could be wrong.

[vorropohaiah]

I am curious whether you drew any inspiration for this 'encyclopedia' idea from the old "Harn" roleplay system (Encyclopedia Harnica to be precise). I loved Harn, and I certainly think your plan is as or more impressive. Do you do any work on the encyclopedia's themselves (layouts, etc. in Indesign for example) or is your focus the maps?

That's awesome! I'd never heard of that. So far it's mostly in Ms Word, though I can use Indesign though haven't bothered with it for now as I;m still writing. The first volume is simple enough that it can be done in word. I've printed quite a lot of it over the years, 2-sided.

I am fairly curious as I have begun the inklings of a similar idea to yours, albeit without any where near the scope or progress.

Regarding how you could format the books, I would recommend/suggest the Encyclopedia Harnica format. It combines the info of your 5 volumes into one, but then issues it periodically. That allows you to produce something, then add to it as you finish areas. The plan you outlined above requires an all or nothing approach, which means a long time until the 'payoff', whatever that may be. As you are on patreon, I think a periodic approach works better there, though I could be wrong.

That's cool and honestly something I've thought of doing many times. If I had more resources I'd have gone for a periodical approach years ago, though something like that without nice art (like landscapes, or portraits etc) can be quite boring. There's only so far boring realistic maps can get me without pretty pictures, landscapes & portraits to go alongside them! Not sure if that's just me though.

[zhar2]

Very good!!, and had no idea Harn existed!

[Cambragol]

Harn was/is wonderful, and had some of my all-time favourite maps. In fact, the game was in some ways the archetype of 'world-building' that we see people engaging in these days (here and there). It started with a beautiful map, which was and always remained central to the whole game-world. The map was actually the cover of the very first book/module, and it really caught ones eye in the gamestore back in the early 80s, as there was really nothing else like it at the time.

Vorropohalah, I fully understand the issues regarding landscapes, portraits etc. in filing out a periodical approach. I struggled with the same thing when building my own map, and in the end just decided to draw my own landscapes and portraits. That took some time, but in the end was worth it.

It might be something you could 'farm out' if you garnered enough interest in the concept of your world. Attracting additional talent to work on illustrations would likely be a lot easier if you had something produced or solid to begin with (a periodical issue or two).

[zhar2]

Would be awesome if we could (any one interested) work in such a project.

[vorropohaiah]

Vorropohalah, I fully understand the issues regarding landscapes, portraits etc. in filing out a periodical approach. I struggled with the same thing when building my own map, and in the end just decided to draw my own landscapes and portraits. That took some time, but in the end was worth it.

I'd like to do some drawings of flora and fauna and skeletal drawings, which I have some experience with from art/design school, though I'm about 15 years out of practice! Though I'm very picky with art and know how important it is to get people interested in the world and would rather not have any art than have art that's sub-par or not wholly representative of the world. To anyone interested the style I'd like for Elyden is something along the lines of John Blanche, Keith Thompson, Paolo Girardi, Brom or Zdzisław Beksiński, though that might be too jarring with the realistic maps.

It might be something you could 'farm out' if you garnered enough interest in the concept of your world. Attracting additional talent to work on illustrations would likely be a lot easier if you had something produced or solid to begin with (a periodical issue or two).

I've checked with some of my favourite artists and they're way out of our of my price range! Otherwise I was thinking of looking for an artist with an internet in the world who might be able to contribute something, though I understand that's unlikely!

I do like the idea of the periodical, or a pdf pamphlet or world guide that i can put up on my site for free for anyone interested. I have some maps that could work in that or try some sketches to pique interest

[Robulous]

I just looked up Harn, wow 1984, that's well before my time Was it something like a D&D system? Totally obscure reference, I've never heard of it though I'm fascinated.

[Soixante]

Just out of curiosity about the scale, do any of the Elyden miles match Earth miles? Otherwise difficult for us earthlings to get a proper sense of the scale.