Spruce Wood [Battlemap] [WIP]
Hello everyone!
Decided to post my latest experiment in creating battlemaps as I work on it. A little spruce wood with a winding road leading through it. Here, have a look at my first render. Feel free to ask questions or give some advice.
Next up: 1) Improve texture of the forest floor. 2) Work on lighting 3) Add a grid
simple_spruce_wood_map.jpg
Made some improvements on that first version of the map. Added a shrub for a little diversity and reduced the number of trees in general. Although its model is still pretty bad. Changed the lighting slightly and added a grid. Textures of the ground are still meh, but I added some grass. It could do with more, but sadly this is about as much as my poor old PC can handle. Any thoughts?
simple_spruce_wood_map2.jpg
I really like your trees, but they look a little metallic to me for some reason. Great map overall - I would recommend placing the grid under the trees if you can, and perhaps also slightly blurring the edge between the road and the forest floor.
I would suggest making the grid a more transparent overlay to better show the model below ... perhaps 10% opaque.
I hear you about reaching the limits of the hardware.
If I might suggest, the tree models and ground might need LESS detail for the rendering and more of a masked texture overlay POST rendering.
Just a thought.
Did another render with both of your suggestions, placing the grid under the trees and making it slightly opaque. I must admit I like how this strengthens the impression of rough terrain or obstacle. The slightly translucent grid makes for an interresting effect as well. It might be a bit too close in color to the trees shadows though, making for bad contrast.
Managed to add some more grass as well and deepened the road ruts to pronounce them. Post processing sadly isn't one of my strengths.Now to segment the map and do some printing & taping. I might just get to use it in an upcoming RP session.
simple_spruce_wood_map4.jpg
Last edited by Kearnaun; 05-08-2012 at 01:38 PM.
Good improvements.
My recommendation ( if you can do it ) is to lighten the tree shadows. On my screen they look so dark the ground can't be seen thru them. I would suggest 50% to 60% transparency.
My example:
Tree-Shadow.jpg
My Battlemaps Gallery http://www.cartographersguild.com/al...p?albumid=3407
Great improvement Kearnaun.
Probably should be able to improve on the shadows as you mentioned Bogie. Probably by adding another low energy lightsource with shadows switched of. Sadly I don't have the time to run another render at the moment. The map will go up at DriveThru without that for the time being. Will try to make some time for this improvement on the week end though.
Didn't get to use it in RP yet either. Not that I mind. Just love it when my players come up with spontanous sidetracks on their own.
Last edited by Kearnaun; 05-10-2012 at 08:37 AM.
Got around to implement Bogie's suggestion regarding the shadows. Solves my contrast problem with shadows and gridlines nicely. Still need to render the individual map segments for the PDF though. Wondering if the map is still a bit too dark in general.
simple_spruce_wood_map5.jpg
It doesn't look too dark to me, looks good!
Gidde's just zis girl, you know?
My finished maps | My deviantART gallery
My tutorials: Textured forests in GIMP, Hand-Drawn Mapping for the Artistically Challenged
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