Swenville

[ThomasR]

Hello folks,

I’ve been away from the Guild to the point of not lurking anymore. It’s a first since I joined and I don’t like it. Who knew that having two little kids at home, a regular job and a mapmaking job at night (outside, in the everlasting heat of another too hot summer, with motherblasting tiger mosquitoes eating me raw like piranhas) would take up that much time ? … I kinda knew it but not to that point.

These last few weeks I’ve been chipping away at a city map way out of my comfort zone. From thinking it to planning it and drawing it, it all has been a real ordeal to me but I kept my eyes on the prize and here it is.

I present to you Swenville (Swenstown in the original setting) ! An A3 city map drawn for the original material of the French edition of RuneQuest (along with this map). I’m so proud of being a part of this project as my roleplaying self grew up with RuneQuest.

Swensville.jpg
© Studio Deadcrows - 2020 - All rights reserved

The city is of Celt and Babylonian inspiration (RuneQuest is the best kind of weird) with a recent occupation of a Roman like force, hence the multiplicity of roofs. It’s a trading post centered on cattle who just got out of a tough time as the occupying force, the Lunar Empire, has been driven out by the fierce Sartarites (guess who I’m rooting for..) !

To the West is a huge plateau and the city stands at its eastern edge. The plain below becomes a desert but the map is in a Mediterrannean like area.

I hope I rendered the height well enough and the map is readable. I tried to add variations to the populated areas but it was not easy playing with shape and height. I could not resist adding a runic sword just because it looks so badass

Here are the illustrations that were given to me as basis.

9b5e854fd60e0eaf691cea90d560ce73.jpg----Unknown.jpeg

And here are the linework version and a flat colors one just because that's what I like to see when people post maps

lineart.jpg----Color flat.jpg

I hope you like it and I’ll try to come back more regularly even if my schedule is not improving (maps ! maps ! maps).

As always, your critics and comments are more than welcome.

Cheers !

PS : I’m not ready for another city map

[J.Edward]

Oh my, that's a lot of rock line :O
Aren't cities fun ;P

I really like seeing the comparison with the illos you were given to work from.
I am quite fond of all the oddness in RuneQuest.

So, when is your next city map?

[Voolf]

You went really mad with those rocks
I think less of them would actually look better.
Nevertheless, great work. Congratulation on finally finishing it.

[Bogie]

Excellent work, lots of depth to the map!

[Arimel]

Absolutely insane err.. amazing! That level of detail is just stunning. Amazing job!

[MistyBeee]

Hat off to the hard work here, and welcome in the wonderful world of city maps

[Wired]

I can't rep you, but this is absoluetly gorgeous, Thomas!

[ThomasR]

Oh my, that's a lot of rock line :O
Aren't cities fun ;P

I really like seeing the comparison with the illos you were given to work from.
I am quite fond of all the oddness in RuneQuest.

So, when is your next city map?

Yeah, I went absolutely crazy with those rocks, I'm pretty sure I won't do it again ... at least, I'll need to learn how to make it better. And cities are the kind of fun that leads you to a padded cell if you want my opinion

Yeah, going from the base images that either show illustrative view or blurry ones was tough, especially since my approach was asking the demographics of the city to the author to give the closest sense of walking its streets as possible. Plus I had elements of the campaign to add for gaming purpose. And Runequest is, indedd, full of (he good kind) of odd.

My next city ? The client will have to have deeeeeeep pockets ... but I'm thinking of one I still owe to myself and someone else but I cannot put my finger on it ... might get my senses back next year

You went really mad with those rocks
I think less of them would actually look better.
Nevertheless, great work. Congratulation on finally finishing it.

Yup, crazy as a coked rabbit and you're right. Thanks a lot Rafal.

Excellent work, lots of depth to the map!

Thanks a lot Bogie, glad you think the depth is well done, I wasn't sure I could pull it off.

Absolutely insane err.. amazing! That level of detail is just stunning. Amazing job!

I agree with your introduction and thanks a lot Arimel

Hat off to the hard work here, and welcome in the wonderful world of city maps

Merci beaucoup Beee to be perfectly honest, when I accepted these commissions, I had no idea how I was gonna make those cities look good, I'm really glad to have your seal of approval. As for wandering into the realm of city maps, I think I'll refrain from it as much as I can This project was close to my heart but the next city job is gonna have to be really appealing.

I can't rep you, but this is absoluetly gorgeous, Thomas!

Thanks a lot Sebastian, it was a tough one for me, glad you deem it worthy.

[- JO -]

This is a much awaited event! A city designed by Thomas... What a great job! I'm really convinced by the whole map, except maybe, as already mentioned, by the cliffs... probably a little too much detail? However, the city is full of details which are sublime... difficult to understand sometimes, the impressions felt when discovering these maps. In any case, congratulations for this commission! I am sure that the agents are as delighted as we are!

[J.Edward]

Doing a city for yourself is often a more satisfying exercise.
I could never have made Haerlech for someone else back then.
Or probably even Bourmout, the first time around.

Cities are endurance runs though, even when for yourself.
Pacing is really important, to get through with a slip of sanity left.