February Challenge Voting - Map the Guild

[Ilanthar]

So many good maps with a lot of ideas! I have no other choice than vote for the three most original & well done maps imo.

[fabio p]

The finished entries this month are all good and imaginative in a way or another. Voting everyone would be a no vote (but repped anyone I could), so I’m going to choose only one, Guildpark zoo by TheHorseWhisperer.
I usually prefer big territories, cities (by the way: no one tried a “guild city”, what a pity!), and star maps over real small places maps, but the idea of the zoo is the most original one and it’s really well executed, with humour and attention to detail. I would have worked a little bit more the yellow box on the bottom right, anyway, a really good and interesting map.

The other finished entries, in my opinion:

The mapiest place in the galaxy! By Azelor: congratulations for your star map, for what I’ve seen here, it’s your first time doing a star map and it’s a great one. Maybe some shield or symbols or some other eye candies could have been added, but the enormous work on names and descriptions it’s been for sure unforgiving and time consuming. The details you added are already really good and the map is great. Congrats!

The Guild Empire by Diamond: Diamond’s maps have the reliability or german cars and the aesthetics of the Ferrari and are produced in the USA, so who can say anything? The Left Justified Continent of Cartographia, for my mappic tastes, is maybe my favourite entry of the month, the one map I will keep looking from time to time and one of my inspiration sources when I will try a similar approach to mapping. A great entry as always, no way to be disappointed by a challenge when there’s a Diamond entry.

The Guild’s Tower by Max: What to say of an artist that can draw anything, with artistry elegance, in a blink of an eye? Max finished his challenge almost a month ago, without any effort (or at least that’s the external perception), producing a great entry as always, doing in two or three days what most people would have done, sensibly worse, in months. A great, artistic, imaginative entry, enough said.

The Forest of Guildheart by Cirias: a nice and colourful entry, maybe a bit simplistic compared to the other entries of this month; the initial idea is really good and original but as this is the main challenge, a little bit of more structure and complexity to the whole work should have been added, in my opinion. Anyway a pleasant map.

[- Max -]

Indeed, voting is a hard choice this month! I really have to take some time to think about it.
Fabio summed it up pretty well. My choice would go for either the Guildzoo or the Guild Empire. THW's map is original and imaginative and done with humour but I can't help thinking that it should have need more work and attention on the drawing itself, on labeling and on elements like title or key box. Diamond's one, perhaps a bit less original than the zoo is artistically very nicely executed though, with a very clean job as always, especially on the labeling work.

I love -Max-' tower, the final design (plus bonus guide on his process) was amazing, I just think the idea is a little too generic in comparison to the other entries and could have been any tower for any map.

I doubt there would be as much maps on desks on any tower

Also your URL to the thumbs Max says they are January challenge thumbs

Damn Fixed it, thanks!

[Schwarzkreuz]

Voted for M. and D. as they were my favorites this month.

[Cirias]

Thanks to whoever gave my map a vote. Maybe it was out of pity, but I appreciate it all the same. Such talented artists on these boards and the competition was tough!

I cast my votes for Max and Diamond. I loved Max's The Guild's Tower for the overall style and the beautiful drawing. I like the fact it was an illustration which also worked as a map. My favourite, however, was Diamond's The Guild Empire. It was a bit more of a traditional map, but the detail that went into it was astounding and it managed to incorporate just about every element of the Guild.

Perhaps I shouldn't have entered such a Guild-centric competition as my first attempt, as I'm still somewhat of a fresh face around these parts! But I enjoyed it anyway and loved being able to take part. Good luck to everyone who entered.

[Azélor]

I voted for Diamond and THW because I think they are the best maps but Max's Tower was very close. I would at least REP you if I could.

[madcowchef]

I went with Azelor for being the most fun visualization of the entire guild and Diamond for being the most eye catching. TheHoarseWhisperer's is the most humorous and unique and if I was awarding points for writing he'd be the only one to receive any. Max's stunningly well executed as per usual. Cirias had a solid and unique showing for being new.

[Xeonicus]

It's a close one this month. I'm casting my vote for the guild zoo from TheHoarseWhisperer. It was perhaps the most enjoyable to peruse. The graphical style works too.

[Coyotemax]

And as always my post vanishes to the winds.

I'm a bit rusty on voting, I forgot to check my choices vs the thumbnails one last time before hitting submit, so I missed out on the fact that the Zoo did not get the vote i intended to place there *cry*

I have to say i liked all the entries, even the unfinished ones showed promise. I'll admit I fell for the bribery - I let out squeals of delight every time I saw my name on a map - even with my long hiatus people still remember me! that's awesome! glad I popped back in for the voting on this!!

[arsheesh]

And as always my post vanishes to the winds.

I'm a bit rusty on voting, I forgot to check my choices vs the thumbnails one last time before hitting submit, so I missed out on the fact that the Zoo did not get the vote i intended to place there *cry*

I have to say i liked all the entries, even the unfinished ones showed promise. I'll admit I fell for the bribery - I let out squeals of delight every time I saw my name on a map - even with my long hiatus people still remember me! that's awesome! glad I popped back in for the voting on this!!

Whoa! Cyoteemax haven't seen you in ages. Hope to see your face around the forums a bit more man.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh