Dungeon Break: Comic Book Annual Overland & Tweaking

Kathleen Ann Cox

I decided to give myself a break from mapping dungeons and pulled out the Comic Book Annual Overland Style and then just out of curiosity I ran some scripts on it in a graphics program and here is the most interesting in my opinion.

The Original:

Map as an Antique Painting:

I actually like this map, but I think I would reduce the brightness and contrast a little more and get rid of the text labels. What do you guys think?

Loopysue

I would possibly reduce the saturation a bit, and give the texture a lot more transparency. It's difficult to read the labels at the moment.

jslayton

You may be able to get the same general effect directly in cc3 by adding a bitmap fill style using any of the available "stucco" textures available online, adding a sheet with a "multiply" blend mode, then drawing a box over your drawing area.

Or, try the Texturize effect with a "stucco normal map" image.

The regular image with the blend mode is a little easier for a lot of folks to understand, because the normal map image looks so unlikely.

Kathleen Ann Cox

@Loopysue Here is the map with the saturation dialed way down. Since I ran a pre-generated script, I don't know how to adjust the transparency on the texture. Labels are still problematic, but I like the general look of the map better.

@jslayton Here is the image using CC3 with blend mode-multiply with a seamless stucco image.

I think I just need to look around for the "right" texture and maybe tone down the hue/saturation lightness. I am just really thrilled to learn something new to add to my mapping toolbox. I briefly played around with the blend mode before, but I really love this application of it.

And one final thing. Is it good or bad to reply directly to people in the forums using "@". I haven't done it until recently after it was done to me. I thought maybe it was the polite thing to do, but now I am wondering if it could be annoying.

[Deleted User]

I love that you share your adventures in mapping - and I am learning things from you and the comments.

I doubt very much that people get annoyed by "@" addressed to specific people.

Loopysue

No problems with '@' :)

Looking for textures is an interesting but very time consuming thing to do. You could try this page? You can get 15 free to use each day, but not commercially. You have to pay for commercial usage rights. https://www.textures.com/search?q=stucco

They do all kinds of different stuff for different apps. I make my own textures these days, but I used to use this site as a source when I was making GIMP maps a few years ago.

Monsen

@WVFaeryWoman wrote:

And one final thing. Is it good or bad to reply directly to people in the forums using "@". I haven't done it until recently after it was done to me. I thought maybe it was the polite thing to do, but now I am wondering if it could be annoying.

Using @ is completely fine, especially when it is in context, i.e. to refer to someone saying something earlier in the thread. It is also fine when referring to something a user did earlier/elsewhere, for example "I am following the instruction in this blog by @WVFaeryWoman but I don't understand the steps.....". It is bad if you try to drag unrelated people into the thread by spamming your post with @-mentions, for example posting a request for help, and then filling it with @-mentions of the names of people you know gives good help generally.

If people don't like to be notified for @-mentions, they can control it from their notification preferences.

Kathleen Ann Cox

@Quenten You are always so kind and encouraging. It is because of you that I felt like I had a city map good enough to submit to the community atlas a few years ago.

@Loopysue You, too, are always kind and generous with your advice and suggestions. I checked out the texture site and it looks very cool and I am going to save the link and hopefully visit it often.

@Monsen I always appreciate your responses because they are always so clear and spot on.

I just want to say something about the staff and the community here. It is pretty rare to find a place on the internet that feels completely safe and free of trolls. This forum is one of the most gentle and friendly places I have ever encountered. Everyone is always uplifting. No one is ever judged or torn down for their words or their maps. It feels like people here care about people and the world we live in, and I feel very fortunate to have found you.

Loopysue

Very kind of you - thank you :)

[Deleted User]

Hi, @WVFaeryWoman which city was that?

Kathleen Ann Cox

@Quenten The year was 2019 and it was Morscala.

[Deleted User]

I see - you were Kat, now you are a faery. A brilliant transmogrification. Well, we need more of your maps in the Atlas. Just make them, and someone will find a place for them.