Geidor

[Karro]

I'd go with the "surface" version, or the lighter blue one.

Other than that, I agree that the rivers could stand a little lightening.

[edit]...Wait... Did I just bonk you for +3? Or did someone else hit you at the same time? I don't think of myself as a heavy-hitter, WRT the size of my rep stick.

[altasilvapuer]

For me the rivers are to dark in most places. I think they should match the lighter blue of the coastal waters rather than the deeper ocean color.

Good to know. I was actually fighting with them not to get too dark, but in playing around I stumbled across that look with the lakes in the bottom left, and tried to keep that without throwing off everything else. This map is not kind to things being expected to transfer elsewhere easily, haha. They do feel a little too dark overall to me, though, too. I've got an idea or two to try on them, but I might not get it uploaded until tomorrow night.

I'll try just lightening what I have, first, and if that gets wonky, I'll probably just re-do the current effect by hand at a lighter shade. Currently it's a mix of layer styles.


How do the shorelines look, so far? I blurred the edge of the layer mask for them just slightly and played around with the shallows some more. Does it appear to be working?

-asp

[altasilvapuer]

Update! I'm quite a few days later than I said I'd be, but I suppose that's par for the course by this point.

I ended up not changing the rivers, much, because after trying a few lighter variants, I found that I actually liked the dark rivers a little bit. It's still not perfect, but without completely re-doing everything except their tracks from scratch, I don't know that I'm going to get much farther.

In addition, we have a new online printing service where I work (a UPS Store; the service is http://theupsstore.com/print if you want to check it out with a store in your area), and we still haven't seen what the customer end looks like too well, so I've finished up a reasonable preliminary print to test out both the service and the printability of this map.

Here's the preliminary print version:


Unfortunately, to upload it to CG, I have to bring the resolution and JPG quality down to make the file size requirement. This uploaded copy is 4000 x 2588 pixels, at a JPG quality of about 11/12 in PS. The full-res I'm printing is 5100 x 3300 at 12/12. (The latter is also 300 dpi, so it fits to an 11 x 17 page; the largest I can print at work.)

The scale on there, I'm finding, is actually pretty inaccurate. My math was off when I made/uploaded this. I've been assuming an 'Earth-like' planet all along, so my equatorial radius is about 6372 km. When I ran the numbers to convert that to pixels across my image, I accidentally goofed and used 6372 as the diameter, instead of the radius. I caught it now, but as it will take me about an hour or more to re-save and upload, I'm going to just leave the incorrect version up for a moment for you guys.

I've decided this map isn't a full view of the planet, anyway, because of problems I'm going to have with fixing projections, as Naeddyr predicted. There's more space in the ocean to the east, and the northern continent has a tiny sliver more, I think. I still haven't decided, exactly.

If you double the scale on the map (i.e. read 100 as 200km), then it's reasonably close but still not accurate. I'm not sure whether or not I'll correct it for printing, since this is more of a test print, anyway.

This also has a wooden title/scale box, which isn't as closely in keeping with the original concept of a science fiction setting for this, but I didn't want to print it without at least a name on it, somewhere, and the wood is somewhat charming, for the short amount of time spent on it.

[/wallo'text]

So what do you guys think?
-asp

[Karro]

All told, I think it looks pretty good. I like the cartouche you've added. Add some labels, and I'd call this a pretty good map.

What's particular about it is that it has your own style, and that's a very strong accomplishment.

[altasilvapuer]

All told, I think it looks pretty good. I like the cartouche you've added. Add some labels, and I'd call this a pretty good map.

What's particular about it is that it has your own style, and that's a very strong accomplishment.

Thanks! Glad to hear that. I still haven't decided what I'm doing about labels, yet. I'm still thinking more of a science fiction setting in my head, but I can't decide how settled I want this planet, or where I want settlements. I know a couple places already where they'll go, but not a lot. I'm also running into issues with representing settlements in a manner consistent with the map's current style. Any ideas, anyone?

----------
BLARGH!

I wasn't intending to upload a corrected version for you guys, yet, because I didn't think I'd have time, but Photoshop had other plans. I goofed and accidentally did my corrections on the reduced-resolution file, by mistake. So I figured I might as well save a JPG of it and upload it for you crazies.

Enjoy:


Minor corrections:
Scale numbers corrected
Personal branding of sorts secreted somewhere in the image, just for the fun of it. I think I'll probably sign one of the final copies, even though my signature could use some work, but this was fun to secret in in the interim. See if you can find it.

-asp

[Karro]

Remind me again: what's your end-point goal for this map?

[altasilvapuer]

I'll tell you as soon as I know.

The world comes from some random scifi backstory/conuniversing I did in a math class I really didn't want to pay attention to. It was important enough to need some fleshing out, but undeveloped enough to leave me room to fiddle, and I wanted to dive into mapping headfirst, so it was a perfect match.

As to what I'll do with it? Who knows! I might get some friends to run a scifi campaign in it sometime, or I might write a book for it (though the latter's quite unlikely), or I might just keep on developing said universe until it explodes. Hrm.. the latter sounds fun; I like explosions.

At any rate, this map is 80% mad-scientist-hyjinks, 15% having fun while diving into cartography from a creator's perspective, 4% backstory development, and about 1% trace gases.

-asp

[Ascension]

I can't put it into words other than this looks great. There's something about it that makes me want to smell it (I'm weird I know) or touch it. Just all around nice work.

[altasilvapuer]

Well, Ascension, if you want, I could possibly ship you a copy of one, if/when I finally print it. It didn't get printed today because the online printing thing is quite wonky at the moment (being so new as it is, I suppose) and geared more towards office/business documents. I've decided I'm going to just print it the old-fashioned way at work - flash stick to copier by way of the store computer. Results actually tend to be pretty good, if done right.

MO isn't too terribly far from where I am, as far as shipping is concerned. Let me know, and we can talk details sometime!

I definitely understand you, though, on wanting to experience a map in more than just sight. There's something about holding an old book or map in your hands, the scent and texture enveloping everything. Ah.. I am a nerd, and unashamed!

-asp

[Karro]

Ah.. I am a nerd, and unashamed!

-asp

There's no shame in nerdom! Say it loud, say it proud!