Prettiest fantasy maps

[GrumpyOldMan]

Let me cast another vote for Eric Anondson's maps. Seriously, it's one thing to check out the awesomeness that's the thumbnail previews, and it's a completely different, totally mind-boggling thing to actually download the beasts and scroll around them.

Another impressive set of maps can be found at Virtual Verduria.

Nice

Though IMO not as nice as the Harn maps

 

[phindar]

I prefer to homebrew my settings, and so that pretty much leaves me with maps I draw myself (although I'll cannibalize anything really). While admittedly my level of artistic ability isn't up there with professionals, or even some kindegarteners, I still enjoy it. When I'm sketching out a place, I'm thinking about how it developed, who lives there and what goes on. Most of that background info won't come up much at the table, but sometimes I come across random thoughts that are worth using.

 

[Gez]

That is well done, however call me a luddite but I have a hard time getting into maps when they look like they're from computer games--I prefer hand-drawn. Certainly there are some nice computer-made maps, but once they get into that computer game look I just get a bit turned off.

Well, the actual in-game map will look a lot more hand-drawn, so as to be more in the style of the map from the game.

 

[LostSoul]

There are some cool maps on this thread on story-games. Nice stuff.

 

[Geoffrey]

I think Peter Bradley's maps for James Mishler's Wilderlands of High Adventure products look to be the best FRPG maps I've ever seen:

http://www.adventuregamespubs.com/previews.htm

 

[Vascant]

Funny how different people's opinions are, maps have become more art then of function.

Don't know if it was ever posted on the web but Chris West's Lands of Mystery in Dungeon issue 150 is very nice.

 

[Jorjowsky]

That is well done, however call me a luddite but I have a hard time getting into maps when they look like they're from computer games--I prefer hand-drawn. Certainly there are some nice computer-made maps, but once they get into that computer game look I just get a bit turned off.

I heartily agree. In fact, one of the things I loved about the maps in Artesia: AKW (apart from the good overall craftmanship) is that they are entirely hand-made. Not only pencilled, inked and (looks like) water-coloured manually -- but even the names of the countries, mountain ranges, forests, rivers, etc. are all skillfully written by hand. Smylie obviously intended them to look as if they had been made by the royal cartographers living in Artesia's world (each map has a "fictional signature" in that vein), and the effect is beautiful.

According to an ad at the back of the book, Archaia Studios Press released the map set separately as posters, and I would love to buy and frame them; but I can't seem to find a shop that carries them, let alone ship them to Australia safely and without having to pay a kidney for it. Appartently they made them in very small quantities.

 

[Hussar]

Thanks for this guys. Some beautiful stuff here. I'll post the some more links later when I get home from work.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Funny how different people's opinions are, maps have become more art then of function.

You might be onto something there, but check the thread title anyway.

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

There is no reason why maps can't both look good, and be functional. The original Hârn map, even though its close to 30 years old is IMO, a case in point. Of course function is fairly easy to define, it’s simply the amount of information given to players & referees. Beauty, however, is more a matter of personal taste.