WIP Brightstone Keep

anomiecoalition

Figured I'd share some maps i'm working on for an upcoming campaign. The PCs will travel to a keep that has been overrun by orcs (rather cliche i know...) In any event, i'm going to map out the overview of the road they'll travel and the keep, along with some more detailed maps of the towers, prison, and mine/cave (which the keep protects). What follows is three images for the three levels of the tower.

Comments and criticisms are welcome (just got CC3 in May - really enjoy it - but also looking to improve)

anomiecoalition

2nd level

anomiecoalition

roof

mfrizzell

Wow looks really cool, how did you do that double beveled look with the walls?

anomiecoalition

Thanks...the beveling I tinkered with for a bit until I realized that the size setting referred to the combined size of the bevel on both sides (intuitively, i just assumed it meant the size of each bevel on each side.) So, the outer walls got a bevel size of 5 (since that was the width of the walls) and the inner walls got a size of 3. The outer walls also got a fade of 1.

mfrizzell

Really cool I'll have to try that technique on my next walls.

anomiecoalition

This is the mine...took me forever to get the sort out the multipoly for this one (kept getting leaks). The tunnel that is separated from the rest is supposed to signify a magically concealed and locked door that will lead to a more elaborate underground mountain pass (next adventure) and will appear after the PCs have eliminated the villain of this part of the cave.

as always - comments, critiques, and suggestions are welcomed.

anomiecoalition

Here is a two-story make-shift prison guarded by a troll. Will hold about a dozen slaves to work the mines.

anomiecoalition

2nd floor of the prison

Simon Rogers

These look great - well done. I like the blur on the ground for the roof tower.
You can avoid artefacts in the bevel by adding a sheet under the wall with an unusual solid color - one not present in the bitmap. Purple does OK. That stops the bevel getting deflected.

anomiecoalition

Thanks - now that you mention it, I have wondered why there are blue/purple house shapes included with some of the sets. I'll have to try that.

This is an overhead view of the Keep. I still have some prettying up to do with it - but I think i've got most of the nuts and bolts in. In my head - the keep sits atop a plateau leading to higher elevation. So in the bottom of the pic is the low ground which leads to a rock ledge and man made ramp. At the far end of the keep is the entrance to the mine and another rock ledge that begins the rest of the mountain range. I hope this map conveys that - but any comments, critiques or suggesting on any of this is appreciated.

anomiecoalition

Here is my most recent version of the keep - i'm open to any comments or critiques that can make it better.

Shessar

These are great maps. Nice!

Only one small suggestion. Add a texture under the wheel tracks/roads like you did at the bottom of the prior map. The way it is now looks a bit artificial to my eyes.

jaerdaph

Very nice - I'm really liking this series of maps. Love that bevel effect on the tower wall.

Greebo

Great maps!

Just one thought on the overhead map of the keep. If one of the purposes of the keep is to protect the mines, why isn`t the entrance inside the walls? Is there an in-game reason?

anomiecoalition

Thanks for the comments - I've uploaded a slightly modified version. I did place a texture underneath the tracks, but I ended up making it rather faint (I tried a couple variations and most came up either obscuring the tracks or really standing out against the background texture - so I settled on a more subdued tone that I think helps to fill in the tracks a bit better.)

I also moved the cave entrance - I just couldn't think of a plausible justification for building a fort outside the entrance.

Shessar

The difference in the tracks is subtle, but makes them less harsh against the background. Much better!

Keep sharing, please. I really am enjoying your maps a lot.

Barliman

Moving the mine entrance inside the curtain wall makes the whole set up much more logical.