...And Now Your Winners!

[Diamond]

Well that was fun, wasn't it? The journey that began last January when the first maps of 2017 began to roll in is now over. I take great honor in presenting your 2017 Atlas Award winners!

For Best World Map:

Atlas of Thersis, by Naima

This came as no real surprise. A clear winner, this map to me epitomizes everything grand about our hobby and passion. It is a real, workable, authentic map... of a place that never existed. The presentation is top-notch and flawless. It's so well-executed it makes one want to turn the page and see what the next map is. Kudos to Naima!



For Best Regional Map:

Atlantide Regional Map, by Warlin

If you haven't already, be sure to check out Warlin's entire set of Atlantide maps. Any one of them is a winner from top to bottom, but this one is definitely something special. With its painstakingly real biomes, river systems, and mountain ranges, its spot-on font choices and labeling, and the sense it evokes of a place that really could exist just off the coast of Morocco, this map is wonderful.



For Best City, Town, or Village Map:

Travar, by SteffenBrand

It really boggles the mind when you come across a map like this, something so intricate, so well-crafted, and so magnificent, you can't quite believe one man created it. Well, one man did, and that man is Steffen Brand. Truly a labor of love, Travar is so rich in detail you can spend hours poring over it. The folks who commissioned it were lucky indeed.



For Best Hand-Drawn or Traditional Map:

Oravský Podzámok Map, by FrancescaBaerald

No stranger to Atlas Awards, Francesca snatches another one! One almost feels as if she must be a reincarnation of some medieval painter monk, so well does she evoke a sense of time and place in her gorgeous painting/maps. Not only is the map itself lovely, with a pitch-perfect sense of scale and dimension, the border... the border. It almost defies description. Every bit of it is harmonious and vibrant and tells a story in and of itself.



For Best Space, Sci-fi, or Modern Map, we have a two-way tie!

Resurgence Stellar Systems, by Ilanthar

Ilanthar has been doing some grand work in his Resurgence Universe, of which this map is but one shining example. Be sure to check them all out - you won't be disappointed. They never grow old or repetitious; each one has its own unique charms and horrors, its own politics and statistics. And as if that wasn't enough, there are planetary maps for many of the worlds as well!



Wicked World Games - Claret, by Obbehobbe

Another master in the fine art of science fiction mapping, Obbehobbe has turned out a dark wonder of a planetary map with Claret. With terrain so real you can feel it, and the delicate traceries of its massive super-cities picked out in the lights of the nightside, the map's commissioners scored a real gem.



For Best Structure, Dungeon, or Gaming Map:

HMS Harewood, by DanielHasenbos

Have you ever wondered what a flying ship would look like? You don't have to wonder any more, just take a look at this beauty. With a depth of detail found only in maps by the truly dedicated, and a subtle, brilliant wash of color, HMS Harewood feels like something that could truly be found in a Napoleonic Museum somewhere... except for the fact that it, er, flies.



For Most Creative Map:

The Road to Tiamis, by Mouse

It's been one of my greatest thrills over the last year and half watching Mouse's craft grow and improve, and this map may summarize it the best. It's got everything, really: breath-taking landscapes, a forbidding sky, clearly legible labels that don't detract from the art, magnificent colors, wonderful perspective... the list goes on. But beyond that, this is a map that tells a story. Even if you know nothing about the creative process that went into making it, you can still fall into its sense of mystery and adventure. A winner beyond doubt.



For Best Overall Map, we've got a THREE-way tie! (This one was a real dog-fight.)

The Independent Territories of Belthennia, by onez

Another lovely hand-drawn piece of artistry by Onez! It's rare to find a fantasy map that displays that just-right combination of art, clarity, and usefulness, but this map has all three qualities in spades. You feel as though you could play a game with nothing but this map - its so inspiring and full of adventure hooks you almost don't even need a supplemental guide for it.



Harlasea, by J.Edward

And yet another perspective masterpiece by Sir J.Edward. His obsessively rendered physical landscapes are always beautiful to behold. His machine-like precision never comes across as artificial or forced though - you can feel the love of craft and attention to detail in every pen-stroke. When you add in his skill in depicting creatures like our friend the Wyvern here, as well as his mastery of color and shadow, you can toss another trophy up on his shelf for sure.



Desert Dragon, by Shall Teclex

Along with J.Edward's entry, this map by Shall Teclex is another entry from our July Challenge - there was something in the water THAT month, apparently. Shall Teclex is another true Guild Master - she always brings something new and exciting to the game, and this map is no exception. Taking a simple fifteen-word prompt, she ran with it, creating something breath-taking in its both its simplicity and the depth of idea and setting it conveys. Every single piece of this map works together as a whole, from the layout to the text to the muted, unconventional color scheme.



_____________________

And that brings to an end this year's Atlas Awards. Feel free to discuss, congratulate the winners, celebrate (within reason), bitch (also within reason), tell us what you like, and what we could've done better.

There will be more information forthcoming later in the week/next week showing a bit more of the voting breakdown, since you requested it. Stay tuned for that.