| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Markustay |
Posted - 10 Oct 2008 : 04:16:33
I've started to post my 'stripped down' versions of the FR Maps, because I think they could be of some aid to the 4e DMs out there.
I'm still upset about my recent banning, but I know D&D players should be sticking together through these unsure times...
Damn... I'm starting to sound like a presidential candidate. 
Anyhow, until I'm in the mood to work on 4e again (if ever), I will be releasing these over the next two weeks so everyone at least has something to work with.
Moonshaes and Moonsea are up, (by request)
I figure this way DMs can decide what does and does not exist in their games, which is the way it should be. 
More to follow --- Mark
|
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Markustay |
Posted - 06 Apr 2009 : 18:24:13
With or without locales? 
I've completed the re-built and 'Naked' version of the entire north, but I haven't added any locales in yet.
Let me know. |
| redsaber |
Posted - 06 Apr 2009 : 18:18:08
quote:
Edit: I got the Tortured Lands done yesterday, except for a little bit of text on some mountains I need to remove - Ill try to have that for you by tomorrow.
;) Is today the day after yesterday? Say yes, pleaaaaaaaase! ;)
Let me know if you have it done! I'll try to use it for my game friday!
Have a good day and thanks again! :D
- RedSaber |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 06 Apr 2009 : 14:35:35
Good work Markus. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 05 Apr 2009 : 18:01:03
quote:
Originally posted by Penknight
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
It looks good there. 
Markus, that was really cool of you. Now I wish I had a city or town of my own!!
I've thus-far added three fan-created locales to my maps (Arylon is also on that last one), and have added at least two of my own in other parts of Faerūn (and at least three in Kara-Tur).
When I finish the pdf of the continent, I will have a list of ALL locales with sources in the back, so people will know which are canon and which are not. |
| Afetbinttuzani |
Posted - 05 Apr 2009 : 05:41:14
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
It looks good there.
Thanks, Markus. You're the best. |
| Penknight |
Posted - 05 Apr 2009 : 02:25:22
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
It looks good there.
Markus, that was really cool of you. Now I wish I had a city or town of my own!! |
| Markustay |
Posted - 05 Apr 2009 : 00:15:37
It looks good there. |
| Afetbinttuzani |
Posted - 04 Apr 2009 : 22:27:12
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Baldur's Gate Region
The Friendly Arm is an Inn and Hostel that has slowly grown into a fortified settlement (although it is still relatively small).
That snippet is from an old map I never bothered to release (because I started a better version), and I think Cragmyr Keep is also a settlement, and not a ruin (the wrong symbol must have been used on some map, and I erroneously copied it).
Thanks, Markustay.
I've invented a small settlement called Veldinaar on the bay at the southwestern edge of the Cloak Wood. Veldinaar is a village of about 60 permanent residents that serves as an economic and social center for nearby fishers, woodcutters and homesteaders. Residents of the Veldinaar area have regular trade in fish and agricultural products with the Friendly Arm. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 04 Apr 2009 : 18:56:27
Baldur's Gate Region
The Friendly Arm is an Inn and Hostel that has slowly grown into a fortified settlement (although it is still relatively small).
That snippet is from an old map I never bothered to release (because I started a better version), and I think Cragmyr Keep is also a settlement, and not a ruin (the wrong symbol must have been used on some map, and I erroneously copied it). |
| Afetbinttuzani |
Posted - 04 Apr 2009 : 17:40:11
Makustay,
Do you know of any towns or settlements in or around the Cloak Wood, south of Baldur's Gate? Do you have any maps of this area? |
| Markustay |
Posted - 31 Mar 2009 : 21:34:53
It would be a boring world if everyone agreed with me all the time.
I love hearing other people's ideas and opinions - variety is a beautiful thing, and its great that we have a home here to talk about FR and other geek-related stuff.
Nothing new on my end - I stayed away from home for the weekend, which turned into five days. It's all good - sometimes you even need a few days away from your sourcebooks to gain some clarity, sniff the roses, and that sort of 'real' stuff. |
| Amarel Derakanor |
Posted - 31 Mar 2009 : 06:08:48
Hey there, Markustay! I felt a sudden urge to tell you that your maps are excellent, and that I (being a something of a "lurker" here at the 'keep) enjoy reading your posts, even if I sometimes may be of a different opinion than you.
And no, I'm not hitting on you. I prefer ladies myself, actually, but I think that people should know when their work (and rants) is appreciated! |
| Markustay |
Posted - 29 Mar 2009 : 02:30:01
Working on the whole thing right now (from Evermeet to the Hordelands). I'm just doing all the textures (as I over-explained in my last post) right now - and you can see how thats going in that Cormyr WIP I posted as well.
I was going to re-do the Swordcoast next... but I'm caught-up with a lot of cormyr research ATM (I had to really play with the Thunderpeaks... busy area), and I might as well finish that first, especially since I haven't done a version of that yet (and I have a least three people to double-check my work).
The roads all fell-out rather wonky when they re-did everything for 3e, and just getting them to look 'right' requires a lot of terrain-nudging. |
| Penknight |
Posted - 28 Mar 2009 : 21:48:07
Just curious how the high res version is coming along. Also, will you be doing a Sword Coast map/wallpaper by any chance? |
| Markustay |
Posted - 28 Mar 2009 : 02:33:18
Wow... I wish I was this popular with the ladies. 
I use Photoshop - with custom-built terrain textures, brushes, and Icons (using vector graphics).
Anyhow, all of these 'Naked' maps have been leading-up to me re-doing my own campaign map of Faerūn (which you've all seen pieces of in all my maps). As I completed each region, I made tweaks here and there, so not all of them match-up as well as I'd have liked. This project was an exercise in me rebuilding the entire Faerūn and Hordelands regions practically from scratch all over agan, using my old continental map as a reference, and then pasting-in literally dozens of maps from various sources (including novels and Volo's guides). I use the pasted-in maps in layers so I can adjust their Opacity and tweak the map in the background, using the faded maps as a visual reference, and also to trace the rivers from those originals (rivers seem to be the most important feature when trying to get everything else just right).
Okay... enough of the technical mumbo-jumbo - I've been playing with my technique and also upped the resolution. It still looks like the official 3e Map, but if you put them side-by-side you can see all the intricate changes and tweaks that I've made. It may even seem pointless to some, but roads and everything else get badly messed-up if even one hill is in the wrong place.
I have a sample from the new map, sans locales. The entire Map has to be perfected first before I start adding in the man-made stuff (which is the mistake I made the last time - doing it piecmeal). Then I have to bump the resolution up, and then re-perfect everything at the smaller scale (this means I'm re-drawing the entire map several times - did I mention I'm VERY anal?)
Anyhow, I'm happy with the way Cormyr came-out, and I bumped-up the resolution of just this small section so you guys can get an idea of where I'm going with all of this. Feedback is appreciated - I haven't re-drawn the stuff at the higher-res yet - I merely bumped-up what I had for now to see how it would look when I'm done (and to see how much work would still be needed).
Cormyr WIP
Bear in mind I'll have to add-in the stuff around Eveningstar now that I have it at a higher resolution - that sort of detail wasn't posssible at the old resolution. Theres still quite a bit from my Stomelands map that has to be carried over (which all became offical with Brian's Cormyr article).
Edit: I got the Tortured Lands done yesterday, except for a little bit of text on some mountains I need to remove - Ill try to have that for you by tomorrow. |
| Gang Falconhand |
Posted - 27 Mar 2009 : 11:25:41
quote:
Originally posted by redsaber
1) Can I marry you?
- Red
Hands off! He's mine! |
| redsaber |
Posted - 27 Mar 2009 : 05:46:56
Markus, great work bro.
Now I have 2 questions for you:
1) Can I marry you?
2) Which software are you using? I want to know because I have created an in-house kingdom in the region of the tortured lands (north of the moonsea, east of Netheril and west of Vaasa), and I wanted to create some kind of a map for that region. I did it with photoshop for 3rd edition, but I wanted to upgrade that map for the 4th... so I was wondering.
Let me know, plz! ;) My next game is on the 10th of April so I wanted to surprise my players with something.
Thank you very much!
- Red |
| Daviot |
Posted - 22 Mar 2009 : 02:19:33
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
quote:
Originally posted by Penknight
Thanks a lot!! Also, I'm looking forward to the high-res version. Please let us know when it gets finished.
Worked on it most of today - much better then anything I've previously done. I should have something by the end of this coming week.
Awesome. I've been looking forward to it with cartographic glee.  |
| Markustay |
Posted - 22 Mar 2009 : 02:14:57
quote:
Originally posted by Penknight
Thanks a lot!! Also, I'm looking forward to the high-res version. Please let us know when it gets finished.
Worked on it most of today - much better then anything I've previously done. I should have something by the end of this coming week. |
| Penknight |
Posted - 21 Mar 2009 : 21:08:52
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I like that as a wallpaper.
All FR maps should be wallpaper-sized, thinks I.
I totally agree, especially the Sword Coast. It always felt like 'home' to me, I guess. |
| Penknight |
Posted - 21 Mar 2009 : 21:07:13
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Not so strange - Silver Marches Wallpaper.
I tried that before, but the sreen was 'too busy' for my tastes (and I kept losing my icons).
Funny you should mention this - I'm in the middle of a newer high-resolution version of that.
Thanks a lot!! Also, I'm looking forward to the high-res version. Please let us know when it gets finished. |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 21 Mar 2009 : 04:36:03
Ah, but what of those (like me) with the widescreen displays?
J/K, I'm not looking for a new wallpaper right now... |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 21 Mar 2009 : 03:40:57
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Not so strange - Silver Marches Wallpaper.
I tried that before, but the sreen was 'too busy' for my tastes (and I kept losing my icons).
Funny you should mention this - I'm in the middle of a newer high-resolution version of that.
I like that as a wallpaper.
All FR maps should be wallpaper-sized, thinks I. |
| Brimstone |
Posted - 21 Mar 2009 : 03:05:05
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Not so strange - Silver Marches Wallpaper.
For a "Points of Lights" area, there is a lot of light. Still its a great map.
BRIMSTONE |
| Markustay |
Posted - 21 Mar 2009 : 01:12:48
Aside from the one in GHotR, which only shows the southern participants (which is strange, given that the Aryvaandar were involved in more of them then the Illythiir), NO, there isn't any that shows the entire area of conflict, are even just the north. |
| Herkles |
Posted - 21 Mar 2009 : 00:30:05
I have taken a look at the Underdark map that came with the book, but the issue with that is that it is split in two due to it being on two pages. I did hear though that Drizz't do'urden's guide to the Underdark had a map within it as well.
and markustay, I would love to see an updated map of evermeet. I also would like to know if there is a map of containing where the elven empires during the time of the crown wars existed. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 21 Mar 2009 : 00:26:48
Not so strange - Silver Marches Wallpaper.
I tried that before, but the sreen was 'too busy' for my tastes (and I kept losing my icons).
Funny you should mention this - I'm in the middle of a newer high-resolution version of that. |
| Penknight |
Posted - 20 Mar 2009 : 22:45:43
This is an odd request, I guess. I was looking over your map of the Silver Marches and thought it would make a *great* wallpaper, as well as an aid in my gaming sessions. Is there any way you could resize it to a 1024x768 please? |
| Markustay |
Posted - 20 Mar 2009 : 05:54:55
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
Point of curiosity: how's the Big World Map(TM) looking?
I haven't made any new progress... in fact, I've gone backwards.
I developed a new way of working (and the Naked maps are part of that), so I have to back-track quite a bit until I get everything just right, and then proceed forward again. The goal is to eventually produce a pdf of the entire continent with layers, so folks can print the maps out any way THEY like.
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
any chance of you doing a map of Netheril pre-Year of Sundered Webs?
There is a perfectly good map of Netheril in the GhotR, and I have one from immediately after the fall from the old Netheril boxed-set (which is probably what you are looking for). I have no intention of re-producing either of those. There are existing maps covering that, and its not really an empire I'm interested in (Shade made me sick of anything Netherease).
I am interested in doing a series of maps for the periods on Imaskar, and the only thing stopping me from beginning that at this point is that I already have WAY too many things on my plate.
Imaskar's history is complicated and inter-woven with four different campaign regions, and the only way to do my timeline justice is with a good visual aid. The map in the GHotR is a good starting point, but there are some things missing.
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
Anyway, just an idea... looking forward to seeing the state of the Realms from its foremost cartographer. (Please don't quote me on that; WotC might hire you and put you to work drawing 4E maps... or worse, 5E...) (Did they ever redo the 4E FRCG map at all?)
Thank you for the compliment, and NO, they have not made any new maps of 4e that I am aware. I still have some interest in doing a 4e version of the Realms... we'll see...
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
Edit: Re: Old Empires map: Is that lone volcano in the NE corner of the map canon? I am daily more frustrated that I don't have my own hard-copy maps and earlier-edition sources with me to check this kind of thing.
It's a dormant volcano - Sentinalspire is located within the Caldera (and yes, it's canon).
quote:
Originally posted by Jakk
I was looking at my saved "thumbnails" of your posted full-map WIPs, and as a specific point to my first question: How's Zakhara looking these days? Not meaning to harp; just curious, and I tend to be obsessive about my curiosity; apologies for that character flaw.
I did the northern coast of Zakhara quite some time ago, when I was working on the Utter east, but since then I haven't done much else. I did do the islands off the northern coast, though - they are surprisingly close to Faerūn now, because of the shifting done to the 3e geography.
Zakhara is still something I intend to do, unlike Maztica (I had the wind knocked-out of my sails on that one).
I've also been toying with doing a homebrew version of the Realms Map, with some major modifications (How I picture the 'perfect' FR to be), but there's not enough time in the day, and since I'm not running FR anymore, there's no reaosn for me to make a map of my own version. |
| Jakk |
Posted - 20 Mar 2009 : 04:10:06
Point of curiosity: how's the Big World Map(TM) looking? I haven't seen an update in a while, and I'm assuming it's because you've been working on Other Things... last I heard regarding the map, you were re-re-doing Wa and Kozakura, but I haven't seen anything since then... unless I'm missing something.
Re: the Underdark: I have to agree; I'd never try to map it, even if mapping were my thing (which it most definitely is not). That brings me to my second point: any chance of you doing a map of Netheril pre-Year of Sundered Webs? Ideally something that can be easily copied and pasted into a copy of the main map, for those of us who like the demise of Anauroch and nothing else about 4E geography... as I see it, the melting of the High Ice would erase the desert and re-flood the Narrow Sea, basically re-creating the geography as shown on the map in Lost Empires with some minor differences, such as the absence of forest in the reclaimed lands (assuming no 100-year time jump).
Anyway, just an idea... looking forward to seeing the state of the Realms from its foremost cartographer. (Please don't quote me on that; WotC might hire you and put you to work drawing 4E maps... or worse, 5E...) (Did they ever redo the 4E FRCG map at all?)
Edit: Re: Old Empires map: Is that lone volcano in the NE corner of the map canon? I am daily more frustrated that I don't have my own hard-copy maps and earlier-edition sources with me to check this kind of thing. 
Edit: I was looking at my saved "thumbnails" of your posted full-map WIPs, and as a specific point to my first question: How's Zakhara looking these days? Not meaning to harp; just curious, and I tend to be obsessive about my curiosity; apologies for that character flaw. |
