# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Board Game Mapping >  Combat Patrol boardgame maps

## Dave Murray

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and am looking for some help/advice. I am relatively new to computer graphics and have been working on a game called Combat Patrol which is a WW2 game at the scale of single soldiers.

The first installment of the game is set in rural France/Germany in 1944-5. I am having some difficulty with the trees - here is an example and suggestions or help appreciated:





I am also working on the urban maps - here is another example - again any constructive criticism appreciated:



Thanks

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## Steel General

First off...Welcome Aboard!

I like what you have so far and I don't think the trees are all that bad. There are several sites (rpgmapshare, dundjinni, etc.) where you can download various trees, etc.
if you're not happy with the current ones.

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## Sigurd

I always think the big issue with trees and brush is transparency.  Your players are under the trees but they need to know when they're confronted with a trunk which is cover and normally they can't move it and they should really know what the terrain is like below the leaves. If the characters can logically be under the canopy it should be denoted in the map.


Sigurd

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## Xyll

I think they look pretty good. the only one I have a major issue is with the stream it really does not fit in with the style of the rest of the map. It looks more like a filled in trench then a stream. It should probably flow off the map.

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## NeonKnight

Looks cool.  Not familair with the Style of Game, but looks good.

Welcome to the Guild!

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## Dave Murray

Thanks everyone - I will try to spend some more time on it this weekend and post some (hopefully) improvements.

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## heruca

Hi Dave,

I've been following the progress of your game's development on boardgamegeek. Those maps are looking pretty good.

You might try giving the trees a small, soft, black, "Outer Glow" effect in Photoshop, so that they don't blend into the map quite so much.

Super job on the shellhole graphics, by the way! Any chance you could tell me how you created them? Or could you post them as PNGs so that we could place them on our own maps?

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## RobA

I wrote a tutorial ages ago on making somewhat realistic top view trees:  http://ffaat.pbworks.com/TreeTutorial

If you can't figure that out, I can knock some off for you.

-Rob A>

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## Dave Murray

Thanks Rob - that looks really useful - I will  work my way through it and let you know how I got on.

Dave

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## Dave Murray

Hi everyone - here is an update using some new models. Also included are some draft counters for the game - these are being done by someone else.

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