WIP - Archipelago

[Gidde]

The cartoony feeling may be a result of the size of your symbols; try reducing their size relative to the area you're mapping and see if that feels better.

[jeffsheets]

The cartoony feeling may be a result of the size of your symbols; try reducing their size relative to the area you're mapping and see if that feels better.

Actually, after a little bit of number crunching and tinkering I've realized that the little spot I was working on is a little over two inches wide when printed out. Unless the map is drawn by tinkerbell with a tiny pen... this map is actually impossible in the game world.

I definitely think I'm going to restart... after reading up on some other tutorials. I'll still have to figure out on my own how to adapt a map for a near complete landless archipelago. And I may reduce the size of the overall map somewhat, 6000x4800 might be a touch too large.

Then again, if I can decide on a good look for the seatrees and the giant mangroves, I think I can make a big bunch of random brushes for GIMP to make placing things easier.

Too bad there's not an emoticon for going back to the drawing board...

[jeffsheets]

Well, I've gone back to the drawing board and have a general idea of this concept. Still not certain I like it, but I can't honestly think of any other way to show a map in this campaign world. The good news for this change is that I can accurately calculate distances traveled on this map, as it is a full overhead view. It also gives the sea-trees the proper form, the spiral shape in the previous concept didn't really do the things justice.

I've also decided that I need another type of "land-mass", so to speak. So, I've come up with Marishrooms, a type of huge mushroom that grows out of shallow but murky water.

I also learned and put to use the ability to make custom animated GIMP brushes. I really need, now to decide on the scale of the map, so I can have a good idea how big everything is. Time to pull out my trusty 3d modeling program...