First Map - Island for upcoming D&D Campaign

[ajrittler]

Very nice! Has a great dark feeling, though maybe the terrain is a little too dark compared to the sea. Is it a pirate island or something like that? That's the vibe I'm getting from the names and the islands.
I think you should try and work on the sea a bit more, in my opinion a map like this could use a nice sea to really make it pop. Not sure exactly what, maybe some weathering? I think it would be cool to see the whole thing on an old weathered paper sort of texture.

Anyway, nice job so far.

Thanks for the feedback Josiah! And thanks for the rep comments too! Both greatly appreciated.

Yes, you're correct on the "pirate island". I was shooting for Kong/Skull Island meets Black Sails meets Isle of Dread theme. The island is located in the western sea far away from civilization. It's sparsely populated by explorers (a few that have taken the time to sail the coast and make a map with names ), adventurers and pirates looking to hide their loot. There are 5 hamlets (essentially) - with most of the island's inhabitants living at Breakwater Harbor and Hangman Harbor. I wanted a break from the typical dungeon crawls - this island is giving me a bit "freedom".

The sea is something I continue to struggle with and work. I've tried many different techniques and keep coming up short, flat and ultimately not happy with. So, I keep at it. I'm beginning to think that the map could benefit from a border of some sort - thin box the color of compass rose to break it up. Which would be unfortunate because I don't know if I've given myself the room to put one in.

Thanks again for Josiah and please feel free to give me more input!!!

A.J.

[ajrittler]

Well, this is where I am for today. I might have some time later for a bit more work. I'm posting two versions - not sure which I prefer (if either)? I really wish I could get some more unbiased feedback/advice on this from the members here. I'm beginning to feel like it's futile effort and that I'm continually bashing my head in my monitor.

Image 1 - Added more clouds to the sea, Film Grain (Grain = 2 Highlight =2 Intensity = 1) to the sea and land layers.


Image 2 - Added more clouds to the sea, Brightened the mountains, Film Grain (Grain = 1 Highlight =1 Intensity = 1) to the sea and land layers.


Though I like the outer glow around the land masses to act as waves the fact it shows up in my rivers is driving me nuts, so I'm still torn. The depth of water in the "Eye" needs to be darker/deeper and so does the water in the atoll to south - some clean up work. I don't know if it needs a key since there's not much on the island other than the couple of hamlets. I may arc the fonts for all of the bays in WHITE . Time to walk away and crack open a cold one...

[ajrittler]

Well, another day another draft. Some drastic changes as I played with other techniques for the sea. For once the mountains are too bright! Other than the mountains I don't hate it.

Still looking for that second or third set of eyes!

[ajrittler]

Just a little bit for today. Carried the jungle vegetation onto the mountains to darken them up a bit. Tried to texture the shallows around the islands, etc. might have over done it.

Thoughts please?

[ajrittler]

Went back to blue. Think I'm about done. Not sure I'm happy with it but I can't get any feedback heree :-( can't say I love it but for a first map/learning experience I'm ok with it I guess!

[hireshmontvellos]

IMHO, your mountain textures are best here. But your color scheme is probably best here. Personally, I don't love the super-vibrant blue. If you want high saturation then probably at least darken it a bit. Your mountain colors seem okay, but they haven't got a lot of actual texture or height feeling to them like some of your older drafts seemed to.

Hope that helps.

[ajrittler]

IMHO, your mountain textures are best here. But your color scheme is probably best here. Personally, I don't love the super-vibrant blue. If you want high saturation then probably at least darken it a bit. Your mountain colors seem okay, but they haven't got a lot of actual texture or height feeling to them like some of your older drafts seemed to.

Hope that helps.

Hey thanks for the feedback hireshmontvellos - it does help! I've actually walked away from this one the past week. I'm just not happy with it at all. Figured if I removed myself from it for a bit I come back to it with "new eyes" since I was getting a bit frustrated with it. So, I've started a generic continent map to practice some more.

I do agree, the mountains look "better" (but not overly good) in the earlier version, but the terrain (mountains in particular) have always been too dark for me.

The reason I chose the vibrant blue was to convey the "tropical" nature of the island. I'm still leaning this way.

The later version is just too washed out for me at least for what I was "shooting for"...terrain in particular.

[ajrittler]

Ok. Played around with it a bit more today after the previous post(s). This is the current draft I'm working on as I keep coming back to the tropical/blue water and less muddied look and feel. I'm ok with the jungle terrain and even ok with the water I think. The mountains continue to dodge me. These are still too dark (I think). I didn't want to re-draw them completely (again) but might have no choice. What I have noticed is...I prefer the map without labels!

As always looking for feedback from the members here!

[b9anders]

You are definitely getting closer to a good scheme for 'vibrant tropical' blue that is not overwhelming. I think you can tone it down a bit more still. The small islands end up looking like fluorescent glow dots because of it.

Maybe try for a slightly silvery sheen to the mountains.

I love all the labels. Wouldn't want a pirate isle without them!

[Santra]

Looks really good. I like the blue color of the sea, but I think b9anders was right about the smaller island having too much of the white shadow in comparison. I like your other colors as well, maybe the big mountain range does look a bit dark compared but it really has an effect that looks like they are very high mountains.

By the way, you northern islands look real good, they look rocky but the colors still blend really well.