First map on CG

[Loronin]

Hi all, this is my first post so be nice. The map is of Ilistera (ILL-uh-STAIR-uh), a fantasy land for a roleplaying game (hopefully D&D 5E!).

The mainland is governed by a kind of feudal senate, if that's possible, between the ruling cities: Norvaria, Kia, Ilistria, Maria, Antinia, Sicilia, and Calabria. The cities' lords meet yearly in Ilistria, the country's capital, to decide on matters of national importance. The castles on the mainland are named after the conquering heroes of legend: Harkanion, Gideon, Jura, Tor, and Bonfyre. Meanwhile, the lands across the Broken Straits are ruled by the Arrals and the Luds, noble families who quarrel endlessly over the island's resources.

Trade is varied, but there is a steady flow of stone from the Ilisteran mountains across the Straits, where stone is less readily available. The centre of trade is Greatmarket, which is situated at the end of a long estuary where merchant vessels can find safe mooring.

Please let me know what you think, all advice welcome.

[Chick]

Wow, Loronin, this is a really excellent for a first map post! Have some rep

I really like the way you have done the rivers, they are very well placed and realistically shaped for the most part.

If I had to make a suggestion, it would be to make your coastlines a little bit more irregular at smaller scales.

What software are you using for this?

If it is software that let's you do this easily, then I would suggest making the blue margin of the sea fade out into the sea instead of having such a solid distinct edge on the sea side.

A very nice job, you can be proud of it!

And by the way, welcome to the Guild!

[Sapiento]

Well done!

[Loronin]

Here it is with a blurred sea margin. I'm using Inkscape so it's not too difficult.

[Chick]

I like that much better. Have you tried it with the sea blue all the way out to the scale neatline?

[Loronin]

I have, but I actually prefer the neatness of the first one I think. I'll upload more when I've added more detail.

[jbgibson]

Excellent work, and welcome! We appreciate folks starting with real/nice content - thank you for the interesting intro.

Rhumb lines - the radial set you centered on the compass rose - were most useful for navigation. One can follow a constant heading and increase one's odds of getting from here to there. Trouble is, that assumes specific 'heres' and 'theres'... you'd typically find them centered near likely destinations. Drawn that way, the array across a map might not be particularly balanced nor pretty -- but more 'realistic' than your single set.

Since we fantasy mappers usually have broad discretion in our invented lands, some of us (me f'rinstance :-) ) are not above sticking an important feature just SO, to justify some desired look. Suppose one of the cities on The Gulf might be the 'most important of all', at least to your in-character cartographer?

[Daelin]

I agree with chick, really nice for a first map. The map is simple and super clean, so there really isn't much I can put my finger on. If I had to nitpick, I'd personally choose to leave the outside of the scale line blank, meaning the compass lines disappear, the very southern and northern tips of the continents don't go beyond and also move the legend just a tad towards the center, so it doesn't cross either.
Personally, I also like the solid blue sea border on the first map as opposed to the faded second. More clean.

But really, this is a great map. I wish I had a better grasp on Inkscape or vector-based graphics in general, so I could make such sparkly clean maps... I like clean.
Keep it up!

[SteffenBrand]

Really good for a first map, have some rep! =) I like what you have done overall with the symbols and the land masses. Personally I'd try a few things just to see what looks better (although it could be personal taste for me just for suggesting it):

> I'd stop the compass lines at the edge of the scale, not continuing it though it.
> I'd try to desaturate it a bit or at least give it a tint to look more sepia, this looks a bit yellow-ish in my eyes.
> Personally I like the blurred coast more, but I also would look if the scale would look better if it was in front of the blue edge. Also, the blue should stop there like the lines.
> I'd try to darken the land mass at least a bit. You already started out to do that a bit on the edges, but 10% darker overall would be worth a try I suppose.

Again, this map is a very good start, this are just things I'd try. =)
Well done, wish you nice holidays and all the best. Keep up the goo work!

Steffen

[Robert]

Like the way to put the compass lines in.