@Traveller Nothing is set in concrete at this stage. I'm considering some kind of mountain ridge symbol as an addition to the bevel effect, so that people who want a bit more than just a bevel can have it. I'm going with dots and circles for structures, though. Anything more detailed than that would look terrible at this scale. Those kinds of things could be included in the regional version of the style, which I hope to do at some point.
It looks good, but I'm not particularly fond of that soft edge on the forests. I suspect that it would really need something like an alpha threshold (possibly multiplied by distance from edge) effect to sell it, though, so I'm not sure that there's much you can do about it in this context. Maybe single-cell symbols with hard edges along rim of the forest, but then you'd lose the ability to merge forest sections by simply overlapping them (which needs fixed-origin fills for best effect). Of course, you can merge blocks using one of the CONTOURSM family which might be workable.
I’ve come a long way in a year, but terms like alpha threshold (possibly multiplied by distance from edge) and CONTOURSM remind me how much more I have to learn with CC3+. 🤣
I really like the latest iteration. And I rather like the mountain ranges, but if they are meant to be hills, with mtn symbols on top, I would increase the smoothing somewhat. But I realize that you know where that is all leading, so really i will wait till you get to work on those. but the fills are great, IMO
They can be hills or mountains. I haven't decided what to add to the mix yet, but there's always flexibility in any style for people to use what they prefer.
Sue, as an aside, I really appreciate these style development threads. The first annual I bought in advance was 2024’s. Being a new user at the time, I had planned to wait a few months to see what came out and possibly spend my money instead on stocking up on older annuals. The Sinister Sewers development thread got me invested in it and I subscribed to the annual in December 2023 before anything was released. I imagine these threads are useful for your creative process but as a bonus: they’re good marketing, too!
(I also stocked up on older annuals over the year and now I think there are only three more to get.)
No, an alpha threshold effect would be a new effect. The idea would be to set the opacity of everything below a certain level to 0 and above that to 255, getting rid of the smooth transition. Combined with an opacity gradient (and ideally multiplication), it would let you chew off the soft edges of fills. I probably shouldn't think out loud when I'm tired.
Comments
@Calibre We ninjad each other.
You could use just the hills as they are, or you can add the mountain tops I mean to create.
So does that mean the symbols will be the mountain tops and the hills are shown by the bevel effect, Sue?
I haven't really decided yet. Let's try a few things first.
For a continental size map I think the option to use only fills for terrain is better.
And keep symbols for POIs (cities, castles and such)
Oh, Ms. Sue
Speaking of mountain symbols/fills. Could we have a top down volcano option?
Cal
If course. I was already considering it - to keep that supervolcano-sized lava flow under control.
@Traveller Nothing is set in concrete at this stage. I'm considering some kind of mountain ridge symbol as an addition to the bevel effect, so that people who want a bit more than just a bevel can have it. I'm going with dots and circles for structures, though. Anything more detailed than that would look terrible at this scale. Those kinds of things could be included in the regional version of the style, which I hope to do at some point.
It looks good, but I'm not particularly fond of that soft edge on the forests. I suspect that it would really need something like an alpha threshold (possibly multiplied by distance from edge) effect to sell it, though, so I'm not sure that there's much you can do about it in this context. Maybe single-cell symbols with hard edges along rim of the forest, but then you'd lose the ability to merge forest sections by simply overlapping them (which needs fixed-origin fills for best effect). Of course, you can merge blocks using one of the CONTOURSM family which might be workable.
I’ve come a long way in a year, but terms like alpha threshold (possibly multiplied by distance from edge) and CONTOURSM remind me how much more I have to learn with CC3+. 🤣
Thanks, Joe :)
I tried all kinds of sheet effects on the forest, but I didn't find one called alpha threshold. Is that an old name for something we already have?
I really like the latest iteration. And I rather like the mountain ranges, but if they are meant to be hills, with mtn symbols on top, I would increase the smoothing somewhat. But I realize that you know where that is all leading, so really i will wait till you get to work on those. but the fills are great, IMO
Thanks, Quenten :)
They can be hills or mountains. I haven't decided what to add to the mix yet, but there's always flexibility in any style for people to use what they prefer.
Sue, as an aside, I really appreciate these style development threads. The first annual I bought in advance was 2024’s. Being a new user at the time, I had planned to wait a few months to see what came out and possibly spend my money instead on stocking up on older annuals. The Sinister Sewers development thread got me invested in it and I subscribed to the annual in December 2023 before anything was released. I imagine these threads are useful for your creative process but as a bonus: they’re good marketing, too!
(I also stocked up on older annuals over the year and now I think there are only three more to get.)
Thank you :)
I do these threads to get a better sense of direction with a style, but if they also help to sell things that's good too.
Same here, bro
😁
Cal
No, an alpha threshold effect would be a new effect. The idea would be to set the opacity of everything below a certain level to 0 and above that to 255, getting rid of the smooth transition. Combined with an opacity gradient (and ideally multiplication), it would let you chew off the soft edges of fills. I probably shouldn't think out loud when I'm tired.
If it happens one day, that would be awesome! :)
For now, though, I've settled on an EFI combined with an Alpha Blur.
Love the forests. I guess they are deciduous and tropical - would like to see coniferous close up.
Thanks :)
Those are pine and deciduous.
This is tropical/deciduous (at the moment).
Thank you :)
Nice mountains chain! <3
Thank you, Ricko :)