WIP- My Homebrew Setting Map

[Karro]

actually that's how I've been doin' the bump maps. I've been following the tutorial on here (however like the man says this isn't for World sized maps) so That's probably why it doesn't look as good as it "could be". Right now I've got all the layers merged per terrain type (ocean, rivers & lakes, hills, land, mountains, etc). I've been trying to blend the hill and land terrain, together. I may "blur" the land to lessen the texturing and spread it out more.

I noticed when I went through the tutorial that it didn't produce mountains quite like I was exspecting, either--they didn't have quite the effect I wanted.

So I played around and came up with a composite approach that gets more nearly to what I want (and which I'll be using on the world map I'm working on to.

I started with RobA's other mountain tutorial Here, which I combined with RobA's regional map tutorial to produce results in this map.

Then I built on that with some ideas presented by jfrazierjr in this thread (which I believe he was also developing for use on a world-scale map), and my process matured into the products shown here.

I wonder if I should get around to writing a tutorial on how I arrived at a version I actually liked... I suppose it would be helpful to myself just to have my process detailed in a step-by-step fashion.

Another point of advice: I never merge layers until I'm absolutely sure that I won't need the separated layers again.

And even then, I save it down as a new version of the file so that I can always go back to the older version if I decide I want to make changes later.

It's saved my bacon several times as I have decided to go back and change things (like in my world map thread where I had to go back and redo all my islands... I had a based black-and-white layer I could work on that formed the basis of the land and ocean masks).

[jfrazierjr]

I noticed when I went through the tutorial that it didn't produce mountains quite like I was exspecting, either--they didn't have quite the effect I wanted.

So I played around and came up with a composite approach that gets more nearly to what I want (and which I'll be using on the world map I'm working on to.

I started with RobA's other mountain tutorial Here, which I combined with RobA's regional map tutorial to produce results in this map.

Then I built on that with some ideas presented by jfrazierjr in this thread (which I believe he was also developing for use on a world-scale map), and my process matured into the products shown here.

Thanks... I am particulary proud of my mountains in the thread you link to in this post.

I wonder if I should get around to writing a tutorial on how I arrived at a version I actually liked... I suppose it would be helpful to myself just to have my process detailed in a step-by-step fashion.

Ditto.. I keep meaning to do a tutorial on how I adapted RobA's mountain technique and created the mountains in my above link, I just have not gotten around to it yet.
[/quote]

Another point of advice: I never merge layers until I'm absolutely sure that I won't need the separated layers again.

Quoted For Truth!!!

And even then, I save it down as a new version of the file so that I can always go back to the older version if I decide I want to make changes later.

It's saved my bacon several times as I have decided to go back and change things (like in my world map thread where I had to go back and redo all my islands... I had a based black-and-white layer I could work on that formed the basis of the land and ocean masks).

Ditto. I also tend to have 4-6 versions of each map saved to separate files as it progresses. I try to not merge if possible unless my RAM gives out. On my Sept Challenge entry, I ended have some 1.5 GB in memory spikes for GIMP due to the resolution and number of layers. Sometimes, things took 1+ minute to refresh. Fortunately, I had just gotten a new computer, so I was not forced by the RAM size or speed to merge any layers before the project was finished and I was so glad as I had to tweak some things even at the last minute on several layers.

Likewise, as Karro points out about changing things, I also try find techniques that allow me to make some type of style layer "thingy" without any destructive techniques. This is one of the primary reasons why I am such a big proponent of people learning to use layer masks(and thus the tutorial I wrote on that subject) since it allows you to use some effects that would normally be descrutive and take extra time to modify something simple like color to be a 2 second change with a layer mask. For me, it just makes sense to try to limit techniques that are destructive it at all possible. Using the 50% grey layer for your bump maps and setting it to overlay is another good example. I know some people cannot always do that because of memory issues since you have to have another layer lying around taking up space, but it's still better to know of the technique and then consiously decide not to use it for some reason. Of course, I am still learning GIMP also, so I know there are tons of other thing I will eventually figure out or someone will show me.

[heathan666]

Color Codes:
Brown=Mountains
Yelllow=Desert
Blues=Water
Neon Green=Swamp
Light Green=Plains
Med Green=Hills
Dark Green=Forrest
Red=Kingdom/Region Borders.

Oh no I'm not takin' it the wrong way, i'm just sayin' I'm very happy with it atm, I mean I went from this image to what I posted.