Returning visitor, a map in progress, and a brick wall...

[MiToVo]

Hello everyone,

So, as my subject suggests.. I'm a returning user here. I used to be on here some time back, but can not for the life of me remember what name or email address I was using. Go figure.

Anyway! Hello again, and long time no see

So, I've been working the world map for a game project, and I have the "base" of it in a place that I'm really happy with. The wall I'm hitting now, though, is getting the land details in there (mountains, etc) and making it look good.

I've tried hand-drawing stuff, but even with a Wacom tablet, my hand is just too shaky, and I can't make good, smooth looking anything.

So, I'm using pre-made icons instead. I'm currently looking to use the 'Sketchy Brushes' from 'StarRaven' on DeviantArt. Not sure if that will be the final set I use, but it's at least the style I'm going for.

Here's the "base map", pretty much completed (minus stuff like a compass, a distance ruler, etc.. which will come later). I'm super happy with how it's coming out. So, I don't want to screw it up with lousy map icon usage.

I'm going for a more "iconic" look, where it's kind of a "less is more" approach. So, I don't want to have long, high definition strings of mountains, for example. Rather, I'd like to have enough to give an impression of "a mountain range", but make it more iconic and implied, than "literal". I'm sure you know what I mean.

I've spent about 2 hours laying down icons at different sizes and arrangements, and I just can't get something that looks good. It either looks too sparse, or too crowded. Too large, and it kinda ruins the sense of scale. Too small, and the icons lose their identity and it all starts looking like a jumble of angular dots.

I'm also up in the air of whether I want to apply color to it, and how... The options I'm juggling are:

1. Tinted Land
2. Tinted Icons
3. No additional color/tint

The colors would assist in indicating the type of region, etc. The size of the world itself would be about 20k x 20k, that's to the edges of the map.

So... Here's the map... The original is 2000x2000x300dpi, but I've shrunk it down to keep the file size under control. Any thoughts or feedback on the map is appreciated, and of course, some ideas of how to approach laying down the map icons is especially appreciated.

Thank you!

[Chick]

Hello, MiToVo, welcome (back) to the Guild!

I think you first need to plan your entire terrain layout. Decide where you want mountain ranges, where you want rivers, where forests, where towns, etc. Once you have done that, then you can start putting icons on the map. If you start with icon mountains first, then later when you need a river or a road, you might end up needing to change.

I generally start with a "planning" layer for each type of terrain, just colored blobs marking where the different elements will be. Once I've done that, then I worry about what kind of icons will look good.

Hope this helps

I'll look forward to seeing where you go with this.

[MiToVo]

Hiya, chick,

Thanks for the feedback!

First.. I went and checked out your portfolio. Some great work there! You have an awesome grasp of that sorta "chained icon" effect I alluded previously; I can't get that to look good lol.

So, regarding your post.. I like the idea of sorta "blobbing in" where the different features will be. I have a layer set all ready to paint in the different tints for various biomes, should I decide to take that route. But I've added a separate setup that's specifically for roughing that in.

As for adding rivers, I kind of wanted to approach that last, as the way rivers flow would depend, at least to a degree, on where mountains are, and the lay of the land in general. So, I kind of want to do a manual version of what might happen if I were to create this as a height map and then bring it into Wilbur to calculate rivers, basins, etc. I was originally going to do the map in the Eriond style, and I really like how Wilbur is used to generate rivers with that style.

Of course, this approach won't involve a height map, and so I'm gonna have to be a human Wilbur and work that stuff out myself. There's a couple rivers I know I want to have in fairly specific locations, but I also know there's a mountain range nearby that can act as a source for them. I have a very rough, high level, idea of where things should be... but I also want to leave a little bit to chance, so as to not make the finished result seem too contrived.

Another consideration is that this is going to be for a game where it will be broken down into discrete zones, so the layout of things has to sorta accomodate that as well.

Anyway, I'll block out the colors, and perhaps drops some labels of what certain key spots will be. Then I'll update.

Thanks!

I suppose I should have tagged this thread as a WIP, but I forgot. Eep.

[johnvanvliet]

well for two islands in a 20 Km x 20 Km area

you will need at least one Volcano
the lower part of the big isl. might be a good spot

creating a height map for islands is a lot eraser than for major continents
the rivers are a direct result of the heightmap

[MiToVo]

Just before I start on my reply.. I've continued this thread over here, where it seems more appropriate.

To respond to you, John...

Indeed. I'm still reconsidering the 20x20 thing. It sounded like a good size to work with when I started out, but as I continue I'm reconsidering. That my map is intended to be more "symbolic", rather than accurate, I think I have some flexibility in how large or small icons are.

The way I came to that figure initially was by looking at the world maps of other games, and found that many of their worlds are not that huge, though it seems that they're massive.

It was surprising, for example, to find that the entire "world" of Skyrim is only 16 square miles. It feels much larger. I'm sure scale of stuff, and player movement speed (when not instant traveling anyway) plays a big role in that.

Here's a link to a cool image someone put together comparing the sizes of various worlds...

Click!

Thanks!

well for two islands in a 20 Km x 20 Km area

you will need at least one Volcano
the lower part of the big isl. might be a good spot

creating a height map for islands is a lot eraser than for major continents
the rivers are a direct result of the heightmap