November 2007 Entry: Superstition Valley

[Gamerprinter]

I like the "black and white" only look myself, though once all the objects are placed on a map, perhaps color would truly help to visualize everything. However, I will be creating "colored" and "uncolored" versions of my map objects, so that I can create a b/w only map, as an option.

Additionally to prove that my mountain parts map objects work, I will be creating a few optional quick maps that show different mountain configurations with my hand-drawn map objects.

Finally, regarding the parchment background for this map, I'm thinking of just using a slightly manila white instead of true parchment look, since map printing existed for the old west onto normal paper and not necessarily parchment.

So I won't have any torn corners, burned edges, etc.

I am now referencing both old west 3/4 view maps and an 1876 Plat book of my county in Illinois for more ideas and to stay consistent with a 19th century mapping theme.

Next I have to work on buildings, mines, and communities - as far as drawing goes!

[ravells]

I'm looking forward to seeing how the modular mountains work. Great work, GP!

[Gamerprinter]

Good thing I tried this experiment of testing the mountain modules to see how they worked. I can already tell, I need at least a dozen more pieces to cover some angles I hadn't thought of ahead of time - still it is already working well enough. I'm definitely on the right track.

Oh, I tried my scrubland fill at different scales just to see how it looked for a region fill. I tried my cactus and bushes, but they didn't work well - needs some tweaking.

Anyway, Mountain Mods - 1st attempt... WIP so far...

Top left is a flattop ridge using my first mountain doodle.
Center top, same doodle, but both sides facing each other to form a canyon and a box canyon connecting piece at the bottom.
Top right, just one side of the mountain range to indicate a plateau over the ground level.

Upper center - is one side of the "east west" canyon side with a couple of end pieces attached.
Lower center is upper and lower canyon wall with left side box canyon connector.
Bottom is just the lower wall of the canyon with two upper end mountain pieces attached.

[RPMiller]

That is really cool. I like the modularity of those. Really great idea.

[Gamerprinter]

The more I think about it, the more I can see that there is lots of potential in this "modular mountains" concept.

My map is in a 3/4 view, however, "modular mountains" should work no problem in standard birds-eye-view of a normal map perspective.

My map currently is b/w which makes it easier to match terrains, even in color as long as mountain tops maintain the same color and the area between objects also become filled with this same color or other mountain modules of the same set - it should work fine.

My "mountains" are the flat-top desert mesaland kind of mountains of the southwest US, but this should work fine with standard "alpine mountains" or any other type of mountain terrain.

Lastly, mine are hand drawings, but as long as terrain edges are similar, it should work with standard mountains created by any means digital or otherwise.

The idea came to me, only after drawing that first mountain range in my first post. I didn't want to draw a million different possible mountain ranges to offer a basic few as web objects. How could I take advantage of this single mountain range? That's when I thought to cut it down the ridge line and make two pieces.

Why not cut the ends of as well to offer different ends, add-ons or changes in terrain direction.

This could probably work with other terrains as well - forests, swamps and other terrains with defineable changes to more neutral terrains.

Thoughts?

(Still doodling for primary towns and structures, if I don't post tonight, I'll do it sometime tomorrow... )

[RobA]

How could I take advantage of this single mountain range? That's when I thought to cut it down the ridge line and make two pieces.

Why not cut the ends of as well to offer different ends, add-ons or changes in terrain direction.

This could probably work with other terrains as well - forests, swamps and other

That is how many isometric view video games do it.

-Rob A>

[Gamerprinter]

That is how many isometric view video games do it.

-Rob A>

Well that makes sense! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought of it. There's probably lots of video game creation technique that directly applies to map making.

I should learn more - never really been a video/computer game fanatic, so I never really looked.

[töff]

I just found this forum, awesome! Love it.

I have an Old West map I did recently, here: http://gonewest.mysteryandmagic.com

I stuck with just browns, and a splash of red ink for the town names.

Cheated by stealing clipart for the town icons & cacti. Meh.

[RPMiller]

Welcome to the forums töff! However to submit a map for the challenge you'll need to start your own thread.

What? Too subtle? Hehehe

[Gamerprinter]

I just found this forum, awesome! Love it.

I have an Old West map I did recently, here: http://gonewest.mysteryandmagic.com

I stuck with just browns, and a splash of red ink for the town names.

Cheated by stealing clipart for the town icons & cacti. Meh.

Töff - nice map. Create some custom towns and cacti, and resubmit your map into this November challenge, give me a run for the money! I hope not to lose, but I also don't want to do this challenge alone!!

Welcome to the site, there's lots of help available, but it seems you do pro map work already! Show us more of your work (but as RP said, start a new thread!)