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Hello Corey Macourek,
I just want to say that we have all been enjoying your work on Map Packs & Flip Mats.
I would like to say that some of us are interested in expanding on your work and would be interested in pointers or suggestions that you may have. I use Dunjinni, Profantasy Cartographer 3, Photoshop 7, and Paintshop Pro.
I am basically asking you to provide some nifty ideas we can do to create material to compliment or augment your maps. I am not asking for anything other than what you are willing to give. I realize you have your hand in many jars and don't frequent these boards.
I have basically bought the entire line of Map Packs as well as Flip Mats. I own every Dungeon Tile released by WotC. I have created sucessfully many maps in Dunjinni as well as altered PDFs in Photoshop for map printing. We have a discussion on this at this THREAD.
I really love the visuals that this hobby has expanded to, but I think some of us would like more resources to turn to, namely objects that are useful with your maps. I have read many tips and ideas on Dunjinni messageboards, but I think your input would be interesting to hear. I will leave things there.
Thank You for your time.
Zuxius
I don't mean to threadjack, but can you explain how to alter pdfs for map printing? I am trying to figure out how to print a large scale map from the Savage Tide Player's Guide to replace my mangled magazine insert original.
You can load files in Photoshop and manipulate them anyway you see fit. When you are done you save them as PDFs.
The only catch is to own Photoshop and know how to use it. My favorite choice in programs is Paintshop, but Photoshop is a very powerful program with a lot of crossover into other Adobe products (such as PDFs). Printers work with Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black inks. This is a standard known as CMYK. Photoshop uses CMYK to represent all colors as a printer would print it. This in itself is a reason to use Photoshop over Paintshop. Paintshop uses RGB to represent its colors, and that doesn't look the same when printed.
Before I go ahead I will say one thing about DPI (Dots Per Inch). 72 DPI is the standard internet size for most graphic files. 72 may look good on the computer screen because the format somehow blurs the true look of the quality you see. This slight blurring translates to smoothness. As a person that looks to print things, I often throw these files out as being too low quality. For something to print, you should run at the minimum of 150 DPI, and more like 300 DPI for print quality like you see in a magazine. High DPI large files look great on print (as long as you don't derive your high DPI large file from a low DPI source). The idea of taking a small file and increasing its size to something of a 300 DPI size does not add to the fact that there was nothing these to begin with. For this reason, I always scan at 300-600 DPI when I am doing maticulous editing. You can always cut quality down, you just can't add quality.
Ok, enough of what you already know.
Open Photoshop
Go to File ----> Open -----> find your PDF folder or file -----> double click
The file will load as a PDF, but in fact you can do whatever you want to it at this stage. Use the select tool carefully and copy areas of the terrain that you want to use to cover up areas you want to modify. It takes a little time to figure out the select tool and just how the layers work. I believe that using multiple layers is a big plus and Photoshop has a sidebar that keeps real good track of your layers. You have to think out of the box sometimes to keep everything looking professional as it did before you started. I find copying and pasting bits from the existing maps with judicious use of the erasing tool keeps things looking fresh. When you save it, give it a new name so you don't lose your original (which may have goodies on it yet to be mined).
When I first tried this I just loaded a PDF in Photoshop not knowing I could edit it. I tried a bit of manipulation and it worked brilliantly. Saved the file, opened it in reader, viola! I took it to a printer and had him make a pleothra of maps I had spent weeks tooling with. It was amazing. The files looked like a professional made them just for me.
Cheers,
Zuxius
Hi Zuxius,
Sorry for the late reply on this. I've just recently joined the message boards to interact with all of the fans and give back comments on the maps. I have an absolute blast every month creating these. Each project is a unique challenge and I try to put as much yummy detail where I can. There are some near little details that have had to be edited out amongst the multitude of flip-mats and map packs, but you can't please everyone.
So, to begin, I use Photoshop for the majority of the map work. like 99%. I build the textures and arrange them to what ever the RPG designers want. There are a lot of 3D objects and digital terrain that I use Carrara and Vue for. These are great apps that have a lot of potential for such a little up front expense. Several online resources are available for small objects to make scene have that extra bit of reality.
The main key to making these maps to to give a vibrant and realistic environment for gamer's miniatures to play on. I recall working on a concept for some maps in '92 or so with my gaming group...but my skills were not the same as they are today.
If it hasn't been announced, I am planning on setting up a booth at PaizoCon 2009 and will be offering custom map tile designs for a nominal fee. The details have not been nailed down, but I am excited to be a part of it...and to see what challenges come from the fans to make their own custom map tile at the event. Thanks!
Corey Macourek
www.cmnmd.com
I am one of your biggest fans Corey. I have every single Map Pack and Flip Mat that Paizo has ever released. Wondrous stuff. As a DM, I did toy with Dunjinni. I like to play with excellent maps myself. Unfortunately, I learned all I know off of Paintshop. Later when I got map saavy, I realized that CMYK was the thing that made Photoshop superior (when it came to printing). Since then, I have dragged myself into photoshop kicking and screaming.
I will see you sir, at PaizoCon!
Just a suggestion for either the Flip-Maps of the Map Packs that I would like to see in the future. How about a Underdark city area, either Drow or others? Another area, may work on Flip-Map, one side chasm crossing (stone bridge or rope) one side river, the other side lava. How about a couple times a year or so you do a box set of a larger area? Like a Dwarven complex or a Drow Stronghold or such? I would be interested in such a thing. Just a thought, anyways keep up the GREAT WORK and look forward to what you have in 2010!
Just a suggestion for either the Flip-Maps of the Map Packs that I would like to see in the future. How about a Underdark city area, either Drow or others? Another area, may work on Flip-Map, one side chasm crossing (stone bridge or rope) one side river, the other side lava. How about a couple times a year or so you do a box set of a larger area? Like a Dwarven complex or a Drow Stronghold or such? I would be interested in such a thing. Just a thought, anyways keep up the GREAT WORK and look forward to what you have in 2010!
Thanks, Kevin. I have thought about doing some projects outside of the Game Mastery line. I have some texture ideas that I want to continue for my Mapping Adventures line. 2010 will see more tutorials on my BLOG as well as some art prints of some Game Mastery maps tiles without the guidelines. I LOVE texture and think a lava environment would be pretty neat or even a more civilized underground scenario. Good ideas. I've seen some of the future products plans for the Game Mastery line next year and there are some good products coming down the pike for sure.