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Lets see what you got and maybe we can help you "figure it out".
Yet Another First World Map
The title says it all. I am yet another newbie making yet another first world map. This is not my first map, I have been hand drawing them for years, and I even go through the trouble of using tea-dipped parchment to print some of my stuff on. However, this is my first time taking my primary fantasy world and attempting to use GIMP to "improve" it. I have been learning my mistakes, and adjusting my maps in different areas, and will continue to improve the map. I am struggling with mountains, tundras and swamps.
Gimp has been kind to me, however I just haven't had that moment of insight yet where you "figure it out".
I have river ranges, inland seas, rivers bending around islands, and other issues to correct. I also have issues with deserts and rainforests.
In all the years I have been making hand drawn maps, I have never really cared about quality; only gameplay functionality. Now, I am at the point where I want to change my map to make it as realistic as possible within the fantasy parameters I have defined for the world. Eek! I know, many will cringe at the thought of yet another incorrect, bastardized abortion of a world map. Hopefully, with the right advice and tutorials and improvements in GIMP now that I have a summer break, I will be able to get it right.
Lets see what you got and maybe we can help you "figure it out".
Art Critic = Someone with the Eye of an Artist, Words of a Bard, and the Talent of a Rock.
Please take my critiques as someone who Wishes he had the Talent
I will happily post everything I have once I have examined the consequences of posting it... My big fear is posting it, then having someone else "own it" either by some technicality I was unaware of or some failure to take a specific action on my part. I know it sounds lame but I am a little bit paranoid about those things.Originally Posted by Korash
Lets see what you got and maybe we can help you "figure it out".
Well, we don't make any claim to ownership of anything you post here; that's not how we roll.I know exactly what you mean as far as being paranoid though; I've had people swipe my maps and try to claim them as their own a couple of times. Unfortunately, that's a consequence of human nature and the internet being what they are. If you post something on the internet, chances are it's gonna happen at least once. Thankfully, we've got a really good group here and a lot of us actively police sites where thieves are likely to post ripped-off stuff.
You can partially alleviate any copyright or theft fears you might have by doing stuff like putting a watermark on your maps, etc. I know for a fact though that none of us community leaders, staff, or owners would ever try to claim a member's maps as their own. I can't speak for the vaster majority of the interwebs; that's part of the risk you take by posting something to the (semi)public for help or critique. You just have to decide if the help you get is worth the possible risks.
I can only support Diamond's Statements. The community here helped me in the past, when some froud tried to sell my art on graphic-river. The help and resonance of the community was positively surprising me.
Another option if you're worried about someone ripping off your map is to only post downscaled versions. If it ever comes down to a legal battle the fact that you have a version with 3x the resolution of the other guy will speak loudly of your claim.
Gumboot has a good point! Host a compressed JPEG of it on Imgur, and link it in. It'll look fine, but it's clearly not the source image, which you can keep under wraps.
I think I am about ready to open a WIP thread. I am currently looking into imgur and other photo upload sites, and I need one which DOES NOT "make me agree" to give them "all rights" or even "any rights".
Once I can overcome that hurdle, I can post what I am working on and my current progress.
I have a hand drawn map, and made a "redraw" from one page to a 2x2 pages to "blow up" and "zoom out". I also made "zoomed in" regional maps, an astral planet, and a moon.
I suppose I may as well make a few confessions now.
1. I have cross-continental rivers, which touch multiple oceans, and have 3 river islands on the same river. I have 2 inland seas which this river connects to on different "fronts".
2. I have a massively large northern continent, with an island chain to the east. South of this island is a "constant" magical storm. South of that is a southern continent and island chain.
3. The southern continent in question is pink. Yup. It has pink grass instead of green grass, and most of the ground cover is flowers. In fact, there is a massive forest of giant flowers! This continent also has a cross continental river. I will prepare some lore when I release the map.
4. I have a large "Mushroom Jungle" in the center of a mountain range. There is a storyline for it.
I have been using this world for a couple years now, and my players are in this world. They have no intention of a new world, and none of them "care" about the inconsistencies.
I can live with the "faults", however I am looking at justification for many of the faults (magical, man made, or otherwise).
I have about 20 sketches, 2 ongoing projects to make it pretty off RobA's Regional Map tutorial, and have had some struggles. I will just have to keep learning and keep going.
Thanks for the advice. I need to choose how to approach copyrights and trademarks, and creative commons because I do intend my work to be meaningful someday, and give no permission to anyone to "own" any aspect or element to any part of it. This isn't for "me to sue you" but to stop "you from suing me" if I am successful in this.
Pink grass? Mushroom Jungle? Magical Storm? Sounds a lot like Oz to me. I look forward to seeing your map.
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