Don't Laugh, but.....

[voidgere]

....this is about as far as I can get using the computer. My hand drawn maps are a far cry better, but I do not have a scanner to scan one in so...


...I'm in desperate need of some basic mapping techniques using:

Photoshop 7
Photoshop Elements 7
Macromedia Fireworks

I will start to devour any and all tutorials when I get home today. My biggest question is the textures and icons. Where do you guys get all those cool textures and icons I see used on a vast majority of maps I see here.

I think that alone will increase my maps visual attractiveness by at least 50%.

I cannot say I am a PS expert by any means. I am self taught but consider myself an able learner with the proper instructions. So I am hoping that the tutorials really step my game up a notch or three.

[Steel General]

Can't recommend the tutorials here enough, even the ones without the high ratings will likely have something to offer.

The majority of my textures come from either Spiral Graphics (their Genetica viewer is free and allows limited manipulation of the textures included) or CGtextures.

I've also gotten oodles of good stuff from the Dundjinni User Submission forums. There are plenty of other sites as well, just to do a GOOGLE search.

[voidgere]

Okay, I wanted to add the map that I have been working from to make my RPG. Its an overland map that I downloaded off the web. Its been so long since I downloaded that I am not sure where I found it or who originally made it.

It looks nice ( and Ive added my own cities and river names ) but I would like to add some stuff to it and change the art style to fit a universal style of maps.

In the end, I want to break down each region into its own map and bring more detail to those maps. Then remove a majority of the detail from the big overland map to reduce the clutter.

So, all in all, I need to learn how to map properly.

It would not let me upload the file so I will have to link it.



Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

[Steel General]

That map has oodles of potential.

The board software has a total pixel limitation built into it (around 33MPxl), that's why you were unable to upload your image.

[Greason Wolfe]

I make it a point never to laugh at someone's work as long as they are putting effort into it. Well, unless it is meant to be laughed at . . . Still, we all had to start somewhere, and I can readily remember the day when my maps were nothing more than a few scribbles with a couple of names attached to them. Even now, compared to some of the work I've seen here, I wonder if my maps are anything more than a few scribblings. Try not to get discouraged. As you explore the capabilities of your software and read through the tutorials here, I'm certain you will gain confidence and skill. And, as I've said in a couple of other posts, there's nothing wrong with the whole KISS approach. Sometimes, in fact, it makes things better. Just keep plugging away.

GW

[ravells]

Hi Voidgere
I've just posted a 'Quickstart' Guide on the tutorial boards (link in my sig). I'd be interested to see if you find it useful.

cheers

[voidgere]

Funny you should ask that. It was the first tutorial I looked at because of the title.

I'm still looking over:

* For now go to either one of these tutorials:

Eneini: a medieval city tutorial in photoshop
Using Gimp to create an artistic regional RPG map


But so far it been very informative. I look forward to really getting my fingers into the meat of the subject tomorrow.

[NeonKnight]

Uh-oh! River police alert.

You have Mercy Lake emptying into two seperate rivers, one heading to the sea by Tona, the other by Colsha.

Second river issue is the SEVEN CURVES river which does not seem to flow into anything.

Otherwise, it is indeed a nice map, and well done!

[voidgere]

Again, I would like to inform the community that I did not produce the "nice" map. I downloaded ages ago from some obscure site that i cannot find anymore.

But the rivers comment is well taken and I would like to say I will make it priority fix when I redo the map.

--------------------------------

I would also like to inquire about some more software issues. I find that most people use PS for city maps. Is there a tutorial I am not seeing for PS that involves a regional/overland map?

Or is there a better piece of software for regional/overland?

[Nomadic]

There used to be one but I can't find it. It was a link to a site that had 4 tutorials going from simple up to advanced 3d. If you would like I could give you my version (it creates maps like the one below).