Improve This Map
I have been working on this map, and would like some advice on how to improve it.
It's a cavern in which dwells an ice dragon. The white border around the cavern is an icy ledge - I'm happy with that.
I'd like to improve the look of some of the other features:
The white blodge in the middle is a pile of snow (the dragon uses it for a bed).
The white pillars are pillars of ice
The blue blobs are very shallow pools of cold water lying on the floor.
Any suggestions for representing them in a better way?
Edit: oh yes, the statue figure over at the left side is supposed to be a knight frozen in ice
It's a cavern in which dwells an ice dragon. The white border around the cavern is an icy ledge - I'm happy with that.
I'd like to improve the look of some of the other features:
The white blodge in the middle is a pile of snow (the dragon uses it for a bed).
The white pillars are pillars of ice
The blue blobs are very shallow pools of cold water lying on the floor.
Any suggestions for representing them in a better way?
Edit: oh yes, the statue figure over at the left side is supposed to be a knight frozen in ice
Comments
Pools - perhaps I'd experiment with 2 or 3 shades of water very much like a small ocean, perhaps varying the shading from default and the number of gradients for different pool depths. I'd also be a little more inclined to make the pools slightly less 'smooth' on the edges; cave pools have uneven edges, right, almost like a little coastline - nothing too severe, just not as smooth as you have them.
The pillars I'd also make more angular and some out-right not round; I think this is okay for a stalagmite, but for a column they can be more 'rocky' and angular.
The mound needs to look more 'moundish'. I created a series of textures to use in this sort of instance where I'd take the default texture fill (the ice/snow) and create a darker/lighter version of the same. You can then create custom fills/polys for these and make the mound more like a contoured hill to give it a darker base and lighter tipped 'peak'.
Mound: I'm with you on the "moundish". I don't know how to create different textures. Can that be done within CC3? The texture I've used there is the White Marble fill from one of the DD3 templates! I'm currently experiementing with adding a blur to the edge it make it loo more snow like.
New question: any idea how to represent stalagtites hanging from the ceiling?
below the maps on the page
As for stalagtites, since they hang from the ceiling, a fractal poly of the same thing you use for the walls and floor will do it.
Its basically a horizontal cross-section.
How would I visually show the difference between stalagtites that hang from the ceiling but don't reach the ground (so you can walk under them) and stalagmites that arise from the ground which are obstacles? (Assume I've got stalagmites/-tites the right way round there