Please take a look at the four map images below. (In game screenshots.) I am trying to offer a selection of map finishes, one of which I want to use in the final release. Can you please vote for you preferred style.
Maybe none of these are great in your opinion, but for the time being, this is a selection of what I can use in my campaign … maybe, in time, these can be improved upon. Any offers to redraw them greatly received … They would need to be almost exactly the same in look (for map locations), apart from artistic styling, of course.
Please note that these screenshots were taken from a 3440 x 1440, and so could look proportionally different in your final game.
Any helpful comments would be welcome.
Thanks in advance.
IF I HAD TO PICK, MY CHOICE OF MAP FINISH WOULD BE:
May I suggest “old photo” from GIMP. Gimp offers a number of built in filters, one of which is an old photo effect, which is excellent for use on maps. It applies not only a sepia effect, but the sorts of irregular spots you find on old paper/parchment.
I think that using on overland map ( with visible locations or locations to discover)can be very cool, but it cuts the “instant travel”. So the “flow” of the quest needs to take in consideration that there is no instant travels.
For some of the game, I use both the Overland Map (slow travel and explore) and the Fast Travel Map (just click and arrive there). See image below … but also note that the Fast Travel Map version cannot be used until after the PCs have discovered the location by using the Overland Map area.
The map images above (that I am asking players to vote on) are for the Party Maps, which will allow Fast Map Travel in two circumstances …
After the PCs have found a location via exploring the Overland Map area.
A location is added by an NPC to allow Fast Travel to it.
So, in the example above, the PCs have not yet explored the region beyond New Edgeton, and so while they are given the choice (and can even view the Fast Travel Map), no locations (apart from New Edgeton) will be available to use to travel. Therefore, in this instance, they HAVE to explore more slowly and will end up starting on the Overland Map instead … as in …
NOTE: The test images in my first post show locations available for Fast Travel as if they had been either already reached via Overland Map travel, or had been added by an NPC.
If you look closely, you can probably see that the Overland Map covers only a small proportion of the Fast Travel World Map: From New Edgeton to a little way past Boran. (Compare with the first post map images.) To make Overland Maps for the entire world section just shown in this map would take more time that it deserves, and there is also a second World Map that the players can switch between, with even more locations.
As an aside, I am currently looking at adding a button that may make this poll not required, as I may be able to change the map styles offered by a player choice button. I’ll see how that goes. Players vote is still required, even if it just determines the first option on offer.
I am still keeping the voting open for now, and so please vote if you have not.
However, as there was a split in the votes, I decided to just add four buttons that allowed the player to select their own preference. I have a working prototype up and running, and as long as there are no other issues, the latest MAP handling will come along with the new v1.1.
Module one will allow you to look at the maps (if you acquired them), whereas module 2 will allow you to use them for travel at the right locations and time.
I’ll give the “boring” answer as well and choose the original one. The different colors make the features of the map stand out and look distinct. The sepia would probably be my second choice.
I’ll second Blackwood’s suggestion about the font. A serif font might make it look more medieval-ish and fit better with a fantasy setting, if that’s the look you are going for.
