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    Post Testing map style for a fantasy setting

    This is an experimental map for a fantasy setting of my creation, called Savage Age, which I'm working on at the Campaign Builders' Guild. This regional map shows the southern portions of Euria. Most of the space is hogged up by the southern lands of the Argyrian Empire; only the lands to the east are free from it's domination.

    There are still many locations left unnamed. The "town"-level settlements will probably never be named, and smaller towns aren't even shown on this scale. The road network only shows the major, highly trafficked roads. I used Wag's brushes for the mountains.

    Some things I'd especially appreciate feedback on:
    • Do you think that the rivers look good? I tried to make them more clearly visible by making a copy of the blue river layer, coloring it black and blurring it, then placing it under the original layer. But I think it's making the narrowest rivers appear too dark.
    • Is there too much variation of fonts and text colors? I've used different fonts for the names of seas, mountains, land areas and cities/other symbols. I've also made use of different letter cases (for example, capital cities have their names in caps, other cities in lowercase).
    • What do you think about the combination of textured landscape & forests with symbolic mountains? I haven't been able to come up with a method to create good-looking mountains without going for a "satellite photo" style (which I don't want to use because I don't think it sets the right kind of feel), but I didn't want to resort to black & white hand-drawn style either. This is the best compromise I've managed so far.
    • Are the forest edges too blurry? Would tree symbols work better than textured forest for this style of map?
    • Should I add texture or do other things with the sea? I'm not going to represent variations of depth in any way, but maybe a covering pattern representing waves, or some faded striping by the shores could make it look nicer?

    Be warned that the file is fairly big: 4000x2200 pixels.

    (EDIT: updated map)
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Ghostman; 08-09-2009 at 03:51 PM.

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