Thunderspire Labyrinth

[NeonKnight]

Inspired by Loydb's work on the Shadowfell Map, I am doing up the non-battlemap maps for Thunderspire Labyrinth.

These maps are saved to scale (in other words, the A1-1 map is saved as an image 12 inches by 16 inches in size), so those who know how can print it to proper scale.

Also, where I am able to I am attempting NOT to show other areas in the maps, therefore, when they are laid down there will be some discrepencies outside their 'encounter' areas.

****SEE BELOW FOR UPDATED MAPS***

[loydb]

Haha. Bless you! I guess I'll do Pyramid then

The first map took me like 4 hours. The last one about 12 minutes. You'll really pick up speed once you start identifying the steps that can be done as shortcuts. On CC3 for instance, I didn't realize the arrow keys snapped a symbol to 0, 90, 180, and 270, for instance. I'd just been control-shifting, or typing it in. It's definitely a way to really dig into your mapping app(s) of choice. As slow as CC3 renders with effects on, I use it for the map export and do everything else in Photoshop.

I like that map as well, very clean.

[Nebulous]

Oh fantastic, keep it up! I spent SO much time scanning and photoshopping Shadowfell that i don't really want to do that again for Thunderspire. These look awesome anyway.

[NeonKnight]

Here are updated maps, for Encounter A1-1, and all of Area C.

While I like the first 2, I find the last three to be more visually appealing.

[NeonKnight]

And another map, from Interlude 1.

[rayoman]

NeonKnight, your maps are fantastic. I am hoping you can give me some CC3/Dungeon Designer pointers. I'm ok creating the maps but I was wondering how you did certain things in your Thunderspire Mountain maps.

1. How did you restrict the grid squares to just your floors?
2. How did you get the wide walls? For example, in your encounter A1 map it appears the silver/grey area is a large wall.

I've had my CC3 for awhile but I am still but a noob when it comes to drawing maps. I thought I was doing good by practicing with maps in my D&D modules but they appear to be crude and unappealing. I know practice makes perfect but easy to follow tips would be fantastic.

*edit* I realise in the first 4 or five maps I had the glow , etc around the perimeter of the maps, but all later maps were done slightly larger to accommodate for overflow.

[NeonKnight]

NeonKnight, your maps are fantastic. I am hoping you can give me some CC3/Dungeon Designer pointers. I'm ok creating the maps but I was wondering how you did certain things in your Thunderspire Mountain maps.

1. How did you restrict the grid squares to just your floors?
2. How did you get the wide walls? For example, in your encounter A1 map it appears the silver/grey area is a large wall.

I've had my CC3 for awhile but I am still but a noob when it comes to drawing maps. I thought I was doing good by practicing with maps in my D&D modules but they appear to be crude and unappealing. I know practice makes perfect but easy to follow tips would be fantastic.

Thanx.

The answers for both 1 and 2 are part of the same.

I took the sheet for the GRID and moved it so it was on the list just below the FLOOR (and thus on top of the floor for the image). With the walls, I ensured they were further down the list than the FLOOR and GRID sheets (So they would be the topmost in the image).

Finally, when I made the maps I made my FLOOR/WALL area slightly large than the finished map would be. Example, if the room was 30 feet wide (6 squares) by 40 feet tall (8 squares), I had a map size 40 feet by 50 feet, or an extra 5 feet around the map area. Thus I was able to trim the image down after the sheet effects were applied and it would not look strange with a Glow or Bevel around the perimeter of the map.

[Skaugy]

Thanks a lot for the maps. This saved me sooooo much work. They are really great

[Steel General]

I definitely like the second "style" better, more visually appealing. Not that there was anything wrong with the first ones.

[loydb]

Yeah, the second style is way better IMO. I enjoyed switching styles at various places in KOTS -- I'm planning out Pyramid in advance as far as what sections will have their own look.

What are you mapping in? One of the things I'm going to do before starting Pyramid is build a custom symbol catalog that has the few dozen symbols that I use all the time. A good 20% of my mapping time was spent doing catalog juggling, or trying to remember what symbols were where. A few hours spent up-front will make production way easier I think.

Those are looking great.

edit: I would recommend changing the byline to say "based on a map by" instead of "by". When I looked at one of the maps I thought "Hey, that's Mike doing the map!" for a second.