December Entry: Witch's Rock

[Gamerprinter]

Thanks to Zunik for the French translations to get the labeling correct. I moved one of the Rhumb Lines over the island - as in the 1761 St. Christopher map I referenced.

I didn't start my "timed" map yet, as I'm trying to decide how I plan to create changes in elevation within the cave system. I want a large lower cave with a tunnel that rises high enough to open up like a natural balcony, allowing a small cannon to be mounted for defense.

I'll probably use both drawn dashed lines with shading lines to indicate elevation as well as use of color. When I figure that out, I'll do the map and complete the entry.

[Gamerprinter]

OK, I am finally done with my "4 hour time limit cave map", Cavernes de DuFlor

It took me 3 hours and 46 minutes in total, though drawing took about 1.5 hours, the rest I spent coloring this in Xara Xtreme.

I tried a 3D version, but I couldn't create a cut-away to properly show the caverns I created - not in time anyway. So I went for hand-drawn afterwards. And this is my final result.

Maybe I need to add the scale and post again, but 1 square = 5 feet is the scale.

[The Cartographist]

Beautiful work.

Things I liked:
- The handdrawn cross-hatching.
- The different shades for the different elevations within the cave.
- How the stream changed color as it descended toward the water.

One minor nitpick:
- Assuming the boats to are to scale, it doesn't appear like they would fit through the caves.

One question:
The one cave at the lower left is darker shaded than the rest. What was your intention that this signify?

[Gamerprinter]

Beautiful work.

Things I liked:
- The handdrawn cross-hatching.
- The different shades for the different elevations within the cave.
- How the stream changed color as it descended toward the water.

One minor nitpick:
- Assuming the boats to are to scale, it doesn't appear like they would fit through the caves.

One question:
The one cave at the lower left is darker shaded than the rest. What was your intention that this signify?

What did you think of my palm trees? That was a last minute idea, and the last objects I created.

I thought about the boat issue as well, I should probably make my boats smaller, I just didn't want them to be too small, as you might not be able to see the nice details. However, I could argue, that the map is currently low-tide or high tide and perhaps the cave channels are narrower at this water level. But you're right it would be better to make the boats smaller.

The darker cave is a dead end cave - I wanted to emphasize that. Where as the grotto caves - may have access or hole in ceiling to sky, allowing sun in. Just the thought as I was creating the shadows for that cave. Perhaps, I should just lighten that one up - hmmm?

[Gamerprinter]

I made the corrections pointed out by the Cartographist - smaller boats so they fit through the cave entrance channels. And I removed the darker shadow area on the furthest cave.

Additionally, I threw in the scale (1 square = 5 feet). Also the trunks on the palm trees had some transparency that I did not want, so I placed a solid brown beneath them to fix this.

Corrections complete!

[Publius]

I like it!

The shade is a very nice touch, that works perfectly here. The palm trees are very well done as well. I can never get foliage to come out properly myself. I end up using lame stuff like stars or hideous oblong shapes. That sort of thing is obviously not my forte which is why I say

I completely understand what you are saying about the boats. That was why when I did the docks on mine I did not bother to place the ladders but simply noted them in the sidebar text, they would not have been visible anyway except on the 18meg version. You have a few miniutes left on yours however, so if there is a good idea that develops to make them both visible and properly scaled, you might have time to implement it. If you do so, make sure you adjust the table in the back cavern however, or you'll have seating for four giants (like the different colored plates though, as they no doubt are the remnants/survivors of sets scavenged over the years. Arr me matey, that be what us pirates prefer, cuz matchin' plates & cutlery are for landlubbers)

[Gamerprinter]

True the "table in the back cave" looks pretty big - my intention was that was a cargo box and supposed to be big, still it is too big, to be sure.

The "plates" are actually candles - if you look at the older version of the map, the downloaded view is larger and you may see the detail. The center object is a top view of a skull, surrounded by 4 candles - black, white, red, and green with a daggar in front. Since this is an abandoned cave, I didn't place a boa constrictor on the altar - which would probably be present it this was still in use.

Again the altar is too large, but I did want a large voodoo altar present...

[ravells]

I love the general style, particularly the hatching but I don't think the caustics on the water are consistent with it (looks a bit like a swimming pool) - I'd suggest just using a subtle noise on the water. I also think it would look a lot better without the grid, or with the grid being more understated. The crate looks huge though, as does the canon. It's just me but I prefer maps like these not to have objects in them, just the land/seascape.

There's something about this map which immediately suggests a story, and that's what I like most about it.

[Gamerprinter]

I love the general style, particularly the hatching but I don't think the caustics on the water are consistent with it (looks a bit like a swimming pool) - I'd suggest just using a subtle noise on the water. I also think it would look a lot better without the grid, or with the grid being more understated. The crate looks huge though, as does the canon. It's just me but I prefer maps like these not to have objects in them, just the land/seascape.

There's something about this map which immediately suggests a story, and that's what I like most about it.

Yes the water is a photo I took of a swimming pool - however, I've been to the Caribbean and Cancun, Mexico and the water looks a swimming pool, I swear! Though I could tame it down a bit so it seems more appropriate.

I remember being on a cruise ship landing at Freeport, Grand Bahama, the water turned from turquoise into that swimming pool light blue color when you pull into the harbor. Same thing in Cancun, swimming off the beach, I could look outward and see a rock under water, fifty away, under 10 feet of water, but I could still see it clearly!

I made the grid using 2 point line - maybe that's a little heavy, I first tried a .5 point line, but you could barely see it, upped it to 1 point and still seemed to light. But I'll try a more subdued version.

OK, both the cannon and altar are too big, but as I said to Publius, I didn't want the details to be too small.

Regarding the objects, however, the challenge requires the map to show evidence of former pirate activity - without boats, cannon and other objects, how would you accomplish this requirement without something to show for it.

So I'll correct the scale, but I wont' remove them - I think they're required!

Technically, I have about 14 minutes left in challenge time, so I think I can make these changes and fit well under time!

[ravells]

OI! We're freezing our bits off in London! Less of your holidays in warm and balmy climes!

p.s. it's not the caustics themselves which is the problem for me, but more the clash of styles between water and land.