[Upcoming Kickstarter] 25 Quick & Dirty Map Tutorials Guide

[Gamerprinter]

25 Quick & Dirty Map Tutorials Guide
With the intentions of funding by Kickstarter, I plan to create 25 Quick & Dirty Map Tutorials Guide, a 248 page, soft cover, full color interior printed book and PDF files, offering techniques I use to create RPG/board game map designs. Although the focus of the book is using many types of standard graphics applications from image editors like Photoshop, GIMP, and Paintshop Pro, to vector applications like Xara Photo & Graphics Designer, Illustrator, CorelDraw and Inkscape, and many similar applications - all the tutorials will actually be created in Xara Xtreme Pro 4 (though I plan to upgrade, so may use a newer version that that).

The tutorials are 9 to 15 step tutorials with 3 steps per page, or 3 to 5 pages per tutorial section, followed by a full page version of the final step map, plus 3 sample maps using the same technique as the previous tutorials. Some tutorials will be preceded by a text page offering an introduction, and further explanation to help in the creation of this particular technique.

The meatiest chapter, aside from the tutorials themselves will be Explanation of Terms. When a tutorial states "create a shape" different applications use different tools to accomplish this task. While in Xara and most vector applications this uses a Pen Tool, Photoshop and GIMP would use a Mask Tool to do the same. There will be a general explanation after each term or phrase, with a subsection for several specific applications including at least: Photoshop, GIMP, Xara Photo & Graphic Designer and Inkscape (though several more may be included) that offer more detailed tips and explanations on using those applications to duplicate the intended effect.

There will also be a page dedicated to Xara Photo & Graphics Designer itself, since this is the application that is actually used in the creation of all the tutorials, not to mention cover design and page layout.

There are plans for several books to be funded by the same Kickstarter, as stretch goals, including a 25 Advanced Quick & Dirty Map Tutorials Guide, Hand-Drawn Elements with Map Design Guide and more.

To learn more, please visit the Quick and Dirty Map Tutorials website, or the Google+ Community if you have a Google+ account (serving as the website's forum).

You can view my thread on these boards, on using Xara to create fantasy maps, which use the techniques that are being developed for this book publication.

When the Kickstarter goes live, I will post a link in this thread. I hope you join as a contributor, or at least help spread the word.

[pauland]

I wish you luck, though it might have been better to make the announcement at the same time as the Kickstarter project goes live - create a buzz when the people can actually press some buttons for support.

[Gamerprinter]

Thanks! In reading several online sources for tips on running successful Kickstarters. Several recommend up to 30 days prior to a Kickstarter release to build a site, social network community and various announcments to precede a Kickstarter. This is what I'm doing. Of course as stated above, once the Kickstarter begins, I will make the official announcment here.

[pauland]

Well, I'm sure that a good plan - it was just the way that I perceived it.

I have seen releases done as a series of teasers, counting down before the full expose, so I'm still not sure that a full reveal 30 days before launch will sustain the excitement.

I hope it works out!

[Gamerprinter]

I don't plan to have a full 30 days wait - that was just what the advice suggested. Really the only delay at this point is finalizing my account and book print/distribution pricing from the printing house (Lightning Source). I just got a response today from the printing house (just an hour ago), so final approvals should be in the next day or two.

I still want to finalize my list of intended tutorials and post an outline of all the chapters and this intended list. Once that is ready and I have my final price points on the book printing, I will start my Kickstarter - probably by the end of the week. Then you can start pushing buttons or throwing money at your PC screen!

It will be soon!

[Gamerprinter]

I'm shooting for a start date of Friday, July 12th running 30 days to Saturday, August 10.

[glennfischer]

I wish you good luck with your project and funding. I'm sure it is a great tutorial. I'll try to spread the words.

[Gamerprinter]

I wish you good luck with your project and funding. I'm sure it is a great tutorial. I'll try to spread the words.

Thanks, Glennfischer! I've already begun the setup process at Kickstarter, this being my first one, I can't guarantee a start date, though I'm still shooting for a week from today. I've posted 2 more rough draft tutorials this week on my Google+ community, please join if you want to view them. I hope you join as a contributor and/or someone to spread the word!

Michael

[Gamerprinter]

Just an update, although I wanted to start the Kickstarter today, I just got verified by Amazon Payments yesterday (the first step in the process of setting up a Kickstarter project), which brought a delay in of itself - and I still want to start the Kickstarter on a Friday.

That said, on a separate issue, I've been contacted by Gygax magazine to do some print brokering for some large volume map printing (too much for my little shop), as I have contacts in the print industry through various associations I am a member. There are print companies that only do work for other print companies, and I can get better prices than endusers - and still make a nice commission off of it. However, just for being able to get varying quotes for their print needs. Gygax magazine is giving me 2 free full page, full color ads in the next issue (issue #2) - which is a really big deal! (Consider a full page ad normally costs $2500). I know want to ensure that the funding period of the Kickstarter, fits somewhere during the release of that magazine issue for a big boost in potential Kickstarter contributors.

Just for some background Gary E. Gygax was the creator of Dungeons & Dragons. Dragon magazine was a 40 year running printed trade magazine for the RPG industry, that ended about 5 years, and there is currently no industry trade magazine for RPGs. Gary Gygax passed away 6 years ago, and his son (and friends) have started Gygax magazine, published quarterly with issue #1 as the only release so far. So the ads I'm getting placed is for issue #2.

This is an opportunity that just fell in my lap (Gygax magazine called yesterday), so I can't pass this up, and will hold off starting this until I know, the magazine's release will fall in sometime during the Kickstarter funding period.

[pauland]

Sounds like your ducks are falling into line!

That's such a great thing to happen.