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Thread: May/June Light Entry: Errland

  1. #1
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    Wip May/June Light Entry: Errland

    This is my attempt at a beginning of a region for the contest. I know its not that great, but I'm still learning. So far everything is done in Gimp, I'm going to add more detail as time progresses, and as I learn more. I may possibly start over, but I'm going to try to give this contest my best shot.
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  2. #2

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    Hi Lab! The fact that you have thrown your hat in the ring is great! Having to make a map against is a deadline is the best way to learn....anyway it's how I did. Doubtless you'll have plenty of advice along the way, but my question is:

    Do you know what you want your map to look like (stylewise) when you've finished it? Or are you winging it? (which is what I usually do). What is interesting about the coastline is that it looks very square on the pixels...which suggests to me that you're using quite a low resolution to draw the map (or have imported a low res coastline). It definitely looks vector.

    Having a look at the tools of your trade, try this: print out the map at a very low opacity and go over the coastline with a black pen making it more curvy and wiggly. Scan it, and then import into Gimp (say 2000 by 2000 pixels in size). Use level adjustments to make just the coastline visible and then go for your fills.

    It's a great start but I fear those blocky coastlines will come back and haunt you if you don't get rid of them now.

  3. #3
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    Thanks for you advice, I noticed what your talking about. Now that I got a little bit of an idea of how i want it to look i think i can redo it with more detail. And yes, I am 100% winging it.

    BTW, its called Errland for a reason, cause I'm a gonna make a lotta of mistakes. "Trial and Error" is my preferred method of learning, maybe thats why I'm not a pilot.
    Last edited by lab205; 05-19-2009 at 11:03 PM.

  4. #4
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    Wip

    Okay, I've been playing around with gimp, and I have added a little more detailed. Any advice and constructive criticism is welcomed.
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  5. #5
    Community Leader Facebook Connected Ascension's Avatar
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    I'd say so far so good. The only thing you might want to think about is less yellow on the beach and more of a light tan.
    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

  6. #6
    Guild Journeyer msa's Avatar
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    I kind of liked the pixelated look, but it has to be something you are going for to make it look right. The newer version is much smoother, and its a nice start. However, the coastline smoothed out a lot in the new version. Any way you can add some of those little coves and peninsulas that were in the first version back into the map?

  7. #7
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    Okay, I took Ascensions advice, the coast did look very yellow. Now, I've added a mountain a river and a desert. Next I'm going to add a Volcano to the Island, some lakes and, maybe another river, then I'm going to start adding Villages.
    As usual, Any advice and constructive criticism is welcomed.
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  8. #8
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    I was in the middle of posting when msa left a post.
    I have noticed the coastline is very smooth. I may be able to fix it up a little, but it will be no where near as rugged as it was in the first version.

  9. #9
    Community Leader Gandwarf's Avatar
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    The river looks cool, but not very natural. There's a lot of forks that just end? They should lead to the ocean, although rivers generally don't split either
    Check out my City Designer 3 tutorials. See my fantasy (city) maps in this thread.

    Gandwarf has fallen into shadow...

  10. #10

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    It's a definite improvement! The mountains look a little blobby though...have a look at the link in my sig for a tutorial to make them look a little more natural.

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