May 2008 Entry: Bluffs Encounter

[Redrobes]

One thing I want to mention here guys is that when I sit down and make object art, I do not add shadows. I too dislike them.

But that is not the case here. This case with the bluffs, I have a completely different scenario - I didn't make this artwork for distribution. I made a map and now I am simply dismantling the map and supplying pieces so that a very similar map can be made in a VT but much larger. The key phase being "very similar map".

If the community is not interested in these shadowed pieces to reproduce a similar but edgeless (and much larger) bluff map, let me know and I will won't bother going through all the work.

Blimey , let me reiterate but more simply...

I like your shadows.

Stuff like hills & bluffs look better with shadows.

I think you need lighting on them to make them look right.

[dorpond]

Blimey

Heh, I love that word!

I wasn't lashing out or anything. I just wanted to make it clear that I have little options in this case and that if people really didn't want the parts and pieces, to let me know.

More light, huh? I might just try that - maybe play around with the levels a bit and see if I can make the light side brighter. Thanks for the pointer!

[Redrobes]

It sounded fierce - but people say that about my posts sometimes when it wasn't meant that way. Blimey is a bit London really and they dont say that much (at least 'round yur cos oim from the west - you do hear a 'gert lush' occasionally tho, and scraged knees, daps, smoothing the cat and then there's pitched snow - obviously - I mean, what else is it supposed to do ??? ).

(Hmmm methinks that even jedi google foo and wiki will have some trouble with them, but heres the best guide I could find.

Back to shadows. I know you have limits because your map has the shadows built into it. I have the same issues on many icons especially city buildings. But what can be done about it - even if you have a separate shadow layer ? It's tough to fix without more shape info.

[dorpond]

Fierce? Naw, if you saw me, you would see that nothing I say is fierce.

Actually, as of late, I think my communication skills have been going to the crapper. I think it is lack of sleep because of my 3 month old.

As far as your comment with 3D objects, I couldn't agree more with you.

[Midgardsormr]

The shadows are not really a problem, especially the internal ones. I only mentioned it because the objects would be a bit more versatile without. In any case, objects with shadows are better than not-objects without shadows, so don't be discouraged from posting more!

And a peek at your psd would certainly not be turned down, either!

[dorpond]

I got tired of working on my map so I thought I would do something productive like make a quick video of how I made the bluffs. There is no sound in this video since I made it at work quickly. Hopefully you can follow it.

http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic....er=asc&start=0

Works good for making mountains and such.

One note: I never had any training in Photoshop so I am a hack. There may be better and easier ways to do this but it seems to do OK for me.

Oh, there is also a tutorial I made a while back at this same link. it shows how to used shadowy effects to create stairs and platforms.

Hope you enjoy and happy mapping to you all!

[StillCypher]

Sweet! Thanks for sharing that. Now I want to go use it on something! (Like I don't have enough projects kicking around... LOL)