Aug/Sept '20 Lite Challenge: Van Ruiyters Land

[Kilo11]

This is so cool, and the story you have built into the map is excellent! Seriously, I write fiction myself, and I can see this as the makings of an amazing sea adventure story. If you would want, I would be more than happy to work on such a thing with you!

[Eowyn Cwper]

Uh oh, this simply looks too good! :ƿ

[MrLegs]

This is so cool, and the story you have built into the map is excellent! Seriously, I write fiction myself, and I can see this as the makings of an amazing sea adventure story. If you would want, I would be more than happy to work on such a thing with you!

Interesting! Did you have anything in mind?

Also, completely unrelated, but if you like this type of stuff and haven't seen it, check out the AMC series The Terror. Based around the real HMS terror and Erebus trying to find the northwest passage in Canada.

[MrLegs]

Hello all,

New update. A more defined coastline, details (like depth numbers and wind arrows, some cliffs etc).

Now im starting to think it is becoming a bit too busy at a glace. What do you all think?

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[Bogie]

Excellent, but yes, I would not add to much more details.

[Kilo11]

I think the level of detail is great. It has a lot of stuff, and a lot of stuff that should be there for what it is (nautical sounding maps are busy as hell!), but it still has a clean feel overall. The only thing I think might be good to remove would be some of those darker spots inland that look to be lakes or something. The issue there is not that they are "too much" from the mapping standpoint, but I don't think they work for what this map is. You have a boat charting new lands and coasts, and while there are some bits where shore parties are mentioned in the logs, they are not mentioned in all those spots where lakes are found. More generally, one of the cool things about a map like this is that its emphasis is on the water, not the land, and that is something you should remain true to; a sounding map will never include extensive information about inland areas, because how could it -- the boat didn't explore the country after all.

As a general rule, I think for maps like this you should restrict the details to only those things that could be mapped from on board the ship. Thus, soundings, coastal effects, certain large details inland (a hazy idea of a mountain would be permissible, for example, as that could be seen rising behind the coast), and that's it. But really, that is the only change I would suggest, just to remove those things that could not corroborated from on board.

P.s. I really love the dotted areas to indicate uncertainty about the coast due to heavy fog. Very cool idea and implementation!


EDIT: I was just thinking about it, and I think you might need to double-check your distances and times. At 45°, one degree of latitude will be roughly 70 miles (112 km), and one degree of longitude will be roughly 50 miles (80 km) (correct my math if I'm wrong ). Given that, I think some of the dates on your logs might need to be further apart. Not hugely, but just here and there there is a one or two day difference between the log dates, where I think there should be a two or three day difference. Just a small thing, but since you have so much detail and it is otherwise so true looking, I thought you could make that minor fix. Just check realistic distances to travel in a day by ship (in the 17th century), and modify the dates in the logs to amend that.

[MrLegs]

EDIT: I was just thinking about it, and I think you might need to double-check your distances and times. At 45°, one degree of latitude will be roughly 70 miles (112 km), and one degree of longitude will be roughly 50 miles (80 km) (correct my math if I'm wrong ). Given that, I think some of the dates on your logs might need to be further apart. Not hugely, but just here and there there is a one or two day difference between the log dates, where I think there should be a two or three day difference. Just a small thing, but since you have so much detail and it is otherwise so true looking, I thought you could make that minor fix. Just check realistic distances to travel in a day by ship (in the 17th century), and modify the dates in the logs to amend that.

all of what you said is super useful, but this especially. The difference in distance (112 vs 80 km-ish also explains why on real maps the longitude and latitude lines are rectangles, and not squares. Interesting! And that is very good to know. I did wonder about what days I should set, also taking into account the slow onset of ominous feelings on board. But I'll have a good look at it! thanks for the tips!

[MrLegs]

Hello!

Some more changes, slightly more detail but ive mostly been messing with the layout, in order to make it more readable, while allowing me to add a bit more detail (like names of places etc).

I am aware that normaly a log wouldnt be kept on a map like this but... in this alternate universe they do! Let me know what you guys think of the new lay-out. I havent had much time, so progress is slowww

[Kilo11]

Hmm. I like the added names, but personally, I like the logs more how they were before. I feel like having them right next to the places where they happened is more engaging than having them down in a box like that. I also feel like it is more in keeping with the ominous feel you have in the tale; if they down in a neat box like that, it looks like a clean finished journey, but if they are scattered over the map, it gives a sense of chaos and disorder, which builds on the feel of the tale well here.

I think the main point about where you locate the logs is more a story-telling than mapping point. By doing it one way, you can help to build some particular atmosphere, and by doing it some other way, you can build a different atmosphere. The big thing to remember here is that while this is a map, it is also an image, and images can be very powerful mood-setters for a tale. Given that, it pays to think about what the mood of the tale is (yours is super dark, ominous, and seemingly chaotic), and then to tailor your image to enhance that mood in subtle ways. To my mind, having the logs scattered really builds the world you've created here, and does so in a way that is not obvious, making it all the more effective (to my mind). Just my two cents.

[MrLegs]

Hello all,

More updates and details. Replaced the log entries. Not completely finished, but life is crazy busy right now. This did give me some good hours of relaxation time tho! See you in the next challenge!

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