Sagemound [WIP]

[Falconius]

To me with it on the top it doesn't have a good visual flow. I'd expect that if it were put on the bottom the images would be far more distinct unto themselves (I don't think a border would really solve this issue). I would agree with Larbs suggestion of going 1:1 since that is what I naturally assumed it was.

[rdanhenry]

The poor visual flow comes from trying to jam two mismatched images together too much. Even the differences in the green grass for each clashes under these circumstances, because they butt directly against each other. The signature inviting the eye to cross the boundary as one background to the signature just makes it worse. I think just a little bit of border around the map, including between the top-down and side-view parts, would fix the issue (along with moving the signature somewhere that doesn't cross the boundaries. There's plenty of room.)

[J.Edward]

Thanks for the input Larb. I will think that over. I know Bourmout was closer to a 1:1 ratio. Of course the top down map of Bourmout also went closer to the edge of the map.
I would really have to reduce the perspective view to a much smaller version and I'm not sure if I'm prepared to do that.
Falconius - thanks for the input too. If it went on the bottom it would be done much as Bourmout was. I don't see why it would be a problem though.

rdanhenry.... I am trying to decide if you are joking or serious. I still can't decide.
I'll assume you are being serious.
I'm not really even sure how to respond to that.
This is a wip. A WIP. It is nowhere near done. I am showing progress steps.
The sig is not a final one. They are always done at the bottom. As in all my other work.
The colors... base colors, as stated, not complete. This is just one of many steps before this is completed.
There's still a lot of work to do. Addressing this as though one is addressing a finished piece doesn't make sense.

Perhaps I should not have shown people this step as it seems to be causing more issues. Perhaps I won't in the future.

[J.Edward]

Okay, so it's been a while since I had done anything with Sagemound.
I messed about with it the other day and got to the point I'm at now.
I'm not super thrilled with this layout and may well change it by here it is at the current point.

All the text is just placeholder text at the moment. Also, that main scroll will be changed or removed.
It just doesn't really fit right. The trees aren't done yet either.
The scribbly bits at the top are just quick concept sketches for what will be done later.

[ChickPea]

Ah those cliffs!

I think I was one of the few who didn't hate the village at the top. It looks good at the bottom, but I can't quite decide if I still prefer it at the top. I do like your icons along the side and think they really pull everything together. Do you do all of this in PS?

The village itself is utterly fantastic. I can't say enough good things about it.

[J.Edward]

Thanks ChickPea.
Yep. All in PS.
I had wanted to have it at the top but I didn't really plan it out properly.

[Abu Lafia]

Simply stunning J.! Besides the excellent "iso-view" i so much hoped for but somehow missed till now, i really like the depiction of the single houses on the frame. Great work!

[J.Edward]

Thanks Abu.
Doing the houses on the side, instead of a numbered list, came from seeing your Shilfah village.
So I am making some changes and adding bits that will take me much longer to do.
I ask myself sometimes why I do this to myself. Oh well, it's only time.
So new plant border which will have some nice green leaves, roots at the bottom, some custom Sagemound lettering.
I may have to shrink those side houses so I can fit some more text with each house to give more story in there.

[tainotim]

Very nice J. Edward! This will be incredible when finished. Personally (based on the sketch) I prefer the first version you showed today, without the plant border. I worry that it might become to "much" with such a illustrative border, if you know what I mean.

For mapping purpose some numbers connecting the houses at the side to the actual map would be great. There is so much going on with the gray roof tiles that it's slightly hard to distinguish which house is which. Just to help with clarity, a little bit

Looking forward to next update.

Cheers,
Tainotim

[J.Edward]

Thanks for the feedback on that Tainotim. I had wondered about that - whether people could distinguish which building was which.
I had originally planned to do the same thing here as with Bourmout and just do a backpage that had all the details.
Perhaps I should do that. It would certainly make this process easier and clearer.