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sonofsaline
Acolyte

USA
6 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2017 :  18:30:02  Show Profile Send sonofsaline a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
I'm fairly new to this forum, so be gentle with me. I am looking for an extremely high resolution map of Toril where you can zoom from world map size down to city map size(e.g. Google Maps), (street level would be a bonus). Does such a thing exist?

I am currently reading the Empires Trilogy and have found fairly detailed maps of Faerun and Kara-Tur, but I haven't found one map that connects them together in great detail. It would be awesome to have one world map where you can zoom out, go to Maztica, and zoom into city level.

If nothing like this has been created, how hard would it be to make? I know nothing about creating maps, web pages, etc. I was just wanting some advice from people who might know a lot more about such things.

In addition, it would be interesting to have interactive maps of all the Forgotten Realms novels, such as a detailed map showing military movements in the Empires Trilogy, or a map showing Shandril's travels in Spellfire.

Thoughts?

Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36809 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2017 :  19:21:51  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
If such a thing exists, it has never been shared with the public.

MarkusTay will likely be along soon to discuss how difficult making maps can be; it requires facility with some graphics or map-making software and a hell of a lot of research to nail down the location of everything. The latter can be particularly challenging with stray, unsupported references; vague descriptions; WotC constantly changing the map; and flat-out lore mistakes.

Markus can say more; he is our cartographical guru and does this sort of thing out of a twisted sort of fun.

In short, it's a tall order, even for just one continent -- and some of the continents on Toril have never been named or described.

Neither WotC nor TSR before them have done interactive maps, aside from the long-ago (and long out of print and unsupported) Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas. There are some fan-made ones, but nothing on the scale you're discussing. Google Toril does not yet exist.

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sonofsaline
Acolyte

USA
6 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2017 :  21:22:41  Show Profile Send sonofsaline a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I kind of thought there was probably nothing on the level I was thinking. I guess I'm thinking into the future. Imagine going from world level, zooming down to Cormyr, then to Suzail, into King Azoun's castle, and have interactive maps of every floor, including the dungeons, etc., which could then flip to a 3D view. What an amazing gaming tool that would be.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36809 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2017 :  22:06:16  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
It'd be amazing... And so expensive most of us couldn't afford it!

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2017 :  22:19:50  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
HandsomeRob's maps are probably the best for what you are looking for. I don't think he hosts them anywhere anymore, but someone broke-down the big map into smaller chunks (the original file is so huge most folks couldn't open it... including me). There was a follow-up thread to his original, wherein Cleric Generic posted the sections in his dropbox, but I just checked and they're no longer there ('File Not Found'). Like an idiot, I never bothered to download them myself (and now I need some self-reflection to figure out why that is...)

However, I'm sure plenty of other folks here downloaded them, and someone may even have the HUGE original file as well.

My own maps have always been regional, so not what you are looking for. The last time I was working on an 'all of Toril' map project my house burned down (the gods were angry! LOL). I am currently working on a new one, starting with just Faerūn, but thats been on hold for about 3 months because I've become distracted, and when I get back to it (very soon) it will still be like a year before I finish Faerūn proper, and even think about moving onto those other regions of Toril. Those will be released in pieces, though, and the first two are 80% complete already (Just Cormyr to Impiltur, from the Moonsea down to the north coast of the old Empires), so not even near where you want them to be (except for the start of the Cormyr portion of that series... and where Azoun found Alusair).

Mine will never be 'one whole big map for everything' as HandsomeRob did, because of the level of detail I want to achieve. What you are talking about would require mapping Toril several times over, at different scales, similar to how RW mapping software works now. If I ever got a hosting service (and finished MY maps), te best I would attempt is a continent map you could click on to see the smaller, regional ones (like how the FRIA worked, but more efficient).

Speaking of which, if you could find that source - the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas, that would probably do precisely what you want, come to think of it. Its extremely dated, and you can't 'scroll', so going from one map section to another is a chore, but its still probably the best 'all inclusive' map/software we've ever had (and is now missing TONS of stuff, being 3 editions out-of-date). Hell, we've gained a whole 'nother planet since then.

The Fonstad Atlas is another excellent resource, and there are copies of a pieced-together one of just Faerūn floating around all over the web. that book contains the whole of Faerūn + Kara-Tur though, fully mapped, and if you could find a copy at a decent price go for it. It doesn't include Maztica, which didn't exist yet (in print), and for whatever reason they chose not to include Zakhara (you see a piece of it, but I'm not sure if Al-Qadim had been published by then).

And since the fire, I don't even have most of my own maps. I lost the entirety of the K-T one I was almost done with. It would have synced-up perfectly with the canon 3e campaign map (which means it would no longer 'work' either, since the maps drastically changed in 3e, and have since changed back).

And as for maps of that particular campaign and novel series, there is a source specific to that - FR12, 9324, Horde Campaign, which was a weird attempt at a 'miniatures rules' guide book to doing The Horde campaigns, and it includes troop types and numbers for every country involved. Not a source I reference very often, since its practically useless for RPGing or even the typical 'fanboi discussions' we have gong on around here. Its very stale and lifeless, like a textbook, but it would accomplish some of what you want.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 29 Mar 2017 22:24:22
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2017 :  22:26:04  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
And as an aside, I've been dreaming of just such a map as you describe for years - maybe even make it like The Sims, in that you can look down into a town and see what everyone was doing, like checking out Elminster as he moves about Shadowdale (Drow babes in a hot tub!).

EDIT:
And you can poke them and make them angry. That would be awesome - having Khelben get so mad he starts throwing lightening bolts all around. ("Leave me be, you invisible scoundrel!")

El should be able to turn around and look over his shoulder RIGHT AT YOU, and say, "Hmmmmmm?"

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 29 Mar 2017 22:29:40
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
11843 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2017 :  00:01:38  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay

HandsomeRob's maps are probably the best for what you are looking for. I don't think he hosts them anywhere anymore, but someone broke-down the big map into smaller chunks (the original file is so huge most folks couldn't open it... including me). There was a follow-up thread to his original, wherein Cleric Generic posted the sections in his dropbox, but I just checked and they're no longer there ('File Not Found'). Like an idiot, I never bothered to download them myself (and now I need some self-reflection to figure out why that is...)

However, I'm sure plenty of other folks here downloaded them, and someone may even have the HUGE original file as well.

My own maps have always been regional, so not what you are looking for. The last time I was working on an 'all of Toril' map project my house burned down (the gods were angry! LOL). I am currently working on a new one, starting with just Faerūn, but thats been on hold for about 3 months because I've become distracted, and when I get back to it (very soon) it will still be like a year before I finish Faerūn proper, and even think about moving onto those other regions of Toril. Those will be released in pieces, though, and the first two are 80% complete already (Just Cormyr to Impiltur, from the Moonsea down to the north coast of the old Empires), so not even near where you want them to be (except for the start of the Cormyr portion of that series... and where Azoun found Alusair).

Mine will never be 'one whole big map for everything' as HandsomeRob did, because of the level of detail I want to achieve. What you are talking about would require mapping Toril several times over, at different scales, similar to how RW mapping software works now. If I ever got a hosting service (and finished MY maps), te best I would attempt is a continent map you could click on to see the smaller, regional ones (like how the FRIA worked, but more efficient).

Speaking of which, if you could find that source - the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas, that would probably do precisely what you want, come to think of it. Its extremely dated, and you can't 'scroll', so going from one map section to another is a chore, but its still probably the best 'all inclusive' map/software we've ever had (and is now missing TONS of stuff, being 3 editions out-of-date). Hell, we've gained a whole 'nother planet since then.

The Fonstad Atlas is another excellent resource, and there are copies of a pieced-together one of just Faerūn floating around all over the web. that book contains the whole of Faerūn + Kara-Tur though, fully mapped, and if you could find a copy at a decent price go for it. It doesn't include Maztica, which didn't exist yet (in print), and for whatever reason they chose not to include Zakhara (you see a piece of it, but I'm not sure if Al-Qadim had been published by then).

And since the fire, I don't even have most of my own maps. I lost the entirety of the K-T one I was almost done with. It would have synced-up perfectly with the canon 3e campaign map (which means it would no longer 'work' either, since the maps drastically changed in 3e, and have since changed back).

And as for maps of that particular campaign and novel series, there is a source specific to that - FR12, 9324, Horde Campaign, which was a weird attempt at a 'miniatures rules' guide book to doing The Horde campaigns, and it includes troop types and numbers for every country involved. Not a source I reference very often, since its practically useless for RPGing or even the typical 'fanboi discussions' we have gong on around here. Its very stale and lifeless, like a textbook, but it would accomplish some of what you want.




I've got Handsome Rob's TIF map (776 MB) and I also converted it to JPG (165 MB). He even filled in some of the unnamed places (like Katashaka's lands). I really wish I could have used it DMs Guild, but since it wasn't available there other people couldn't use it. But it did force me to play with some mapping tools, so that's been kind of fun. I just have nowhere I can put them up (don't have a dropbox, and if I put them up on google docs then technically they kind of own them... and I wouldn't want to do that to Rob... too big for email to send as an attachment).

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
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Gyor
Master of Realmslore

1625 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2017 :  00:08:25  Show Profile Send Gyor a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Wish they do a Toril 5e in depth map with details, sadly they, haven't.
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sonofsaline
Acolyte

USA
6 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2017 :  00:25:23  Show Profile Send sonofsaline a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas




I've got Handsome Rob's TIF map (776 MB) and I also converted it to JPG (165 MB). He even filled in some of the unnamed places (like Katashaka's lands). I really wish I could have used it DMs Guild, but since it wasn't available there other people couldn't use it. But it did force me to play with some mapping tools, so that's been kind of fun. I just have nowhere I can put them up (don't have a dropbox, and if I put them up on google docs then technically they kind of own them... and I wouldn't want to do that to Rob... too big for email to send as an attachment).



Sleyvas, would you be willing to upload the .jpg to Zippyshare.com and post the link here? It's free.
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sonofsaline
Acolyte

USA
6 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2017 :  00:26:49  Show Profile Send sonofsaline a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thanks for all the info, Markustay. I guess I'll have to keep dreaming. Maybe I'll give Google a call and see what they can do... :)
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
11843 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2017 :  13:32:51  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by sonofsaline

quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas




I've got Handsome Rob's TIF map (776 MB) and I also converted it to JPG (165 MB). He even filled in some of the unnamed places (like Katashaka's lands). I really wish I could have used it DMs Guild, but since it wasn't available there other people couldn't use it. But it did force me to play with some mapping tools, so that's been kind of fun. I just have nowhere I can put them up (don't have a dropbox, and if I put them up on google docs then technically they kind of own them... and I wouldn't want to do that to Rob... too big for email to send as an attachment).



Sleyvas, would you be willing to upload the .jpg to Zippyshare.com and post the link here? It's free.



sorry, but that site has similar stipulations. You could try Private Messaging HandsomeRob from here as well.

Users using Zippyshare.com through uploading specific files or other content assure that they are entitled to all rights, including in particular author’s copyrights, that through their actions they are not violating the rights of third parties and that they are legally empowered to take such actions.

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
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Green Giant
Seeker

USA
63 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2017 :  16:40:51  Show Profile Send Green Giant a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by sonofsaline

Thanks for all the info, Markustay. I guess I'll have to keep dreaming. Maybe I'll give Google a call and see what they can do... :)



Perhaps something like they're doing for Golarion here.
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire

USA
15724 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2017 :  21:25:59  Show Profile Send Markustay a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I've actually mapped a large swathed of Golarion myself - I didn't like the way the kingmaker maps lined-up, so I fixed all that (made one map with everything on it).

I did that one for myself, though, because I was still using the '3e (FR) style' art, and that probably would have been a no-no to take WotC art and apply to a competitor's product. Even if it was legal ('derivative work'), it still wouldn't have been right. I have a few 'just for me' maps like that.

And I even managed to procure the original maps for Iobaria, because all cartographers make mistakes.

"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone


Edited by - Markustay on 31 Mar 2017 20:07:55
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Mapolq
Senior Scribe

Brazil
466 Posts

Posted - 31 Mar 2017 :  05:58:30  Show Profile Send Mapolq a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I have HandsomeRob's original, too, but have similar issues with uploading it.

If we can find HandsomeRob and get his permission, though, I (and friends) rent a server for our NWN2 world so we could host it there.

Never sleep under the jackfruit tree.

Tales of Moonsea - A Neverwinter Nights 2 Persistent World. Check out our website at http://www.talesofmoonsea.com and our video trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am304WqOAAo&feature=youtu.be, as well as our thread here at Candlekeep: http://www.forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12955

My campaign thread: http://www.forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16447
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader

USA
3243 Posts

Posted - 31 Mar 2017 :  13:55:06  Show Profile Send Ashe Ravenheart a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Okay, I tried the old imageshack links, but it's not sending me to the maps. If anyone wants to upload them to my Candlekeep Dropbox, shoot me a message with your email and I can add you to the folder's "owners". I can then host them on mattdroz.com for perusal/download (as long as Rob gives his ok).

PS. Dropbox may be easier since by sharing the folder with your dropbox account, it then allows you to just copy the files in locally on your computer and it will then sync them up in the background instead of uploading through the web.

I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.

Ashe's Character Sheet

Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs
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Larson McCade
Acolyte

Australia
4 Posts

Posted - 16 Apr 2020 :  12:34:05  Show Profile Send Larson McCade a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I know this is a really old post and so unlikely to be seen but...

I did make use of the map by HandsomeRob and Leaflet JS to make my own zoomable version of his map - based heavily off the Leaflet coding work of others.
As Wooly Rupert said, there are definitely some differences in maps that have occurred over the years. While I did correct a couple of things I noticed on HandsomeRob's map (Port Castigliar spelling and location, cleaning up Thindol) even recently I noticed that there were some minor differences closer to 'home' (his locations of Triboar, Amphail and Goldenfields relative to Waterdeep... versus the latest 5e Sword Coast regional maps). I've still used it for my own campaign work and it's the best map I've found available - thanks HandsomeRob, wherever you may be.

https://imgur.com/a/MMEg8i7 (3 images from my site)
The created tiles for the various zoom levels of HandsomeRob's map totaled about 2GB!!!

I've done the same with Neverwinter, Waterdeep, The Sword Coast, Menzoberranzan... all personal use, sitting on my home server.
While I would love to do the same thing with an up to date map of Toril - dreams!!! - I'm satisfied that these minor differences do nothing when we all make our own versions of the realms in our games anyway.

Larson McCade
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Shawn Daniels
Seeker

79 Posts

Posted - 17 Apr 2020 :  00:17:32  Show Profile Send Shawn Daniels a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well, there is now http://media.wizards.com/2015/images/dnd/resources/Sword-Coast-Map_HighRes.jpg
An extremely high res view of the left side of the continent

Those who destroy knowledge, with ink, fire, or sword, are themselves destroyed.
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Larson McCade
Acolyte

Australia
4 Posts

Posted - 17 Apr 2020 :  06:21:19  Show Profile Send Larson McCade a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Yeah, that was the Sword Coast map I used - and the one that highlighted the Triboar/Amphail/Goldenfields difference to HandsomeRob's map.

https://imgur.com/a/3taQCee (Done properly this time, I hope)

Larson McCade
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perlmugp
Seeker

USA
69 Posts

Posted - 20 May 2020 :  02:13:11  Show Profile  Visit perlmugp's Homepage Send perlmugp a Private Message  Reply with Quote
If you look at the map in my linked in my account signature it is a proof of concept for how this could be made. What I've got only looks at a portion of Faerun in any detail and I've limited the level of zoom because I haven't created the images necessary but this uses Leaflet, which is the same mapping software many websites use to show the world from continents down to streets. All you do is point it at a different collection of images that shows Faerun instead of Earth.

--Zoomable Map of Faerun--
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Divinity
Seeker

USA
53 Posts

Posted - 24 May 2020 :  07:35:47  Show Profile  Visit Divinity's Homepage Send Divinity a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Over the past few years, I've been making my own Faerūn map from scratch. I've posted the WIP a couple times, but not since Dec '18 or so and I've not really done too much since then. I'm paused in the process of naming of roads and rivers. What I've learned is that making a perfect map is impossible. Too many people have made creative liberties on official products for there to be a perfect map - let alone then having to figure out which city map is best used. Plus, some things simply have never been detailed. Just figuring out which side of the river a town is supposed to be on can be almost impossible. The best I've been able to do is compare all the maps I can find, and then compare that to official text, then unofficial text and talking to authors (like we can through here) and in some cases make a judgment call that seems like it makes the most sense. It can literally take an hour or more just to figure out one location sometimes and the map has been a project of hundreds and hundreds of hours. A world/continent map that included city structures and buildings would be a legendary feat if made from scratch. I can't imagine the computer RAM and patience it would take to build a map like that. Mine already has each phase made in its own file.

Here's a link to a full-scale version of my map on my Google Drive. Take into account it's still a WIP, though most of the important stuff is down, minus a legend.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Y-0Uarlbrcw9jLnKAh3fQ_JE8FYIKy_/view?usp=sharing

Edit: I updated this map with a few changes including adding a legend.

- Craig Vincent
My Faerūn Continent Map

Edited by - Divinity on 29 May 2020 07:59:35
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Renin
Learned Scribe

USA
290 Posts

Posted - 25 May 2020 :  15:47:54  Show Profile Send Renin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Divinity,

I love studying your map. I know it's a craft that takes, like you said, hundreds of hours, and my words of appreciation don't come to mean any kind of compensation; but thank you for your work and effort, and thank you for sharing. It's wonderful!
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Scimitars of Drizzt
Seeker

Canada
77 Posts

Posted - 25 May 2020 :  19:18:21  Show Profile Send Scimitars of Drizzt a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Divinity

Over the past few years, I've been making my own Faerūn map from scratch. I've posted the WIP a couple times, but not since Dec '18 or so and I've not really done too much since then. I'm paused in the process of naming of roads and rivers. What I've learned is that making a perfect map is impossible. Too many people have made creative liberties on official products for there to be a perfect map - let alone then having to figure out which city map is best used. Plus, some things simply have never been detailed. Just figuring out which side of the river a town is supposed to be on can be almost impossible. The best I've been able to do is compare all the maps I can find, and then compare that to official text, then unofficial text and talking to authors (like we can through here) and in some cases make a judgment call that seems like it makes the most sense. It can literally take an hour or more just to figure out one location sometimes and the map has been a project of hundreds and hundreds of hours. A world/continent map that included city structures and buildings would be a legendary feat if made from scratch. I can't imagine the computer RAM and patience it would take to build a map like that. Mine already has each phase made in its own file.

Here's a link to a full-scale version of my map on my Google Drive. Take into account it's still a WIP, though most of the important stuff is down, minus a legend.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iYtooKNJaSQB1PU_Sq2Is3aOhCf5YdSL



Damn, this is a beautiful map. Your write-up is interesting and makes perfect sense, I couldn't imagine the work put into this piece. I will be using this map for now on, noting it's still a WIP; well done.

"Surrender now, or we will slay you!" the leader of the creatures called, a bit louder and more forcefully.
"A moment, please, my friend," Zasian said, motioning to the dwarf for patience. "We are discussing your terms."

"Ye heading off with Invo . . . Inno . . . that durned elf?"

Edited by - Scimitars of Drizzt on 25 May 2020 19:18:44
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6669 Posts

Posted - 26 May 2020 :  02:57:43  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
This is a thing of total beauty. Bravo.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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Myth
Acolyte

Spain
15 Posts

Posted - 27 May 2020 :  01:03:10  Show Profile Send Myth a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Great map @Divinity
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
11843 Posts

Posted - 29 May 2020 :  19:45:45  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Divinity

Over the past few years, I've been making my own Faerūn map from scratch. I've posted the WIP a couple times, but not since Dec '18 or so and I've not really done too much since then. I'm paused in the process of naming of roads and rivers. What I've learned is that making a perfect map is impossible. Too many people have made creative liberties on official products for there to be a perfect map - let alone then having to figure out which city map is best used. Plus, some things simply have never been detailed. Just figuring out which side of the river a town is supposed to be on can be almost impossible. The best I've been able to do is compare all the maps I can find, and then compare that to official text, then unofficial text and talking to authors (like we can through here) and in some cases make a judgment call that seems like it makes the most sense. It can literally take an hour or more just to figure out one location sometimes and the map has been a project of hundreds and hundreds of hours. A world/continent map that included city structures and buildings would be a legendary feat if made from scratch. I can't imagine the computer RAM and patience it would take to build a map like that. Mine already has each phase made in its own file.

Here's a link to a full-scale version of my map on my Google Drive. Take into account it's still a WIP, though most of the important stuff is down, minus a legend.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Y-0Uarlbrcw9jLnKAh3fQ_JE8FYIKy_/view?usp=sharing

Edit: I updated this map with a few changes including adding a legend.



While by no means a master map maker, and I'm getting that you are probably just using an image editor, but let me first say "bravo" and secondly say …. I feel the pain especially in what you say in the above about the equipment being an issue. I've been using campaign cartographer, and what sucks is I get a map that's starting to be at the point that I want... and then suddenly it starts locking up, etc... What's worse is that I don't think its necessarily my system itself so much as the software being too old to take advantage of my exorbitant memory (had a system with 24 gigs of RAM). There's probably tweaks I can do, but the simple frustration is what makes you want to give up.

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
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Divinity
Seeker

USA
53 Posts

Posted - 29 May 2020 :  20:46:41  Show Profile  Visit Divinity's Homepage Send Divinity a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas

quote:
Originally posted by Divinity

Over the past few years, I've been making my own Faerūn map from scratch. I've posted the WIP a couple times, but not since Dec '18 or so and I've not really done too much since then. I'm paused in the process of naming of roads and rivers. What I've learned is that making a perfect map is impossible. Too many people have made creative liberties on official products for there to be a perfect map - let alone then having to figure out which city map is best used. Plus, some things simply have never been detailed. Just figuring out which side of the river a town is supposed to be on can be almost impossible. The best I've been able to do is compare all the maps I can find, and then compare that to official text, then unofficial text and talking to authors (like we can through here) and in some cases make a judgment call that seems like it makes the most sense. It can literally take an hour or more just to figure out one location sometimes and the map has been a project of hundreds and hundreds of hours. A world/continent map that included city structures and buildings would be a legendary feat if made from scratch. I can't imagine the computer RAM and patience it would take to build a map like that. Mine already has each phase made in its own file.

Here's a link to a full-scale version of my map on my Google Drive. Take into account it's still a WIP, though most of the important stuff is down, minus a legend.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Y-0Uarlbrcw9jLnKAh3fQ_JE8FYIKy_/view?usp=sharing

Edit: I updated this map with a few changes including adding a legend.



While by no means a master map maker, and I'm getting that you are probably just using an image editor, but let me first say "bravo" and secondly say …. I feel the pain especially in what you say in the above about the equipment being an issue. I've been using campaign cartographer, and what sucks is I get a map that's starting to be at the point that I want... and then suddenly it starts locking up, etc... What's worse is that I don't think its necessarily my system itself so much as the software being too old to take advantage of my exorbitant memory (had a system with 24 gigs of RAM). There's probably tweaks I can do, but the simple frustration is what makes you want to give up.



I use Photoshop and have an i7 6800k with 6 cores and 16gb of RAM and I still have slowing problems. However! What I've figured out that it isn't the speed of my system, and for most people, it's probably not the speed of theirs either. The problem is when our systems run out of RAM. Everything is fine until that point. After that point, the program has to use scratch disks. The issues then become, is there enough scratch disk space allocated, and how fast is the hard drive you're using as the scratch disk. For me, personally, I've been using the 1.5 TB space on my old HDD storage drive. The issue is that writing to an HDD is -super- slow so its always hanging up as it writes to it over and over. A few days ago I ordered a 500GB NVMe M.2 drive for my Turbo M.2 slot which could increase my transfer rate up to 35x when I use that as my scratch disk instead. I'd recommend reading up on scratch disks, and then making sure you've got yours set up optimally and if need be getting something faster and using it as a dedicated scratch drive. That may be the best way to speed things up for work on large files.

- Craig Vincent
My Faerūn Continent Map
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PattPlays
Senior Scribe

469 Posts

Posted - 29 May 2020 :  20:51:38  Show Profile  Visit PattPlays's Homepage Send PattPlays a Private Message  Reply with Quote
That fullres is amazing! I have found almost half a dozen high res maps on these threads just in the past two months. Excellent material for cross referencing interpretations!

Now... anything on the Uppaproachable East? The Dock and that amazing mountain range is juuuust off the map's southeast corner...

:The world's greatest OOTA fan/critic: :"Powder kegs within powder kegs!": :Meta-Dimensional Cheese: :Why is the Wand of Orcus just back?: :We still don't know the nature of Souls and the Positive Energy Plane: :PC on profile, Aldritch Elpyptrat Maxinfield: :Helljumpers, Bungie.net: :Rock Hard Gladiator, RIP Fluidanim, Long Live Pluto: :IRC lives:


https://thisisstorytelling.wordpress.com

T_P_T
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winterwulf
Acolyte

1 Posts

Posted - 02 Sep 2020 :  16:19:18  Show Profile  Visit winterwulf's Homepage Send winterwulf a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I loved your toril map, it is really awesome!
Would you mind to share it without labels? I mean only the land, because I would like to use in my campaign if thats ok.

quote:
Originally posted by Divinity

[quote]Originally posted by sleyvas

[quote]Originally posted by Divinity

Over the past few years, I've been making my own Faerūn map from scratch. I've posted the WIP a couple times, but not since Dec '18 or so and I've not really done too much since then. I'm paused in the process of naming of roads and rivers. What I've learned is that making a perfect map is impossible. Too many people have made creative liberties on official products for there to be a perfect map - let alone then having to figure out which city map is best used. Plus, some things simply have never been detailed. Just figuring out which side of the river a town is supposed to be on can be almost impossible. The best I've been able to do is compare all the maps I can find, and then compare that to official text, then unofficial text and talking to authors (like we can through here) and in some cases make a judgment call that seems like it makes the most sense. It can literally take an hour or more just to figure out one location sometimes and the map has been a project of hundreds and hundreds of hours. A world/continent map that included city structures and buildings would be a legendary feat if made from scratch. I can't imagine the computer RAM and patience it would take to build a map like that. Mine already has each phase made in its own file.

Here's a link to a full-scale version of my map on my Google Drive. Take into account it's still a WIP, though most of the important stuff is down, minus a legend.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Y-0Uarlbrcw9jLnKAh3fQ_JE8FYIKy_/view?usp=sharing

Edit: I updated this map with a few changes including adding a legend.


--
winterwulf
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cpthero2
Great Reader

USA
2286 Posts

Posted - 20 Sep 2020 :  22:36:39  Show Profile  Visit cpthero2's Homepage Send cpthero2 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Seeker Divinity,

Do you still have a copy of this?

Best regards,



Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring
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cpthero2
Great Reader

USA
2286 Posts

Posted - 20 Sep 2020 :  22:40:02  Show Profile  Visit cpthero2's Homepage Send cpthero2 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Learned Scribe PattPlays,

It sounds like you may have a copy of this still....? ;)

Any chance I could snag a copy of that from you?

Best regards as always,



Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring
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Blaidd31204
Acolyte

USA
3 Posts

Posted - 24 Mar 2024 :  17:45:21  Show Profile Send Blaidd31204 a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Where can I find these images?
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