Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16

Thread: WIP: Strategy Game Map

  1. #1
    Professional Artist
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    33

    Post WIP: Strategy Game Map

    Here are two shots from my current freelance project. It's a map for a online round-based strategy game:




  2. #2
    Administrator Facebook Connected Robbie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Dayton, OH
    Posts
    3,868
    Blog Entries
    6

    Post

    Dang, thats a lovely use of the hex grid...I like this a lot...Looking forward to seeing what becomes of this. Keep us posted.
    All Hail FlappyMap! Long Live MapFeed!

    Robbie Powell - Site Admin

  3. #3
    Publisher Kepli's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    58

    Post

    I agree, very nice
    Also visit Dundjinni, Four Ugly Monsters, the Nook, Battlegrounds Games, Fantasy Grounds, RPTools, RPGMapShare, Eruvian, Dragon Roots, RPG Virtual Tabletop, Troll Lord Games, GameMaster Syndicate and meny, many others

  4. #4
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Watching you from in here
    Posts
    3,226

    Post

    I think what is really nice about this map is that even though it is hex based, meaning only one type of terrain in each hex, it is still very organic and "flows" beautifully without the jarring effect that I've seen in so many of these types of maps in the past.

    Ralf, can you give us some insight into how you created this? Did you lay the hex first and "build around it", or did you do the map lay the grid and the delete what didn't fit, or something else entirely?

  5. #5
    Professional Artist
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    33

    Post

    I'm working from an Excel sheet here, that has precise number of hexes for the provinces (red borders) and terrain type within each province.

    I started by creating an appropriately sized hex grid and filling it with the right amount of land hexes. Those I divided into the provinces (I had a rough outline for their position from my customer). This is the result:



    I then drew the region borders and put in hex symbols for the different terrain types according to the excel sheet. The trick here is to build clusters of terrain that you can turn into 'organic' landforms later, e.g. build the mountain and hill hexes in such a way that they give a realistic-looking mountain range.



    I then used this map as a reference for drawing the actual map. I created a custom style and all the landforms as drawing tools, which made the work a lot quicker and easier. I just LOVE the new forest drawing tools in CC3.

  6. #6
    Professional Artist
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    33

    Post

    I'm trying out a few different colour schemes. I'd be interested in which ne people like best!

    My original, green land, reddish brown hills:


    Alternative land background, needs a little getting used to, but better contrast:


    Same land, with straight brown hills:


    Green land, brown hills:

  7. #7
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Watching you from in here
    Posts
    3,226

    Post

    My preference would be for Green land, brown hills.

  8. #8
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Watching you from in here
    Posts
    3,226

    Post

    BTW, thank you very much for the walk through of how you created that. I really need to learn how to use the new tools better I think.

  9. #9
    Administrator Facebook Connected Robbie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Dayton, OH
    Posts
    3,868
    Blog Entries
    6

    Post

    I like the original more I believe. So we're one for one...

    Above all though I like the edge blur on the terrain markings...subtle and effective way to blend between hex-terrain changes.
    All Hail FlappyMap! Long Live MapFeed!

    Robbie Powell - Site Admin

  10. #10
    Publisher Kepli's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    58

    Post

    I also like green lands, brown hills the best ...
    Also visit Dundjinni, Four Ugly Monsters, the Nook, Battlegrounds Games, Fantasy Grounds, RPTools, RPGMapShare, Eruvian, Dragon Roots, RPG Virtual Tabletop, Troll Lord Games, GameMaster Syndicate and meny, many others

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •