December Entry: Witch's Rock

[Gamerprinter]

Ravs - I removed the "swimming pool image with caustics" and replaced with simple blurred noise. I rescaled the cannon and the voodoo altar - which everybody seems to be calling a table.

WIP - upgraded again!

[The Cartographist]

Gamerprinter - Really like the update. I wasn't bothered by the water before, but seeing the change, I think that it looks better. Also think that re-scaling the objects was the way to go.

[ravells]

much better, but I still think you should understate the grid more. I really like the noise you used for the sea...I was thinking 'dotty noise' but your 'blobby noise' looks wonderful!

superb work (as usual)

[Gamerprinter]

much better, but I still think you should understate the grid more. I really like the noise you used for the sea...I was thinking 'dotty noise' but your 'blobby noise' looks wonderful!

superb work (as usual)

Thanks for your comments, as always, Ravs.

Let's try this again - I changed the grid lines from white to light blue or close to the color of the water outside the caves, and I thinned the line width from 1 point to .25 point - except for color changes, this is as subdued as I can get with Xara.

Although, technically, at about 3 hours and 55 minutes with all the changes since I thought I first completed the map - the grid change only took about 10 seconds or less.

With only 5 minutes left, unless I find any other glaring issues - this map is done now.

[ravells]

The grid looks much better now to me. These thoughts are coming from an author that RobA put me onto, called Edward Tufte who is the doyen of presentation of graphical information. My thought process (re the grid) was that its visibility should be in line with its importance and use. I like the way it fades out to the top left of the picture in line with its relevance. By subduing the grid you have enhanced the hand-drawn feel of the map (and the implied story behind it) but the grid is sufficiently visible for anyone who wants to use it.

[Gamerprinter]

Since the objects - especially the Voodoo Altar, that seems to look like a dining table with plates on it, can't be seen because their scale is too small on the map - I thought I'd show you the little hand-drawn objects I created besides the basic terrain itself, in larger format, so you could appreciate.

Since it was only four objects, I could create some extra detail and still have plenty of time to color in Xara.

The "noise" on the boat was caused by the fact I did all the drawings in pencil, then scanned as grayscale, extreme contrast applied. Noise is where something gray remained and appear as noise. You'll notice the same thing in the Cave Grotto at the end of the middle entrance tunnel. If I had the time, I'd clean it up.

[Publius]

I've said it already but it bears repeating: great job here, I love the detail work and the overall design is well balanced and has been implemented well artistically. Kudos!

[Gamerprinter]

Because I'm dying to do something in 3D for this project, I decided to add a couple of 3D illustrations of map areas - just to do it and add to bonus material.

If this image is too dark, tell me, its supposed to be inside the entrance caves to the cave grotto. I will be adding the two boats, two crates and the cannon in the artillery balcony (on the upper right)

I plan to show the exterior looking at the cave entrances and maybe a scene of the voodoo altar in the upper cave...

I did this for fun!

[Redrobes]

I think it is a little dark but could be easily fixed. I would imagine that the viewer would have a light source like a torch so some kind of light that fades from the camera would indicate that. That would also add some light to the inside cave walls and might throw up some good shadows and stuff too.

Also the light coming in from the cave entrance seems to be wrapping around the inner wall. Are you able to get the cave entrance to mask that in shadow ?

When you put the boats in you might be able to have a lantern on the boats or a jar of glow beetles. If the party has just landed then I would imagine that there would be several lights that they would use.

I was hoping to do some 3D shots too but my caves ended up in a kind of 2D plane so it wouldn't work so well.

[Gamerprinter]

I think it is a little dark but could be easily fixed. I would imagine that the viewer would have a light source like a torch so some kind of light that fades from the camera would indicate that. That would also add some light to the inside cave walls and might throw up some good shadows and stuff too.

Also the light coming in from the cave entrance seems to be wrapping around the inner wall. Are you able to get the cave entrance to mask that in shadow ?

When you put the boats in you might be able to have a lantern on the boats or a jar of glow beetles. If the party has just landed then I would imagine that there would be several lights that they would use.

I was hoping to do some 3D shots too but my caves ended up in a kind of 2D plane so it wouldn't work so well.

OK, I fixed the light wrapping around the wall, I created a "light cone" to illuminate the chamber brighter. I am going for a minimalist illustration just showing the scene depicted in the map. I don't want to place explorers in here, as I'm not trying to create cover art and I don't want to include what's not in the map.

So this is probably my final version for this illustration...