Seeking map or need advice on making it

Targa · #1 February 5th, 2004, 01:19 AM

Quick update to the map:
http://www.techno-mage.com/~targa/webmap.jpg

Currently at 88 layers.

I've already had several Messages to the effect, "Not enough system resources, close any open programs and retry" when attempting to multitask with Photoshop having the map loaded.

I'm hoping to have it finished in about a week, but don't hold me to that. I think the next one will be a nice small 2-4 player map.

Gandalf Parker · #2 February 5th, 2004, 01:33 AM

Seeing some interesting things there. That line of cliffs in the upper right will be uncrossable? Nice.

You might have to do a few merges in order to free up some ram. I thought my machine was more than enough for anything until I started playing with GIMP

Argitoth · #3 February 5th, 2004, 01:43 AM

Targa, if it's going to be a wraparound map, you will need to change some of the map to make it look normal as a wraparaound.

Also, if it's not going to be wraparound, you can't have that big lake just cut off like that, although it doesn't really matter. just making suggestions for improvement.

Edit: or is it an ocean?

[ February 04, 2004, 23:50: Message edited by: Argitoth ]

Arryn · #4 February 5th, 2004, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Targa:
Quick update to the map:
http://www.techno-mage.com/~targa/webmap.jpg

This map is gorgeous! I can hardly wait to see the end result ...

Targa · #5 February 5th, 2004, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
Seeing some interesting things there. That line of cliffs in the upper right will be uncrossable? Nice.

You might have to do a few merges in order to free up some ram. I thought my machine was more than enough for anything until I started playing with GIMP

Yeah, I spoke with Kristoffer about the possibility of making some cliffs/rifts/and plateau's and he helped me out a bit. Hopefully there'll be more in the next map. You're right about merging layers, which I dislike doing because it limits the tweaking...that said, I should merge a bunch that I think are done, then save the file under a different name so I have the original just in case. Thanks.

Quote:

Originally posted by Argitoth:
Targa, if it's going to be a wraparound map, you will need to change some of the map to make it look normal as a wraparaound.

Also, if it's not going to be wraparound, you can't have that big lake just cut off like that, although it doesn't really matter. just making suggestions for improvement.

Edit: or is it an ocean?

It's an ocean/sea. As for wrap/non-wrap, the graphics near the edges are on separate layers, so they're easily hidden/removed in order to modify it to be a wraparound. First Version will be non-wrap though. The wrap Version will only wrap horizontally, so the water at the bottom won't matter.

Arryn: Thanks!

I'm not fishing for compliments, but as everyone knows, positive feedback is the fuel that keeps the fire burning for those who are working on mods, maps, guides, etc... I imagine that if no one showed any interest, this project would die off rather quickly.

Quote:

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
Seeing some interesting things there. That line of cliffs in the upper right will be uncrossable?

Actually, all of the mountain ranges will be uncrossable (the very long vertical one in the middle has a gap in the center). This is to create choke points and limit access. Do you think this would be a mistake?

Arryn · #6 February 5th, 2004, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Targa:
Arryn: Thanks! I'm not fishing for compliments, but as everyone knows, positive feedback is the fuel that keeps the fire burning for those who are working on mods, maps, guides, etc... I imagine that if no one showed any interest, this project would die off rather quickly.

A bit of appreciation can't hurt, and can go a long ways towards making tedious tasks more bearable.

I prefer large, wrap-around maps like Orania. But a large non-wrap map would be just fine provided it is suitably interesting. No offense intended towards Tiltowait, but I prefer maps of the style that IW (and now you too) make. However pretty, or unusual, those 3rd-party maps on the IW site may be, they strike me as too amateurish (excepting the world map, of course), not to mention hard on the eyes. BTW, horizontal wrap is fine. We can assume there are 'poles', if we need a justification.

One comment that I have is that it seems you are creating large-sized provinces, as compared to a map like Orania. Do you have a ballpark estimate for the total number of land and sea provinces this map will have?

Targa · #7 February 5th, 2004, 02:52 AM

Also, what's everyone's opinion about the spread and combination of mountain/forest/fertile plains/wasteland? Am I not putting in enough "money spots"? I keep finding myself not being happy with the "barren" provinces, and wanting to stick something in them. I'm concerned about the distribution of fertile lands....too much, not enough, wrong places? I can't tell you how many times I've loaded Aran.tga for a comparison. Believe it or not, I have even measured how many pixels wide and high each province is in comparison to those on Aran.