Fantasy maps created using Xara Xtreme

[Gamerprinter]

For those interested in how I use Nichimen Nendo, my preferred subdivisional 3D surface modeler to create various map objects, and in this case a clown fish for my upcoming Undersea Symbol collection (50 objects), the following (not a full on tutorial) are step by step screen captures of the process in motion. Of course once the modeling is done and the object rendered in 3D, I import to Xara and apply the texture/colors to finish the object.

I posted the step by step as an image rather than an attachement, so you could see the details fully and not be relegated to an 800 pixel wide thumbnail. This is followed by an attachment of the final PNG file.

[Gamerprinter]

Cover Art for the upcoming Undersea Symbol Pack of 50 symbols of marine lifeforms: plants, coral, fish, mammals and other sea life. This will be a part (1/5) of the next 250 map object set for KS backers. I will be selling it for $4.99 at various online markets.

Michael

[Boy]

Looks very nice. I still do not really understand how it works. Will you sell them as bitmap files or printouts? How do people use them?

[Gamerprinter]

Two ways in several resolutions. Map objects are exported as PNG files with alpha channel in 300 ppi format for use in maps intended to be published or printed in large format commercially or private for home game designed maps. Although publishers cannot share or sell my map objects, they are allowed to use them in maps they intend to publish and produce for commercial use. These map objects I create are for a digital product only, not as a printed product in of itself. Most people use software like GIMP, Photoshop, Illustrator, Inkscape, Paintshop Pro, whatever (and Xara to those I can talk into using) to create their maps and place map objects into.

The cover art itself is kind of a gimmick, a way to show the product's face on a digital marketplace as if it were a book (like a digital book cover), even though this is not even a PDF, only a Zip filie containing a number of specific resolution PNG image files.

Map objects are also exported at 100 and 72 ppi, intended to be used in maps created in software online and offline then published for roleplaying games played in virtual tabletop software which are either shared software hosted by the gamemaster's home PC, and shared content to each player's PC, or the entire game - story, maps, character and scene illustrations are hosted by an online server with online applications to run random dice rolls (for game playing mechanics), map tool to display digitally created maps - using these map objects as graphical content placed on the maps. Skype and instant messaging allows communication between players, or openly to gamemaster and all players. There are several virtual tabletop applications, including Roll20 and each have varying resolution requirements usually 100 ppi or less. Roll20 uses 72 ppi only and a very popular online virtual tabletop community, thus why 2 resolutions are created. The 100 ppi can be down sampled to lower resolution needs.

There are a dozen or so virtual tabletop applications out there, and more being created, some as phone apps, IPad apps, etc. These games are played by personal users where the referee uses published adventures as PDFs or creates their own adventures all requiring the use of maps, which they mostly create for themselves (unless the published adventure includes them), then purchase map objects form sets like the kind I am offering to populate their maps for game use.

Over the last 7 or so years, I've created a half dozen or so underwater scenic maps - kelp forests, coral reefs, sunken shipwrecks, and though many map objects currently exist of varying quality, I have never been able to find good looking objects for undersea maps, so I've had to create them myself. Wanting to create the larger 250 map object set for my Kickstarter backers, I knew that undersea symbols were one theme I wanted to include and it turned out I had about 27 objects already created. So I created 23 more recently to make a full 50 objects of one theme. Now I only need 8 more categories of 25 or 4 more categories of 50 objects (or varying amounts per theme).

Other category/themes I want to include are: 25 damaged/destroyed items (crashed doors, busted open chests and crates, broken and knocked over furniture to show signs of past distress or recent brawl/attack), 25 gothic horror objects (various open graves and coffins, Frankenstein-ian laboratory and ressurection bed, torture chamber devices, etc.), magical devices and auras (flashes, glowing orbs, fiery displays, sparkling lights, colorful clouds and mists, tomes and other objects with glowing runes and other effects, etc.) and several other categories. By sticking to concise themes of limited numbers, knocking out 250 objects is a lot more manageable.

Michael

[Boy]

Thanks for the extensive reply. I understand all you are saying but because this game world is totally foreign to me it is hard to picture sometimes how it all works.

[Gamerprinter]

I'm working on a new map that I won't post until its done, but it's a small portion of a deserted island, where a single castaway has spent many years trapped, but having some carpentry skills has scavenged his wrecked and sunken sloop to construct a partial raft, stairs to high ground and to a stockade surrounding a quaint and comfortable single room cabin. I'm using a bunch of those marine life map objects in the shallow waters on the map. Anyway, I want to include a partially submerged shipwreck of the sloop, with many timbers missing and reappropriated in building projects. The reason for this post is my results of creating a 3D ship (using the same software I used to create the marine life), and the results so far have impressed me - I've never gotten such good results creating a ship model before. I opted to create the keel first, then the main side hull braces, followed by the top rail, which led to the entire design being pretty close to a reference photo I used. I know this isn't Xara work, but I'll finish it in Xara eventually... What do you think so far - I like it!

[Gamerprinter]

I finally finished both the 3D model of the sloop, as well as the map I designed it for - most of the details are explained above!

Enjoy!

Michael

[wizard509]

That is superb Michael. I like it.

[Boy]

Nicely composed and detailed. Draws you into a great and fun adventure.

[Gamerprinter]

Thanks, guys!

To make use of that 3D sloop model, I decided to make it into a map object of a sunken ship, partially submerged under the sea floor. Note the crates scattered around it and the fish inhabiting the area, the rest is transparent so whatever image comprises your sea floor shows through, even through the shadows, which are semi-transparent.

So again the model was not done in Xara, but in this 'map object', all the coloring, textures, clipping the art out of the white background was all done in Xara Designer Pro 9.