[WIP] World of Eldoran

[Ilanthar]

A bit tired of my syfy maps, I'm digging up an old personnal project with the strong intent to improve it (I borrowed the excellent Lythian continent of Kelestia for those who know it).

Eldoran.jpg

As for now, I've mainly redone the mountains & colors. I like this new version but I'm sure that some of you could have some good ideas or suggestions.

[Viking]

Nice work so far Ilanthar! I am sure finishing this old project will feel great

I generally quite like the direction you are going with this. My only complaint might be that some of the landmasses are a little too similar in size and shape. The colouration is pretty good!

I am not sure how you accomplished the elevation but if I might suggest something regarding it I would say that you should consider having more areas are that not just mountains and have wider areas of medium elevation and make some of your ranges not be all equally high. Currently is feels like your landmass is either close to sea level or is a mountain though I see you do have some hills. Some land masses in the real world slope gently over long distances. Check out these cross sections of different landmasses. Obviously they are exaggerated for readability but you can see what I mean I hope

Otherwise, keep up the good work!
Cheers!
-Viking

[Ilanthar]

Thanks for your comment !

By Viking
the landmasses are a little too similar in size and shape

Ah? I'm a bit surprised. I agree for the similar sizes, but for the shapes, I didn't have that feeling. Anyway, the fantasy setting is done since too much time for a change...

By Viking
I am not sure how you accomplished the elevation

I've walked a strange path to get those mountains... It's the result of a test. On my old map, I did the mountains with wilbur (not the usual way to my mind). So I took them and apply an effect in Inkscape ("liquid drawing") cause I wanted something more like "level lines" (the setting is not easy to date, but the closest is "victorian").
The result was this but with a lot of "noise" in the plains and and almost flat lands... So I cleaned it up to get something close to my purpose.

I'm gonna see if I can do something to get something less "abrupt" and with a more "natural feeling" as you said.

[- Max -]

The shapes looks fine though I'm not a big fan of those mountains, also the digital effect is a bit too obvious.

[Ilanthar]

Thanks,

I'm waiting the result of a test in wilbur (which requires clearly a lot of time on my computer...).

Any idea to make it less obvious?

[Azélor]

Mountains in Wilbur ... to make it less obvious you could tone the shadow down or apply some blurry effect. But for that, you might have to use something else.

[Ilanthar]

Yes, I'm far for being efficient with Wilbur, so I'll rework it with other softwares.

I've already tried some blurry effect... with no convincing results. But tone the shadows down could have some results, so, thanks for the idea!

[Ilanthar]

And here is a result with weaker shadows (and without fading the mountains too much). I think I like it better actually.
A few more rivers too.
Noveonworld LStest.jpg

[Psylence]

The continents have a nice look to them - though very Earth if you squint a little. To me it almost feels like an earth that disintegrated(Did you catch Boba Fett hanging out near your globe? I kid, I quite like it. ) A lot of your land seems flatter than it should be. For instance, that continent in the top left, I keep expecting to see hills or some elevation changes between the mountain ranges. The rivers are a nice touch and seem about right, but I still think for those mountains you could use some more smudging/fading/gradient-ing(I don't think that's a word, but I'm gonna run with it like a kid with scissors) of the shadows to sell it.

[Ilanthar]

Well, no Boba Fett, Eldoran is more close to the world of Bas-Lag (if you know China Mieville and Perdido Street Station) : strange technology & magic.
But you're right somehow : a kind of cataclysm happened a few centuries before this map and it was a kind of a great war against the "astrals" (supposed to be from the outer world, so Boba is not far )

Well, I know for the flat lands, you're the second with Viking to pointed it out, so... I guess I'll have more work than expected!