[CC3] jaerdaph's CC3 Maps, Dungeons, Floorplans etc...

jaerdaph · 23rd December 2008, 05:34 PM

I thought I'd start a thread of my own to share some of my mapping projects done with Profantasy's Campaign Cartographer 3 software and add-ons.

This is a map of a vampire's castle loosely based on the castle map found in WotC's Heroes of Horror. I created the floor from an image I found at Will's Hand Made Dungeon Floorplans. I really like the way the muddy, trampled grass turned out around the castle - I did a lot of experimenting (which I'm chalking up as time well spent) with the various sheet effects in combination to get it to look right. I'm not sure I'm done with this map yet - it still needs something. I'd also like to swap out the tree symbols with some more realistic pine trees. I plan on eventually using this for a True20 Hammer Horror style campaign. I've also attached a map of what the image looks like with CC3's powerful sheet effects turned off.

Kris · 23rd December 2008, 05:50 PM

That looks pretty nice.

The 'sheet effects' definitely adds a lot of depth to the image by adding bevelled edges and shadows and the like (which are the kind of things I use a lot in photoshop).

And (please excuse my ignorance here) it certainly looks like these mapping programs have come a long way since I first looked at them (which I admit was a loooooooooong time ago) ...and I have to admit that I'm quite liking the quality (though obviously the maps don't draw themselves and you've still added your own 'touch' to get it looking so good).

jaerdaph · 23rd December 2008, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris

That looks pretty nice.

The 'sheet effects' definitely adds a lot of depth to the image by adding bevelled edges and shadows and the like (which are the kind of things I use a lot in photoshop).

And (please excuse my ignorance here) it certainly looks like these mapping programs have come a long way since I first looked at them (which I admit was a loooooooooong time ago) ...and I have to admit that I'm quite liking the quality (though obviously the maps don't draw themselves and you've still added your own 'touch' to get it looking so good).

Thanks, Kris!

Yeah, Campaign Cartographer has really come a long way from its CAD vector design roots with the edition of photoshop-like effects and the ability to use bitmap PNGs as fill styles.

jaerdaph · 30th December 2008, 04:14 PM

I updated this with more realistic trees from the CSUAC symbol collection.

jaerdaph · 4th February 2009, 04:07 PM

So Greyhawk Grognard Joe Bloch is doing this really cool old school Castle Greyhawk-esque mega dungeon called The Castle of the Mad Archmage. I decided to try mapping this out in classic retro old school module blue and white. Here is the first map - the northeast section of level 2 of The Castle of the Mad Archmage:

Edit: Image removed because it is out of date. See new Level 2 poster maps below.

soulcatcher78 · 15th February 2009, 03:24 AM

Great looking work! The blue/white look brings back the memories and works well with the Castle of the Mad Archmage (CZ) feel. I hope you do the rest of the maps for this as well.

jaerdaph · 18th February 2009, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soulcatcher78

Great looking work! The blue/white look brings back the memories and works well with the Castle of the Mad Archmage (CZ) feel. I hope you do the rest of the maps for this as well.

Thanks! I finished up the southeast section of level 2 last night, and I hope to have the last two map sections (northwest and southwest) completed by Sunday. I had to fix an error on the previous northeast map as well, and I've uploaded a new version where I've corrected the section containing rooms 26, 27 and 28 - it was aligned ten feet off and so didn't connect properly to the southeast map.

I intend to paste all four maps together for a single "giant poster" PNG when I'm done as well - Campaign Cartographer makes doing that quite easy.

So, here's the southeast section of level 2 of The Castle of the Mad Archmage:

Edit: Image removed because it is out of date. See new Level 2 poster maps below.

Any comments or errors would be greatly appreciated.

Reveille · 19th February 2009, 01:14 PM

Are you doing the dungeon maps in Dungeon Cartograprapher? If not, are these files you're putiing up portable into CC3 for modification?

jaerdaph · 20th February 2009, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reveille

Are you doing the dungeon maps in Dungeon Cartograprapher? If not, are these files you're putiing up portable into CC3 for modification?

I made them with CC3 and the tools/symbols in the December 2007 Cartographer's Annual.

Since the symbols are vector symbols and not bitmap, they are embedded in the CC3 FCW file, so opening the FCW file on another computer for editing wouldn't be a problem. Let me check with Joe Bloch to see if he minds having editable versions of his maps out there before I share the files.

grodog · 21st February 2009, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaerdaph

I intend to paste all four maps together for a single "giant poster" PNG when I'm done as well - Campaign Cartographer makes doing that quite easy.

Great news! Time to try to fix my plotter, I see

Kit Cloudkicker · 21st February 2009, 08:56 AM

Great maps! Thanks for sharing.

jaerdaph · 26th February 2009, 04:08 PM

Here's a revised version of the level 2 southeast map that reflects the changes made in the latest installment of The Castle of the Mad Archmage (which now includes level 3!):

Edit: Image removed because it is out of date. See new Level 2 poster maps below.

jaerdaph · 27th February 2009, 03:30 PM

And now the southwest section of Level 2. My mapping momentum has me on a roll.

Edit: Image removed because it is out of date. See new Level 2 poster maps below.

grodog · 28th February 2009, 04:37 PM

Great work jaerdaph! You and Joe should work with Canonfire!/greyhawkonline.com to host these jointly. He's already got space allocated on the server.

jaerdaph · 2nd March 2009, 04:02 PM

Thanks, grodog! I've been emailing back and forth with Joe Bloch about optimizing file sizes, making a map booklet etc. Hopefully we'll come up with something soon to share.

Over the weekend I finished up the the last (northwest) section of level 2, so here it is:

Edit: Image removed because it is out of date. See new Level 2 poster maps below.

I also finished the first map of level 3 (northeast section):

Edit: Image removed because it is out of date. See new Level 3 poster maps below.

I also cleaned up other the level 2 maps this weekend with some things that had been bothering me, and Joe Bloch sent me some notes for a few more fixes. I hope to do those tonight and I'll swap out the new images into the posts above tomorrow. I should also have the "poster" map for level 2 tomorrow too.

jaerdaph · 3rd March 2009, 06:09 PM

The GHCC has been very busy. I've updated all five previous TCofMA maps above with minor fixes and improvements. I've also combined all the level 2 maps into one giant poster which shows the Deep Cellars in all their glory:

Edit: Image removed because it is out of date. See new Level 2 poster maps below.

Now, back to mapping level 3...

jaerdaph · 4th March 2009, 04:04 PM

I've read and received several comments from a few folks who are having problems viewing the neon blue maps. I'm very sensitive to the issue, as myself and members of my family have had problems with our eyes. In response (because I want as many people as possible to be able to enjoy these maps), I've created a black and white version of the poster map above. Please pass this on to folks you run into on various message boards etc. where The Castle of the Mad Archmage is being discussed.

Edit: Image removed because it is out of date. See new Level 2 poster maps below.

jaerdaph · 4th March 2009, 04:16 PM

And finally, here's the southeast section of level 3:

Edit: Image removed because it is out of date. See new Level 3 poster maps below.

ATOM · 6th March 2009, 01:19 AM

Those maps are really cool Jaerdaph,
I dig the old school blue ones the most.
What program did you use to create them?

Thulcondar · 6th March 2009, 01:41 AM

Level 3 is one I'm particularly interested in seeing the poster map for. With that large room smack dab in the center, it should prove a little more interesting than Level 2, which kinda had a blank spot right in the middle where the pages meet. (Level 4 is different still, with a bunch of corridors in the middle; I tried to go without regard for the page edges this time, rather than self-consciously putting a big room or empty space at the interior corner.)

And btw, Jaerdaph and I are working out how exactly to present all his wonderful maps together with the Castle. Hopefully we'll get it all worked out in time for the March release.

Joe
Greyhawk Grognard