Battlemap! - Valley of Ancient bones (WIP)

[XCali]

Hi everyone,

I thought I'd post another WIP apart from Nessa'Mor. This one is the start of a series of maps in this set.

Feel free to use them for PERSONAL use only. (and with friends when an RPG is involved)
I am planning on selling the High res versions one of these days. These are, 1660 X 2500. The original files are 2848 X 4288.

Why am I here?
Well, I've NEVER done a proper battlemap before. So this is it. I am SO new at battlemapping it's almost scary. So, I don't know what works and what does not. That is why I need feedback. Because, although I really enjoy DnD and the like. I have never played it(Nobody in my area) BUT I have listened to MANY a stream of others playing. Thus the interest in making battlemaps.

I don't know what is needed for these maps... feedback is essential. So, thanks in advance.

The name for this map is ALSO a WIP.

With a grid. (5ft= 1 square. But the DM/GM's knows better. )


Without the grid



EDIT: Just a different version below, still WIP

[jpstod]

Personally I don't like Iso style Battle Maps. For One reason..Perspective
As a Visual ISOs can be a good tool but I have never been to keen on them.
I know ISOs are the trend right now.

For me this one is to Dark. Difficult for my old eyes to look at.

[Josiah VE]

That's really cool XCali, how did you make that? Is it some sort of 3d terrain with some filters on it?
The colour scheme isn't my favorite, but is that something you are going to change?
Right now it does remind me of some alien planet or something, which is cool too.. What's it supposed to be?
I like that cave in there too with the lights.
Looking forward to seeing this progress

[Mouse]

I don't really know that much about battle maps, Omri, but this one I find strangely attractive as an image in its own right

[kirkspencer]

Personally I don't like Iso style Battle Maps. For One reason..Perspective
As a Visual ISOs can be a good tool but I have never been to keen on them.
I know ISOs are the trend right now.

For me this one is to Dark. Difficult for my old eyes to look at.

Gorgeous map, but I agree with jpstod about not wanting to play on it. In addition to perspective there are the blind spots. For example, where do I place the figure standing just beyond the mound holding the cave?

I'll interrupt myself to say I have seen and enjoyed one ISO battle map. It was for a battle that required scaling a section of cliff and fortress walls. The peculiar illusions ISO provides made the mental acceptance of transitions from approach to climb to top all on a flat map surprisingly easy.

The other flaw I have with the map is the fact we know the cave is there but have no way of knowing its tactical effects. There is no measure of how large it is, or where the openings might be. And now I wonder if there are similar openings beneath the other stones.

[The_Sleeping_Dragon]

I love the map but have the following suggestions

1) Choose the one with the grid as gives gamers the most options
2) The hexes did look slightly skewed though because of the perspective and this makes placing pieces difficult as they will overlap grids - I understand why the grid is skewed because of the perspective and that is why many gamers do not like perspective on a battlemap - it looks good but proves impractical
3) lighten the tone of the colour or go field green or desert cream (perhaps have different terrain colour versions such as white for snow bound countries, desert beige and field green) but the current colour does make it hard to see detail and if used in 40000AD play will mean ultra marines disappear (some will cheer at that)
4) the current colour would be ideal for a space based battlemap

Hope this helps

[XCali]

Personally I don't like Iso style Battle Maps. For One reason..Perspective
As a Visual ISOs can be a good tool but I have never been to keen on them.
I know ISOs are the trend right now.

For me this one is to Dark. Difficult for my old eyes to look at.

Fair enough. Though, I could have made a top down battlemap. But, I wanted something more unique. Guess, I'm catering to a different type of audience with this.
I might do one eventually.
Also, as I am super new at battlemapping so I'm still testing the brightness. The idea was a night map. But I'll see what will work

That's really cool XCali, how did you make that? Is it some sort of 3d terrain with some filters on it?
The colour scheme isn't my favorite, but is that something you are going to change?
Right now it does remind me of some alien planet or something, which is cool too.. What's it supposed to be?
I like that cave in there too with the lights.
Looking forward to seeing this progress

Hehe, thanks! I appreciate it.
This is a secret mix. But its roots lie in a archeological set of photos I took. Then using the rough terrain, I created textures that fitted the theme and painted all over around the set pieces. Used a lot of overlay layers to get a more 3D look to the map with shadows.
I had a more fantasy setting in mind when I created it. Though, it can be used for a Scifi setting I suppose.
Well that is what is awesome about WIP with feedback, everything can possibly change

I don't really know that much about battle maps, Omri, but this one I find strangely attractive as an image in its own right

Thanks, Sue It's a nice little experiment. So, I'll see how it goes

Gorgeous map, but I agree with jpstod about not wanting to play on it. In addition to perspective there are the blind spots. For example, where do I place the figure standing just beyond the mound holding the cave?

I'll interrupt myself to say I have seen and enjoyed one ISO battle map. It was for a battle that required scaling a section of cliff and fortress walls. The peculiar illusions ISO provides made the mental acceptance of transitions from approach to climb to top all on a flat map surprisingly easy.

The other flaw I have with the map is the fact we know the cave is there but have no way of knowing its tactical effects. There is no measure of how large it is, or where the openings might be. And now I wonder if there are similar openings beneath the other stones.

I can see the blind spot issue... I'm not entirely sure how to approach that. But I'll brainstorm about it a bit.

I am, however, quite confused about your question about the cave.
I will say this about the cave, I placed it there for PC's to discover if the think they might want to jump the gap to that area or scale the mound. And that can become a dungeon. I placed it for possibility. (So far it's just the one cave, with a possible exit at the end)

[XCali]

I love the map but have the following suggestions

1) Choose the one with the grid as gives gamers the most options
2) The hexes did look slightly skewed though because of the perspective and this makes placing pieces difficult as they will overlap grids - I understand why the grid is skewed because of the perspective and that is why many gamers do not like perspective on a battlemap - it looks good but proves impractical
3) lighten the tone of the colour or go field green or desert cream (perhaps have different terrain colour versions such as white for snow bound countries, desert beige and field green) but the current colour does make it hard to see detail and if used in 40000AD play will mean ultra marines disappear (some will cheer at that)
4) the current colour would be ideal for a space based battlemap

Hope this helps

1- I'll make all versions available so players can choose
2 - I actually chose a skewed grid to insert. But, I can enlarge the blocks or place a traditional top down grid?
3 - Yeah, great idea! The idea was a night map. But having different versions of might help a lot. So, thanks.
4 - People are welcome to try

[kirkspencer]

I can see the blind spot issue... I'm not entirely sure how to approach that. But I'll brainstorm about it a bit.

I am, however, quite confused about your question about the cave.
I will say this about the cave, I placed it there for PC's to discover if the think they might want to jump the gap to that area or scale the mound. And that can become a dungeon. I placed it for possibility. (So far it's just the one cave, with a possible exit at the end)

Sure, let me try to be clearer.

IF I'm a player using that map, I recognize the hole might be too small for player entry. Because of the perspective I am going to use precious minutes looking for an opening in the blind spots.

Even if the only opening is the one on top of the mound:
1) It's a hat from which the GM can pull all sorts of rabbits - I can see it's occupied due to the lit candles;
2) It's a potential hole for local superiority. Not if they have mages in a fantasy system, but if my party is outnumbered 10 to 1 by non-caster types (fantasy or otherwise), the hole eliminates their ranged attack and allows my team to gang up on anything crawling in after us.

Note that you as GM are within your rights to keep it secret till it's in play. But you as designer should have the floor developed for the GM using your battlemap in the encounter they're about to run whether available to players at start or not.

[damonjynx]

Hi XCali,

Great as a picture, as a battle mat...not so much. ISO maps are not, IMO, generally suitable for battle mats. As others have pointed out figures can't occupy squares covered by terrain and the whole perspective thing makes life for a GM unnecessarily difficult. To me, ISO maps are more for a visual reference, so GM's and players can get a really good view of the varying elevations.