Distort has been possible for at least 5 years. All I did was work out how to affect the whole map by adding the effect to just the one sheet, called OPTIONAL DISTORT. The distort is optional because it doesn't make reading the map all that easy. It's more of an artistic effect.

A rectangle of transparent white that covers the map on the OPTIONAL DISTORT sheet is multiplied (Blend mode sheet effect) to the result of the render so far. The Distort effect is then applied. The white of the rectangle itself is no longer visible thanks to the multiply effect (which removes all the white on it's own sheet) but those other colours it has been blended to are treated as part of the white rectangle and distorted by the following Distort effect.

Blend and Distort. Just two effects in that order.

The only thing you need to be careful about is making sure that all your backgrounds and anything that vanishes off the edge of the map extend as far beyond the edge of the map as the distort is set to act, or you get the edges of things pulled back into the map by the distort.

Thank you pkfrye :)

I tried that already, but they cause too much interference with the rest of the map, being rather too eye-catching in comparison with the real focus, which will be the ruins on the sand below.

When the world gives you loads of noise at 4am, use it to do something useful and sleep later in the day.

How am I doing for colours, rocks, and overall appearance?

As far as I am aware it is free to register with CloudConvert and just carry on as normal - if we're talking about the same source as is mentioned in the 2020 January CA issue. Ralf did a live stream, and ended up running into that barrier right in the middle of the live stream. He just registered and everything was fine.

Very well done, and in such a limited time :)