Settlement Maps (updated - abandoned house map)

Hello all,

For some time now, I have wanted to draw a map of a small settlement - where all of the buildings featured on it where also mapped out internally (overkill maybe, but I though it would be cool)

So I have used the (basic looking) interior plans that I have already drawn (in the 'bricks & mortar' section of my site) for reference, and then drawn the 'overhead' view of each of those buildings, so that I could then put them onto some kind of map.

So, after tinkering around for quite some time, trying to get a (somewhere near convincing) grass & road texture, I have finally come up with this:

http://www.enworld.org/CrookedStaffProductions/hamlet_test.jpg

It's not 100% finished yet (I've still got to try and add some ploughed field areas, and other little extras), but I thought I would post it in it's current state to see if any of you guys think I'm headed in the right direction

I'm quite happy with it so far, but I'm not sure if it's a little too crowded, or if the trees look like, well.... erm... trees

Also, I suppose I should add that this map is copyright Kristian Richards 2005 (an unfortunate necessity these days so it seems).

Anyway - thanks for looking

I like it.

It's great. It is at least as good as ANY village published in Dungeon magazine to date.

I think it's great. These types of maps are very useful for one's game.

Thanks for the comments - it's cool that you all like it

Anyway, I've been tinkering with it a bit more, and I think I'm gonna call it done. Here's the finished version...

http://www.enworld.org/CrookedStaffProductions/new-edor_map.jpg

As you can see I've included a few ploughed areas (well I've tried to), and some enclosures (perhaps for livestock).


Now that it's done, I will probably upload it to my website sometime soon (as a pdf file) - and so I was wondering if I should perhaps number a few of the areas of note (like the inn, the smithy, the shops, etc.) or perhaps just number all the buildings and put a blank key along the bottom of the page (for people to add their own title for each of the buildings).

What do you think would be most useful?

Thanks again!

I don't know about others, but when I use vilage maps from different sources, I always prefer the blank key.

Very nicely done, Kris. I've been toying with drawing up a small village I created for my latest campaign, but I'm afraid I don't really have the skills to do it. Shich software did you use to create this? I've been playing around with Gimp a bit, but haven't graduated much beyond simple figures as of yet.

Cheers,
ct

Most of the map was drawn in photoshop (though I did draw some basic shapes in a vector graphics program, simply because I am more familiar with it's commands - as I'm still learning with photoshop).

I've heard quite a few people mention gimp - but I have never used it (so I can't really comment on it).


Also HellHound - thanks for drawing a similarity with some of the maps that appear in Dungeon magazine (I am really flattered that you think it's of a similar quality - cool ).

I did have that kind of 'look' in mind when attempting this - though I purposely did not dig any of my old magazines out when actually drawing it - as I didn't want to blatantly copy their style (or try to just duplicate what they already do), but it has turned out to be somewhat similar.

It's took quite some time to get looking just the way I want it, and despite what I said in my last post, I have adjusted a few things that were bothering me (not that anyone will notice, so I won't bore you all with another pic).

Anyway, I should now be able churn out any future maps of this kind a little quicker now that I know what I'm doing (well... almost know what I'm doing ) - as this one was basically a test, to see if I could pull it off.

Thanks again!

PS - just another thought about the final pdf I make of this map... would it be more useful to people if I were to leave the name (i.e. New-Edor) off the map so that it can be used to represent a little settlement in their own campaign world??

Now what we need is a bigger one... with a river, and maybe a keep somewhere on the premises. Oh, and a small forest. Maybe some standing stones nearby. And a church & graveyard.

Looks very nice!

Just one detail... I would at least double the size of the plowed areas. Right now, what you have is barely enough for a good-sized vegetable garden, let alone to grow a crop the village can actually live off.