Thread: [Award Winner] Using GIMP to Create an Artistic Regional RPG Map

I downloaded and unzipped the file. When I tried to to install the color palette but I couldn't find the folder. I am using a Mac so maybe there is a different way to install it? So far I have opened the contents of GIMP's application folder then looked through it and searched the whole computer using Finder.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Originally Posted by Proud2baNerd

I downloaded and unzipped the file. When I tried to to install the color palette but I couldn't find the folder. I am using a Mac so maybe there is a different way to install it? So far I have opened the contents of GIMP's application folder then looked through it and searched the whole computer using Finder.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Go to the Edit Menu and select Preferences. Scroll down to the Folders and expand that. You should see Palates as an option and when you click on that, it should show the application path for your OS of where to place the files... Also note that you can add additional path locations so you can store them in multiple locations.

Originally Posted by jfrazierjr

Go to the Edit Menu and select Preferences. Scroll down to the Folders and expand that. You should see Palates as an option and when you click on that, it should show the application path for your OS of where to place the files... Also note that you can add additional path locations so you can store them in multiple locations.

Thanks, I tried that and it worked! I will now see if I can do the rest . . .

Ok, so I have been having a plethora of problems with this tut, I see its value and really want to be able to do this but every step I run into a road block. I have repeated the first parts several times and as I notice one mistake I made another pokes up. This is my latest and likely most basic mistake I am creating the "sea shape" layer and using the Guassian Blur effect when I get a very strange outcome.

Before:


After:


I can't get the Guassian Blur to work now (even after a Gimp restart) and am slowly coming to the conclusion that the learning curve it too steep to troubleshoot everything alone.

...Help me cartography people your my only hope.

ok.. thats not right. In your first image, the Sea Shape layer should be EXACTLY like the Land Mask layer before you do anything to it. Then, make sure you have nothing selected (since that selection limits what the filter works on) by doing Select->None. Then run the Guassian Blur filter and this layer should now look like a big blob kind of the shape of your original Land Mask layer.

If you'll notice you first picture has a black to transparent gradient from the upper left to the lower right and thats why it's not coming out correctly....

ok.. thats not right. In your first image, the Sea Shape layer should be EXACTLY like the Land Mask layer before you do anything to it. Then, make sure you have nothing selected (since that selection limits what the filter works on) by doing Select->None. Then run the Guassian Blur filter and this layer should now look like a big blob kind of the shape of your original Land Mask layer.

If you'll notice you first picture has a black to transparent gradient from the upper left to the lower right and thats why it's not coming out correctly....

mmm, not so.

Even after I delete the Sea Shape layer (with the funny gradient) and duplicate Land Mask I get the same outcome (which it(it being the Sea Shape layer) then looks like the gradient in the above pictures)

I'm going to start from scratch again, hopefully I don't make the mistake again.

[QUOTE=RobA;9404]Post 3: Then Let's Begin (if I have an idea)

Create new layer called “Land Noise” and fill it with clouds (Filter->Render->Clouds->Solid Noise) Set the detail to the maximum (15) and the X and Y size to the max (16.0). The larger the size, the more randomness your final coast will have. Give it a new random seed and jot down the number (I put it in the layer name afterwards as a reminder). And change the blend mode to Overlay.

Hello there.. I seem to have trouble getting this to work right: I'm using GIMP 2.6.6 and attempting to follow everything to the letter. When you refer to "blend mode to Overlay", do you mean the "Blend Tool" on the left side toolbox, or the "Layers Mode on the right toolbox. I tried both ways, and nothing seemed to work right, and I cannot get the cloud layer displayed over the land areas as displayed on the next screenshot. It just shows up as gray sea (colour level adjusted to 71 on white land. I've been going back and forth over this for a while. Please help!