Creating Windows

[NathanC]

I'm doing a small map, and I need to make windows. My attempts have fallen short of anything worth showing.


I was using this as a reference and from what i can tell it just looks like they took part of the wall away and replaced the area with a light blue line.

Is there another method to create windows like what Bogie did here?

[Midgardsormr]

It would be helpful to know what tools you are using and also to see a sample of your map so far so we can give more targeted advice. I can do a little to break down Bogie's windows, though.

It looks like there's a textured wall, and it's broken up by simple dropping a window object on top of it. The window object itself is a texture with a soft inner glow, and maybe cut in half after the glow was applied so that it only affects the short ends and the right-hand edge, leaving the fourth side unshadowed. I think I'd have probably rotated the window so that the unshadowed side was always on the outer sill, representing the exterior light, or opposite if I expected the map to represent a location at night. Anyway, on top of that, there is a red line with a small stroke and a white-ish, slightly shorter line of the same width but with no stroke on top of that.

For a somewhat more sophisticated window, consider brightening some trapezoidal areas either inside or outside the window (depending on the time of day) to indicate light spilling through it onto the ground/floor. Your choice whether that light should be sharp-edged or fuzzy. You could also include mullion shadows in those patches. I remember seeing a lovely map of a chapel with a stained glass window that was projecting the image from the glass on the floor.

[wdmartin]

The exact window objects that Bogie made are available for use in the Dundjinni forums, in the thread New Doors - and Windows.

Here's a quick demonstration of the trapezoidal area-lightening approach that Midgardsormr mentions. As a JPG:



In case you use Photoshop, here's a PSD of the above so you can see how the layers were done. The layer mask of the curves layer has 3px gaussian blur on it. The wall shadows were just brushed in with a soft brush.

And as for lovely stained glass windows, the best I've ever seen were in Tintagel's lovely rendition of Misgivings Manor from the Rise of the Runelords. Here's the first floor -- stained glass at the right end of the building. There are several other floors, all lovingly detailed, which you can see in his gallery. It's well worth perusing.

[Bogie]

Wow, that was the most in-depth analysis of anything I have ever created! I can't verify most of what Midgardsormr said because I don't really know what I'm doing. but it sounds real good. I have no art training and everything I know about photoshop ( very limited knowledge base ) I learned through trial and error.

Here's what I can tell you about the windows I often use. or
blank base

I started with a thin stone texture and used it to represent the sides of the window frame, I laid the shadow over that. I made the window out of bits & pieces of wood and then drew a bluish white line to represent the glass. that goes over the shadow base. I also made a second set by dropping all that onto a wood texture. If I want the wall texture to show through I use the transparent set. Then I drop it onto the wall you can still see the wall, but it looks recessed for the window. If I have a stone wall and want a wood windowsill then I use the one with the wood texture. I know the windows don't come out perfect, but it makes it very quick and easy and looks pretty good. I often use these for door frames as well and have made them in a number of sizes and textures.

[NathanC]

First off that's for the advice.

To answer Midgardsormr, I'm using Photoshop CS3

So this is what i just tried like 5 minutes ago,

I created a copy of my wall layer
On the west window, grabbed a window from dundjinni and snadwiched it between those layers.
On the north window I tried the suggestion that Bogie made about drawing lines.

I might take a crack at eh lighting later after I look over that file, I've only really done underground maps and really never had to consider anything other than shadows.

[Bogie]

Nice start with the map. In regards to the windows, while it may be technically more accurate to have the shadows only on one side of the window frame like you did, it doesn't define the edges or give it much depth. this is how it looks when I added some shadows to your windows.



And this is the shadow cover that I used:

[NathanC]

This is where I'm at now with the windows. I think i was able to use the cover correctly.

Take a look.

[wdmartin]

Looking better.

Do the windows extend all the way to the ground? If not, then the wall underneath them needs a shadow similar to the other walls, to indicate that the areas beneath the window are not flush with the floor.

[Midgardsormr]

Nice start with the map. In regards to the windows, while it may be technically more accurate to have the shadows only on one side of the window frame like you did, it doesn't define the edges or give it much depth. this is how it looks when I added some shadows to your windows.

In the 3d rendering world, we call that ambient occlusion. Where two surfaces are close together, such as internal corners or creases, they create a very subtle shadowing. The outer glow that is so popular to put around map objects is an exaggeration of this effect that helps to make the objects seem more a part of the environment.

That Misgivings Manor map is very evocative. I immediately imagined what it would have been like to open those huge doors into the main hall and see that manticore waiting. It's a wonderful example of the kind of lighting effects I was talking about, although it has some definite confusion about where the sun is. It seems to be externally lit from every direction.

In any case, Nathan, I think your windows fit nicely into your map. I believe you've got an approach that fits with your style. I agree with wdmartin, though: Keep the wall shadow under the window intact.

[NathanC]

The wall underneath was just an idea so i hadn't put a shadow or defined the stroke yet. i figured after I did all the windows I'd do that, but i had been planning to.

Thanks for all the great feedback and suggestions guys. I feel really good about how they are turning out. I'll throw the map up on the structure area in a bit.