I would say that the opacity of the grid is too important. It hide the map, you should try something more subtle. All these stars can make a great background but we can't see them.
I almost finished a set of maps of a galaxy (one map per sector or "arm") for one of my fictional world (btw, a big thank to Norsehound for its incredible work on the Homeworld universe).
As I worked to the sector close to the galactic core, I realized that it would be a little bit harder to read and maybe hard to print... So I did another test in clear tones... But I still don't know which one is the better...
So opinions are most than welcome !
The first and dark one for one sector :
http://www.cartographersguild.com/me...nides-dark.jpg
The new one in clear tones...
http://www.cartographersguild.com/me...ides-clear.jpg
I would say that the opacity of the grid is too important. It hide the map, you should try something more subtle. All these stars can make a great background but we can't see them.
Thanks a lot, Azelor!
That's exactly why I made this post. This is the kind of things I would not have thought to test by myself.
And it's seems to be a very good idea, but did you mean to lower the opacity of the grid on the dark or on the clear map? Or the two?
Thanks anyway, I'll probably test it on the two maps...
On both map, but I prefer the dark one
The dark one is the original one.
Here are the two reworked maps with a less present grid.
ilanthar-albums-various+maps-picture56825-pavonides-clear.jpg
ilanthar-albums-various+maps-picture56824-pavonides-dark.jpg
It is better than before, but I think I prefer the clearer one now... but I'm still not sure...
I am not sure how you made your layers but is the grid part of the background or is it on another layer ?
Its a separate layer.
Changing the brightness of the grid did not offer a good result, so I merged the galactic background and the grid with a "screen effect" instead.
A view of the galaxy using the "clear" render (and without the travel ways). But at a 80% size (problem for upload it at full size).
ilanthar-albums-various+maps-picture57371-galaxy.jpg
And another in the "dark" render.
ilanthar-albums-various+maps-picture57372-galaxy2.jpg
Which one do you prefer?
By "grid" do you mean the large radial coordinate reference, or the small diamond texture? The large radial system is useful either way you have it. The small texture does not seem useful to me - it just makes the whole star background less clear. Can you try it without that texture at all?
As far as light background or dark -- the dark background/ light stars seems prettier, but the light background / dark stars may make it easier to discern details.
Did you generate the galaxy yourself, or is it a real telescope image?
By grid, I mean the small diamond texture. I kinda agree with you : one is easier to read, the other prettier... and that's the major reason why I can not decide...
I'll give it a try without the grid, but I think it's gonna look less "map displayed on a screen".
For the galaxy, I mixed two different galaxies : the milky way and one another (I don't recall which one right now)...