October 2008 Entry: Something Swampish this way comes

[Steel General]

I agree w/JFJr I think it's the white haze that detracts from it (if anything does).

As another idea, maybe you could add some floating debris or dead fish or something.

[Ascension]

I'm with SG, I was thinking deadfalls, clumps, trees, weeds, cattails, leaves, sticks, water ripples, etc. If this place is built on stilts then the white glow would not be needed to define the land areas so I would go over the land parts and shade them or something. If the place is built atop clumps of land they need to be extended out beyond the wooden walkways. I think it's pretty good I'm just wearing my tweaking hat tonight cuz I don't feel like wearing my doing hat Keep going, shaping up nicely.

[mmmmmpig]

What I am hearing is that the water is not quite working. Currently it is 2 different pattern fills overlaid on each other with a gradient painted on them to add depth. When I get to my work PC tomorrow I will remove the pattern fill with the white bubblies along the edges of the water areas and maybe reverse the gradient...

thanks for the crits fellas!

[Torq]

I find that a most effective technique for water is to use 3 layers. Top one is your water surface (your one is excellent I think) and the bottom is something that will be the bottom of the water (you wont see much of it but it should just be hinted at to sell the depth illusion). Between the two layers apply a third layer that is just a black to transparent gradient reflecting the relative depths of different parts of the water with black being the deepest. Then just play with the opacity of the two top layers until you get what you are looking for.

Torq

[Jkaen]

With the water effect, are they meant to be distinct seperate pools, or is the planking meant to be over a single mass of water. If the later I don't understand why you would have the edge effects on each pool

[mmmmmpig]

Reworked the water a bit and added some texture to the planking.

Thanks everyone, for all the input, I am definitely taking it to heart. This is my first non-regional/world/city level map soo... I am soaking up all the comments that I can get.

I have decided to go with a steam-punk kind of turn 1880's time frame so I am now making the roofs of the buildings into corrugated metal.

After I have the buildings done it will be time to add some interesting stuff.

Once the intersting stuff is added, then comes the vegatation.... that is going ot be tricky.

### Latest WIP ###

[Ascension]

Wood looks awesome, metal looks awesome. Might want a touch of greenish-blue in the gray water and a darker green on the moss...but then I always like darker so make of that what you will I do like the clumpy bits and sticks though, maybe a few more? I dunno. Shaping up very nicely though.

[mmmmmpig]

Ascension:
I agree that something is still "off" on the water. I will need to take my thumb drive into work so I can port this thing home to tweak. That won't be until Monday night then

[Sagenlicht]

ummm.... everything needs alligators!

Hmm I think it needs more cowbell? Sorry couldnt resist

On a more serious note, its great to watch the development of this map. Keep it up

[NeonKnight]

Man I feel all feverish just looking at that brackish water