Madness at Gardmore Abbey Encounter Maps

[Jacktannery]

I tried to add some piles of rusty debris, but perhaps it doesn't look too good - I think I need another opinion, or to stop looking at it for a while.

[cereth]

I like the pile, though it might conform to the squares a little too much in a slightly unrealistic way.

[Bogie]

Looking Good Jack! One issue is the Arrow slits, they are backwards. The narrow side should be out to minimize the target for incoming arrows. With the wide opening facing out it would funnel the arrows back to the archers on the inside.

[Jacktannery]

One issue is the Arrow slits, they are backwards. The narrow side should be out to minimize the target for incoming arrows. With the wide opening facing out it would funnel the arrows back to the archers on the inside.

I feel so stupid! Of course you are correct - I knew that something was wrong about them. I'll fix that up later.

Cereth you are right about the piles, though it's quite difficult for me to move them because I did some stupid things with their shading to save time (and which I know regret). I'll try and break them up a bit anyway.

[jfrazierjr]

One issue is the Arrow slits, they are backwards. The narrow side should be out to minimize the target for incoming arrows. With the wide opening facing out it would funnel the arrows back to the archers on the inside.

I feel so stupid! Of course you are correct - I knew that something was wrong about them. I'll fix that up later.

Why have arrow slits at all? Unless I miss understand, this is at the top of a fairly steep cliff? Even if you do keep them, you need to do a bit more "incision" since they seem fairly flat. Probably a shadow would help with that.

On a personal level, I am not a big fan of the walls. Unless this was cut out of solid stone, I think it's just not a good look.

Cereth you are right about the piles, though it's quite difficult for me to move them because I did some stupid things with their shading to save time (and which I know regret). I'll try and break them up a bit anyway.

Can you explain what you did, perhaps we can help? Typically, I either a) put shadows on a layer underneath the object or b) add a layer right above the object with 50% grey (808080) set to overlay and then either use my tablet's pen pressure with the air brush tool and a large fuzzy brush to layer in shadows/highlights OR use the dodge/burn tool to do the same. Also note that many times I duplicate this overlay layer and drop the opacity of the top one by about 50% or so.

The one problem with the dodge/burn tool (thought I do use it quite a bit) is that it shifts relative to whats below it, so it's real easy to overdo in one area and miss another since it's hard to "draw a line twice".

My main point in this is to point out a workflow here you NEVER modify the actual object itself. If for example you were to take a look at my stairs example in it's source form(GIMP format), you would see about 12 layers. The two layers used for the texture are totally unmodified with the exception of a layer mask on one(which is itself not a modification, but more like an optical filter... like a red lens on a camera might make the picture shift red, but the original object of the photo sure it is NOT red now!!!)

[Jacktannery]

Great feedback jfrazierjr.

I can’t picture what you mean by a bit more ‘incision’ in the arrowslits – can you think of a visual reference for this?

Fair enough on the walls – I really like them though so I’ll retain them as they are.

Regarding the rust-piles, I usually follow a workflow as you stated, but in this instance I screwed up. I imported the two images of rust piles (google image ‘pile of rust’) and rescaled them and added a layer mask to remove the parts I did not want, then made an ‘undershadows’ layer (40% black) below them, an ‘overshadows’ and a ‘highlights’ layer (both overlays) above them both with the same layer masks.

However (and this is where I screwed up) I then decided to see what would happen if I merged the two rust layers (with each other – not with their over- and under-shadows). I was curious if their layer masks would merge into one. What happened is that the layer masks were deleted and the piles were merged into one. I did some other experimentation and managed to merge the over- and under-shadow layers with similar layers for the statues.

After that, I had intended to press undo a few times, but then I got distracted, went out for some pints with some friends and pressed SAVE instead of UNDO.

[jfrazierjr]

Great feedback jfrazierjr.

I can’t picture what you mean by a bit more ‘incision’ in the arrowslits – can you think of a visual reference for this?

Sorry... just a big word to mean they look flat and at the same level as the wall. Since they should be many feet lower than the top of the wall, there should be something to indicate the height. A shadow would work for this. Just like the edges of a stairway... you add deeper larger shadows to indicate chance in height.

Regarding the rust-piles, I usually follow a workflow as you stated, but in this instance I screwed up. I imported the two images of rust piles (google image ‘pile of rust’) and rescaled them and added a layer mask to remove the parts I did not want, then made an ‘undershadows’ layer (40% black) below them, an ‘overshadows’ and a ‘highlights’ layer (both overlays) above them both with the same layer masks.

However (and this is where I screwed up) I then decided to see what would happen if I merged the two rust layers (with each other – not with their over- and under-shadows). I was curious if their layer masks would merge into one. What happened is that the layer masks were deleted and the piles were merged into one. I did some other experimentation and managed to merge the over- and under-shadow layers with similar layers for the statues.

After that, I had intended to press undo a few times, but then I got distracted, went out for some pints with some friends and pressed SAVE instead of UNDO.

Heh.. Yea.. I have never done that...(yea, that was sarcasm...lol)

[Jacktannery]

Latest WIP: arrowslits are now the correct way around (but still too flat - I'm not sure how to improve them) and I tried to break up the piles of rust a little.

[anaxetogrind]

Looks, to me, like the rest of your walls have a roundness caused by erosion. However your arrow slits seem sharp by comparison. Try to give them that same rounded look. I would try a gradual gradient mask, dodge/burning, but I'm no expert by any means.

I also agree the location does not serve the intended function of arrow slits, but doubt most players will notice. Mine wouldn't. If you were trying for more reality the arrow slits would be along the west path where they would be used to rain terror down on anyone climbing the approach. Now if the path double backed under the structure... it would make more sense.

Love the blur on the height effect.

Cheers!

[Jacktannery]

Thanks anaxetogrind. Everyone is correct that the arrow slits are not very practical, however perhaps the path does indeed wind up the cliffface directly underneath; in any case I'm stubbornly keeping them. I'll try and do as you suggest tomorrow.

Love the blur on the height effect.

The best thing about it is that I did not blur it at all! It is a completely unmodified google map satellite screenshot of some random french hillside. I just added a bit of fuzz over the top and bleached it, but otherwise kept it exactly as it was.