Union World Map [WIP]

[handsome_unlimited]

Heyhey,

So it's finally time for me to sort out the map of my game world. My goal is to eventually create an "Ilanthar-style" map (yeah that's right, it's a thing now, what are you gonna do about it). I'd been putting the process on hold for a long time, but when I saw Ersïa, I was completely sold on Ilanthar's style and was inspired to get started.
I've ditched my Fractal Terrains auto-generated maps (though they served me well) and cut and pasted and played around with some rough shapes for my landmasses. I've temporarily put some colour and texture into it using layering from Tear's Saderan tutorial, but only to help me figure out if I like the shapes. The elevations are just clouds/ difference clouds filters, again, only there to help me visualise. I'll figure out where I want my elevations next, though. For now, can anybody help me spot anything obviously wrong or weird with the landmasses?

[handsome_unlimited]

UPDATE TIME. I have been playing around with the shaded relief side of things and it has become clear that I have no idea what I'm doing



TELL ME YOUR SECRETS ILANTHAR

[Mouse]

Hi Handsome

The best way to check if your landmasses are good is to make the map into a globe. Since you have FT, you could import that image into it and then export a Spin View Image Sequence to make a rotating globe of the map and check for any odd looking bits.

As for the shading... I can't help you there. I'm probably going to get into the same situation myself quite soon with my own new world project. I do have a question, though. Why have you made a smiley face in the mountains?

[handsome_unlimited]

wow, it took me ages to find it but now i can't unsee it. those are REALLY happy mountains.
also, i've checked it out on a globe and it's mostly good, but i'm at that stage where i've looked at it so much i would be totally blind to more obvious problems. i've intentionally made sure there is no landmass north or south of certain points, that way i have an 'easy to work with' equirectangular projection where it doesn't warp massively near the poles. it's not REALLY correct, but for my own purposes i can just zoom in and expand an area of map and assume that's the lay of the land. i don't worry about factoring it distortion that way... if that makes sense?

...but seriously i have no idea what i'm doing. i can only conclude that ilanthar is some kind of map-sorcerer. a cartographomancer, if you will.

[Mouse]

Well you know what they say about those CLs don't you? Apparently they have this secret back door into CL land where they go to do.... whatever.... and sometimes they even shape shift into dragons. Since all dragons are magical, then I guess it makes sense that Ilanthar is magical

[Ilanthar]

By Handsome_Unlimited
what are you gonna do about it

Claim some patent rights ?

Mouse is right, checking the lands on a globe helps. And I often chose to avoid lands at the poles to avoid distortions... Another possibility is the exact opposite : only lands at the poles (what I did with my first iteration of Ersïa, btw).
You have a good start I'd say. Don't hesitate to play with layers and opacity, notably to get the transition between the main mountains and the coasts.

@Mouse : If I'm a dragon, I still can't see my gold pile... although I sleep a lot . More seriously, don't wake the dragons!

[Mouse]

Ok - I'll be careful *Mouse takes hobnail boots off and tiptoes around for a bit in her odd coloured socks*

The gold, they say, is at the end of the rainbow, but its dashed difficult drawing a rainbow on a map, so nobody's managed to find it just yet

[handsome_unlimited]

ok, shaded relief (roughly) done. if i can get any feedback/advice related to topography that would be amazing. while i'm eagerly awaiting your replies, i'll start work on climates and biomes in the mean time.



any glaring mistakes?

[Mouse]

The smile is gone, but the mountains look a lot better now

[handsome_unlimited]

ok, so these are the prevalent winds in winter (i've been trying to use the climate cookbook). anyone able to offer any feedback? any obvious mistakes?