So I made a map for round 2 long before they announced the top 32, and since I'll probably never use it for anything I figure I might as well post it and see what you guys think.
My tastes tend to be weird and overly complicated, and this map is definitely that. I won't say much about it now, but I will leave these two links here. Mu Spore Info, Mu Spore Art.
In the interest of full disclosure, had I made it to round 2 I would have entered a hand-drawn map colored with pencils instead of this computer generated version. It would have looked very similar (without the cool shading however), but my wife liked the map so much that she made this in Photoshop.
Anyway, here is the The Slumbering Mu Spore.
Anybody else have round 2 maps? Maps are great, and I don't know about everyone else, but I'm not tired of looking at new ones yet.
Wow- that's pretty awesome. I'm a fan of "inside massive creature" maps like this.
aw man that would have gotten one of my votes for sure... nice freaking work.
Very nice. Looks great. Well thought out. I really like how you incorporated the tentacle around the legend. Nice touch. Would have definitely spent one of my votes on this, and not just because you are among my small pit crew. Great work.
Thanks guys, I'm glad you liked it! I also really like inside giant monster maps, but I wanted to do one that was alive this time. Potentially one that the PCs will want to save as well. My take on his biology is probably a little suspect, but I was trying to make it more fun than realistic I suppose, and since he doesn't actually exist no one can correct me!
I agree with doing one that's alive- it's something that I'd like to see, but that isn't really supported by the rules currently (with their Swallow Whole thing). How cool would it be to be inside a giant monster trying to fight your way out, struggling against acidic stomach contents, combatting white blood cells , internal parasites, and the like?
Turning that on its head and saving it is a cool idea, too.
Goes to show that you don't have to make top 32 to be an outstanding designer. Nice job, Mark!
Really beautiful work!
Thanks Chris! While I wouldn't call myself an outstanding designer by any stretch of the imagination, I would say that not making the top 32 doesn't necessarily say anything about a person's design abilities. It takes a certain amount of luck and skill to make it to round 2. Basically no one should get discouraged for not getting further in the competition.
oh man it's late so I don't have too much to say other than I REALLY love the way the one tentacle overlaps your key!
Since you asked...
http://hexagonal-maps.blogspot.com/2015/01/step-one-inspiration.html
I did it as a series of blog posts to show the thought process that I went through in coming to the final map. There's five posts in total and I just posted #2. The last three are scheduled to be posted over the next week or so.
So, enjoy!
John,
I will reserve full judgement until a final map is posted, but my first thought is that the area seems a bit small for a full page map. Also if it were for this competition, at this scale it would be unlikely for hexes to be used (if that is your intention). It's pretty and pastoral, but doesn't cry out for me to adventure here, even if it's a great example of a little lizard folk village.
I really like how this map tells a bit of a story by the names of the encounter areas. Between the Fiendish Conversion Ritual Chamber and that Deathly Hallows summoning circle, it's clear the Drow are up to no good here. The Elven Watch Post really adds to the fact that there's enough of an operation going on here that it needs to be monitored.
John,
I will reserve full judgement until a final map is posted, but my first thought is that the area seems a bit small for a full page map. Also if it were for this competition, at this scale it would be unlikely for hexes to be used (if that is your intention). It's pretty and pastoral, but doesn't cry out for me to adventure here, even if it's a great example of a little lizard folk village.
Yup. Definitely wait. That was the point of the successive posts. It was a really simple idea that got more complicated as I refined what I was thinking. And yes, it gets larger.