<![CDATA[Cartographers' Guild - General Discussion]]>

<![CDATA[Cartographers' Guild - General Discussion]]> http://www.cartographersguild.com/ General discussion on and off topic. en Thu, 23 May 2013 15:46:20 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.cartographersguild.com/images/cartographer/misc/rss.png <![CDATA[Cartographers' Guild - General Discussion]]> http://www.cartographersguild.com/ Any other good map styles besides Atlas map style? http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23448&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 12:02:03 GMT Hey guys. I am making a world map. I've already made one using Atlas map style, but it really bums me out that I can't add or remove pieces of land after I have fully completed the map. So, do you know any other styles that might better suit my needs, that I can edit after? Thanks. ]]> General Discussion Daendyr19 http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23448 Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project ! http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23435&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 13:54:38 GMT Hello there ! As some of you might already know I am currently working on a large-scale world building project that runs for a few years now. It... Hello there !

As some of you might already know I am currently working on a large-scale world building project that runs for a few years now. It really started as a support for my RPG campaign but then, as I was growing up and studying a little more, it became a consistent and more serious project, a joyful and worthy challenge. Alas, while I was working on it with a few friends for some time, I got abandoned by them since they seemed not as passionate as me for this kind of “weird time-consuming project”. This is why I write this post here for it seems to me that collaborative work is perhaps the only way to get it properly finished someday…

Moreover I do think that the very interest behind such huge project lies within the variety of imagination, melting together the diverse capabilities of its members to bring something consistent and rich. Don’t think of it as a pure crystallization of my own imagination but rather as a laboratory for climatic, geographic, cultural, religious, social, historical, linguistic experiences. There are just few regions where I can already approximately say what I want in the end. The entire rest of the planet is up to discussion and collaborative work! My hopes would be to see this world published in a way or another (Virtual or physical encyclopedia, novels, RPG, tourist guide like, etc.) for I’m not quite sure of what form it should take right now. Note that for this main reason I can’t promise for now anything more than participation to a huge-scale conworld. Who knows what could happen later on, perhaps publishing royalties (everybody can dream), perhaps nothing more than shared passion with others through demiurgic creation.

Let’s talk about some of the features of this project so far.
First of all, since this project already represents years of work, it always need to be discussed in common in order to maintain a certain degree of consistency through its elaboration.

• This running project is in some respects a “holistic” top-down one with certain “chronological” levels of creation. Holistic because this project pays a particular attention to the interactions of all those levels. At first we focus on macro-scale elements (relief, winds, sea current, geology, hydrography, biomes, etc.) in order to bring enough material for further micro-scale treatment (resources and food network, architectural styles, village placement, micro-climate, etc.). It remains however possible to go back to certain earlier stages in order to add or change some aspects of them but it is vital to respect those steps since languages, religious beliefs and others are originally based on what a people can experience from its physical environment.

Globally these are – in the order – the different stages of this project:
- The solar system (done)
- Landmasses (done)
- Custom mineral resources (partly done)
- Climate (done)
- General Hydrography (done)
- Sea currents and major winds (done)
- Vegetal biomes (done)
- Custom flora (in progress)
Coming next:
- Social species (origins, morphology, migrations, etc.)
- Culture (languages, religious beliefs, social codes, etc.)
- History (politico-economic structures and changes, interactions with other people, technological history, etc.)

• This project aims to present a world in which fantasy is reduced to its simplest appearance. I consider that some fantasy elements might add a nice touch to this world but frankly I think that too much magic and too many dragons might kill this whole project. Indeed if everything is given a proper explanation it’s easy to suggest fantasy elements quite differently than most med-fan conworld. (Imagine for example a subterranean lake in which an oobleck-style of rock is dissolved. Imagine now how it would react if the people living nearby come there and blow into a big horn to call their gods: Non-Newtonian Fluid on a Speaker Cone - YouTube, imagine that this substance could be traded with other countries, retaining its own native name in other regions, becoming a popular insult in some of them, etc.)

• This world would be stuck into a certain kind of middle age, mostly human. Though it remains difficult to anticipate every culture and every technological advances (furthermore their consequences) I would largely prefer things to go in this way. I personally find swords, trebuchet and city fairs more inspiring than carpet-bombing, gunpowder and stock market. And to repeat myself, I think orcs, dwarves, elves are not particularly necessary when you can conceive complex and detailed cultures through physical morphology, language, funeral rites, political and social identities, etc.

• As a support for all the work done so far, we can count on an online Wiki as well as on a forum for everything that is still under discussion. For some reasons I want these two to remain closed to public as some kind of protection. In fact the final result should not look like a Wiki written in a simple pseudo-scientific way. I hope people to discover this project with hand-drawn map, original languages, illustrations and other. Alas, actually the wiki is in French but I could eventually turn it into English if there are enough people interested.

Let me show some examples:

A satellite view of the planet

Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project !-cartographie.png

The latitudes and axis of rotation

Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project !-latitudes.png

A overview of late year rainfall

Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project !-precipitations-124.png

The respectives orbits of the three moons

Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project !-satellites.png

A view of the red moon in the second part of year

Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project !-lr-3.png

• A friend and I created the Light-eating stone. It’s from the schist stone, heavily foliated (pretty much as slate), which vibrates when approached by light. In fact this stone is like a magnet for light that absorbs it and return its energy as a humming drone sound. Too much light disrupts the stone into its small original sediments. This is why we can’t find it on the surface.

Based on the geological map

Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project !-carte_g%E9ologique.png

and the relief map I made

Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project !-heightmap.png

we have placed the probable locations of this stone.

Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project !-roche_mange-lumi%E8re.png

As a result, certain cultures won’t even know about it. Others will probably use it in some way (use it as a poetic metaphor for example).

• Another one is the Forest-Tree. It looks like a tree but behave itself more like mushroom. Its mother-tree is centrally positioned and expands itself through a dense network of roots. Killing nearly any other plant in the area, the Forest-Tree expands itself just as a forest would but since it is just one tree, its giant roots emerge here and there to support its gigantic branches. To sustain this impressive plant, the Forest-Tree not only use its leaves for energy but also fools animals and poison some of them. Lying there dead, the saprophyte bacteria, with which the Forest-Tree live in symbiosis, will decompose them renewing the soil for the tree.

Based on the description we made of its habitats and on the localization of the great biomes we can also imagine where you could encounter such infamous tree.

Looking for collaborators for a big scale world-building project !-biomes.png

As you have probably noticed, my project is still in its “beginning” if we might say. Apart from a few ideas or projections that I make for some regions, there is still no languages, no cultures, no social beings, etc. There are around 50 minerals amply described (we hope to see more of these), and for now 12 plants plus 2 I’m currently working on. Little by little the project will focus on micro-scale but there is a lot of work to do.
Hear me fellow cartographers, worldbuilders, conlangists and creative enthusiasts if anybody is interested in anyway to help me create this world I would be pleased for it grieves me to play god alone. And if you just have a question for something, I’ll gladly answer! Just send me a PM.

Cheers !

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]]> General Discussion Guldaroth http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23435 Pen and Paper supplies, need recommendations http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23431&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 00:39:19 GMT So, i'm on a budget of about 50 $, what I want is a poster sized laminated and somewhat hard version of the world map, so that we can use it for sort of a fast travel board, and the usual getup.
Miniatures, good drawing supplies, and nice thick, grid drawing paper for the battlemaps. (I love to keep maps, hence why i'm not getting one that can erase.)
And, any other suggestions you have.

As for the system i'm using, it's a toned down version of Savage Worlds.

Edit: I have done virtual games before, but never a real life one. ]]> General Discussion eViLe_eAgLe http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23431 Ugli Studios Presents http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23381&goto=newpost Tue, 14 May 2013 16:04:57 GMT Heya everyone.

I haven't been around much in the last six months or so as I've started working on comics. It is really chewing up all of my free time. I hope to get back to working on some maps soon, but in the meanwhile check out the kickstarter we just launched for our comic!

Ugli Studios Presents: #2

I hooked up with these guys after taking a job from them in the Mapmaking Requests right here on these forums! :) ]]> General Discussion cereth http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23381 Atlas Map Style -- Add Land after completing the map, how? http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23362&goto=newpost Sun, 12 May 2013 13:25:09 GMT Hello everyone! I've just finished a map that uses Ascension's atlas style method. I have a question, though. After I've made the map fully, is it possible to add some islands or perhaps even new continents? I don't like some parts of the map, which need to be removed. So can I do this? If so, how? Thanks! :) ]]> General Discussion Daendyr19 http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23362 Building maps for existing (published) settings http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23317&goto=newpost Thu, 09 May 2013 17:34:52 GMT I wanted to get some feedback or discussion started around the idea of producing maps within existing (i.e. published) campaign settings. My specific... I wanted to get some feedback or discussion started around the idea of producing maps within existing (i.e. published) campaign settings. My specific thoughts are:
1) is there any reason to believe that mapping out a specific area of an existing work would be considered copyright infringement?
2) what are the social (i.e. "credibility") implications of working by building on top of established work?

I have a specific example: I'm running a 1st edition D&D Forgotten Realms game (not because I'm an OSRIC adherent, I just felt like doing it for nostalgia) and I've created some really nice alterations of area maps by emulating existing map styles and building on top of them for the campaign. Would posting that kind of work alienate other cartographer/artists here? Would it be in poor taste? If so, why? ]]> General Discussion Djaii http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23317 Minecraft - Game of Thrones http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23297&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 05:15:00 GMT Wow, how many hours.... Minecraft Game of Thrones - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Tyz8EpwkM) Wow, how many hours....

Minecraft Game of Thrones - YouTube ]]> General Discussion Jaxilon http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23297 Delimma - Purist or non purist http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23285&goto=newpost Mon, 06 May 2013 18:00:58 GMT Ok, I saw some post talking about purists and non purists.... I know know why I have been having troubles....I cant decide which i prefer.... I... Ok, I saw some post talking about purists and non purists....

I know know why I have been having troubles....I cant decide which i prefer....

I am by profession a purist...but by heart a non purist....

(not sure its spelled correctly)

Anyone got any advice? ]]> General Discussion ranger http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23285 Hobbit Maps? http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23266&goto=newpost Sun, 05 May 2013 02:20:42 GMT Are we allowed to post LOTR maps here? Are we allowed to post LOTR maps here? ]]> General Discussion santacruzsteve http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23266 I need your vote for Spaceflight Training http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23256&goto=newpost Sat, 04 May 2013 15:52:00 GMT No, this is not a joke. I mapped telescopes in space, and now If you send a tweet, I could be going to the Nastar Center for spaceflight training... No, this is not a joke.

I mapped telescopes in space, and now If you send a tweet, I could be going to the Nastar Center for spaceflight training and going to see a space launch in November.

I need your vote for Spaceflight Training-screen-shot-2013-05-04-11.33.54-am.png

To vote - here's the super quick twitter link! https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?tex...Choice%20Award!

Two weeks ago I went to the NYC NASA space apps hackathon. My team created an application that allows you to explore what telescopes are looking at and when. The site collates a ton of telescope data in one place, unifies it, and makes it pretty - as well as being accessible for astrophysicists. And yes - it includes a map of space.

We won the NYC hackathon, and we're in the running for the global challenge, along with 133 other teams. There are 4 'best in class' awards and a public choice. The public voting started yesterday and runs to the 17th of May. To vote, you need to send a tweet to @spaceapps and include the hashtag for the project. For ours it's #spacecalnyc . As far as I can tell, you can only vote for one project.

Check out our project page, with a video showing how the app works: Space Cal NYC | International Space Apps Challenge

And here's the video:

The live site is here: International Space Apps Challenge: My Space Cal (note that you can double click to zoom in)

For Github fans, the code is all here: https://github.com/rosscooperman/betterspacecal

The twitter link: https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?tex...Choice%20Award!

Of course, we think ours is the best, but you should definitely check out the other entries. There were some very cool things to come out of that weekend. Here's the full list from around the world: Awards | International Space Apps Challenge

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]]> General Discussion torstan http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23256 New Toy for Gamer Printshop http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23248&goto=newpost Fri, 03 May 2013 15:48:52 GMT After many years relying on a B/W large format laser copier/printer to handle scanning and printing of B/W drawings up to 36" wide, the laser printer finally died - so I needed something to replace it with. I did look at laser printers, but considering the cost print inkjet has dropped significantly over the years (cheaper inks and media), it has become a viable solution. So I've replaced my unit with a Canon IPF760 wide format color inkjet printer with a ColorTraq 42" wide format color scanner (whoopie!)

New Toy for Gamer Printshop-e_canon_ipf_760mfp.jpg

So now I can scan full color maps and duplicate like a copier, or print JPG, TIF, PDF and CC3 map files.

I've been dying to get me a large format color scanner for a while, but they've been priced out of my range most of the time. Prices have dropped. This should save me a ton of work. In the past when a client brought me a large format color print, I had to scan it in 11 x 17 portions on my 11 x 17 color scanner, requiring 9 scans for a 24" x 36" drawing/map, then stitched back together in Photoshop. Now I can scan up to 42" wide by 10 feet or more, up to 600 ppi resolution in 24 bit or 256 colors - awesome!

The monitor comes with a touch screen, so I don't need a keyboard for most operations.

Almost finished setting it up, just need to add the computer and cables and will be done! Sweet!

GP

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]]> General Discussion Gamerprinter http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23248 In need of some sci-fi inspiration http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23198&goto=newpost Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:46:00 GMT I'm looking for inspiration. I need some good example of sci-fi city maps. Anyone got any they like? General sci-fi maps work too - I need some inspiration on look and feel, and styling. ]]> General Discussion torstan http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23198 The future!!!!! http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23193&goto=newpost Sun, 28 Apr 2013 16:46:21 GMT I have seen the future and come to tell of it! For map makers, board game designers, advertisers, and so on, augmented reality is the future. I... I have seen the future and come to tell of it! For map makers, board game designers, advertisers, and so on, augmented reality is the future.

I made a prototype app to show the basics of camera recognition, so if you pointed your phone at your map, it would recognize symbols recognizing different locations and could create a 3d environment above:

You could make a battle appear with real statistics on the models, or make a village pop up with villagers you can watch going about their business, with fighters on the outskirts fighting off monsters.

Lots of possibilities yet to be explored!

Thoughts? ]]> General Discussion lmbarns http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23193 Nerd Day Trips http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23192&goto=newpost Sun, 28 Apr 2013 12:12:00 GMT If you are visiting Europe and want to know about nerdy / geeky things to do, then it's all laid out for you here:

Nerdy Day Trips ]]> General Discussion ravells http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23192 Non-map related Watercolor Card by me http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23189&goto=newpost Sun, 28 Apr 2013 05:51:00 GMT A few of us started talking about how we attempt to do watercolor pictures so I figured I would share my latest attempt, even though it's not a map.

I started with a half sheet of 12 inch x 9 inch Cold press paper, it's not anything fancy (90 lb / 185 g/m2) whatever that means. It's just a pad I bought from Michael's. So that's like 4.5" x 6" in size.

1) Using a pencil I sketched out my image from a photograph.
2) Next, I soaked the paper in water, I just held it under the tap for a couple minutes. I think I'll try going for a full soak next time because I still had some buckling.
3) I used blue painter's tape, because it's what I had from some remodel project and it's supposed to not stick, to hold the paper down on a board. I toweled off any excess water using a paper towel and daubing.

See the first image

4) I spent about 3 hours painting it. I start out with a wet brush with little paint to create a light wash. As that dries I got back over it with a slightly more pigment loaded brush and keep building up the colors. Towards the end I use a fairly dry brush to put highlights on. It would probably be more understandable if I had a time lapse video but oh well, I'm not that fancy.
5) I trimmed the edges because I failed to get my tape just right and it looked funky. It's nice and even now :)

I may look into the possibility of making cards like this and printing them up to sell. I think it's as good as what I buy from the store.

edit: the images were taken with my phone although in retrospect, maybe I should have used my scanner.

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Non-map related Watercolor Card by me-bfly-step-1.jpg

Non-map related Watercolor Card by me-bfly-complete.jpg

]]> General Discussion Jaxilon http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23189