unexplored Lands

[Eilathen]

lol...kacey ... i love your "state of mind report" Hope you feel better about it! In my opinion, don't be too hard on yourself because a) this just shows how much passion you have for this hobby (which is a big plus, imho) and b) i think the map looks good already. I love the overall shapes and i can definitely see the alternate earth vibe here. Very much looking forward to more of this!

[kacey]

Thanks Eilathen, I do feel better about it though I'm struggling with the style I want to do for the topography. I'm not really sure what size I should be working with to make this useful for both world and regional maps. Right now it's 6000 by 3000...I think, it might be 7000 but it's not enough resolution I'm finding, maybe vector would be better then it won't matter so much... I do plan on doing a more modern atlas type style with contours though for the base map, but I'd like to be able to do shaded relief and hand drawn styles as well for regional sections and I also want to be able to post it in a resolution that can be seen and not get all fuzzy from shrinking it down. I guess I'll just have to see what my computer will tolerate, I don't imagine my surface will do much more then 10 000 pix without giving me some headache. I think I'll have to experiment a bit with size.

[The Grey Stallion]

I wish I understood how you create these tectonics. It is a very nice world.

[Voolf]

This project is becoming a monster Kacey, watch out not to abandon it because of to much to deal with. Keep my fingers crossed, it's developing steadily and nicely

[kacey]

I wish I understood how you create these tectonics. It is a very nice world.

If you can understand any of this then you deserve an award because I sure can't. I'm actually really struggling to figure it all out so I'm hoping someone with more knowledge on this will stop by and help me clean up this mess. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to place the topography. The colors lost meaning a while ago but originally red was pulling apart, blue was going together and purple was sliding past, the black blobs on the land are areas that are relatively stable or locked into place by surrounding plates. Right now I'm trying to figure out where the shields, basins, platforms and mountains should be... And I feel completely lost. Sorry it isn't very pretty but nothing is set in stone so I don't want to waste my time making nice lines just yet.

mountain planning.jpg

This project is becoming a monster Kacey, watch out not to abandon it because of to much to deal with. Keep my fingers crossed, it's developing steadily and nicely

Thanks Voolf I appreciate the encouraging words, now if I can just get through finishing the coast and figuring out the tectonics I may just be able to get back some motivation.

[kacey]

Does anyone know where I can get a high resolution topographic map of earth for reference? I'm struggling to find one big enough to see the little details, the best I've found is about 3000 pixels across and that's just not big enough. I can find high resolution shaded relief but can't find any with height and contour information.

[PaGaN]

Hey Kacey.

Don't be discouraged, all the work and thought experiments are paying off even if you don't feel it at the moment. sure, the scope of the project is big but what's the rush right? I find this stage to be particularly exciting because it's just full of possibility. It's the same when i'm working on a painting, The rough in is where the magic happens and the piece begins to reveal itself to you.

Regarding the latest WIP, the landforms look great! really nicely balanced and plausible (which you know they are because you have done the groundwork). regarding the placement of shields, you already have it. The black "blobs of stability" are the cratons of the plates right? if so then they are your shields. Given that neither of us started this process at the beginning of geological time for our worlds we just have to kind of "eyeball" where the cratons would be. Usually toward the heartland of a plate and surrounded by other less dense and more mutable material that the craton "gathers up" over the aeons.

As you know, i was all gung ho to plow into getting the world mapped once i had invested at least a cursory nod to tectonics and fast forward to today where i am now thinking that i am probably going to be doing regional maps of Aerlaan in probably a years time (if i'm lucky). But i'm fine with that, there is fun in every part of this process and we all learn loads by going through it and sharing.

Anyway, just thought you needed a little cheer from the gallery!

I love where you are at right now and know that every step along the way will be another step closer to even more awesome.



also, is THIS imahge good enough for you?

color_etopo1_ice_low.jpgcolor_etopo1_ice_low.jpg

EDIT: for some reason the picture uploaded twice. sorry

PaGaN

[randigpanzrall]

Hey kacey, look at this....I Love the reworked continents so much. Absolutely well done and beautyful. Wow

[Ilanthar]

Your "whole damn world" is shaping up really nicely, Kacey. I'm envious of those splendid land shapes.
And in my opinion, as every cartographer who is willing to work out tectonics, climates, etc..., you're very brave!

[Pixie]

Hiya kacey!
First of all, your "state of mind" post made me laugh out loud, it really did. Secondly, I think the map has great shapes, they have a tectonic past which is good enough and I wouldn't bother going back to the drawing board any more.

I've been trying to find some time to write proper advice because, oh my, you so deserve it! But I've been very short on time... I had a couple of quick glances and couldn't recognize where all the original plates went to, when comparing the "pangaea" map and this latest one. Normally I'd be into breaking that sort of puzzle, but since I can't, could you provide that info? I promise, from there, I can assist in finding the topography.

All in all, GREAT WORK SO FAR!