Even cooler would be to be able to automate the process, of course.
I used to work in a software house making dynamic print-ready pdf's for printing businesses, so that was my first thought.
I think it's a great idea.
A thought just popped in my head. Something I could add into my Gamer-Printshop.com site - if I ever could have time to actually work on my site, instead of endless commission maps!
What about guild members creating "almost labeled maps". In other words, say create a city map, include a cartouche with no actual city name title, perhaps even numbered locations on the map with a legend area to name it, with no names.
The point is, I could post maps for printing on the site, for a kickback to the Guild, offering gamers the chance to post their preferred city title to match their current RPG campaign or home brew. Also major sites: temples, fortresses, etc. can also be named by these gamers for their gods or specific temples, guilds, fighting orders, etc.
Instead of forcing a gamer to order a printed map with your chosen city name, they get to choose it themselves. I'll enter the name on the map and print the file.
Thoughts?
GP
Gamer Printshop Publishing, Starfinder RPG modules and supplements, Map Products, Map Symbol Sets and Map Making Tutorial Guide
DrivethruRPG store
Artstation Gallery - Maps and 3D illustrations
Even cooler would be to be able to automate the process, of course.
I used to work in a software house making dynamic print-ready pdf's for printing businesses, so that was my first thought.
I think it's a great idea.
Sounds like a really neat idea.
My Finished Maps | My Challenge Maps | Still poking around occasionally...
Unless otherwise stated by me in the post, all work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
generic cities, kingdoms and continents in addition to the usual generic town, keep, dungeon and temple maps. Sounds smart...
OK, I plan to rework the website this weekend, fix the bad links and add in the Unlabeled Maps page.
I think I will add $2 to my print price, then kick back $1 to the Guild and $1 to the artist/cartographer of a given map, that way everybody profits from the service.
When the site is ready I'll make a notification on the News Forum and I can then start receiving submissions for unlabeled maps.
Thoughts?
GP
Gamer Printshop Publishing, Starfinder RPG modules and supplements, Map Products, Map Symbol Sets and Map Making Tutorial Guide
DrivethruRPG store
Artstation Gallery - Maps and 3D illustrations
What size and resolution would you want maps in? Not that I consider what I'm doing worthy of print in any form as of yet, but I guess it would be relevant for those who are to make the maps, eh?
I think it's great throwing a buck at the artist as well. Just a small incentive besides knowing you're kindof published.
Generally I say, for a large format map at the final dimensional size, 100 ppi is the minimum resolution. If your PC can handle it, 300 ppi is preferrable, but 100 ppi still works fine.
I sponsored the January 2009 challenge by printing the winning map, those were the standards we were working on.
GP
Gamer Printshop Publishing, Starfinder RPG modules and supplements, Map Products, Map Symbol Sets and Map Making Tutorial Guide
DrivethruRPG store
Artstation Gallery - Maps and 3D illustrations
How do you plan to handle things like different font styles for labeling and layer styles for fancy titles? Should we include these sort of things in a zip file that you can then put into a folder for keeping them all together? Don't get me wrong but I'd hate for someone else to just start putting sloppy styles onto something that I labor for days to get just the right feel (my current map has taken me a week to find the right font and I still haven't chosen a layer style for the title).
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
What you said, Ascension, or even have available fonts to choose from, limited for each map of course. That would be the way I think.
GP
Gamer Printshop Publishing, Starfinder RPG modules and supplements, Map Products, Map Symbol Sets and Map Making Tutorial Guide
DrivethruRPG store
Artstation Gallery - Maps and 3D illustrations