August Entry: Magic Compass

[RPMiller]

I changed the pointer and added a "sky" inside the globe. I think this will be it.

[Gamerprinter]

I really like the transparency, where you can see the map's scroll work through the edges (slightly refracted) in the glass globe.

Nice effect, RP!

[pyrandon]

RP--I like this better than the other except for 2 things: 1) I think the inside plane should be at less of an angle, so more surface is seen. This is just personal opinion., & nothing "wrong" with the pic. 2) The shadow seems wrong; it could be an optical illusion, but if this map is on a flat, horizontal surface like a table and the globe is holding is holding it down then the interior shadow seems off.

Great work & a clever idea!!

[Gamerprinter]

Pyrandon's right about the shadow.

The shadow cast by the "crystal ball" appears on surface that is "below" it, (which doesn't exist here) when the shadow should be cast behind it onto the map's surface.

Try a drop shadow effect through a transparent object...

That should fix it - and you'd have the perfect rose!

[RPMiller]

Look at the drop shadow on the edge of the map. Now look at the shadow from the orb. You'll notice that they are the same angle. I think what is giving the impression is a severe optical illusion caused by the angle of the disk. Which pyrandon nailed as the problem. The disk should be fully flat since you would be looking down at it, and in turn the shadow would be darker and a bit larger. I was actually designing it as if it was being held in your hand which is where the problem came in. I'll "turn" the disk to the correct angle tomorrow and fix that shadow. Thanks guys!

[ravells]

I'd be interested to see the final result, having the disc at a different plane to the map is always going to look a little odd to my mind. I think it's because of our innate expectation that the disc is 'floating' on something and that therefore it should always be paralllel to the ground plane. Maybe you can add a perspective warp to the map itself so that map and disc are parallel to each other (see picture below) and you still keep the compass rose looking 3d with the disc float effect. It Looks beautiful, I love the sky effect, it's almost a world within a world.

[RPMiller]

World within a world was what I was going for actually. Had I a bit more free time I would actually put a terrain on the disk. I was thinking the disk was a relief of the world/continent as well as a compass. Sort of like a magical GPS unit. Unfortunately I'm a bit swamped. I haven't even had time to read through all the recent posts let alone fix it up a bit more.