Vaniya - WIP

[Ramah]

Absolutely beautiful map. I was going to tell you to handdraw the hills as well. You have come this far, take that extra leap. I would also think about, if you have a tablet, tracing the lines in the ocean around the land and making it more smooth. Can't see it taking too long and would make it look so much better.

Thanks a lot.
Unfortunately though I don't have a tablet and that, I would say, is the main reason this thing is taking me so long. I've been putting off doing the hills purely because I know how awkward it was to do the mountains with the mouse. Add to that that I am naturally left-handed and yet control the mouse with my right hand and let's just say that my fine control with it when trying to draw is not always the best. Hehe.

I said in my last post that the hills shouldn't take me too long to adjust... well I was wrong. I've had a few sessions on them and hardly seem to have scratched the surface. :s Man, maybe I should just go out and get a damn tablet on the credit card or something.

Anyway, thanks for all the kind words guys.

As to the folds... I'm still unsure about them myself. I really like the effect and I'm not too precious about it being historically inaccurate with tubes and folds etc. I'm sure I will have a few changes of heart about them before I sign off on this thing.

[Karro]

I'll vote for the folds. I think it's a simple but very useful device for making a map look like it has actually been used in-world (even if it's not terribly realistic for it to have been folded).

[ravells]

Ramah...when are you going to post this on the finished maps section? (hint, hint).

Beg, borrow or buy or steal a tablet. It would make your life a hundred times easier and you deserve one.

[Ramah]

Beg, borrow or buy or steal a tablet. It would make your life a hundred times easier and you deserve one.

Hehe. I'd absolutely love to but we've just bought a new TV when the old one went the way of the Dodo and the missus would kill me. I don't know anyone else who has one either.
Plus, I'm very torn on the issue as for one, I've nearly done with the map and fear I wouldn't get much more use out of it... or two, I WOULD get more use out of it as I have a growing desire to make regional maps of one or two of the countries in Vaniya (and maybe a city map too, although that prospect scares me for some reason) that are important to my story but this would stop me writing for even longer - something that the map was supposed to help with, not hinder. Hehe.

[Gandwarf]

(and maybe a city map too, although that prospect scares me for some reason) that are important to my story but this would stop me writing for even longer - something that the map was supposed to help with, not hinder. Hehe.

Don't do it. You won't get any writing done. Look at me

I must admit the city maps helped me write the story... but now I am mapping cities not even named once in my writings. Argh...
Must resist...

[Ramah]

Ok, time for another quick update although to outward appearances I guess it's not much of one.

Work continues on the hills. I'd say I'm maybe 2/3's of the way through although they are in various states of completion. About half of what I have done still have no shading - as in alongside the mountain range in Rydony. Others have been shaded but twice I've changed how I'm doing it. If you check out the hills in Amburria for instance, the shading between the hills is kind of rough, which I figured gave it a nice pencil type effect. But then I wondered if it was too much so I softened it up somewhat, like in Iosia, which has a more smudged effect I guess. I'm still not sure which I prefer.

Anyway, still lots of hills to do in the middle of the map but I should be able to get quite a session on it tomorrow so here's hoping I sort most of it out.

Other than that the only real change from last time is the coastline ripples which have been adjusted as per Bohunk's suggestion. I think they look a lot better now that they go curvier when further out.

[msa]

This is a very pretty map. Great work and thanks!

[Gandwarf]

Woohoo
I think you are doing this the right the way. Just placing things to fill the map has never made much sense for me...

[Miralys]

I really like how your map is evolving - the newest version is stunning. I didn't read through all the posts - did you give a brief overview what is happening in your story? I'd love to know!

[cfds]

The map is stunning. Only the borders of Romara look kind of weird. Why don't they lay claim to the land between the river and the mountains in their nord-east? The deep bay into Doras doesn't look to right either. But it is your world and there will be an explanation, I guess.