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Author Topic: Fantasy background nations?  (Read 7046 times)

Offline Vermis

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #15 on: March 31, 2014, 02:47:52 AM »
Cor, a map an' everything.  :-* I'd be interested in seeing the finer details if you ever put them online. Do the colours denote anything geographical, or just political?

(Added a bit more to me own, back up the topic, too.)

Offline warlord frod

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #16 on: March 31, 2014, 03:17:57 AM »
Cor, a map an' everything.  :-* I'd be interested in seeing the finer details if you ever put them online. Do the colours denote anything geographical, or just political?

(Added a bit more to me own, back up the topic, too.)

No its just the typical geopolitical map denoting kingdoms. I am working on the other maps with details Coloring them takes a good deal of time and replaceing all my labels with clearer ones is a chore. But I have wanted to do this for some time so thought why not.  ;)

Offline Sir Barnaby Hammond-Rye

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #17 on: March 31, 2014, 12:58:27 PM »
Myself, I like all maps - one of the reasons I joined the "Cartographer's Guild".  :)

I prefer a more pictoral style like the Minaria map from Divine Right, which would be just about perfect if it were not for some silly place names. Without hexes is better than with as well - somtimes I find the hexes are too bold and dominate the map. At other times the map is drawn to conform to the hexes so you end up with unnatural paths for rivers and roads.

Offline warlord frod

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #18 on: March 31, 2014, 03:13:30 PM »
Myself, I like all maps - one of the reasons I joined the "Cartographer's Guild".  :)

I prefer a more pictorial style like the Minaria map from Divine Right, which would be just about perfect if it were not for some silly place names. Without hexes is better than with as well - somtimes I find the hexes are too bold and dominate the map. At other times the map is drawn to conform to the hexes so you end up with unnatural paths for rivers and roads.

Yes I wish I had a cartography program when I started this thing years ago. Heck the first maps used a square grid given I had used graph paper hex's were an improvement. Naming things in a fantasy world is an interesting process. I used real a language (Hebrew) to try to come up with the names for my 10 Kingdoms and then just developed each region as I went along trying to maintain a unifying nomenclature. I had a broad historical narrative in mind from story ideas I had toyed with as far back as the 1970's. So some names may seem silly but hey its a fantasy world right  :D

Offline Sir Barnaby Hammond-Rye

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #19 on: March 31, 2014, 03:46:11 PM »
A lot of the guys over at the Cartographer's Guild seem to use GIMP to make their maps. GIMP is a free graphic software package. The Guild site has lots of tutorials and examples of maps others have done. Google should find both.

Offline Vermis

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #20 on: March 31, 2014, 04:28:38 PM »
I stumbled across this list of worldbuilding resources. I haven't read at anything on it yet, but couldn't hoit, could it? I think I'm gonna look at those language links first, meself.

But I have wanted to do this for some time so thought why not.  ;)

;)
« Last Edit: March 31, 2014, 04:42:30 PM by Vermis »

Offline warlord frod

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #21 on: March 31, 2014, 06:01:15 PM »
A lot of the guys over at the Cartographer's Guild seem to use GIMP to make their maps. GIMP is a free graphic software package. The Guild site has lots of tutorials and examples of maps others have done. Google should find both.

Excellent resource. Thanks

Offline Vermis

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #22 on: April 13, 2014, 11:13:51 PM »
I found another blog series - a (highly) educated interpretation of the geology of Westeros. Pretty specialised stuff, way more involved than anything I would've had an inkling about, but interesting.

Offline warlord frod

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #23 on: September 16, 2016, 04:30:17 AM »
Finally got around to digitizing the more detailed maps I will post them here or in a separate thread if enough people are interested. Here is Betharletah



Let me know what you all think

Offline Too Bo Coo

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Re: Fantasy background nations?
« Reply #24 on: September 16, 2016, 10:43:13 AM »
For a fantasy world, I use the old World of Greyhawk setting.  Any casual perusal and it's obvious that Gygax borrowed heavily from the old world.  For example, 'Perrenland' is quite clearly Switzerland.
"A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men."
-Willy Wonka

 

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