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Thread: [d20] Kingdoms of Aeris

  1. #1
    NymTevlyn
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    Post [d20] Kingdoms of Aeris

    http://ariagames.net/thenewworld_map.jpg

    So, rather than show up on my first post with just a WIP, I figured I'd post my latest map. I bought CC3 a couple days ago and spent some time making this map to learn the ropes. It's a pretty big file, 1.2 mb in size. 2500x2000 pixels. My biggest gripe with CC3 is selecting specific symbols to erase them.

    About the map, it's for my D&D d20 campaign setting I'm going to be running using the Fantasy Grounds software. I've used photoshop to make maps before, but while my technical skills with cartography are decent, my artistic skills are nowhere near up to par. I like the consistency I can get using CC3.
    Last edited by NymTevlyn; 06-12-2008 at 10:52 AM. Reason: Updating the URL to the new D&D site I share with a friend.

  2. #2
    Community Leader pyrandon's Avatar
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    First off, welcome to the Guild!

    That map is very nice, NymTevlyn; I especially like the dangerous coast north of the Bay of Kalimnor!

    My only suggestion is rather weak: you have named one of your ranges the Misty Mountains--which obviously brings to mind Tolkien. Not sure if this was intentional, but it may be distracting to some. But that's all I see and, like I said, it's weak. Nicely done!

    PS: Nice banner for your game, too!
    Don
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  3. #3
    NymTevlyn
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    Yeah, it was intentional. ^_^ Seems like every, single fantasy book I've read has a Mountains of Mist or Misty Mountains in them. Sort of a tongue-in-cheek inside joke.

  4. #4
    Community Leader pyrandon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NymTevlyn
    Yeah, it was intentional. ^_^ Seems like every, single fantasy book I've read has a Mountains of Mist or Misty Mountains in them. Sort of a tongue-in-cheek inside joke.
    In THAT case, rock on!!
    Don
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  5. #5
    Administrator Facebook Connected Robbie's Avatar
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    Good to see some more CC3 work in here All the Photoshop and Gimp stuff was starting to make me think the CC3 crowd had abandoned us! Hehehe.

    Map is very nice! I only have one suggestion as well. Its not quite as weak as don's...the Azure forest on the southern edge of the map seems to start above the map border in a straight line. You should probably redo that forest starting it further behind the map border so as to allow the map border to overlay it.
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  6. #6
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
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    Other than what Arcana mentioned, I honestly can't find anything worth even a nitpick. I like the different roof colors in the different areas. I'm guessing that denotes different kingdom affiliations or some such? Very nice work!
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  7. #7
    NymTevlyn
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arcana
    Good to see some more CC3 work in here All the Photoshop and Gimp stuff was starting to make me think the CC3 crowd had abandoned us! Hehehe.
    Heh. I usually handdraw maps, but they're simple line drawings and nothing fancy. My hand gets really tired when writing/drawing so I tend to not have a consistent style like I prefer. CC3 gives me that consistency.

    Map is very nice! I only have one suggestion as well. Its not quite as weak as don's...the Azure forest on the southern edge of the map seems to start above the map border in a straight line. You should probably redo that forest starting it further behind the map border so as to allow the map border to overlay it.
    That's just something odd with the way CC3 fills in the forests near the border of the image. I had to fix the right side borders and just forgot about the bottom one.

    Quote Originally Posted by RPMiller
    Other than what Arcana mentioned, I honestly can't find anything worth even a nitpick. I like the different roof colors in the different areas. I'm guessing that denotes different kingdom affiliations or some such? Very nice work!
    Yup, the different colored rooftops do denote which nation the town/village/city belongs to. It's easier than drawing arbitrary borders and allows for fluctuations without much redrawing.

  8. #8
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    I like the scale of the symbols. The mountains feel large in comparison to everything else, like I think they would. There are a lot of little details I like too, like the trees obscuring the view of the river passing through the Howling Forest (or the Black Forest). I also like how the northenmost peaks of the Misty Mountains cast their shadows over the forest. You should make the northern peaks of the Iceguard Mountains do the same to the Coldwind Forest.

    Good work...nice map!

  9. #9
    NymTevlyn
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hoseman
    I like the scale of the symbols. The mountains feel large in comparison to everything else, like I think they would. There are a lot of little details I like too, like the trees obscuring the view of the river passing through the Howling Forest (or the Black Forest). I also like how the northenmost peaks of the Misty Mountains cast their shadows over the forest. You should make the northern peaks of the Iceguard Mountains do the same to the Coldwind Forest.

    Good work...nice map!
    Thanks for the compliments and the criticisms. The shadows on Coldwind Forest would require me to re-do that entire set of mountains probably. I still haven't quite got the knack of selecting the symbols in CC3 and manipulating them. It really is a very poorly designed interface. You'd think they'd get it right after three major versions.

  10. #10
    Community Leader RPMiller's Avatar
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    There is actually a command, I think it is sortsyms, that will sort all the symbols for you on a map from north to south and west to east making them overlap each other properly. This doesn't address the specific need here, but it could help.

    I'm not positive about the name of the command, but it is probably on the Symbols menu by now.
    Bill Stickers is innocent! It isn't Bill's fault that he was hanging out in the wrong place.

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