Updating my world map

Lxcharon
Lxcharon
edited February 2016 in Campaign Portal Building
!https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d1/ad/21/d1ad21391098f433eef0aa712e24c97b.jpg!

So I made this map a few years ago when I first created Terrasia, now that I have better cartography skills I'm starting to redo the map from scratch. I was wondering your guy's opinion on it. What do you think could be improved upon or changed so I know where to focus when I remap it. Is there anything that sticks out as wrong? Any feedback would be appreciated! Thank you ahead of time. (be rough I'm a graphic designer and can take criticism.)
«1

Comments

  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Looks fantastic, Lxcharon!

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • Basileus
    Basileus
    Posts: 585
    Yah, general presentation is great!

    Do you have a larger version somewhere, so I can look at it closer? I might have some suggestions about how you are representing certain features like mountains and such.
  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189
    Thanks Twigs, I hope the new map is even more fantastic.

    And Basileus, the answer is yes and no. You can look at it "here":https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/d1/ad/21/d1ad21391098f433eef0aa712e24c97b.jpg but it's not really a larger version, just a version you can zoom in on. I've at some point lost the original PSD version of this map. (making remapping from scratch not only something I want, but something I need to do)
  • Abersade
    Abersade
    Posts: 417
    Ah, that's it. I have to actually make a map that doesn't look stupid now. :P

    This looks great Lxcharon. Do you have any tips in regards to how you created that?

    -Abersade
    DM of "Rise of the Durnskald - Wrath of the Fallen Goddess":https://rise-of-the-durnskald.obsidianportal.com/
    "Campaign of the Month - February 2016":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/obsidian-portal-campaign-of-the-month-february-2016-rise-of-the-durnskald/

    GM of Rise of the Durnskald: Wrath of the Fallen Goddess - February 2016 CotM

    GM of Core: The Ashes of Alcarna - April 2020 CotM

    GM of Stream of Kairos

    Need CSS Help? It may be covered here: Abersade's CSS Hub

  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    For map making I highly recommend this "thread":http://forums.obsidianportal.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=2518&page=1

    Just trying to help out.

  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189
    Abersade: I cannot suggest "The Cartographer's Guild":http://www.cartographersguild.com/content.php highly enough. Almost everything I've learned about mapping has been from that community and their tutorials.

    Also those thousands of dollars I spent on attending art school and the years of photoshop use help as well. But also don't sell the old school blue grid map short. Different campaigns call for different maps.

    Killervp, funny story I actually have that page bookmarked from a few years ago, before I ever even joined OP!
  • Basileus
    Basileus
    Posts: 585 edited February 2016
    Plus, if you've money to spend, you can commission cartographers at the Guild.

    Subforum for mapmaking requests "here":http://www.cartographersguild.com/forumdisplay.php?f=51. Just make sure that you mark your thread as a "Paid" opportunity.
    Post edited by Basileus on
  • Basileus
    Basileus
    Posts: 585 edited February 2016
    Alright, enough compliments, where's my Criticism Hat...?

    # There appear to be several rivers that traverse the continent from sea to sea. Clearer definition of a few drainage basins and or continental divides would be beneficial (avoid having river systems cross mountains - they can source in mountains, and frequently do, but should never traverse them barring some supernatural or very unique situation).
    # The rough mountainous texture looks good at full size, but got lost in the snow at the smaller size. I'd make it a bit stronger this time around.
    # I'd tighten up the islands around Orran Moth, so that the larger ones indicate the submerged ridge between either side of the bay, with tighter clustering along that line. ...Unless its an impact crater?

    All I got for now.
    Post edited by Basileus on
  • Keryth987
    Keryth987
    Posts: 1,047
    I think it looks amazing, then again, my cartography skills leave alot to be desired :)

    Keelah Se'lai,
    Keryth
    "Shadows Over New York":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shadows-over-new-york
    "2013 Campaign of The Year":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/2013-coty-shadows-over-new-york/
    "Campaign of the Month July 2013":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/shadows-over-new-york-julys-campaign-of-the-month/

  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189
    Yeah I still haven't mastered rivers yet. I have a tendency to go for the most visually appealing instead of what is actually possible. I need to work on that....
    I'm completely rehauling the mountains texture so hopefully that will be fixed.
    And Orran Moth is kind of an impact crater. It was a land bridge similar to mexico between terrasia and a country to the south but a terrible war decimated the land completely destroying most of it. I'm hand drawing the ocean shelf texture this time around to give me more variability to make it look more jagged and destroyed.
    Thanks for the feedback Basileus!
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006 edited February 2016
    Abersade, your map doesn't look stupid. It looks "Tolkienesque".

    twigs
    Post edited by twiggyleaf on

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Lxcahron,

    Basileus's comments are good. More pronounced rivers should look pretty cool.

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189
    Twigs, I definitely am going to find a way to make the rivers more apparent. I understand that they disappear into the map at a distance.
  • Basileus
    Basileus
    Posts: 585
    One very small trick I use to make rivers pop is a slight green outer glow (indicative of the vegetation near rivers), with an even tinier pale blue inner glow (less then the width of the river in pixels, mostly just highlights the river visually but sort of works as the edge of the water).

    The Rules of Rivers, borrowed from ProFantasy's "primer on mapping rivers":http://rpgmaps.profantasy.com/?p=2017:

    # Rivers always flow from higher to lower elevations.
    # Wetlands, swamps, and marshes are generally found in flood plains.
    # Floodplains are generally found where rivers are thickest, and where they branch out – and in the shallows of lakes closest to the shoreline.
    # Rivers are thickest – and branch out – in areas of uniform lower elevation in comparison to the surrounding terrain – typically in the lowest regions of valleys, or areas that are generally flat or depressed terrain.
    # Warm, humid areas will have more swamps and marshes than any other – irregardless of whether or not they (other areas) fulfill the prior criteria – due to greater rain fall.
    # There are really no set rules on where a river will begin or end – but generally the longest and widest rivers (like the Mississippi river, The Amazon River, The Brazos River, The Nile River, The Danube, etc.) – either start, end, or start AND end at delta spillways into larger lakes, seas, and oceans.
    # Most of your vegetation distributed on a given land mass will be associated with an adjoining body of water, i.e. Forests and swamps will be most numerous and dense along and around rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, and coastal sea shores. Wetlands, Marshes, and Swamps are often found at the forking areas / branching origins of multiple river systems that connect or branch off of each other – and along / atop the shallowest areas of freshwater seas, lakes, and ponds in locations along shores that are nearest dry land.
    # Civilization LOVES water. Towns, cities, hamlets, villages, settlements, and camps will nearly ALWAYS be close to some kind of water source. Human civilization first began next to a river. The more geopolitical boundaries (political borders) a body of water intersects – the more settlements will be situated near it as a trade artery. The largest / longest body of water within any political division will have the highest concentration of civilized settlements (more accurately – POPULATION) within that division.
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Rockin' dem river rules, Baz!

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189 edited March 2016
    Okay, after much delay I'm adding the finishing touches to my new map. I do know that There's some issues with the state borders (that I somehow didn't see in photoshop but see now) so I'll go back and fix those.

    I fixed some of the rivers, bumped up mountains and forests. I changed the location markers and fonts. One thing I'm really looking at is which ocean label to use the one for Soren Ocean or the one for Mara Ocean, let me know which you think looks better. And anything else I should change now before I start making aesthetic changes (like lines and borders and compasses).

    Thanks for your help!

    !https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/campaigns/133325/assets/567094/RSG_map_WiP4.jpg?1457634693!

    (I wish I could explain how big this map is too. if I printed it out at full size it would be over six foot by something. It's making my computer run soooo slow so I'm ready to finish this thing!)

    ~
    The wars of man are nothing to the wars of Gods.
    "Realm of the Six Gods":https://terrasia.obsidianportal.com/
    Post edited by Lxcharon on
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Those rivers you speak of don't seem very clear but apart from that, the map looks excellent to me.

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • Maesenko
    Maesenko
    Posts: 325 edited March 2016
    I also can't see any rivers. Nor can I tell where the boundaries are for Per (or is it JUST the city?)
    While I like both Ocean typographies, I think I prefer the style used on Soren more.
    Only other thing it may be missing is a map scale.

    On further review of the map, I'm curious...how does a country like Milesworth protect its continent-wide borders on both sides? How does a nation like that function/support itself?
    I imagine heavy tolling of roads as all land travel N/S would pass through Milesworth, although that could also make them enemies of many. Or maybe there are some highly-competitive contracts and trade agreements involved?

    Oh, how giant maps make me giddy. :D

    As Always,
    _~Mae_
    Post edited by Maesenko on

    ~Mae

    CotM Selection Committee

  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189
    Okay okay... I need to bump the rivers up hardcore.

    Per is just a city! Soren is the one I'm leaning towards as well. And these are all state borders not country borders, so protecting the borders aren't a primary concern, but even if it was Milesworth is a almost corporatocracal state that is a trade route that all the other states use. So there is both heaving tolling and trade agreements involved.

    thanks for the input!

    ~
    The wars of man are nothing to the wars of Gods.
    "Realm of the Six Gods":https://terrasia.obsidianportal.com/
  • Maesenko
    Maesenko
    Posts: 325
    So does that mean Terrasia is one country? And/or one continent?
    You make me curiouser and curiouser, L.

    OT: Have you given any thought to marking any major landmarks? Or naming the lakes?

    ~Mae

    CotM Selection Committee

  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Yes, please name the lakes!

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • NikMak
    NikMak
    Posts: 379
    'Soren' looks way better to me
  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189
    Terrasia is indeed a single continent/country, split into 10 (fairly large) states. And I haven't labeled anything specific because I hope to do detailed maps for each state individually. (which is also why this map is so big, so that when I crop it for the individual maps it still has plenty of detail.) So trust me, all those lakes and rivers and villages that are barely visible will get their time to shine. haha

    And I think Soren is the style i'm going with NikMak
  • Basileus
    Basileus
    Posts: 585
    Can't quite make out the rivers well at this size (do you have a blown up version of this as well?), but it looks like you still have at least that one river system that traverses the continent (from the lake by The Far Place, a river goes both north and south). Typically, there should be a continental divide along the mountains so only one of those rivers should exist (either north of south from that lake).

    This probably won't bother 9 out of 10 people, so it might be low on the priority list of fixes.

    P.S. Dude, you're main page is looking sweet! I love the cape painted/dripping into the page.
  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189
    You're completely right (again) i thought i broke them all up but blanked on that one.

    And thank you! I'm trying to up my game to keep up with all of your guys awesome pages! Gotta play with the big boys!
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    You need to move from planning to playing, and get some logs in Lxcharon

    Just trying to help out.

  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189
    I know, I know, Killervp, but you know: life. We were suppose to start in Jan, but they weren't ready, then we were suppose to start in feb, but I had something come up in my personal life that required my attention (that also kept me off of OP for a while), and now we've finally started, but my entire group this time around are new to tabletop rpgs, so we're playing through the starter box to D&D 5e, and then will jump to my campaign. Only a couple weeks left of the starter box! Right before we start I want to put my campaign page up for review (because after we start I'll be so busy updating logs, and wiki pages that I'll never get around to fixing code or layout haha).
  • Lxcharon
    Lxcharon
    Posts: 189
    Okay here is the finish map, let me know what you think.
    Made the rivers more prominent, broke some of them up, finished all the little frivolous things.

    !https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/campaigns/131198/assets/570231/RSG_map_small.jpg?1458340351!
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    How about a link, preferably an outside site, where we can zoom with not a lot of effort- first glance is major improvement.
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":https://a-god-rebuilt.obsidianportal.com

    Just trying to help out.

  • Maesenko
    Maesenko
    Posts: 325
    MUCH better on the rivers, and I love the decorative frame!

    I can kinda make out that you named the ocean above Terrasia, but the frame covers most of it from view.
    Other than that, I think it looks perfect!

    As Always,
    _~Mae_

    ~Mae

    CotM Selection Committee

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