[Award Winner] Using GIMP to Create an Artistic Regional RPG Map

[ttrush]

Post 7: Create the sea, continued.

Now we want to stretch out the colours in the “Sea” layer across the entire black to white range. With the sea layer selected, auto normalize the image (Colors->Auto->Normalize). The histogram will now have little gaps in it. As the greys have all been spread out. To fix this, select the non-transparent area (by clicking on the “Sea” layer and selecting “Alpha to Selection”. Invert the selection (Select->Invert) and fill the area with white. Remove the selection (Select->None) and apply a 20px Gaussian blur.

During this part of the process, I cannot fill the transparent area with white. I will attach a photo of my map. I would attach a gimp file if I knew how to haha.maptest.PNG

[RPMiller]

I see the problem. Don't "select" anything. Just make sure that the sea layer is the current layer. Then continue with the steps starting at "...auto normalize..." The rest should be straight forward I believe.

[Chin Swift]

EDIT: I solved the problem. I had to set the new layer to transparent when creating it before adding the noise. I'm thinking it had something to do with a solid fill on a new layer doesn't create an alpha channel causing the overlay blend mode to not funnctionn properly? I don't know though...

sorry for necroing the thread!

Create new layer called “Land Noise” and fill it with clouds (Filter->Render->Clouds->Solid Noise) Set the detail to the maximum (15) and the X and Y size to the max (16.0). The larger the size, the more randomness your final coast will have. Give it a new random seed and jot down the number (I put it in the layer name afterwards as a reminder). And change the blend mode to Overlay.

At this point when I set the layer to overlay nothing changes. I see no effect of the cloud layer at all.

nolandnoise.JPG

Create a new layer called “Land Clip”, filled with white above that, and set its blend mode to Lighten. You will have a white image. Now, with this layer selected, Open the levels dialog (Colors->Levels) and grab the white output slider, and drag it down. As this happens, the land will be revealed. Stop at a place you like, and click OK.

I then add the white layer and set it to lighten. Drag down the slider and it just returns the original coast without any noise distortion.

noisgolj.JPG

I can't for the life of me figure out why this isn't working. I'm following the tutorial by the letter and have gone over this part about 6 times now. It's becoming quite annoying. Could someone explain to me why this isn't working as intended?

The image is 4096 * 4096. It's the only deviation from the tutorial but I can't see how that would effect this process.

HALP!

[Starving]

Thanks! I'm glad someone is reading this thread

As no one has been posting with comments are questions I was worried this exercise was for naught. Now is the time - any question? Post them here! I wil be adding any clarification that people ask for in an edited version that at some point will be set up as a single file PDF for download.

-Rob A>

Rob,

Just so you know your tutorial is still being used today. I'm an old pencil, and paper mapper. Now I got to learn this new fangled computer mapping. Imagine my joy at finding such a clear and useful tutorial.

Thank you very much,
Starving

[RobA]

Nice to hear!

-Rob A>

[Dissent]

CURSES! I thought my experience with gimp could get me through this tutorial but apparently I overestimated myself. :/ I've worked on my map for a couple days now but I ran into a problem adding the rivers after having done the deserts and forests. I ended up with dirt sections floating over the river and so on and the more I try to fix it the more i screw up. Back to the drawing board... no pressure... party is ready to game this Saturday *sweat sweat sweat*BnB world map flawed.jpg

[Ursus_minor]

After years of using HoMM3 map editor for my rpg purposes I've finally decided to up my game. This tutorial incredible but I've encounter a problem - I've tried repeating every step by instructions and with some adjustments, but result is similar. It comes down to creating sea. After using Gradient Map I've always got something like this:
sea_problem.jpg

I don't know why does land on Sea layer become transparent (it was filled with white before) and why there are red gradient by it. I've nothing selected. The map is large (6000x6000), but I've adjusted blur accordingly and effects (including histogram) where proper up to this point. I will try to solve it myself, but maybe some of you knows the possible answer.

Anyway, thanks for this tutorial once more. 8 years later it is the best thing I've found on the Internet in 2015.

EDIT: Nevermind - I've solved it.

[3E208]

Nice!!The tutorial is so useful!

[cbridges392012]

Thank you for creating this tutorial, it's exactly what I was looking for as a new dm needing a map for my players, and a perfectionist who wants the tools to world build the right way

[triarius]

I've gone through the tutorial, as well as the revised version by wisemoon, and when I get to the sea creation portion, I'm running into trouble. This is the result I', getting:
Seashore result.jpg

My land is blue, the sea darker near shore than in the deeps, and when I try to add land colors, they blend with the blue. I can't figure out what I'm missing.

One thing I have noticed about both versions of the tutorial: the type of fill for a new layer is often not mentioned. Noobs (like me!) need to know.

Please help!