Fury of the Wastewalker

[Kennyt]

Absolutely! i generally always do a grid layer then an abstract layer like:


this allows me to always be able to go to my abstract layer, use my color select tool, select the green color. then go to my imported texture; inver selection, delete. Boom walls are done.

go back to my abstract layer, color select tool, select green, go back to texture layer, apply bevel.

or when i add lighting - again abstract layer, select green color, invert selection, select lighting level and spray paint my light without eating into my walls.
so easy.

it also allows me to swap out textures if i end up not liking the wall texture later on.


anyways once you get it down you can make maps like this in 30-45 minutes (and i've only been using gimp for like 3 months or so).

[Kennyt]

Avengeil, BTW, i just realized in the "Drop shadows" filter you can actually unclick a box there that WONT expand your canvas when you use it. May help in the future:-D

[Avengeil]

for this outdoor map instead of an abstract layer I made some vague outlines.



I'm curious in upcoming dungeon projects on which is more efficient. Using layer masks or your proposed abstract. It seems to be the same philosophy in the end.

After looking at my rocks I realized that they look like floating flat pieces of rock. Will try adding some shadows on them (using a different layer) instead of the dodge burn process I utilized last time.

And you have made my day yet again with your dropshadow tip.

Oh and another small question, when I insert text with the gimp tool. Each piece of text goes on a separate layer. Any ways around that?

[Avengeil]

The rocks are now more of my liking and I added some beautiful trees courtesy of surfbored. Details to be added.

[Kennyt]

nice, yeah looking better and better :-) i would probably add a few more shadows to the trees in the same direction the rock shadows are going. I would maybe look at using the "ripple" filter on your silt areas - (keep in mind i am not very good with that particular filter) but you may be able to add a ripple to your silt to make it look more windblown and less "static" ? does that make sense? Maybe on your boulders, i'd think about "cleaning" them up a bit - seems like you used the distorted select tool and they left a few scraps behind.

for making boulders look more "3-d" i would try cutting out another smaller potion of the same rock texture. dropping it on top of one of your boulders, drop a shadow, then erase a portion of the new layer and a portion of the dropped shadow...


hmmm so maybe something like this:

Boulder stage 1



boulder stage 2:

added a second "cut-out" of a piece from the same texture, dropped a shadow, then erased the top portion of the cut-out and erased the top shadow too.



Boulder stage 3
then this is me using the "free select tool" and just randomly selecting portions and adding different levels of beveling.






This is my first attempt to make a boulder - so i am sure there is loads more stuff that can be done to it - just may find a couple techniques in there you can use? If you found out how to make them look more "round" as you keep playing around with the program, let me know, i haven't figured that part our either.

[Kennyt]

Yea not sure about your text problem. so you mean every word or every letter is being created into a new layer? normally i just select the text tool, click where i want it, expand the text box, write whatever i need to write, highlight all my text, change the format (size, font, etc), then select the move tool and move it to where i need it. once you start manipulating and flipping the text layer it turns into a graphic vs a text box. does that help at all?

[Avengeil]

First of all thanks for all of your very helpful input.The scraps that have been left behind are a result of a bit too grungy brush. I haven't fixed it yet because I would have to undo the bevel changes. Hopefully I'll get around to doing it.

Now for 3d boulders.

Something that has worked up to an extent is making a new layer setting it to overlay and drawing with the airbrush or normal brush on it with either black or white. The result is a dodge and burn procedure without altering the rock texture. This is what I was able to do.



Then I had the idea of applying a gradient on that shadow layer. I ended up applying one for the bottom layer and one for the top boulder. Sadly I end up with a slight discoloration of the texture but we will call it moss.



And combining both.



All in all I have no idea.

About the text. Check this. What I meant is that to enter each number I had to click multiple times on the image ending up with twenty different layers. I was wondering if it was possible each time I click to enter the text in a specific layer.

[Kennyt]

nice work - i think that boulder looks great! I definitely dig the dodge/burning. Oh i see what you mean - often times when i start working with a detailed piece - let's say i am outfitting a bedroom with all the furniture, shadows, carpets etc. I will create a LAYER GROUP (right hand click on your layers than create layer group) toss everything in that layer so i can at least collapse the group and not look at 100 layers in my layer menu. Then, once i got everything as i like it, you can MERGE LAYER GROUP, putting everything inside that layer into one layer. I dont know if that helps at all? Other than that, create a text box but drag the text box to cover the ENTIRE MAP. Set your font, and start labeling your rooms then space space space x2000 till you get to the next room? but that does seem a bit ridiculous .... you're right there should be a better way.

[Cherno]

Hey, I made all the maps for the first two Dark Sun 4th Edition campaign encounters a while ago, mabe you are interested.

http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic....lit=+Dark+Sun+