Where does a mapmaker start?

[whitestazn88]

Should the large or small version be worked on first?

[TaCktiX]

For a starting mapmaker, I would suggest small. That way you know what you're working with readability-wise (small is harder to read than large), and you don't end up trying to squeeze in tons of stuff when you scale down from large. Over time you get a sense of how big is do-able, and you can take advantage of starting with the large and only needing to scale it down to make it a small without "losing" any image quality.

[whitestazn88]

alright, and i haven't actually started with any of the actual mapmaking stuff that would make it look really good....

but when i resize it on GIMP, every layer gets resized at the same time right?

and i should avoid merging layers? even if i think its looking really right?

[TaCktiX]

All layers are resized when you do a blanket image resize, yes.

Avoid merging layers unless the source file gets so big your computer lags (and even then, don't merge stuff). Being able to break the file down into its barest pieces is VERY useful (take it from someone who lost his source PSD not once, but twice on The Citadel).

[whitestazn88]

i'm using gimp, tried to save the file as a .png so that i could load it to photobucket real quick.... it made me merge layers... how do i avoid that?

[TaCktiX]

That's when saving as a PNG, an optimized (flat) image with no layers. There should be some GIMP source file (don't know extension, I use Photoshop) that is saved separately.

[NightWolf]

That's when saving as a PNG, an optimized (flat) image with no layers. There should be some GIMP source file (don't know extension, I use Photoshop) that is saved separately.

To be exact, the original file that keeps all the layers and stuff should be a .xcf file.

[RjBeals]

I start with my large map so I can get the details in I want. Then I use bicubic (sharper) resize to make the smaller map. But I don't resize the names or the army circles.

[wcaclimbing]

I make my maps at double the size of the large version (1600 pixels wide, height adjusted to fit map).
It makes it really easy to get the small and large versions from that, because you can shrink the image down to the correct size without losing any quality in the image.
The big size also lets you perfect all the little details of the map, so that helps also.

[whitestazn88]

i guess it makes sense about the details thing to make it large....

do any of the current map makers use a mouse to do their images? or are all of you using tablet right now?

god i feel like such an idiot cuz my first map looks incredibly stupid, and i have no idea how i get from that to anything that can compare to the houses/castles on AOR, feudal, oasis etc.....

[TaCktiX]

The Citadel was done almost purely with a mouse. I didn't get a tablet until I was practically finished with the map.

[RjBeals]

mouse. photoshop cs3

[wcaclimbing]

i guess it makes sense about the details thing to make it large....

do any of the current map makers use a mouse to do their images? or are all of you using tablet right now?

god i feel like such an idiot cuz my first map looks incredibly stupid, and i have no idea how i get from that to anything that can compare to the houses/castles on AOR, feudal, oasis etc.....

Oasis and Winter are almost entirely tablet.
Panama was almost entirely mouse.

It just depends on what you are trying to make, I guess. A mouse works fine for most regular maps. Tablet helps when the graphics get more complicated.

[DiM]

mouse here too. no tablet

[NightWolf]

Here's my stupid question: what do you guys mean by tablet?

[RjBeals]

Here's my stupid question: what do you guys mean by tablet?

http://www.wacom.com/

[whitestazn88]

ok, so i'm probably not looking hard enough, but could like dim, wca, etc show me some links to where i could learn to not draw like shit using a mouse on gimp?

and do you guys recommend zooming in to make the detailed things or what?

[RjBeals]

I think you're using gimp, so I can not offer help on that. But here's a tutorial i put together for photoshop.

viewtopic.php?p=1276009#p1276009

[wcaclimbing]

ok, so i'm probably not looking hard enough, but could like dim, wca, etc show me some links to where i could learn to not draw like shit using a mouse on gimp?

and do you guys recommend zooming in to make the detailed things or what?

I don't know about GIMP, but pretty much anything can be done with a mouse. Some things are easier than others, but almost everything you can do with a tablet (except pen pressure) can be done with a mouse. Having a tablet makes some things easier, but others much more difficult.

But for image details, as I said before, I recommend creating your map at double the size, and then resizing it to get the right size that you want.