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Thread: Shadow World - Jaiman

  1. #1

    Wip Shadow World - Jaiman

    My intro to my project is here:
    http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=5220

    To summarize, I'm working on the Shadow World Players Guide which will include continent scale maps and I'm starting with Jaiman. I'm using Campaign Cartographer 3.

    Phase 1 was to create a base map of the coastlines, rivers, and mountains. This will then serve as my base reference map to which I will add other layers of info and symbols.

    My first step was to use existing Shadow World maps to trace. You'll see in the first image below I have a big continent map, along with several smaller regional maps from various publications that I used as reference. I then used a tablet to trace all the coasts, then the rivers.

    The second and third images show my attempt at trying to put in contours and mountain relief (the last one using the relief techniques from Cartographers Annual 24). Now the contours and mtn relief is not going to be what I use in the final product. Instead I will be using mountain symbols, however I wanted to map out mountain locations at the least and thought contours was the best way to do it. Unfortunately it was difficult to really create the contours from the original maps since most of them didn't have that. So many of the lines I made up and the result is something that doesn't really look like proper contour lines.

    Phase 2 will involve copying this base map into the Par Lindstrom Fantasy Worlds style (CA 28 ), and creating the basic geographical features in that style (mountains, terrain such as desert, forest, etc) that will be common to all versions of the map. Phase 3 will be the addition of various layers of information: political boundaries, climate, racial populations, roads, trade routes, etc.

    At this point I'm looking for any advice on how to wrap up Phase 1. If you were making a base reference map what additional info would you add?

    Also, although this is an existing world, now's the time to make any minor geographical changes....any suggestions on *minor* tweaks to river locations, mountains, etc.?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by NeonKnight; 04-17-2009 at 01:10 PM. Reason: Fixed them smilies that were cropping up

  2. #2
    Community Leader NeonKnight's Avatar
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    Looks good so far to me.

    The big thing I have often noticed with Continental versus zoomed in maps is often the fact that certain liberties have been taken with regards to features (like the First map, Upper Right, the mountains do not add up).

    otherwise, like I said, it looks good so far.

    Have some REP!
    Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User

    Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!

    Any questions on CC3? Post them with CC3 in the Subject Line!
    MY 'FAMOUS' CC3 MAPS: Thunderspire; Pyramid of Shadows; King of the Trollhaunt Warrens; Demon Queen's Enclave

  3. #3
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Steel General's Avatar
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    I like it, just wish it were larger/higher rez. so we could see the detail better.
    My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...

    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.



  4. #4
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Ascension's Avatar
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    I really like that zoomed view in the top right of the first map. Good stuff.
    If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
    -J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)


    My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps

  5. #5

    Map

    Here's my latest version of the map. I've added all the terrain now, next up will be roads and towns/cities when I'll tweak some of the positions of some natural features.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #6

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    Very nice mountains... but honestly at that scale you wouldn't be able to see any individual trees in the forest. You should probably make the forest textures smaller/less detailed (also, this will make the sharp forest boundaries make more sense)

  7. #7
    Community Leader Gandwarf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ironmetal250 View Post
    Very nice mountains... but honestly at that scale you wouldn't be able to see any individual trees in the forest. You should probably make the forest textures smaller/less detailed (also, this will make the sharp forest boundaries make more sense)
    What he says
    Check out my City Designer 3 tutorials. See my fantasy (city) maps in this thread.

    Gandwarf has fallen into shadow...

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vroomfogle View Post
    To summarize, I'm working on the Shadow World Players Guide which will include continent scale maps and I'm starting with Jaiman. I'm using Campaign Cartographer 3.
    Shadow World ... brings memories of teenage years happily wasted (so to speak) reading too many books of RM knowledge. I didn't know it was still in use. In fact, I thought ICE was going silently into extinction like all the tabletop RPG houses.

    I'm happy to know I was wrong.

  9. #9

    Map

    Thanks for all the comments.

    I've been through several iterations here, and actually added a ton of different layers of data to the map: climate, essaence flows, places of interest both player and GM only, kingdom borders, roads, cities and villages, various labels. Still to add wind patterns, trade routes, and a few other things.

    The issue of the forests has always bothered me as well. This is based on the Fantasy Worlds style from the CC Annual, but at this continental scale and at these latitudes (45-70 similar to Canada or Europe) there is actual forest covering the entire thing. So showing discrete forests scattered about just doesn't seem right.

    I've attached three images below. The first is the original one using the forests. The second is with the forests removed. The third is with the land darker to better illustrate the forest coverage (otherwise I think the lightness makes it look more like grassland).

    Preference, comments?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Vroomfogle; 06-23-2009 at 02:32 PM. Reason: Updated maps to larger size

  10. #10
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Steel General's Avatar
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    I prefer the third (darker one), though all of them have their merits.
    My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...

    Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.



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