Towers of Magic

[Milos Gulan]

After summer I plan to continue my work on this design.

For now I have drawn a map of the town I plan to do but now need to redo it for DC as it is a bit different, but good thing is that I have figured how to draw maps for DC from now on and got myself two notebooks (200 and 300 pages) and black pencils so I will be able to do better .

The challenge will be to make a good town, and this is not my first try but this time I need to make it good. For now there will be 5 guilds:
- Adventurers
- Guardians
- Traders
- Smugglers
- Explorers
There should be town citadel ect., I have even drawn 2 underground maps but that will probably be of no use only for ideas maybe.

[Dinonykos]

Notebooks are always good -  I have a drawer full of full notebooks now with concepts for DC games. With so many pages per book, you should consider numbering the pages and leave some space for an index in order not to lose the overview where you have written what... May sound unnecessary, but after filling several books, you may have problems to find a note you made earlier.

There is also some free software which may help you making a kind of archive about the scenarios you are going to build.



PS: Just for my understanding: Why it is important that the pencil is black?

[Milos Gulan]

You are right about that I was thinking the same thing except that I didn't know about the software, but I am still learning about making a good design.

Black is because i need to make maps like this http://www.filfre.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/blackmoor.jpg

I was even thinking of using colours for illustrations but I don't have time to learn that though it might be a possibility and for now I will try using 3d art with some postwork. Should look good enough.

Btw for now I finished maping bare town citadel and tomorrow will try doing other buildings. I need to make some order and plan things for good .

[Milos Gulan]

Actualy even if I could make good coloured pictures trouble would be how to scan them. I usualy just take pictures with my camera and I am not sure if that is the best way to do it.

[Milos Gulan]

I am working on this. I have made half of the town and need to do other half It probably will look good. Then I will have to add shops and other things and adventures Lets hope I can make it this time.

[Dinonykos]

You are right about that I was thinking the same thing except that I didn't know about the software...

I use the free version of CUEcards (CUEcards 2000 is freeware) to keep an overview of all the different races, places and characters appearing in my designs.

[Milos Gulan]

Thanks for the info. I will have to check it http://www.chip.de/downloads/CUEcards-2000_12993025.html

Btw I made a good progress with my design but haven't done map yet, but I expect it will be soon over then I will try doing shops and other things . Just need to make a good starting place.

[Milos Gulan]

I finished mapping, now I need to make the town work

[Dinonykos]

The big picture above looks like a blurred drawing, but you have also shown one picture in a completely different style earlier in this thread, and several really nice-looking 3-D characters in your other thread about the forest design. Would it not be consistent to do all the art in the same style? I am aware some designers have problems getting the art to achieve a consistent look, but I had the impression you could do it. Or do you plan to make all the big pics look like the one above for this design?

Concerning the text, I am not a native speaker myself, but I guess you should add more articles (the/a).

[Milos Gulan]

Ok I will try to do best I can. For now I have 40+ buildings not including large ones with separate rooms. There will be lots of work to do just to make those but that needs to be done as it is base for future designs. Today I have closed beach and till now had worked on taking pictures of some history books. I expect I will work on my design more seriously from now on and lets hope I will have something to show soon. For now I am not thinking that much about graphics, just trying to get everything in one place and then to play trough it and make it better

[Milos Gulan]

I have worked good today and I think I can make it, 40 buildings and some adventuring. Also I have started working with 3d art again, lets hope I will be able to make something. Here is part of the map where starting location is with that fort, problem with it is that I don't have 3d model that looks like it so I am doing what I can, that means it will stay a drawing till I find a good 3d fort :

[steve_mcdee]

Lovely floor plan. I think this might feel like a lot of open space though, when you are playing the game. Remember that the player can only see a maximum of three squares in front of them ... so I would suggest perhaps reducing the scale a little?

[Milos Gulan]

That is what I was worried about and I have the same feeling but I will try it like this because it is big town. I made first map on 2 A4 papers (this pic is first part). It should be a big town, in the middle is inn and stables where you can take transport to other smaller places with adventure, and around are shops and guilds with things to buy and smaller adventures to earn gold. I have map worked out, now only to make dialogs in those buildings. 

This should be central place of the campaign so it needs to be done nicely. On the other part of the map is Wizards guild and castle, Theater with rogues guild, training grounds and few other things . Now I just need to make it all functioning

[Dinonykos]

One other point to consider is that it is difficult to make such a huge city feel "alive". Using different zones and step events might help, but still...

[Milos Gulan]

That is true, I have worked almost all day today and did some progress. I made inn, shops and added some things that are available to buy. I made one character wizard and will try to play during creation of all that. Next I need to do is to make few quests, and story about how main character meets other NPCs in the inn . And I made a render for contest, I might use it in the game will show it in a week or so .

Well for now it is going good, I had few doubts but solved them and hoping to do more tomorrow I just hope I will have fun.