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Thread: Ettin Cave

  1. #1
    Guild Journeyer Facebook Connected NathanC's Avatar
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    Wip Ettin Cave

    Working on a cave for an Ettin

    this is the basic layout.

    I'm having issues with showing height on the walls. Right now the walls have a smooth outer bevel down at a depth of 500 with a size of 15 and a softness of 11 and and outer glow and standard drop shadow. I tried doing the bevel up, but it looks like the ground is above the wall when I do that.

    Sun in this case is coming in from the south western area of the map.

    It might look better if i add some of my own shadow, which I'll try a little later.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Ettin Cave Prototype copy.jpg 
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  2. #2

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    I usually use a "halo shadow" and not a "drop shadow" to indicate elevation differences between walls and floors. Consider that a drop shadow implies a source of light from one direction, but you're in a cave, so where is the light coming from (answer: no where). A halo shadow provides a shadow around all edges of the wall shape, not one directional as a drop shadow would. One consideration is that the software you're using (I'm guessing as Photoshop) has a very slight bevel, which somewhat limits a better feeling of depth. I use Xara Photo & Graphic Designer, an inexpensive vector drawing application which has a much more extensive beveling capability with much better results than most other applications.

    Attached is an example of a Dwarven Mine Map, I created last year that shows my techniques of doing what you're doing with a cavern to imply height in walls over floors, and differing elevations within...

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	dhur-naal-mine.jpg 
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  3. #3
    Guild Journeyer Facebook Connected NathanC's Avatar
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    I seem to always struggle with this.

    Yes Gamerprinter, I am using Photoshop (CS3 to be exact)

    I have the full CS package so maybe I can make use of illustrator to mess with the walls.

    When you talk about a halo shadow, is that just a tracing the walls with a black layer at a low opacity or a real thing I don't know about?

  4. #4

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    A halo shadow might not be available in Photoshop, so a low opacity black layer would be the Photoshop alternative. I use Xara for all my map work for its speed, ease of use, powerful beveling, shadowing and transparency properties, though it certainly can't do everything Photoshop can do - it does everything I need done.
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  5. #5
    Community Leader Bogie's Avatar
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    Photoshop has inner and outer shadows. Instead of using the Bevel & Emboss tool to give the walls depth, try playing with the Inner Shadow to define the walls and Outer Shadows to create the same shadow around all the walls. It is hard to get rid of that white line when you use Bevel & Emboss, so I like shadows better. Now in reality, cave walls would not usually cast shadows on the floor because you are probably carrying the light source, but using the wall shadows gives it a nice creepy sinister look.

  6. #6
    Guild Journeyer Facebook Connected NathanC's Avatar
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    Gamerprinter what does the Halo Shadow do? Does it just trace the layer you have selected giving an even shadow all around?

    What about this?

    Inner Shadow, Outer Glow set to 68% Opacity, multiply, color black (Using CS3 Bogie, I don't think i have the outer shadow option) and smooth inner bevel all colors black.

    I think I have a nice depth. I might play with the opacity a bit.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Ettin Cave Prototype copy.jpg 
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Size:	2.43 MB 
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    You'd figure in 30+ years of experiencing real lighting effect I would have picked up on how shadows work

  7. #7

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    That looks better, with a greater sense of height than your previous map. Halo shadows does indeed apply an even shadow all around, and allows for changes in opacity, feathered edge, even color to create glow effects instead of shadows. I've got 20 years of 3D graphics experience that taught me light and shadow.
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  8. #8
    Guild Journeyer Facebook Connected NathanC's Avatar
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    Playing around a little bit more with it. Trying to add moss in addition to some trash in the ettin's living area.

    Click image for larger version. 

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