Argona - my first city map (WIP)

[aquarits]

Just noticed that my example looks like a piece of cake lol

Well, u are using flight elements I believe that some depth in this map will make those elements shine imho. Anyway your map is great and still is a reference for me.

[Ilanthar]

By aquarits
Anyway your map is great and still is a reference for me.

You're too kind to me, and you'll have to thank first Daelin and - Max - as I took great inspiration from Maffaton & Yphyrion Cities

I'm not proficient with GIMP... but after some missed tests, I found a way and here is a test... I've mixed feelings about it (looks fine but really makes the higher buildings standing out, no?).

Withlevel diff.jpg

[Jalyha]

Oh I like that!

[Ilanthar]

Thanks Jalyha, that's reassuring!

It comes suddenly to me (but without damages ) that I may apply the effect to all the buildings with different shadows. This way, it would be less "strong". I kinda feel a sense of "not harmonious" with this test?

[Jalyha]

Honestly?

I've been doing shadows like... lots of layers, lol I do the shadows of the LOWEST items, so that they look semi-realistic. Then I merge the item with the shadow.

Then I make a larger shadow for the next size of thing... and merge those items with their shadows.

And so on, until the highest item. That way the shadows of higher items can fall on the lower items, but the lower shadows can't fall on the higher items.


So, for instance your lowest buildings/statuary/whatever would have a, say, 1 px shadow that falls on only the road/grounds, taller buildings might have a 2 - 4 px shadow, and so on. I would make sure you kept it so that your largest buildings shadows wouldn't cover *each other*, so probably less width than your streets at the most.


Did that make ANY sense? It did in my head, but not when I re-read it ...

[Wingshaw]

I tried experimenting with layered shadows in my Arabesque city map (which is somewhere on these forums--probably deeply buried now). I think it is a good method, but, using Photoshop, there is a lot of juggling of layers to be done.

Really good map, by the way, Ilanthar. Usually I'm really picky about city layout, and (if you don't mind me saying) I'm sure I could find places in your map which are not realistic to historic cities, but with this map I'm not really fussed about whether it is realistically arranged or not. I just like looking at it. (That might be a bit of a double-edged compliment, but it was meant with good intentions).

THW

[Jalyha]

I tried experimenting with layered shadows in my Arabesque city map (which is somewhere on these forums--probably deeply buried now). I think it is a good method, but, using Photoshop, there is a lot of juggling of layers to be done.

There's a lot of layer juggling in GIMP too... I'm new at this, so I don't know any more efficient way, but it *does* keep the shadows reasonably size-appropriate.

(Is there an easier way to do that?)

[aquarits]

I liked too

[Ilanthar]

Well.... It seems to me that I'm not doing your method at all ! I'm using something called "xach effect" in GIMP and keep only the shadow layer.

Here's a test with 4 different shadows, the lowest on the top left, the normal a bit everywhere, higher for a few buildings as those with a air-rail station and the highest for the pillar. What do you think? Too similar or you can make the differences?
withleveling.jpg

[- Max -]

I've never been fond of digital dropped shadows, that often makes the buildings looks like floating a bit