# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Building/Structure Mapping >  Map based on a dungeon magazine floorplan

## Robbie

I don't really want to post this in Finished maps because I don't want to fully claim it as my own...The floorplan itself for the most part comes from a Map of Mystery in a Dungeon Magazine issue.  The House of Broken Minds was the original.

I tried to use some fancier aspects of CC3 and I also used quite a few of my own custom textures.  I also used some of the shading fills to give some depth to the steps and things.  Whatcha think?

I'm not showing the DM version with the secret areas...because my players actually look here occasionally.

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## RPMiller

Wow! Very nice. I hope I can make something like that eventually. Even though it isn't completely original, I still say that it is awesome since you had to put all the pieces together.

I'm still uncertain about whether I like the shaded stairs. My mind doesn't automatically pick the angle that they should be.

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## Robbie

I love the stair shading personally...its a lot easier to implement than gradually scaling the stairs as they go up...and it goes well with the wall shadow effect in my opinion.

The most difficult part of this map was the walls and the stairs and the platforms and catwalks in the circular dome area.

The walls are actually fully multipolied...each level's walls consist of a single multipoly drawn out of lines and arcs.

The stairs are mixed between symbols, CStair macro and hand drawn.

The shading is all a mixture of the 10-60 percent shading symbols...some caused by overlapping the shading.

I also like the way the 40 percent shaded fill makes a great backdrop for the map key.  And of course the magic circles I drew make their mapping debut in this map.

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## RPMiller

So is the shaded part the top or bottom?

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## Robbie

Bottom.  The further away from camera the darker you get.

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## RPMiller

That makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

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## Talamar

pretty cool, that map is marvelous.

I like the floor texture. Would you tell me which one you used or perhaps share it to me?

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## Robbie

sure...its scaled to 40' to get 5' squares.

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## heruca

Very nice map. I like the brown rock texture used as a background. If it's something you made, could you post that for download?

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## Robbie

Nope, that background actually comes with CC3.  I'm actually thinking about changing it to a darker rock background though.  Since the tower sits on top of a gigantic rock spire.

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## Talamar

thank you for the file, Arcana
I will definetely use this in one of my next maps.
It's great.

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## Robbie

Updated with DD3 art.

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## loydb

Nice map! The only changes I would make would be to get a little more of a large, soft shadow behind the numbers (look at how well the '4's are visible in the two bedrooms to the right), and get a little bit of a shadow or emboss or something on the magical symbols (the red and the light blue get lost). Oh, and the tower shadow in the upper left doesn't match the rest of the dropshadows as far as angle goes. 

Overall, great map, thanks for posting it.

loyd

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## Kepli

Very nice map Arcana   :Very Happy:  

To give it more height, you can add shadows to the walls and perhaps play a bit with other shadows. 
I also agree with Loydb on the shadows, but for all text. Just add a little perspective shadow and it will all float a little above the map.
To create even more height for the circular staircases, you could add a drop-down shadow that becomes larger when the staircase gets higher.

Excellent work   :Smile:

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## Uthoroc

Rob, there's quite a few things on the first version of the map which are on not this one: Text shdows, Wall shadows, etc. Did you turn off effects for the enw one?

You also still have quite a lot old-syte symbols on there: doors, windows, circular stairs. Will you be replacing those too? I think it'll look better.

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## Robbie

Dang,...I busted on this one...yeah I forgot to even turn on sheet styles before rendering...I thought something was missing.

As for doors...They're DD3 art from CC3 release, not from DD3's recent release...I added the red arcs.

The windows of course, are in fact CC2 art...I kinda like those windows better really...mainly because I don't want to cut up my wall to make the DD3 windows work.

The circular stairs are still the CC2 ones because I couldn't MIRCPY the new ones because the png art won't mirror...is that a bug or a feature?

I'll make some changes today and upload again, deleting this old one...

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## Uthoroc

> The circular stairs are still the CC2 ones because I couldn't MIRCPY the new ones because the png art won't mirror...is that a bug or a feature?


An unfortunate side effect du to the way pngs/bitmaps are implemented. What you can do, is to create copies of the pngs and mirror them in another application like Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro. Then import these into CC3 as new symbols.

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## dorpond

Hey guys!
Great map! I was actually making this map in Maptool but without shadowing on the walls, I abandoned it after the main floor. It just didn't look right.

Think you could post another version without any doors? I prefer adding doors with Maptool so that I can open them during game  :Wink:

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## Robbie

I'll see if I can find this map file when I get home...it should be on my other laptop...I'll upload it then.

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## RPMiller

> Hey guys!
> Great map! I was actually making this map in Maptool but without shadowing on the walls, I abandoned it after the main floor. It just didn't look right.
> 
> Think you could post another version without any doors? I prefer adding doors with Maptool so that I can open them during game


Dorpond!!! Great to see you over here!! Everyone, this is Dorpond. If you have any questions about what MapTool can do, and/or want a demonstration of it. He is the man to ask.

Oh, and welcome to the Guild!

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## dorpond

> Dorpond!!! Great to see you over here!! Everyone, this is Dorpond. If you have any questions about what MapTool can do, and/or want a demonstration of it. He is the man to ask.
> 
> Oh, and welcome to the Guild!


Thanks!
Sorry it took me so long - busy with real life lately.

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## pyrandon

Welcome, Dorpond!   :Smile:

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## torstan

Hey Dorpond. Glad to see you made it over.

You should definitely post some of the screenshots/vids of your massive maps over here. It's a style that hasn't been done before over here as far as I can tell.

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## RPMiller

I would have to concur with torstan. That is an excellent idea! I think the videos would be very cool to share and maybe turn some folks onto the power of a Virtual Game Table.

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## Robbie

Holy 3d experiment!?!

I as showing my boss some of the maps that I've done, and he said this needed an elevation view...so I decided to whip out a 3d model of it...Its pretty loose at the moment...I haven't detailed it...and I'm not sure if I should even bother...I may though.

This is an early test render.  The tower is on top of a mountain...I need to make the mountain a little more forboding though.  What do you guys think?  Should I proceed?

if I proceed, I gotta cut windows and doors, and work out texturing and whatnot.

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## RPMiller

ABSOLUTELY YES!!! And don't forget to do the animated walk up the mountain and through the tower.  :Wink:

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## Robbie

I'll probably lose interest before I get to that point hehehe...but I'll get a good render of this. Thanks  :Wink:

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## jfrazierjr

> ABSOLUTELY YES!!! And don't forget to do the animated walk up the mountain and through the tower.


What RP said.   Please do more and show as time permits.

Joe

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## Robbie

Ok  :Wink:  Here's an update...I rendered a twilight render to hide the fact that the building hasn't changed yet...

I also used ravells idea for farmland texture in the background...Still gotta work on the mountain of course, and the building needs more modelling work and texturing work.

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## RPMiller

That's a nice "start"

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## Robbie

Eh, its coming along...I did a good bit of work on it tonight, just out of boredom.

I worked a little more on modelling, and actually carved out all the windows of the upper floor.  I also applied a little texture to the place, but still need to do the domes, and put the doors...and the windows on the lower floor.

I'm also not finished with the atmosphere/scenery/backdrop.

I also think I'm gonna move the building back so the front door actually has some walkway room...that first step off the porch is a doozy.

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## Torq

That is so damn cool. Hurry up, do more!

Torq

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## RPMiller

That's going to be a beaut when it is finished. Definitely 1st prize at the county fair worthy.  :Wink:

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## Robbie

You guys are killin me heheh...

Here's some more window work, and a larger render.  Coming soon...doors, railing, dome windows, maybe some lighting, texturing, and better scenery.

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## RPMiller

Shaping up very nice! Speaking of that, don't forget the half naked damsel in the upper tower peering out the window for her dragon to come... er... knight, yes, knight to come rescue... yea rescue her.

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## Baziron

I don't want to sound too negatively, but something about this has the feel of military installation / nuclear power plant.

I suppose it's temporary and wont be there when it's finished, but at the moment... ;-)

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## Robbie

I know what ya mean...its the lack of proper texture I think...and the lack of external architectural detail.

I haven't been able to work on this since my laptop hard drive died, and had to be reformatted...its got some bad sectors, and I'm waiting for a replacement to arrive (today) so I haven't reinstalled the software since I'm going to have to reformat this again when the new hard drive arrives anyways.

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## StillCypher

AUGH! You mean we have to wait _longer_ to see the next step? But... but...!!!

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## Robbie

Back from my trip...so I figured I'd work a little more on this model.  Got the doors built, railing built...fixed the issues with the domes blending into the building...

Now I just gotta get the domes properly designed with glass panes.  Also rendered this one a little later in the day.

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## RPMiller

Oh this is starting to shape up brilliantly!

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## delgondahntelius

It's looking great Arcana, it kinda reminds me of a temple for St. Cuthbert .... i dunno why, but that was my first thought when I looked at it  :Very Happy:  

looking forward to more installments  :Very Happy:

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## industrygothica

So I just discovered this thread, and already I'm wanting more.  Looks like it's been a while since you've updated it, so don't you think it's about time?  :Wink:

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## Robbie

I haven't forgotten this...and its goign to be used in my new campaign, but I'm putting it on hold until the campaign gets closer to this point.  Unless something comes up that bores me to the point of needing to work on this, It will be a few weeks before I get back to it...thanks for looking tho!  I do plan on finishin it!

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