# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Virtual Tabletop/Battlemap Mapping >  An underground gorge

## industrygothica

I'm designing a little 3 encounter for a group over at EN World, and want to make some nice little battlemats to go with it.  I'll be importing them into maptools and then saving a screenshot to upload onto the forums.

The first encounter involved the party actually entering the cavern, and are conveniently sealed off by a cave-in.  The only way out is a hop over this little gorge and to climb up the other side, which is significantly higher.

I'm sure the gorge could look better, but I'm happy with it nonetheless.  I'm going for sort of a hand-drawn cartoony thing, so that's the reason for the bold outline.  My problem is that for the life of me I can't seem to come up with anything else to put on this otherwise boring map.  I guess maybe a big rock or two, or even some stalagmites, but I just don't know.

Then I'm making a second map, which will basically be the other side of the gorge.  Hopefully I can make it look like it's going back down into a pit of sorts, where all sorts of nasties will be.  The third encounter will take place on the same map, albeit from a higher altitude (well, at least the big red fire-breathing bad guy will be higher, but I won't tell you what that's going to be..  :Wink:  ).  Any ideas for that one would help as well...

I know you guys won't let me leave here with too yucky of a map, so I'm looking forward to your input.

----------


## NeonKnight

Well, the way it looks right now it appears the right side is higher than the left side. Is that the case?

----------


## industrygothica

> Well, the way it looks right now it appears the right side is higher than the left side. Is that the case?


Yes, that is absolutely the case.  You don't know how happy it makes me that you were able to tell, so at least I know I've done that part right!

----------


## Torq

Sorry, IG I couldn't resist messing with your gorge. (There's a sentence I never thought I'd hear myself saying). Hope you dont mind.

Torq

----------


## industrygothica

> Sorry, IG I couldn't resist messing with your gorge. (There's a sentence I never thought I'd hear myself saying). Hope you dont mind.
> 
> Torq


... and one I never thought I'd hear directed to me!  :Wink:   And of course I don't mind.  Hell, I'd have given you the psd if you wanted.

The texture is definitely better, because there is some.  Personally, I'm not feeling the--is that lava?  Probably because I already had something equally nasty and way more sneaky for down there, otherwise I'm sure I'd love it just fine.

I do like that texture though.  I'll have to play with it and see if I can come up with something comparable.

----------


## jfrazierjr

> The texture is definitely better, because there is some.  Personally, I'm not feeling the--is that lava?  Probably because I already had something equally nasty and way more sneaky for down there, otherwise I'm sure I'd love it just fine.


heh... just give your players a "map" that says there is a tunnel half way down the chasm and don't mention the lava on the map at all.....  Should make for one hell of a nervous climb...

Joe

----------


## industrygothica

> heh... just give your players a "map" that says there is a tunnel half way down the chasm and don't mention the lava on the map at all.....  Should make for one hell of a nervous climb...
> 
> Joe


I was thinking more of a sort of gas that you wouldn't know was there until you were already desperately clinging to the wall.  And it's a loooooong way down.  Of course, whatever lies at the bottom is out of the scope of this adventure, but something way nasty, I'm sure.  :Wink:

----------


## industrygothica

I messed around with some textures after I got home from work...


And after adjusting some opacity on the earth texture...


I think for my purposes I'm going to call this a finished map.  Next up is to delete all but the base outline layer and the earth texture, offset the the base layer to move the gorge to the left side of the image, and work on the upper deck for the second encounter.  Shouldn't be too hard now that I have a clue.

----------


## torstan

Hey, that looks really good. Like it a lot.

----------


## industrygothica

> Hey, that looks really good. Like it a lot.


Thanks.  Means quite a bit coming from you...

----------


## industrygothica

Here's map #2 of the series:



And just in case anyone wants the altar as an object...

----------


## industrygothica

For grins, here's the last one in the series.

----------


## Torq

I think these are looking really great IG. That floor texture is particularly cool.

Torq

----------


## industrygothica

> I think these are looking really great IG. That floor texture is particularly cool.
> 
> Torq


Thanks.  It's an earth texture from cgtextures.com set on a multiplied layer on top of the original brown.  The rocks are from there too.  This is the first time I've ever really played with textures like that, but probably not the last.  It adds an interesting perspective.

----------


## StillCypher

> Thanks.  It's an earth texture from cgtextures.com set on a multiplied layer on top of the original brown.  The rocks are from there too.  This is the first time I've ever really played with textures like that, but probably not the last.  It adds an interesting perspective.



No, don't let it be your last! These are looking really groovy!

----------


## industrygothica

> No, don't let it be your last! These are looking really groovy!


Well, this adventure only requires these three.  Hopefully I'll find a reason to make something else soon.

----------

