Elyden map

[vorropohaiah]

so, i downloaded this programme and, after some problems getting 64-bit java installed on my laptop, managed to get some maps generated. this is a very fun programme to use and if you have an equirectangular world map i'd suggest using this as it gives you familiar perspectives on your design - and really shows just how messed up the mercator projection really is at the poles

anyway, I settled with an azimuthal equal area, equidistant conic (which are both very similar); orthographic (centered on the Inner Sea; and a Wagner IX (which i thought is easy to look at, if that makes any sense). I still need to do some work on the original equirectangular map to solve the warping in the poles after applying the spherical projections, though i'm pretty happy with the results (though i wish the giss programme would work with higher res images, but that's a minor gripe on an otherwise great little programme

Ill now import one of the first 2 into photoshop and start from scratch building up new layers... so the toil begins anew

EDIT: not sure about this, but i think this thread is probably better-off in a WIP forum. can a mod please move the thread?

[Hai-Etlik]

so, i downloaded this programme and, after some problems getting 64-bit java installed on my laptop, managed to get some maps generated. this is a very fun programme to use and if you have an equirectangular world map i'd suggest using this as it gives you familiar perspectives on your design - and really shows just how messed up the mercator projection really is at the poles

anyway, I settled with an azimuthal equal area, equidistant conic (which are both very similar); orthographic (centered on the Inner Sea; and a Wagner IX (which i thought is easy to look at, if that makes any sense). I still need to do some work on the original equirectangular map to solve the warping in the poles after applying the spherical projections, though i'm pretty happy with the results (though i wish the giss programme would work with higher res images, but that's a minor gripe on an otherwise great little programme

Ill now import one of the first 2 into photoshop and start from scratch building up new layers... so the toil begins anew

EDIT: not sure about this, but i think this thread is probably better-off in a WIP forum. can a mod please move the thread?

That orthographic projection is showing some pinching around the poles. (Orthographic can sort of be thought of as a view from space) You might want to try to fix that in the source map before you do anything else. In equidistant cylindrical/equirectangular the high latitudes should look "Stretched" horizontally otherwise those same areas will be "pinched when you reproject them. Try an azimuthal projection centred on each pole to get a clear look. Since its an issue of shape, Stereographic in particular would be a good choice (It's an azimuthal projection that preserves shapes, but distorts sizes).

[vorropohaiah]

That orthographic projection is showing some pinching around the poles. (Orthographic can sort of be thought of as a view from space) You might want to try to fix that in the source map before you do anything else. In equidistant cylindrical/equirectangular the high latitudes should look "Stretched" horizontally otherwise those same areas will be "pinched when you reproject them. Try an azimuthal projection centred on each pole to get a clear look. Since its an issue of shape, Stereographic in particular would be a good choice (It's an azimuthal projection that preserves shapes, but distorts sizes).

yep, as i mentioned, my next port of call is the equirectangular map to sort out the pinching. I'll likely stick to the conic projection, though will play around with the standard parallels a bit to get something im happy with.

[Hai-Etlik]

yep, as i mentioned, my next port of call is the equirectangular map to sort out the pinching. I'll likely stick to the conic projection, though will play around with the standard parallels a bit to get something im happy with.

Sorry, I'm not sure how I missed that.

[Gidde]

Moved to the WIP forum per OP's request.

[vorropohaiah]

so I've gone back to the drawing board (well, my tablet, at least) and come up with a new equirectangular map of the world, trying hard to avoid pinching at the poles. this is what I've come up with (rivers only appear in regions that ive made a decent account of history/climate/geography):


It's little different to the older version, though I've made the 'Inner Sea' area proportionately larger (not as easy as it finds) to better-fit in with current world-building attempts. I ran the map through the NISS software and came up with three vertical perspective maps (one each for the north/south poles and one centred on the 'Inner Sea'). the poles will form the base for a pair of matching maps I'd like to do, detailing the poles.







I also made an equidistant conical projection that became the base for a fresh map that I started work on this afternoon. So far I've only gone over the coastal areas and put them through a mask, with a gradient stroke to create some definition. I've also thought of 2 different borders - well actually just one but with 2 different chequer effects - the first has a cheque effect that is consistent with the graticule scale, with each box measuring 1 degree. the second is just decorative (though with each box 1" I can be used for scale purposes, once the scale marker has been added. Please let me know what you think!



I also changed the font for the nations, which is now a Castellar font, though I'll be using different ones for cities and towns, and features and formations, respectively. though i havent decided quite what yet...

any C&C is greatly appreciated, thanks

[Gidde]

That's looking pretty good!

[Eilathen]

Wow! Just wow. I totally dig this - i love the continent-shapes (i know, i said it already...but it needs repeating ). Very much looking forward to the progress of this WIP.

[cereth]

Looking quite impressive! I think my jaw just hit the floor. The landforms are very interesting and realistic.

[vorropohaiah]

so i spent some more time today, finishing off the border (i went for the first choice if anyone was wondering :p) and continued with a bit of texturing, numbering the graticules, and adding the rivers and trying to figure out the nation borders with this new perspective.