The Ingame Map of Arania (+WIPs)

[SteffenBrand]

Hey everyone! =)

I recently finished an Ingame Map of what is called Arania and the Realm of Thorns, set within the world of the RPG 'The Dark Eye'. Pretty proud how this turned out, I really like the region a lot! Cartography in Arabia and India seems to be missing a lot of stylistic options, so I relied more on patterns for henna skin painting and typical architecture. It will appear a bit less bright printed on sepia-toned paper when published as planned.

I'll add WIPs in the next post. // Done. =)
© Ulisses Spiele GmbH, 2019

Best wishes, --Steffen

[SteffenBrand]

Step-By-Step. =)

Step 1:


Step 2:


Step 3:


Step 4:


Step 5:


Step 6:


Step 7 (Final, as above):

[SteffenBrand]

Alright, everything is now here, hope like it.
Let me know if you have any questions! =)

[XCali]

Amazing map!!! There is sooooo much to love, even down to how you did the rivers. The mesa to the south is also done real well and your border work finished off the map nicely.
Only thing that didn't really blow me away was the ocean, it looking like a very tiled textured. BUT that is a minor point among the many many great points on the map.

All in all superb work.

P.S. Thanks for showing your process.

[QED42]

Can't rep you again at the moment apparently but very nice map and cool to see the steps you went through.

[Eilathen]

I agree with XCali. There are a lot of nice things in this map, the frame foremost of them (for me). I also like the mountains and the overall vibe.

The ocean does not work for me at all, so my "judgment" is harsher then XCali's. It's distracting, to say the least, and it does not say "Water" and/or "Ocean" to me. I've got to be honest here, I don't understand that choice.

[SteffenBrand]

@XCali: Wow, thank you very much! =) (see below for ocean explanation)

@QUED42: Thank you nevertheless, much appreciated!

@Eliathen: Thank you! And it's totally fine, don't worry about any supposed harshness. I thought about what I'll do with the ocean a lot. The process doesn't show it, but I had different approaches, none of them made me happy. I tried classical multiple lines around the coast in ripples, but it was distracting. Going for a more painterly approach didn't fit with the more flatter elements of the map, going for a more blank look felt empty. I settled on giving it a pattern that reflected the compass rose I used for the set it is meant for to bind it visually to the other maps of that regions (the ingame map always stands out). That is the main reason. I decided on giving it less contrast opposed to the black outline I used for the rest of the map, which - yes, true - looks a bit off, but was way less distracting than leaving it. It was a point where I even considered to change the whole color of outlines to fix that issue, but decided against it. I had a lot of back and forth on this issue, especially relating to the ocean. In the end I settled for what I have now. I suppose it is a matter of taste. It is different, yes. Landing on the side that this isn't your cup of tea is fine, but I'm sorry to hear it. BUT: Thank you for being honest. =)

[Adfor]

Yowza this map pops! I particularly love the way you fashioned the border elements, they are stunning! I'm also a huge fan of how you did the forests, very whimsical! Such fine work, I'd rep you again, but it's too soon!

[arsheesh]

That border is really killer, all of the elements and patterns really fit nicely together. Well done. I'm with the others about the ocean pattern, but after reading your explanation I can sympathize with you. I've been in that spot many times with certain elements in a piece that just don't seem to fit the way you want them to. Anyway it's a lovely piece and it was fun seeing your process, thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

[SteffenBrand]

@Adfor: Thank you very much, Adfor! =)

@arsheesh: Yeah, it can be a struggle. To be honest, in hindsight, I don't think I made a map I'm 100% happy with, a crowning achievement of some sort. There are some that are really high up there, but there is always something one can be better with. I'm not sure it is possible to do, especially since I'm way more critical with my own work than the work of others. The fact that you all echo that the water is a bit of an issue makes me somewhat glad I'm not treading on a weird path and it is not just me, but also other professionals. Thank you! =)