First Time Battlemap creation: Looking for Feedback

[decafpillow]

Hey all, this is my first foray into making my own battle maps for D&D, and wanted some feedback on this one. This is a small huntsman's cottage, and fits on a regular piece of paper (for learning sake). What are some of the errors you see/what would improve this map for playability, easy on the eyes, etc.

This is done in Photoshop CC

Thanks in advance!

[Bogie]

Welcome to the Guild decafpillow! Nice way to make an entrance!

Overall you did a real nice job with this battlemap. It is very usable for playing D&D. A couple minor points that might help you out:

The grass is a little bit to bright a green, I would either darken it or drop the color saturation a little.

Both the grass and the floorboards are kind of repetitive. Using a tile that has more than one version helps randomize it. ( but that is just a minor aesthetics issue )

My #1 advice is to use a wall texture that is not so similar to the floor. Outlining the walls makes it easy enough to differentiate them from the floor, but a darker wood would make them pop out even more.

And a Door, the cabin needs a door.

Nice use of objects. ProBono's Deer Stand and my Bear Rug make this really look like a hunter's cabin.

Keep up the good work, I look forward to seeing more maps from you!

[jpstod]

Is that a Dead bear or a Happy Bear...
Nice simple Map..but yes A Door

[Chick]

Hi decafpillow, welcome to the Guild! Nice start! Listen to Bogie, he is the Ultimate Jedi Master of battle and encounter maps! Hope to see more from you

[P38 ace]

You need a door. In my campaigns it is important if the door swings in or out.

[Jacktannery]

Hi Decafpillow,

Good start. I really like the shadow off the spit showing the deer roasting over the fire. The only thing I'd say is, why is that the only shadow on the map? Either all objects get a shadow or no objects get a shadow, I would have thought.

[NathanC]

Hey decafpillow. Welcome to the guild, this is a great first map. Bogie and Jacktannery have some great suggestions listen to them they are excellent cartographers.

I think that you could really benefit from the use of light and shadows. That links to one of my first outdoor maps where I got a great lesson in lighting. You can see later on down the post how when used correctly it really gives the maps lots of depth.

Keep up the great work.

[Stormbow]

Hiya decafpillow!

The one glaring 'flaw' that I see in your image is actually the border around the outside edge. When you add this exterior border, virtual tabletops will have a problem lining up the map grid you've supplied with their own internal system. (Roll20, for example, would end up with characters standing on the lines you've drawn in.)

While a user could drag your map off the edge of their game space to get the map to line up, it's always better not to include outside borders in our images so life is easier on the people using what we create and provide.

When a user knows the scale of our maps (1" is 5') and the resolution of the map (1 square is 70x70 pixels for 1 Roll20 "unit"), they can usually get their tabletops to cooperate if you really like your exterior borders. So always include that sort of information with your map posts to

(And, about the door, you could also throw it on the ground, as if someone or some ... thing ... tore the door off the hinges.)

[wdmartin]

It looks like the blend mode in the bevel filter on the walls is on the default setting, which makes the light reflecting off the embossed edge sharply defined and shiny-looking. Try setting it to Overlay instead. That should make it a bit more subtle and less like shiny plastic.