Thinking Big about Guild maps

[RobA]

To create a poll, just start a new post and (near the bottom) use the check box for "post a poll with this thread" and specify the number of options. It shouldtake you into a poll builder after that...

-Rob A>

[Torq]

The voting time should be short. I agree with 2-3 days. More importantly we need to get all the options in reasonably quick time, before any voting can take place. We've got NK's 4 options. Redrobes, Su Liam and anyone else who wants to, can you get something up on this thread within 48 hrs. No detail, jsut basic geography, heightmap etc on a planetary scale.

Terrainmonkey, its most definately open to everyone. Thats the idea. Once we've polled the basic planetary layout it will be a very short time beofre we can all get going.

Torq

[Redrobes]

Will do. Apologies but Wednesday night is my XBox night... I have a few maps already. Gimme a few hours and ill post a page with about 8 on there - all similar but with different shapes. I had to mod my little utility app to output in 16bit height map.

[Redrobes]

Heres a page of thumbs to bigger pics.

I can do more if people want them or feel that there might be a better pattern than those shown. I could make the edges all sea for example if required. Just takes a few seconds to generate each of them.

The color is programmable - this is just to display the general shape. All of them have 16bit height maps for them which I can dish out in HF2 or as a pair of 8bit images. These are 2048 but I can go larger if required or better yet is to take a small section and boost the res of that area to another moderately large res version.

There is no scale but should be treated as large / planetary. The mountains shown are not single mountains but areas that are generally mountainous. If these maps are planetary and were talking earth sized planets then a really huge mountain is still a few pixels across. Earths widest river would be less than a single pixel at these scales. Theres no erosion or any physical effects at this stage. That does take a lot more processing so if any of these are chosen then ill do it for the picked one.

I really don't mind whether these are used or we go for another but having a detailed height map can really speed things up.

[ravells]

Just my two bits, but I think that Redrobe's maps look a lot more 'realistic' than the FT ones.

I particularly like the more fractured feel of the land masses which will make them easier to divide up into different areas.

[Torq]

I agree that Redrobe's maps have a more "realistic" shape to them. I particularly like "B". I feel the mountains might need a bit more of a ridged look, but then again at this scale you aren't really going to make out ridges anyway.

Thanks for posting them Redrobes.

Torq

[NeonKnight]

Here is world 4 with a more 'fractured' land mass, just a simple matter of playing with the slider

[industrygothica]

Here is world 4 with a more 'fractured' land mass, just a simple matter of playing with the slider

I like this one. The diamond-shaped lake in the lower right has infinite possibilities, and to me, the lone island in the upper right screams to be populated by exiles and other undesirables; a nice out of the way place for a horror setting (my personal favorite) without mucking up the feel for the rest of the world.

[ravells]

Here is world 4 with a more 'fractured' land mass, just a simple matter of playing with the slider

I know FT lets you choose relative landmass and ocean sizes...but FT worlds just (IMO) look like they've been created in FT. I can't explain how I know it, but if you were to put a selection of real world maps and FT maps in front of me, I can bet (a little!) money I'd be able to spot the FT one straight off!

[NeonKnight]

I know FT lets you choose relative landmass and ocean sizes...but FT worlds just (IMO) look like they've been created in FT. I can't explain how I know it, but if you were to put a selection of real world maps and FT maps in front of me, I can bet (a little!) money I'd be able to spot the FT one straight off!

Ah well, to each their own. RedRobes Images to me do not look like a world to me. I look to see how the east/west come together and don't see it. Because of he square shape I can see the North & south really pinching, and the east west really stretching to form a globe.

That is not to say of course you are wrong and I am right. Just difference.

As sometimes the FT maps look all wrong to me, it's why I tend to gravitate to maps like #4 and not #3.