Idea #1 - Nentir Vale - Nenlast
Idea #2 - La Rueda
Poll - New Side Project
So I'm looking to begin a side project or main project that I can go to on the side of battle maps. The style I wanna learn to start off is city mapping and both these ideas are for city maps. I have two ideas but undecided since I like both. So I'm throwing it out to you guys and see what you guys think I should take on.
Idea #1- Nentir Vale - Nenlast
Concept is basic, this town is located in the Netir Vale which is the highlight of the points of light setting for D&D 4e. This is written in WoTC products.
"This tiny human village lies at the east end of Lake Nen. The folk here make a meager living by trading smoked fish to the dwarves of Hammerfast. They also deal with the Tigerclaw barbarians of the Winterbole Forest. When the wild folk choose to trade, they come to Nenlast to barter their pelts and amber for good dwarven metalwork." (DMG – 4th Ed Dungeon Master's Guide, p.207)
It's further fleshed out in a novel they released which I have read. Also it goes with one of my projects to flesh out the area to share with people since it is a highly enough used setting. Here's a link to a map of the region in case in adds perspective.
Idea #2 - La Rueda
The concept behind this idea is more based on inspiration on some of the maps I've seen you guys do. Again a city map but at it's focus is to showcase political factions and territories rather then buildings and location. The city is like a wheel on a old naval ship and the spokes heading towards the center, hence the name is a metaphor for the social architecture of the city, not to count the general shape of the city. No specifics of area or location or any topography is set so it's a purely fictional setting.
Edit: Did I put this in the wrong section. If I did I'm sorry!
Last edited by geamon; 09-03-2010 at 11:02 AM.
Cheers, Julien
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I'm a sucker for city maps so I voted for Nenlast. BUT, your La Rueda idea tempted me too...because it sounds like a pretty cool idea. How about you work on the city map first and refine your ideas for the sort of abstract representation you plan for the other? There are a lot of good resources on visualization out there (just saw some new ones at Barnes & Noble the other night) but maybe look up Edward Tufte and follow that rabbithole for a while. It's inspirational if nothing else.
M
I dunno if I was clear enough, they are both city maps. Just one's based off a predefined setting and the other a non defined local. The other difference is one shows off standard sites of interest versus making political and economic factions showcased through use of hues and textures.
Cheers, Julien
Battlemaps, Town Maps, Tutorials.
All my maps and content are posted and published under this Creative Commons License.
Probably my mistake. I got the impression you were talking about something more abstract and representative.
M
one can always use another citymap - so I'm going with the first one for "playability/usability" - but I'm curious about the second one as well
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I voted for Nenlast mostly because it might have a better use for me due to my current d&d campaign which takes place in the Nentir Vale.
La Rueda seems interesting due to the idea you throwed but just doesn't quite catch my interest.
Yeah, all points which I'm debating with myself. Another one is because I lack experience with anything but battle maps should I shelf it until I get familiar with making a city map or not. Also making something original is always a tempting factor. I hate making decisions sometimes.
Cheers, Julien
Battlemaps, Town Maps, Tutorials.
All my maps and content are posted and published under this Creative Commons License.
Why not do both using a different layer to show of the political factions stuff? I think that's the way to go. Create the map and then create an overlay for the political/economic stuff. As far as which city to do, well, that's entirely up to you. Personally, I would rather map my own places. I guess it's because then you don't have to worry about them coming along and making a map of it which totally contradicts your version.
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Nenlast is more of a town without any real political or economic groups except like a small farming and fishing guild. A town split in two halves like that isn't as fun for the concept on La Rueda. Haha.
Cheers, Julien
Battlemaps, Town Maps, Tutorials.
All my maps and content are posted and published under this Creative Commons License.
As far as experience goes I say don't worry about that...the only way to get it is to do it. Give it a go and we'll try to pitch in and help out.
M
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