Differences in tutorial and my work

[The Great Fry]

Hello all,
This is my first post. I started doing some of these maps about a week ago and have tired a few different styles. I have a question about two of the styles I tired. I followed these tutorials
Building a Continent
Atlas Style
It's the same question for both maps. I believe I am following the guide to the letter, but end up with different results.
My question is how Ascension is able to keep a relativity smooth land mass?
Like in step 39 of the continent tutorial he shows a picture and I get a pretty rugged land scape when I attempt it.
Mine on the left vs Ascension's on the Right
continent.jpgtut2.jpg
And another example is in the atlas tutorial at step 22 he shows his example, which varies drastically with mine.
atlas wip.jpgtut1.jpg
I think it has something do to with how I set the lighting but I am not sure. Or could it be version differences or something of that nature?
If someone could clear this up, or point me in the right direction I would appreciate it a lot.
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum by the way.

EDIT: My bad I linked the wrong guide. The atlas link was to the wrong guide, fixed

[Chick]

I'm not sure what you mean by "smooth" land mass. There is a step in the atlas tutorial about smoothing your coastline edges, where you can play with the smoothness choices. Is that what you mean?

Or do you mean the overall shape of the continent with more bays and peninsulas? I like your continent/island shapes quite well, but if they are too rugged for you, I believe that part is done in the early steps where you play with the cloudiness layers.

[The Great Fry]

I'm not sure what you mean by "smooth" land mass. There is a step in the atlas tutorial about smoothing your coastline edges, where you can play with the smoothness choices. Is that what you mean?

Or do you mean the overall shape of the continent with more bays and peninsulas? I like your continent/island shapes quite well, but if they are too rugged for you, I believe that part is done in the early steps where you play with the cloudiness layers.

I talking more about the the mountains and hills more than anything. In my opinion, I think my mountains and hills seem a bit over bearing. It seems like the entire continent is just a large mountains/steep hills with very few plains or flat areas. How would I go about making more smooth plains instead of many hills and mountains or make the elevation less pronounced in places? Should I try messing with the clouds or is it more of a lighting intensity thing? Thanks

[johnvanvliet]

most tutorials are only "rough guides"
meant to show HOW a tool works

the user then NEEDS!!! to practice and PRACTICE in using that tool
the 10,000 hour rule has been mostly discredited BUT that old saying still HOLDS TRUE

"practice makes perfect "
and
" nothing will ever be 'Perfect' "

I talking more about the the mountains and hills more than anything.

then work on those areas

place mountains and hills on a "blank canvas "

it is a matter of "scale" and level of "noise"
this one looks to be a FBM noise
http://www.cartographersguild.com/at...5&d=1416984711

[Chick]

In the AscensionAtlasStyle-Revised-120817 tutorial, Step 87 is all about how many and where your mountains are.

[The Great Fry]

In the AscensionAtlasStyle-Revised-120817 tutorial, Step 87 is all about how many and where your mountains are.

I found the guide, I'll mess with it and give some progress. I messed around with the original guide where I changed the height of the point lights for the land layer. Thanks for the help. Attached is my experiment with the change in height. I think it is a little better. Thanks for the help.
experiment.jpg

[The Great Fry]

Here is the update, I think it looks a lot better. Thanks for telling me about the revised guide.
revised1.jpg
Here it is with some features.
revised1map.jpg