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Thread: Underground Maps

  1. #1

    Wip Underground Maps

    Started working on a set of underground maps, so much time is spent on world maps and above ground I just thought it might be interesting to attempt to run a whole campaign world underground. In doing so will take an investment in time so sat down this morning and started working on the flavor of the maps. Any comments and opinions are welcome of course. This is just the first map, nothing major but more about me figuring out the personality I want the maps to have. I expect to do each section in 8 inch x 8 inch 300 dpi squares just in case I decide to print or something crazy, each section will also link up to the others as well.

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Name:	Sample Underground Map.jpg 
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  2. #2
    Guild Apprentice cadric's Avatar
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    I love the textures. And the transition between the ground and walls are awsome... hmm.. most rethink my own walls

  3. #3
    Community Leader jfrazierjr's Avatar
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    Cool... I am currently running an underground campaign(started underground) and they have found a "very" small exit... now they just need to find the methods of opening the "big" exit to get the humans, elves, dragonborn, and halflings out.... Of course... there are some "complications" to overcome first... D&D 4E and they are 4-5 level(I think one just hit 6th level). I use maptool and either a projector or TV, so in most cases, I use tiles and just "stitch" then together to form a layout I like for caverns...
    My Finished Maps
    Works in Progress(or abandoned tests)
    My Tutorials:
    Explanation of Layer Masks in GIMP
    How to create ISO Mountains in GIMP/PS using the Smudge tool
    ----------------------------------------------------------
    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by cadric View Post
    I love the textures. And the transition between the ground and walls are awsome... hmm.. most rethink my own walls
    Thanks, After I get done figuring out the final style I will probably attempt at doing tutorial.

    Quote Originally Posted by jfrazierjr View Post
    Cool... I am currently running an underground campaign(started underground) and they have found a "very" small exit... now they just need to find the methods of opening the "big" exit to get the humans, elves, dragonborn, and halflings out.... Of course... there are some "complications" to overcome first... D&D 4E and they are 4-5 level(I think one just hit 6th level). I use maptool and either a projector or TV, so in most cases, I use tiles and just "stitch" then together to form a layout I like for caverns...
    I never made the transition to 4e. I am not dealing with exits or even finding exits unless the pc's make it their desire, they will come together in a small underground trading post/community center/village which I am doing next. As the 8x8 above demonstrates I am indeed looking at tiles plus I do believe their will be a need for goetiles as well. At some point though will have to sit down and resolve a larger scale map just to link the longer stretches together.

  5. #5
    Community Leader jfrazierjr's Avatar
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    Well.. in my case... one of the long term goals is to see the state of the top side as well as return if possible. The humans, elves, a few dragonborn and a few halflings were forced into hiding in this underground city at least as a monster hoard ravaged the surface over 1000 years ago... The eladrin(high elf) in the party has a HUGE racial itch to get out and return his people to the forests, the sun, moon, and stars... At this point, they are just getting wind of a possible invasion of the underground city and will learn "soon" that they need to recruit allies from other cities or face decimation. Some such potential allies lie overa large distance and they will have to make a choice: a) travel underground where travel will be difficult and perhaps take a very long time(no established "roads" to many places) due to elevation changes as well as very dangerous(known dangerous creatures in the underwild) or b) the totally unknown surface route... might be more dangerous, but could potentially broaden the number of allies and will likely be much faster route if proper precautions are taken....


    As for tiles... I actually mean more along the lines of VERY individual sections.... so, a 4 square long "wall", a 4x4 square "corner piece", etc. I am currently using someone else's tiles, but will be making my own soon so that I can also create some pre-made room configurations. The main reason I am doing it this way is that MapTool has some efficiencies built in so that if you use the same tile (even if rotated or resized!) multiple times, the memory footprint remains very low(ie, just taking up the size, location and orientation instead of the entire image contents).
    My Finished Maps
    Works in Progress(or abandoned tests)
    My Tutorials:
    Explanation of Layer Masks in GIMP
    How to create ISO Mountains in GIMP/PS using the Smudge tool
    ----------------------------------------------------------
    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

  6. #6

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    While I have already started on the basics of the 24x24 map, I decided to take a short break and work on how I wanted to handle small edges and cliff faces. Clearly not all areas are the same elevation. Just a minor change to this map dealing with that and hoping to get some input and ideas.


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Name:	UndergroundMap2.jpg 
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  7. #7

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    I feel I am really struggling with water/rivers so if anyone can give some pointers or advice it would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks


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Name:	Underdark Map (8x8) Area 2 WIP1.jpg 
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  8. #8
    Community Leader mearrin69's Avatar
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    Nice work. The textures are pretty great already.

    On the water, the biggest problem I can see is that it's very 'flat'. You've got great coloration in there. I'd suggest doing something to make the edges, especially in the 'walkable' areas differentiated from the floor. Maybe that means a slight bevel or maybe it means giving the floor some sort of slope down to the water surface. Because of the grid (I think) the floor looks almost like tile. If you're meaning for it to be sandy or rocky instead then I'd expect there to be a little bit of a slope along the bank of the river. Some more indications of flow might help as well, as you've done pretty well around that large flat rock.

    Depending on how realistic you want to get you might also consider giving the water a bit of a surface. Filters like Plastic Wrap might be useful there.

    Just some thoughts. Hope they help.
    M

  9. #9

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    Thanks for the advice, I played with it a bit and realized I need to gain a bit more experience and such with plastic wrap filter. I found a few tutorials and such on the web so will make the time. I do agree the grid was causing an issue, to put to words I think the grid had become a feature of the map rather then being a measuring device so I lowered it a bit and it really let more of the map stand out.

    Just started working on doing rivers/water into my maps so all of your advice was helpful in some way or form, thank you

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Underdark Map (8x8) Area 2 WIP2.jpg 
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ID:	37599
    Last edited by Vascant; 08-07-2011 at 10:19 AM.

  10. #10
    Community Leader jfrazierjr's Avatar
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    to give the floor/wall edge some more "depth", what I do is put a layer between the two. Then select the shape outline, stroke with a largish brush, select none and then blur... this makes the wall appear to have shadows near the bottom and gives depth.
    My Finished Maps
    Works in Progress(or abandoned tests)
    My Tutorials:
    Explanation of Layer Masks in GIMP
    How to create ISO Mountains in GIMP/PS using the Smudge tool
    ----------------------------------------------------------
    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

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