<![CDATA[Cartographers' Guild - General and Miscellaneous Mapping]]>

<![CDATA[Cartographers' Guild - General and Miscellaneous Mapping]]> http://www.cartographersguild.com/ Forum for general maps such as encounter maps, concept maps, and other uncategorized maps and map elements and map related artwork. en Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:34:10 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.cartographersguild.com/images/cartographer/misc/rss.png <![CDATA[Cartographers' Guild - General and Miscellaneous Mapping]]> http://www.cartographersguild.com/ Making rocks look more natural http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23737&goto=newpost Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:03:39 GMT Hello everyone, I have been working on an encounter map located in the hills and I am trying to add rocks to the map by using textures. My... Hello everyone,

I have been working on an encounter map located in the hills and I am trying to add rocks to the map by using textures. My problem is that I don't think they look natural or blend with the map and I was hoping for some advice to help me achieve my goal.

I am using Photoshop CS5 to create the map below, it is far from being completed. Any advice would be appreciated. Also this map is a reduced size so that I could upload it. The original size is 4000px by 3000px with a resolution of 100px per inch.

Thanks in advance for the advice.
-Car

Making rocks look more natural-hill-campsite_1_small.png

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping Caraldur http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23737 The World of Avon Arret http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23730&goto=newpost Sat, 15 Jun 2013 23:53:41 GMT Greetings! well new map, and it is a work in progress rather then a finished one, like the last time I posted here at the guild. using a... Greetings!

well new map, and it is a work in progress rather then a finished one, like the last time I posted here at the guild.

using a large(very large I think) black and white image of the earth i used photoshop to completely disassemble copy and paste the continents and islands in different ways to create some vaguely unique looking landmasses. after that i added some new layers filled them with blue and green adding textures and other colors to make them look slightly more interesting.
and now i am posting it here for others to comment on it. of course as its a work in progress its not finished the things that are needed are

Mountains
Rivers
Deserts
Forests
Etc.

Feel free to suggest locations for where these things might possibly be placed because I am at a loss.

http://puu.sh/3gBFM.jpg

Edit: i do apologize if the link is not the correct way to show my work but i was unable to get it as an attachment (probably do to size) ]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping Dawningwhispers http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23730 Continent Placement Help http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23708&goto=newpost Fri, 14 Jun 2013 06:41:44 GMT So, I believe this is where i would place this question. But i have having difficulty with this maps placement of the 3 continents i have. Any... So, I believe this is where i would place this question. But i have having difficulty with this maps placement of the 3 continents i have. Any suggestions? (I'm adding a screen cap of what i have started. Normally i have something drawn out -but currently i am just experimenting with Photoshop)

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping Miranda Hartrampf http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23708 game based on Schwarzkreuz and Ramah map elements... http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23691&goto=newpost Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:46:26 GMT Hi all, Apologies, guys, I think I posted that announcement in the wrong area before (in the finished map section)... Five months ago, I had the... Hi all,

Apologies, guys, I think I posted that announcement in the wrong area before (in the finished map section)...
Five months ago, I had the idea of doing a hybrid tower defense/rpg game with 'tolkien maps' esthetics. Discovering the cartographers guild website, I saw amazing work out there and I decided to make that idea a reality by using map brushes from Schwarzkreuz and Ramah to edit levels. The game is now put on steam, where it waits to have a sufficient number of steam users to vote for it so that it can be published (see link at Steam Greenlight :: Defender Story: Episode 1).
In its present state, the game works on windows, mac, linux and android. I am presently polishing the html5 version and I will probably make an Ipad/Iphone version if I can afford the apple developer license later...
I will make the game available for download in a couple of weeks on a website, on google play, and on the chrome web browser shop.
Ok. I put some links to the videos + pictures...

Attachment 55291
Attachment 55292 Attachment 55293 Attachment 55294 Attachment 55295 Attachment 55296 Attachment 55297
So, here is the plan, if you people are willing to consider it :)
I feel a bit bad that the present esthetics are not as good as they could be, but I had limited funds. If enough people vote for the game on steam, and I can get a little bit of money from it, I will be able to make a sequel. In that case, I will organize a 'map' competition for 25 maps where each map will represent a game level where each selected map author will receive a commission.
So guys, thanks for your amazing work ! You are truly a source of inspiration.

And if you were remotely interested, vote for me on steam greenlight... If it works, there shall be some epic maps in the making :)

Cheers!
Mehdi

PS
(Just for those who wonder, I paid license fees to Schwarzkreuz and also I regret that I was too broke afterward to pay Ramah, he had declared his symbols free - they both figure nicely in the credits list) ]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping gentr1 http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23691 Its a start http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23667&goto=newpost Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:14:07 GMT I've been itching to do something, but I'm not sure exactly what I want to do yet. So I started on some of the more tedious parts, well maybe just the boarder. I've been pondering a lighthouse or a sumgglers cove or some such. I don't know yet.

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping Vinoex http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23667 Another another first map project http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23655&goto=newpost Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:52:42 GMT Hi everyone, I already tried to make this post a few days ago but I think I got a message that said somebody would have to review my post before... Hi everyone,

I already tried to make this post a few days ago but I think I got a message that said somebody would have to review my post before it would be published.. I don't think it should take several days to review it so maybe I just messed something up? Anyway, here's a re-write in case the original post has disappeared for good:

I recently started my first serious fantasy world map project based on a RPG-campaign of mine and would like to share my WIP with you guys! The map is obviously nowhere near finished but it already has a little bit of everything so you can see where I'm heading. I'm still adding islands, forests, mountains, rivers and cities and even the overall style is probably going to change dramatically. The map is made in Photoshop and layered so that stylistic modifications are easy to implement. So far only the tree brushes are from a free downloaded brush pack, everything else is self-drawn.

I would love to hear your advice, opinions and constructive criticism! Any ideas and suggestions about colours, textures, brushes and geographical issues are welcome. One thing I'm having especially hard time with are the rivers. I have already read How to get your rivers in the right place but I'm still not sure if my rivers have any logic to them.. So river experts, please check them out! At least the big long river splitting the continent is probably completely illogical :D I'm also still quite unsure where I should put the mountains.. and the forests.. And.. Actually I'm still quite unsure about everything so please help me out! :D

Another another first map project-small1.jpg

Thanks in advance,

Aleksi Hietanen

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping AleksiHietanen http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23655 WIP Breitenfeld 1631 http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23589&goto=newpost Tue, 04 Jun 2013 00:03:57 GMT I got my appetite up with the Svensksund map (posted in the lite challenge forum... I got my appetite up with the Svensksund map (posted in the lite challenge forum) so I thought I'd do more historical maps.
I'm working on finding a good look and I plan to do a couple of more working up to a huge wargame map of the battle of Poltava.

This is my Breitenfeld map, first WIP.
I need to rework the forest so it doesn't look like a miscolored hill.
The brown lines are battalions (6 ranks of ~100 men) to scale and I'll add cav and cannon. The ones on the map right now are just for test. They should have different colors depending on type or regiment.
I need to add some villages and there should be some more trees around the map.

Anything else?

WIP Breitenfeld 1631-breitenfeltdwip01.jpg

Update1:
Have been working on the ground texture, forest and the villages. Next up are the units.

WIP Breitenfeld 1631-breitenfeltdwip02.jpg

Update2:
Added placeholders for the swedish and saxon units, I'll rework them as i got the scale wrong. The imperial units are all there and i tried to make some tracks to show how they're moving. I'll add dust clouds to all moving units (some swedes has dust now, testing the effect).

WIP Breitenfeld 1631-breitenfeltdwip03.jpg

Update 3:
All the units are done. Still testing out the dust effects, I don't know if it's too much... I'll need to do the arty next.

WIP Breitenfeld 1631-breitenfeltdwip04.jpg

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping Hoel http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23589 <![CDATA["Maximum Livable Angle"]]> http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23521&goto=newpost Wed, 29 May 2013 05:02:30 GMT So, I had a question that I feel needs a little input; what would be considered the 'maximum livable angle?' By that, I mean how steep can land be before it becomes hard to build a dwelling or other structure on top of it? The reason for the inquiry is because a friend of mine asked me to do a map that involves building a village on top of mini-buttes that were carved from the land grand canyon style. I've seen maps like that on here before, but I started thinking about how steep land would have to be before people say, 'Nope. Not doing it.' As with all things, there are exceptions, but what would you all consider the maximum angle, in reference to the horizon, as a base line? ]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping AMXPariah http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23521 Lyr - The Two Continents: A World Building Project http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23495&goto=newpost Sun, 26 May 2013 15:28:58 GMT The goal of this project is as mentioned here (http://www.cartographersguild.com/member-introductions/23494-greetings.html). More specifically I aim... The goal of this project is as mentioned here. More specifically I aim to create a world with national, internal and personal strive. A world as alive as good sushi the day before you eat it. A world map of Lyr, at first. Then, in detail, of all it's nations and places of note. Forged through history and following it's future :?:

That is, if I don't get bored whilst trying to do this.

Word of Warning (WoW): I can't draw. Advice is appreciated.

Step 1: I created some clouds, posterised the image and cut out whatever shapes I wanted to use as small and large land masses.

Step 2: I made a contour out of the solid bodies.

Step 3: I smudged colour where-ever I wanted hills, mountains or forest.

Step 4: Have a friend tell me I draw like a 3-year-old.

Step 5: Create moutains, hills, rivers, towns and nations.

http://i.imgur.com/xMYbi6K.jpg (warning: large)

I'm planning on keeping it all in black and white for now and on creating more detailed maps for various regions once I am done with the map of at least these two continents.

As I'm a newb to this, all advice, constructive criticism, and even scepticism pertaining to the reality of my being are welcome. ]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping Hal9000 http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23495 {WIP} The Enzyklopedia Icathia: The complete World of Arden http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23396&goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 17:53:36 GMT After several very inspiring works and discussions with other members of the Guild (Vorro, -Max-, Ramah, Chashio and many others) I decided to order... After several very inspiring works and discussions with other members of the Guild (Vorro, -Max-, Ramah, Chashio and many others) I decided to order my Sourcematerial of the World of Arden and finally do what I have wanted to do for years:
Transforming all these piles of paper in a nice and readable form.

Therefor I decided to collect the Material in 4 Volumes of Books and creating them in a form that fits the World of Arden.
The First Volume will handle the History and Rise of the Icathian Imperium, the main place on Arden.

Here are the Covers of teh Books.

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{WIP} The Enzyklopedia Icathia: The complete World of Arden-001-cover-arkanum.jpg

{WIP} The Enzyklopedia Icathia: The complete World of Arden-001-cover-geography.jpg

${WIP} The Enzyklopedia Icathia: The complete World of Arden-001-cover_n.jpg$ ${WIP} The Enzyklopedia Icathia: The complete World of Arden-001-cover_historia_n.jpg$

]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping Schwarzkreuz http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23396 Heraldry and Coats of Arms http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23386&goto=newpost Wed, 15 May 2013 01:38:48 GMT I was blown away by the City-kingdoms of the Haréshk by vorropohaiah and the addition of shields (although some break the tincture rules). I was... I was blown away by the City-kingdoms of the Haréshk by vorropohaiah and the addition of shields (although some break the tincture rules). I was wondering if other people were interested in heraldry and blazons for their own medieval and fantasy maps.

There are a few sources I use for making and describing heraldry. One is a book I own but can be read online called Boutell's Heraldry. It's a book from 1890. Another is A Complete Guide to Heraldry from 1909 available on Wikipedia. The last is a website that has many, many examples including blazons of many shields throughout the world from a book called A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry from 1894. I don't use the glossary as much but only if I need to see how other people wrote their blazons with different shapes.

What I have attached is a shield I created (using resources from Wikimedia Commons because I can't draw worth anything) for an empire whose map I'll be sharing shortly.

Heraldry and Coats of Arms-escutcheon.png

Blazon:
Or, an eagle Sable imperially crowned Proper with wings displayed and inverted, in its beak a fish, perched on a nest all Proper, issuant therefrom five eaglets: I Sable, II Or, III Gules, IV Argent, V Azure with wings displayed and inverted, the first, second, third, and fourth close contourned.

If I didn't suck at drawing, the rest of the blazon would read:
Surrounding the escutcheon, the Order of the Grand Star linked with lion's faces and sprigs of rue interwoven and having from it a star of sixteen rays all Or; for a Crest, upon a frogmouth helmet Sable the imperial crown Proper yet not set with stones but only enamel, a sun without face of sixteen rays Or; Mantling Or and Gules; for Supporters, dexter a lion rampant guardant on a rock both Proper; sinister standing on a like rock a female figure Proper, crined Or, vested Argent, draped Sable with bordure Or surmounted a bordure Gules, wearing a breastplate, vambraced, shod with sabatons all Sable, and supporting with her exterior hand an anchor Proper.

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping Adolon http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23386 <![CDATA[Marvin's Necklace - DAY ONE (Foremost)]]> http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23360&goto=newpost Sun, 12 May 2013 12:15:42 GMT Yes, I know it's like 8 hours late. Sorry, my idiot self fell asleep without putting it here --> Map doesn't...]]> A few notes before we start:

--> Yes, I know it's like 8 hours late. Sorry, my idiot self fell asleep without putting it here
--> Map doesn't match the story exactly. I did the maps that will be featured here way before the story.
The challenge is to make a story that follows a line of maps, not vice-versa.
--> There are 10 more days coming! Look for them on weekends.
--> I have absolutely no idea where to put this in the Forums. If someone has any ideas, let me know or
move it to the right place. Thanks!

DAY ONE

A knock came on the door and a servant poked his head into the room before Andras had a chance to answer. The man's face was sweaty and nervous; Andras knew the servant could not carry good news.

"What is it, Stevens?" Andras asked. The man dipped his head, avoiding eye contact, and spoke carefully.

"Another of your trading vessels has gone missing sir. Reports suggest that it was apprehended a little more than halfway between here and Tavmin. I think it was the pirates again, sir." The servant replied. Andras sighed slowly, frustration building inside of him. It was not the first time a report of this nature had been issued this week. His fleet was thinning, and so was the money that came with it.

"Which vessel was it, Stevens?"

"The Norfolk, sir."

Andras swore. The Norfolk had been one of his favorites, and he had been personal friends with the captain of that ship. He dismissed the servant, who was relieved to exit so quickly, and sat silently at his desk, thinking.

As the sun retreated back to the Earth and the stars began to come out, Andras paged through an old book he had found in the deepest recesses of his private library. The book was worn with age, though it had spent the vast majority of it's time on the dusty shelves in the dark. Inside the pages, evil thoughts were scribbled hastily in some places, and methodically in others. Andras had been reading it for the past few days, in secrecy, and only tore his eyes from the pages when a knock on his door forced him to conceal the book. In part, Andras felt guilty, but he also felt strangely compelled to experiment with the suggestions made within the book. One, in particular, stood out from among the rest as being the worst, and also the most appealing. Andras, his mind focused elsewhere, was staring at that page now.

The comprehensible writing on the page was sparse. Instead, the author had written loosely, leaving out spaces between words and sometimes even letters. Reading was painstakingly slow and difficult, but Andras was so curious he refused to give up. The page also contained a shockingly accurate diagram (though the author of the book had seemed to rush here as well) of a man in a summoning circle. Little by little, Andras had deduced correctly that the page contained instructions on how to summon a major demon, possibly one that served evil directly and willingly.

While this revelation should have shocked Andras out of reading the book, he was so deeply immersed in the pages that few things could have stopped his continuing. There was corruption somewhere deep in his mind, and had he been his normal self, he would have felt something was wrong. His thoughts, however, were not entirely his own.

Andras decided that he had to try to summon this demon, for he was immensely curious. He did not know if what the book said was true, and he doubted the spell would work, but he wanted the opportunity to confront a demon. With the hour nearing midnight, and most of the lights in the village below his window disappearing, Andras set off through his manor to find the objects required for the spell. A few, like the candles and the chalk, were readily available. However, while Andras knew he had them, materials like copal incense were harder to find. When Andras had finished gathering the materials and had stalk piled them next to the summoning circle he had drawn (replicating the one in the book), it was nearly quarter to midnight.

Andras carefully lit the candles and the incense. The book had said to light an absurd amount of incense, and the room quickly filled with strong smelling smoke. The candles, as the only source of light in the room, dimly shone through the smoke. The summoning circle lay in the corner of the room, standing out on the dark stone floor.

Shaking with a mixture of fear dulled by excitement, Andras consulted the book for the final time before stepping into the summoning circle and chanting a series of words from the demonic language. The words chilled him; he didn't understand their meaning, but he found himself speaking with certainty in his deep voice. He grew more tense as he went, reciting the words from memory, as there was no way he could read from the book - it was not possible to read in the low light or bring the book inside the summoning circle.

When he finished, he was at first disappointed; the effect was not instantaneous. Then, the light from the candles dipped, plunging the room into near darkness. A sudden fear leapt up in Andras's heart as his mind was freed of corruption. For no more than a second, he realized the full extent of what he had done. Then his mind was once more clouded as an evil being slipped inside. His head felt heavier, swelled with the pressure of thousands of years of pain. Panicking, Andras ran out of the summoning circle and fell onto the enormous collection of candles. Though flames engulfed him, he felt no pain.

Andras collapsed and rolled on the floor to extinguish the flames, and remained there for several long moments, contemplating what had happened. He was not possessed by the demon, but his thoughts were corrupted and influenced by the wants of the evil creature inside him. He stood, and laid his eyes upon the book. He desperately wanted to tip the candle and spill hot wax and flame onto the evil pages, but something prevented him from doing so. Emotions rolling inside him, Andras stepped out onto the balcony connected to his bedroom.

Looking down, the drop was drastic. Even though Andras's quarters were located on the second floor of the keep, the balcony dangled over the cliff below, and the drop was more than five-hundred feet. The normally violent waters below were calm, lapping easily against the base of the cliff. A cold wind chilled Andras to the bone, but he stubbornly refused to retreat back to his warm rooms. Part of him wanted to avoid the mess he had made inside, and he knew he was not going to get any sleep.

Looking off to the side, Andras saw the village in the distance. Only a few lights were left on so late at night - midnight was only a few minutes away. Evil thoughts once more filled Andras's mind (influenced by the demon within) and his grip tightened on the railing of the balcony. He imagined a world under his control, were those who had the audacity to defy him were executed publicly, and he could send soldiers to die with the flick of a finger. Andras pictured the world the way he wanted it to be, and smiled a twisted smile.

The sound of a pebble skittering caused Andras to whirl around in rage. A terrified servant stood behind him, carrying a candle on a silver plate. The candle dropped when the servant saw the look upon Andras's face.

Though Andras would have called the man Stevens, the servant was not the same man as before. Andras did not know the real names of his servants, and did not care to learn them. Instead, he called every servant by the same name. The first servant had served Andras's family for years, and knew the consequences of bearing bad news. He had done so once today, and would not have been found doing it again. This servant, who was much younger and inexperienced, had been the unfortunate loser of a bet, and had been sentenced to check upon the master. He had mistakenly entered the room when he had seen smoke and had received no response to his incessant knocking.

Andras, infuriated beyond reason, grabbed a sword from were it rested against the wall (where the balcony connected to the castle) and advanced menacingly towards the servant. The man stumbled backwards in an attempt to get away from Andras, but was decapitated before he could retreat back into the bedrooms. Blood gushed from the hole where the man's head had been, and spilled over the edges of the balcony, dripping down into the waters below. The unfortunate man's head had just come to a stop when the clock struck midnight.

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping foremost http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23360 Map to Education http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23339&goto=newpost Fri, 10 May 2013 16:30:50 GMT This is a map I did for my work. It was posted on a wall for a while and then died like things tend to in a bureaucracy. Attachment 54435... This is a map I did for my work. It was posted on a wall for a while and then died like things tend to in a bureaucracy.

Map to Education-career-map-24x36-150px.jpg

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping ranger http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23339 The World of Lyranar http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23272&goto=newpost Sun, 05 May 2013 21:42:28 GMT kinda just the basic outline of the world of lyranar, the bit in the north, is called the wild nothing, sorry about the low quality webcam pic, i... kinda just the basic outline of the world of lyranar, the bit in the north, is called the wild nothing, sorry about the low quality webcam pic, i will try to get a better scan later, its hand drawn and im just rambling soo anyway here it is.

The World of Lyranar-snapshot_20130505.jpg

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping killiuswhisperwind http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23272 Principal Areas of Interest in an especially boring location http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23255&goto=newpost Sat, 04 May 2013 04:36:04 GMT This was fun. Hand drawn with an old quill-type lettering pen and india ink on printer paper (8.5 x 11 inches). I may be done with it... at least... This was fun. Hand drawn with an old quill-type lettering pen and india ink on printer paper (8.5 x 11 inches). I may be done with it... at least I've run out of steam for the meantime and I'm horribly busy with tons of other things to do. Been working on a commission for almost three weeks now and it just felt good to take an evening off. :)

Principal Areas of Interest in an especially boring location-map-principal-areas-interest-web.jpg

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]]> General and Miscellaneous Mapping Chashio http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=23255