Yes I've actually been working on it... More Asberdies shots

Well believe it or not I have been working, I just keep forgetting to update this page. I am still looking at how to create the gui interface over the top to give a true in game view, but from what I understand you have to include the actual gui interface as an override just to see it correctly, that or put it in a hak pak. Why this is, is beyond me, but I'll get it down sooner or later. Right now I'm more interested in just getting all of the areas created and done.

These screenshots are from the level I'd be placing the camera at for the overland map.



This is the area behind the Nether Mountains. I've made it into a kind of plains/foothills mix so that it blends in really well, it's actually a combination of three grass textures, and the mountains texture along with a little orange/brown color tint to give it a definite autumn look. I haven't placed any real placables there and may not, because it does really achieve it's purpose as is.



Finally decided to post a shot with the actual tree canopy over the top of the moonwoods. This is the area just to the west of the Mouth of Song. There will also be a little grove there in that area called the "Grove of Fangs" an area in eternal darkness where the enemies of the Mouth of Song dwell. While you are attempting to find clues to locate Claw Hollow, this is one of the areas you can find them.



Last but not least a shot from inside the Silverymoon pass. The tower is a guard tower that protects the pass and will be a stopover allowing safe rest as you travel through the pass. In some of the later stages you will come here to find the person who can help you ascend to the top of the Nether Mountains and find the ancient Tomb of Dekan Thar to further your quest to find the remaining fragments of the Asberdies Stones.

Well that should give a good update for now.

Resolved the Seasonal Differences... for Overland Map

Thanks to DwarvenDervish's suggestions, I decided to try shrinking down normal trees for the Overland map in order to keep it a seasonal look, and it's looking very good. I am now very pleased with how the Overland map is coming out.



This is a tilted view from Silverymoon looking toward Silverymoon Pass in the Nether Mountains.

I changed up the texturing and you can see this is looking very good. I am also very impressed with the way the Silverymoon Pass came out. I used a little brown and orange coloring on the textures to make the mountainside and "broken" land of the pass come out.

On top of that the area around silverymoon now look very authentically Autumn. I probably could do a better job with the textures, but I think this will do for an overland map.

On to the Moonwoods.



Basically each part of the Moonwood I'm making are going to have a slightly different forested look as in the above example. This is the place around One Stone and the Sky Pony camp. These two points are map locations. The one to the right is One Stone, the one to the left is Dragon's Heart, both of which you've seen in previous areas I've designed.

In this specific area I've been able to match the textures to those I used in that specific location. And it's turning out really well. When this map comes out it's going to be a very subtle blend of one environment into another, into another.

As in the example of a completely different texture pattern around Quaervarr in the Southern end of the Moonwoods.



You'll notice older areas of my Blog I showed Quaervarr and the screenshots of what the area looks like. Well this was no exception. I've mapped the texture pattern as close as possible to Quaervarr so it will seem a smooth transition when you enter the town.

Keep in mind this will have Tree coverings I left out so you could see the texture job.

Admittedly though I am having to squeeze and get really creative with textures, because you're only limited to 6 textures in any 4 square area, and sometimes to get the environments correct I'd need a good 8 because of the blending from one environment to another.

To close... it is an intricate job, as you can see I have more of the Overland map done, but it's still not a large amount.



But if you want to do it right... it is an intricate thing.