Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Star Borders maps WIP

  1. #1
    Guild Adept Facebook Connected timallen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Posts
    413

    Default Star Borders maps WIP

    Hi all:

    I thought I would show you one of the six maps I am developing for "Star Borders", a game to be released by Victory Point Games (probably in a couple months). The original artwork, which I dont have handy right now, had a rather cute, reto-50's style, but the publishers wanted something else, and asked me what I could do. The results are, hopefully, a more high-tech look. My inspiration was all those Sci-Fi movies that have those kool computer interphases (like the ones in "Minority Report). The maps will be geo-morphic; that is, you cut the bottom charts off and then you can connect them any way you want. I was stuck with the gray background as the publishers insisted they could not afford the ink for a full-on space black style, but overall I think it works.

    The main problem I am having now is lining up the green lines so they connect properly on the different maps. The publisher will be useing a Full Bleed to print to the edges of a sheet of paper, and the amount of bleed is messing up my ability to get the lines to connect.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	SB central sector (Theta)15_1.jpg 
Views:	368 
Size:	1.44 MB 
ID:	29988  

  2. #2
    Professional Artist Guild Donor Sapiento's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Salzburg, Austria
    Posts
    3,654

    Default

    Looks great.
    The issue with the bleed at the edges sounds difficult to solve.

  3. #3
    Guild Journeyer Marken4's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Trondheim, Norway
    Posts
    236

    Default

    This is the way I usually do it:


  4. #4
    Guild Adept Facebook Connected timallen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Posts
    413

    Default

    I"m still working away slowly on this one. The publisher asked me to design a card-back to go with the game and I came up with this. The maps are pretty much done. I'm just waiting on the publisher to go over them and if no more changes are needed I can send them the PSD files and we can put this one to bed.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	SB card sheet3a_small.jpg 
Views:	130 
Size:	100.0 KB 
ID:	30369  

  5. #5
    Community Leader Facebook Connected tilt's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Trelleborg, Sweden
    Posts
    5,784
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default

    sounds like they plan to print the maps on a desktop printer. Normally when producing something like this you'd make the document about 5 mm (1/5 inch) larger than the final format, add some crop marks and cut it to size after printing. Professionel printing would also mean being able to not worry about the amount of black on the page, although with deep black you should probably add a coating afterwards to protect the print from fingerprints.
    But looking good - congrats on the commision
    regs tilt
    :: My DnD page Encounter Depot free stuff for your game :: My work page Catapult ::
    :: Finished Maps :: Competion maps - The Island of Dr. Rorshach ::
    :: FREE Tiles - Compasses :: Other Taking a commision - Copyright & Creative Commons ::
    Works under CC licence unless mentioned otherwise

  6. #6
    Guild Adept Facebook Connected timallen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Posts
    413

    Default

    Woohoo! VPG has published the Star Borders game, with my maps and card backs.

    http://victorypointgames.com/details.php?prodId=133

    In order to overcome that issue with full bleed printing, I first shrank down all the map layers in photoshop by 1/8th, then scaled the "canvas" back up 1/8th. That left enough room around the edge for the bleed. The maps still dont line up perfectly, as the printer does not seem to bleed exactly the same amount on each side, but the publisher says its close enough.


    Now they have asked me if I could throw together a few web-ads, for the website. I am Working on that now...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	SB_ad1_300x250_6.jpg 
Views:	120 
Size:	135.8 KB 
ID:	30734  

  7. #7

  8. #8
    Guild Adept Facebook Connected timallen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Posts
    413

    Default

    I havent, actually. I have read through the rules (months ago) and I have the components as pdf files, but I havent actually played it. I know Alan (head honcho at VPG) is very enthusiastic about it. I am planning on giving it a try as soon as I get my own copy in the mail in a couple weeks. But the really interesting part will come later. Right now its just a two player game, but more expansions are planned (with more maps and more ship counters) that will make it multi-player. Now That sounds like fun!

  9. #9
    Guild Adept Facebook Connected timallen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    Posts
    413

    Default

    What a difference two years makes! Victory Point Games got themselves a big fancy new printer, and apparently now they dont have to worry about ink costs. They asked me to re-colour/re-design all the maps for Star Borders, as well as make up some new ones for the upcoming expansion pack. This is a sample of what they will now look like. You can compare this one with the earlier version.

    These were fun to make up, but took a heck of a lot of tweaking to get right. And they still arnt done yet. I recently heard back that the new printers are over-saturating all the colours so that either They figure out how to get the printer to work better, or I have to de-saturate 16 separate maps. Ugh!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	SB humantiy theta.jpg 
Views:	319 
Size:	255.4 KB 
ID:	46028  

  10. #10
    Guild Expert rdanhenry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    California
    Posts
    1,612

    Default

    Pretty cool. In the Battle Round Sequence, Step 2, "Your Hide/Retreat Retreat Option", the double "Retreat" is awkward. You might check if the second "Retreat" can be removed.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •