SW: DoD Maps

[Eskandare]

Eskandare, great maps.

The Imperial Prison and Command Centre maps are very well done. Very clear but also interesting. The colour scheme works nicely overall and its great to see a map of this type that isn't a riot of clashing colours. Great lighting too in the room with the metal floor. The only criticism I'll make is that the red symbol on top of the olive-green bins in the centre are a bit too red - it looks out of place with the rest of the map. This red needs to be toned down. Also the yellow danger-tape lines along the west of the map come out a rather sickly shade due to the underlying blue - perhaps add a good bit more orange to that shade, something closer to directly opposite the colour wheel (R100% G75% B0%) rather than at a quarter of the way across like you have now (R85% G100% B0%). Rather than reducing the opacity of the yellow danger lines (and indeed the red symbols on the bins) you can make them look old and flaked-off by adding a layer-mask filled with a plasma or cloud layer. I agree with Kestrel that the blood is a bit limp too - you need to make it much darker brown in the middle, only that colour at the very edge.

I hadn't thought of using a plasma layer or cloud layer on the crates. I tend to use that on some of my floor textures. I'll reduce the red on the crates.

I like your swamp maps. I don't find the grid too bright or distracting - I think you did that just right. Great use of Neyjour's mushrooms - they look great here. The only thing that does not work for me on these two maps is the shorelines of each of the islands and river-bank. I can see what you are doing with your sandy transition, but I don't think it looks good, and also swamps don't have much sand. If I were you I would get rid of the sand and make this a simple step, with shading to indicate the two levels. It will give the maps a more 3D feel and clear up the colours a little.

True jungles don't have sandy banks.

Also, these maps you say the original adventure gave you - is this a commercial product? I ask because I recognise elements created by a member of these forums (and for sale elsewhere) that are clearly not the work of the black & white map artist above.

As I stated in the beginning, some elements are made by Jedicartographer and Armoredgear7, I believe that's their handles on here. It's their handles on the old the-holocron.com site. I give them equal credit in the design of my map. I know that both artists are on this forum and I am a huge fan of their works. I have a couple of their works hanging in my living room. None, that I know of, are from either of their commercial works. Other, elements and textures I extract from real life or reproduce to match the styling used in the film. As for SW: DoD, it was an adventure originally posted on the WoC website for the, now out of print, Star Wars Saga Edition RPG. These maps I made for myself to use in the adventure and themselves cannot be used in any commercial product. Especially without the permission of Christopher West, Josh Derksen, and myself. I posted them on here to share and get tips on improving my skills.

This is not quite as terrible as you imply - and you did a great job anyway. What do you use Paint for that Gimp and Inkscape cannot do?

I use paint to quickly draw new brushes and specific shapes for creating my textures, and elements. It only takes a flick of the wrist, plus I'm still learning Inkscape.

[Jacktannery]

As I stated in the beginning, some elements are made by Jedicartographer and Armoredgear7, I believe that's their handles on here. It's their handles on the old the-holocron.com site. I give them equal credit in the design of my map. I know that both artists are on this forum and I am a huge fan of their works. I have a couple of their works hanging in my living room. None, that I know of, are from either of their commercial works. Other, elements and textures I extract from real life or reproduce to match the styling used in the film. As for SW: DoD, it was an adventure originally posted on the WoC website for the, now out of print, Star Wars Saga Edition RPG. These maps I made for myself to use in the adventure and themselves cannot be used in any commercial product. Especially without the permission of Christopher West, Josh Derksen, and myself. I posted them on here to share and get tips on improving my skills.

No you misunderstand. I know that you are using elements from other artists - and you are doing it really well. I applaud you and all the artists would be delighted to have their elements used in this way - that's what these forums are all about. I am not referring to your maps. I am referring to the maps you posted in your Post #3, which you said were the maps in the original adventure.

[Eskandare]

No you misunderstand. I know that you are using elements from other artists - and you are doing it really well. I applaud you and all the artists would be delighted to have their elements used in this way - that's what these forums are all about. I am not referring to your maps. I am referring to the maps you posted in your Post #3, which you said were the maps in the original adventure.

Oh smeg! You're right... I should probably remove them. The ones I posted were out of a zip file from off of one of the DoD fan sites. I didn't realise they were enlarged versions of the ones actually in the adventure. Although the adventure was freely distributed the original ones are still commercial. I'll take them down.

[Eskandare]

Then again the enlarged versions seem to be modified. The very original black and white maps are credited to Corey Macourek.

[Jacktannery]

...The very original black and white maps are credited to Corey Macourek.

I didn't mean for you to remove the maps. And yes - the thing I had recognised off those black and white maps was in a Paizo gamemastery battlemap pack; and who are a lot of those created by ... Corey Macourek! So that's all good then - no panic.

[Eskandare]

I didn't mean for you to remove the maps.

Oh, well, I'm careful with works, and siting works because here in the States people go a bit mad with lawsuits over a little thing. I certainly would like to get into making RPG maps for a game company some day. I wouldn't want to get a bad name for myself in the community.

And yes - the thing I had recognised off those black and white maps was in a Paizo gamemastery battlemap pack; and who are a lot of those created by ... Corey Macourek! So that's all good then - no panic.

Well I do know that Corey Macourek and Chris West both worked with WotC for a while, it makes sense that Corey would make stuff for Pathfinder. I think Chris West is making Star Wars maps for Fantasy Flight Games' Edge of the Empire RPG. I saw something that looks like his style. It is a small industry.