Raedis (WIP)

[Steel General]

I don't know what process you've used to create them, but if each building is its own layer, even if just at creation, you can rotate it with Edit > Transform > Rotate. You'll get handles around your object that you can use to free rotate, or you can use the tool settings at the top of the window to enter numerical rotation values (in degrees, I think).

Well unfortunately they are not. But now that I know how do do it, It should be easy enough to adjust to that.

Thanks...

[Midgardsormr]

My pleasure! We don't get enough of those questions that are easy to answer, so I gotta pounce on them when I see 'em!

[Steel General]

OK, I've done some updating to my first attempt, trying to take in all of the great suggestions, etc. you guys gave me. I left the border and title off of this version.

1) Reduced the drop-shadow on the buildings and docks (though it may need some more work - not sure)

2) Added a pattern overlay on the water (quite happy with this)

3) Redefined the "overland shadows" that define elevation

4) Added a patter noverlay to the 'paths' (small roads)

5) Completely re-did the forests using Ascensions tutorial

6) Added more buildings, roads, and paths (still more to be added now that the forests are there)

Fire away with comments, etc.

[Redstar]

Yeah, that's definitely coming along! The water is looking really good and I think the river/rock/farms look killer.

My only comments: 1) The ports look a little static, too uniform. That could be due to the elven design, but I just wanted to raise that. 2) I agree with the comments before (and I think you already said you are intending this, so please take it as positive reenforcement ) I would add more buildings if it is to be city.

[Finis]

Yeah I know, I was having a hard time figuring out how to rotate them in Photoshop, so I gave up and concentrated on other things.

In photoshop, even if something is stuck on a layer with others (like buildings!) you can lasso around it and use the rotate tool for just that one object.

pretty much any tool can be used exclusively on something you have lasso'd. I do it all the time with the move tool especially.

[Ascension]

Love the lasso and rotate. I spent 1 whole night rotating every single building once...very tedious, but the results look sooo much better. Then my power went out You can use any filter or transformation, as far as I know, once you have lassoed something and anything outside the selection is not affected.

[Steel General]

What I've found that works is using the magic wand on individual shapes (buildings), I guess that would be the same as "lassoing" them.

Unfortunately I won't get more done on this for a few more days. I don't have photoshop at home.

[Joram]

I think the map has improved a lot (if I compare it with the first drawing that is), the colors are nice, but perhaps I can add some comments on the design in particular.

1) Mostly Elven villages are build around some big natural object, like a big old oak tree, or a water element. Around that object is a central square and from there on the village expands itself. Now it just happends to be around a main road, perhaps it's possible to think about that. If the harbor is very important then the city should have it's front to that side and the boulevard should not be green.

2) there are a lot of small roads that end in nothing, perhaps these roads end in small squares and on the squares are some shops or something like that. I think it's nice that these squares will have another texture or color then the green. Or perhaps these small roads will make a small labyrinth or something like that. Dead ends are real killers in a Urban plan ( http://shrani.si/f/2K/eO/4hNOTHPs/town-dion.jpg )

3) as said before the harbor is quite statick and perhaps a bit out of scale, also to protect the boats from waves and to make the city protected, most of the time the harbor is inside something, in bay by example ( http://lyberty.com/wow/locations/menethil_harbor.jpg ) Perhaps it's even possible to make the big building (on the eastern point) part of the harbor?

I hope my comments are usefull, keep up the good work.

[Steel General]

Well I think I have done about as much on here as I care to. This was really a pretty darn good learning experience for me; what works, what doesn't work, etc.

I am happy with it, but there are some things that still could be improved;

- The buildings around the port are still to "planned" (for lack of a better word), I just don't want to redo the entire layer. Perhaps next time I'll split the buildings up into several layers.

So if anyone has a use for it, please by all means make use of it. If you'd like the .PSD file I can provide that to you also (~42MB).


@Joram - Thanks for your comments...

(1) I agree with you about elvish villages/cities being built around something, in this case it is the fortress on the promontory on the east side of the map. This whole little 'peninsula' the city sits on actually juts out from the western shore of a deep bay, so it is protected.

(2) Some of the deadend paths are there on purpose, they are ones that have fallen out of use, or the structure they once led to was demolished, etc.

(3) I know the docks look out of proportion, but they are intentially huge due to the exceptionally large warships the elves in my campaign setting sail.

[ravells]

Please repost your request for people who might want to use the map in the CWBP forums...I'm sure someone will take it. I promise not to hoover it up like I did the rest of them!

The thing I love most about your map is the composition. The shapes and colours are really well balanced.