Map art

I had this exact same story with the first batch. You still can find some of those pictures on this forum from a second batch where I was using google images. It was a very easy concept. Although a lot of copy/paste work back then. I think I could do it much much faster these days. And with less lag. The first batch was even a disaster in game play too.

I have used those maps in the first play tests too. They are indeed good. But they lacked for me the requirements for strategic game play by my game mechanics. Thus I needed to create my own style.

At least you have been on the same road. To bad, hexagons are a requirement to get my game going. If I where to change that at this point, than I might as well quit. :)

All of the above :D. And more. But for now I am gathering just enough for the terrain effects in the game.

I have posted the list before. But I do have plans to simplify if needed.

Now, those are relatively old plans. If these are possible, it would be a welcome addition. Not to mention that somewhere the plans of having both rocks and tree's is there as well. But that would be just to chaotic for any designer. The negative part would be that my designing would be more limited.

One of my newer plans, the simpler version:
Only Water/Desert/Grass/"Mountainous or Rocks"/Forest (5).
Which also have each possible combination of blending over nicely (10).
Thus still 15 textures in total. They would really be used as texture in the simplified version.

Having the texture like fields would give me more design options. Thus if you make an attempt, please go for the simplified version.

This can be any (flashy) colour. Good to know is that the fields are hexagons and the pieces are smaller squares. About 2 to 3 can fit in the hexagons.

One field can contain about 36 rifle men or 6 tanks. The average soldier can march 2 fields in 1 turn.
The fastest Jeep goes 7 fields in 1 turn.

After practising.
I have come at a crossroad. And probably am going to follow Larienna's advice.
Thanks for that link, it has given me new insights.

I have created (in my oppinion) good looking stuff with only the grass and tree textures. While respecting the game mechanics. Thus far I can fill in the hexagon like above. But now I have a good finisher. The corners are not sharp any more (I will show again when that same little map has been worked on).
Thus far, each segment has several options with the grass and tree's. Also inverted options.

The choice that I have to make is:
To keep going with this.
OR
To discard this and just create each 19 hexagon segment in one go.

The positive with the second choice is that it takes way less time. The negative with the second choice is that each hexagon is so different from any other. Players will not know what the properties are of each hexagon.
Besides of altitude, I need to add more numbers. The 3 digits as mentioned before plus 2 more that indicate the ammount of tree's and rocks/hills. But the cliffs have their own function as well regarding these same numbers. Thus each cliff would get a number as well.
The only solution that I can think of is to keep the Cliffs completely one terrain type. And making the transition on the middle hexagon.

***

I do not like using more numbers.

Would it be an option? To be using little blocks instead?
With this I mean that the region has a little block somewhere that shows 6 colors. If all 6 are light green, the region is a complete grass region. If some are dark green or brown, than that means it contains tree's or rocks (with its properties applied). Of course, blue is water and yellow is desert.

Of course it will look nice if these 6 are gathered around the centre one way or another.

(This post is edited)
Well, I have something looking better than the picture above. Although it is laughable in how I use colour blocks and stripes to indicate the terrain.

Those blocks need to be smaller. Squares would look better.

I need to set up proper editing guidelines.

- Cliffs need to be exactly 1 type of terrain.
- A 50-50 mix for a cliff is allowed. The squares indicate the mix. Example: one light green and one dark green means a grass/forest cliff.

The height number stays though... but should be added only when needed. No more grey lines for the numbers.

I reduced the size to 39%² of this picture. So that I could post it. Advice on having better quality as example on this forum?

@ Larienna
or other experienced artists.

As example, lets think of a map with some nice water, sand and the beach in between. Now creating this beach is a hassle for me.

Most drawing programs do have the option for gradient layers. And especially the beach looks beautiful!
But the layers are not customisable. Instead, the layers are straight. This means that if I where to use this technique, I would have to revert back to very little squared textures and paste them all together.
It is an option, but one with relatively lots of work.

When using the paint provided with each windows. I can create several different textures that can be used in general. For each combination of 2 textures, I created 5 gradients in between. Sometimes it looks nice and sometimes it looks painful ugly. This especially is shown when trying to get a beach.
The reason that I like paint so much is that you can have completely random landscapes. Meaning, I just draw lines like in this example:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Contour2D.svg/3...
And then I fill in the layers with each a colour. Then I replace these colours with the textures that I want. One of the "best" looking examples is the one that is sitting right now in this thread.

The difference is gigantic. (Especially the beach)

Can you point me to the program that has what I need with both options?
Or is there a trick to learn with option one?
Perhaps what I want is simply impossible?

For all I know, that one is down for several days right now.

It was in my study list. In a far past.

Since uploading to this forum consumes a lot of space. I am going to borrow examples from others.

This is sort of what I have now (like the picture in the first post):
http://cdn.instantkingdom.com/2012/02/preview/beach.jpg
A sharp edge between water and sand. Even though you still see sand in the water. This is not what I like to have and it looks ugly. Despite what the little guy in that picture is saying.
Before I get to that picture, I have something like this:
https://assets2.learni.st/learning_preview/1290450/image/w744h744_604279...
Then I replace every colour with one of the textures. Each texture is 100-0, 75-25, 67-33, 50-50 33-67, 25-75 or 0-100 %.

The map that I want to make has quality more like this:
http://pics.worldofjudaica.net/images/products/original/87643_tel_aviv_b...

I know it is possible with a program like paint.net. Although, I lack experience to make a random layout just like the picture in the very first post.
Light green and Darker green still make a good combination, light and dark. However, with 2 different colours, blue and yellow. It becomes problematic.
Some programs create a green waterdesert while other programs like paint (not paint.net) create sharp edges.

Perhaps the question that I am asking is wrong?