I then tried to get hold of photoshop and illustrator and discovered the outrageous prices attatched to them so I hunted some more and got GIMP and Inkscape.
I found a tutorial for Sathurian (Sp?) maps which I had a go at and produced this..
Since I discovered this site a couple of weeks ago I've been updating the maps for my D&D game.
It all started with this map.
I then tried to get hold of photoshop and illustrator and discovered the outrageous prices attatched to them so I hunted some more and got GIMP and Inkscape.
I found a tutorial for Sathurian (Sp?) maps which I had a go at and produced this..
I was really pleased with that but my players didn't seem impressed. I think they were expecting me to build a scale model rather than a very stylised black and white map.
I then went on to produce this map, which showed contours and much more colourful and also allowed me to do close up sections with villages and small detail.
Finally in the last few days I've been looking at adding a thousand years to my campaign setting ready for the next edition release in May.
I looked at raising the sea levels to change my maps and because I'd saved the contours as seperate layers on the previous map it was actually quite easy to do. I simply had to flood the bottom two contours and add a little more erosion to the next and hey presto flooded lands!
Having given myself a fairly crash course in GIMP I can say that after a few tutorials and a bit of experimenting you can achieve very satisfying results fairly easily and in very little time. In addition none of the software cost me any money so all I've really spent so far is a small fortune on printer ink.
I've ordered myself a graphics tablet which everyone advises as the next step if I want to do this a bit more seriously and so I'm looking forward to playing with that.
Any advice or comments on the maps?
The last two are both works in progress so any ideas and input is welcome.
Very Nice. I like the "advance a few thousand years" aspect to prepare for the 4E release of D&D.
Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User
Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!
Any questions on CC3? Post them with CC3 in the Subject Line!
MY 'FAMOUS' CC3 MAPS: Thunderspire; Pyramid of Shadows; King of the Trollhaunt Warrens; Demon Queen's Enclave
Looks pretty cool to me...I really like the forethought you put into the flooding...thats very cool, and it worked out very realistically considering.
My only crit of your map is the aliasing...You've built perfectly functional maps, but now that you've got the function down its time to start working on the art side. I always consider mapping or cartography as an artform...if you smooth out the lines and do some layer effects and fill styles it would take the map to the next level.
Note though, I'm not complaining about it at all...I'm just saying that there is another level, and those things would take it up to that level...its a very well done functional map though.
Thanks for the positive feedback guys.
What does aliasing mean?
How could I smooth out the lines?
What do you mean by layer effects and fill styles?
Could you give me examples or point to tutorials.
I'm here to learn and I'm not going to take it badly if people have suggestions for me.
Here's a look at anti-aliasing: http://lunaloca.com/tutorials/antialiasing/
Layer effects and fill styles are something you'll have to wait for one of our regular GIMP experts to step in on. I use Photoshop so I can't quite relate yet...
I actually prefer the second map over the others. It is much more stylish and still has function. If you could combine, that map with the others I think you would definitely be onto something. I also liked the flooding approach you took and will have to add that to "tricks to remember". Thanks for sharing!