Tsue-jo Palace & Residence

Since I'm going to need a more detailed map of Lord Hachiwara of Tsue-jo castle's Daimyo's residence and palace for both the start of Adventure 2 in The Gift, as well as being needed in Part 3, I decided to start doing that now.

I used a clip from my Tsue-jo city map for reference. Note: I've added a detached tea house on the right side of the Winter residence, which is not on the Tsue-jo city map, I will add that to it.

So, I've only got a couple hours into it, I'm taking more time with this - still hyper speed as always, just to get the details right. I may not label it as it currently sits, I just wanted to give you an idea of what work I need to do.

In particular I've got some ideas for the Onmyoji wizards residence and studio. I'm placing an Asian astrological chart, a kind of Japanese Oija board, a summoning circle, I'm thinking some kind of telescope or scrying bowl...

I'll trick out the gardens, once I get to them towards the end. Note this garden contains the demon-spirit of Lord' Hachiwara's dead wife - a kind of Marelith-like demoness, invisible in the day time, but said to dwell in the pool in the water garden and both haunts and protects the provincial court.

Note there are living descendant Hachiwara nobles dwelling at this castle, though 27 generations beneath the Daimyo. Also note the castle walls which are currently depicted will be and contain barracks, arrow slits, arrow stores, bowyer/fletcher shop, mess hall, kitchen and other military supplies. At least the northern side wall towers will also be detailed in the final map.

In the end, I'll place a grid for the print version, and ungridded for the VT version, but to get a sense of scale, notice the "tatami" straw floor mats in the residences currently provide in the chambers on the lower left side - each "square tatami" is 5' x 5' (Japanese were smaller, but it that size works for Kaidan.) This map is currently at 50% scale, where 10' = 1", I'll export at 200 ppi when I'm complete, so I can rescale at 100 ppi and achieve proper scale.

WIP so far...

GP

Having determined that the intended scale for this final map is 1" = 5', especially for the use in VT apps, the total map dimensions will be approximately 48" x 72" (which is rather huge), and that the various VT apps have different preferences regarding inch scale and total map scale.

How should I go about breaking this map into more usable scaled pieces? I know MapTool can work with larger files, but that doesn't mean its practical to work in largest file format. Should I quarter this, or even divide into eighths?

Nobody wants to download a 4800 x 7200 map for VT use.

GP

I think I'd break it up into quarters (12"x18"), only slightly larger than standard legal paper. But I know nothing about VTT's :D

I think I'm about half way done with this map, still lots to do though. The basic structures, walls, sliding screen doors, tatami matted living areas, wood walkways. Many of these structures have a roofed veranda walkway, open to the outside, but under a wide roof eave.

The Winter palace has places for firepits and braziers to be placed. Kitchen has no ovens, firepits, etc yet. No toilet holes in the toilet. No furnishings yet, so like I said, lots to do.

I think I'm going to create a specific type of pine tree for the gardens of Tsue-jo, just an idea based on bonsai designs using PD particles anc creating a decent pine trunk, then create 5 or 6 different ones to repeat, rotate and resize, then fill up the garden with plants. Also planning to place some cattails, waterplants to roughen the edges of the pond.

Moving right along, however.

Enjoy!

GP

I finished the gardens and added detailing to the defensive wall corridor, still more to do.

Next I'll do the main fortress sitting above the palace grounds, once I'm complete with this map, then a maze through the alleys of the Artisan's district, part of the Lower Town, by the Wharf, and details of the Kirin Temple Statue and grounds of the Kirin District.

Then I think I'll be done with my maps of Tsue-jo, unless I do some specific temple, residence, guild hall or some such for adventure needs.

GP

Looks great. Just wanted to say I am still following all of your work.

Water looks a lil funky but I like the rest of it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ascension

Water looks a lil funky but I like the rest of it.

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I agree, it looks like you forgot to blur/blend the deeper parts. Also you seem to have a bit of 'tiling' in the "inner-wall" texture.

Love the grass texture!

I finally complete this monster map of Lord Hachiwara's palace and residence at Tsue-jo castle. The only problem I had was posting it, as the final map has been resized to 100 ppi at true scale. That means the final map is 72 inches x 108 inches or 7200 x 10800 pixels in size - which is too big to upload here.

While I may upload the full version and provide a link eventually, I resized this map to 50 ppi just so I could load it here for final perusal.

I opted not to place individual map objects in the chambers, as this map is intended for VT use and those objects would be placed by the GM using the map. I will be creating all necessary symbols, however, for that express purpose.

Oh, I changed the water to look better, I think it worked!

Enjoy!

GP

Water is much better and it looks like you also corrected the 'tiling' in the wall texture.

One thing I did notice is a thin, dark colored line just below the wall at the bottom of the map. Maybe a coontour line you decided not to use or something. Not big deal really, just wanted to point it out.