Jungle/Forest paths...too dark? Okay?

[mikedemana]

Hi everyone,

The last terrain I needed to get done for my next Pulp Alley game are paths. The thought here is, rather than denote where the jungle is by placing down some sort of terrain piece, I note where it is not. So, I can say "all the board except the path" is jungle, or forest or whatever. I want to be able to use these for both Pulp jungle and French & Indian War tracks through the woods. These are not meant to be roads, but rather footpaths.



That said, what do you think of the look of these test pieces? They came out darker than I was thinking, thanks to the ink wash I put on there. I'd like some feedback before I get to much further on the next batch...

Thanks!
Mike Demana

[Eric the Shed]

They look good, perhaps have a few with different widths, and lots of twist and bends?

[FramFramson]

Making them twisty would encourage some risky cuts through the jungle. 

[Amalric]

Those look great!

My two suggestions are;
1-twists and turns to shorten line of sight
2-sand the edges at an angle to help the edges disappear into the ground better.

I look forward to seeing them in your games.

[carlos marighela]

Forest paths, as opposed to roads through forests tend to be distinguished by large aquantities of fallen leaves. Tree roots are another feature. Forest paths hereabouts (mata Atlantica and what many people might think of as jungle) tend to be fairly damp. Of course where there is space in the canopy, as often there is along a path, you get a dappled look of alternating light and shadow. That might be worth modelling.

Yours are very nice but I'd be inclined to give them a dusting of dried tea leaves or whatever else you use for fallen leaves.

[General]

Looks groovey.  Which jungle are you trying to replicate?  The ground in jungle just off the Amazon River in Peru, for example, is not so red, more of a gray brown.

I'd attach a photo if I could figure out how to do it. 

[pacarat]

My .02 Lupins...

Colors: look fine.

Size/shape: Make them more narrow, and have a more defined dirt path. If these are meant to be remote, primitive, etc, then i'd expect a worn/beaten down width of maybe a couple feet - say the width of those figure bases in your pic.

If you keep the actual terrain pieces at their current width, this would allow you to model your narrow foot paths with more curves and variations, as some of the other posters have already mentioned.

[General]

Most of the jungle paths that I have been on were grassy, just shorter grass.  There's not enough traffic to grind the turf down to the dirt. 

[mikedemana]

Keep the suggestions coming...! Any suggestions for fallen leaves? I like that idea but don't have a material I use for that, currently...

As to what jungle I'm trying to replicate, none in particular and all in general... . I'm hoping to produce something generic enough it works as a forest path in either French & Indian War North America and the jungles of Southeast Asia. I know...fat chance! Ha, ha. I went for the 2-figure wide patch for game purposes.

Here's a pic by the uber-artist for native Americans, Robert Griffing...

Of course, I was lazy and did not do research and actually look at images like this before I started -- even though I own a book of his paintings!

Thanks, everyone!

Mike Demana

[marianas_gamer]

Mike,
I have been on jungle paths throughout the northern Pacific (Hawaii, the Marianas, the Carolines, and Palau) and they can be pretty variable.  Yours look fine but as Amalric has suggested I would bevel the edges so they do not stand out as much against your base cloth.
LB

[pistolpete]

i think that's a great idea and the ones you've made are good - how did you make them?  as far as suggestions i'd agree with the others for more bends, vary the width, and bevel the edges; color wise it's fine and fairly generic.

[northtroll]

Dried tea works well for leafs. Hot glue can be laid down for exposed tree roots and painted to match the earth.

[scouts19508]

Antenocitis workshop has some pretty good leaves. I use them in my vietnam games as ground cover. I would also vary the width and give them more twists and turns. I think they look pretty good.

http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/

Jim

[Ramirez Noname]

Mike,

I like where you're going with the terrain.

I have added a few WIP pics to my own thread - http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=62376.0 if you want to take a look.

RMZ

[Westfalia Chris]

I'm with the others - colour and texture are fine, but some more blending effects (bevelled edges, maybe some grass, leaves, weeds) to have it match the table more seamlessly would not go amiss.