Sacred 2 - Ice and Blood Map of Ancaria

[Schot 415]

 

Recent Update

Guess what I got. Another map!

 

 

 

Yup, I started working on the new Ice & Blood regions, Crystal Plane and Cursed Forest, a couple of weeks ago and it wasn't too painful at all. Ascaron packaged up the additional Ice & Blood files quite nicely. All the new images were nicely placed in there own little zip file which made for easy detection this time. It wasn't too long before I had the separate regions built and had only to add them to the master map. Aaaaand that's where it stopped being easy, lol.

 

All kinds of stuff I had in the pre Ice and Blood map could no longer fit on the new map. Clouds in particular were a problem as well as other parts like the mini region map, signature and legend. The clouds were the toughest though. Thing is that I really needed the clouds because they are used to mask parts of the map that Ascaron had left unfinished. Under aaaall that cloud on the pre Ice and Blood map is a terribly marred landscape, heh. When I first started out with the maps I boiled the unfinished map areas problem down to two solutions. I could either try to patch and build the unfinished areas using various samples from other parts of the map ooooor. I could slap some cloud cover over top. Now I ask. Which would you have done? ^^ Mibsum, a German cartographer chose the patch route. I could tell that he put a huge amount of effort into patching the unfinished areas. Unfortunately with patching when you use samples to patch a huge area a viewer will see a pattern repeating because they will see a sample that has been used over and over. You wouldn't notice it when zoomed out of the map but as you zoom in the repeated patterns become more visible.

So now with the Ice and Blood map my cloud solution was in a bit of trouble. With the addition of the new regions I'm forced to cut away large chunks of cloud which is making the flow of clouds fairly unnatural. Mostly because I had made the clouds a solid white. On the pre Ice and Blood map you can see that for most of the cloud area you aren't able to see through the clouds. So for the Ice and Blood the solid white clouds will be a no go. I'd have to make the clouds much more translucent for them to look more natural. Which meant... The underlying landscape in all it's "unfinishedness" was going to be visible. I was going to have to patch it all.

 

Enter Photoshop's Healing Brush. This tool saved me and before this map I had never really used it but what a great tool it is! I had often read about the tool being used to improve skin complexion but it can do wonders for terrain as well. The Healing brush made blending different terrain samples a snap. Guaranteed I'll be toying with it a lot more. I also used the Clone Stamp which lets you pick a specific point on an image to use as a sample and then stamps that sample wherever you click. Most of the work was with the Clone Stamp and the Healing Brush came in after to brush seams of samples to help them blend together making a smooth transition from one sample type to the next.

 

All of the area below the clouds were either pure black or a hideous mess of garbled textures when I got started and I'm very proud to say that it doesn't like too bad at all. A combination of patchwork and clouds is a really great one for this map. Honestly I really didn't think I could do it so I'm pretty ecstatic about the result Not to mention exhausted!

 

The unfortunate price to all this effort is file size. It didn't occur to me until after I saved the map that having a solid white cloud cover saves a lot on file size. Since it's primarily one colour, white, there's less colours to compress but now that the clouds are translucent there's a lot more colours. Not a big deal at all for those who will download the map but for uploading to maplib it's making a big difference. Maplib has an 8mb max allowed filesize which is nearly impossible for a map like the Sacred 2 map. Most of the maps on maplib have very few colours. So few that I could probably count them, heh. The work that Ascaron put into the Sacred 2 map really does set it apart from any game map. It is by far THE best game map out there. If I'm wrong I'd love to be shown so because I've looked and nothing compares. BIG kudos to Ascaron on their expertise and creativity.

 

Now then... Like with previous maps I won't be providing a download right away as there are things I need to correct. The map is unfinished but I wanted to get it out there partly because I want to start using it for wiki stuff like quests and places and partly because I'd like to have feedback from you guys.

 

I'll be making some changes to the map so if there's something you see that should be changed in the map please let me know! In fact if anyone has a request feel free to ask. I might be able to provide a few variations of the map if the requests aren't too complicated.

 

Enjoy gang!

 

The Sacred 2 Ice & Blood Map of Ancaria

[Knuckles 904]

Now I know why I haven't seen you on-line...gogo's got you chained in the closet again

 

As always, very impressive work Schot...make sure gogo gives you an extra ration of cookies today

[Dragon Brother 620]

Ooh! Very impressive stuff!

[Spunky 16]

Once again amazing work Schot

[Llama8 9]

Impressive as always Schot.

[LazyTomcat 0]

Wow! A dream comes true! Where I can download the map? I want to print it out.

 

Yours sincerely

LT

[Schot 415]

Thanx guys.

 

Well I have to confess this one was self inflicted Knuckles. But we can punish gogo's credit card anyway. Drinks on tha card! ^^

 

Download is being worked on still LazyTomcat. In fact I'm not providing a download yet because I knew you'd be looking for it, lol. I don't want you to print out this map. It's not good enough yet and I want to provide a map that's worthy of printing. Almost there though!

 

 

There's a few geographical points that I'm a bit confused on and could really use some help with. It seems as though Ascaron may not have come to a decision on how to name some places as it seems that some places are referred to by two different names in the game. It's making me crazy! Can anyone just tell me what to do here? lol.

 

First of all the name of the Blood Region:

• Many reviews refer to the new region as the Blood Region
  
• In game it is referred to as Cursed Forest on occasion
  
• In a quest it is once referred to as the Blood Forest
  
• Upon entering the Bloody well accursed forest a title appears on screen that reads "Bloodwood"
  

 

Then there's the section of forest that you enter into:

• When you first walk into the forest with red trees "Bloodwood" appears on screen
  
• In a quest it refers to that area as "Forest of Thousand Eyes"
  

 

Then there's the western vs. eastern naming:

• During the main quest in the new blood area/place/thing there is a section of forest that when entered the title "Field of a Thousand Screams" appears on screen.
  
• Later in that same main quest you enter a section of forest that when entered the title "Field of Eternal Pain" appears on screen.
  

These on screen titles seem to only affect a small portion of land and one on each side. "Field of a Thousand Screams" is in the western side and "Field of Eternal Pain" on the eastern. Since The forest is a battleground and according to the quest the place on the map called "Village Ruins" is in the center of the battle I'm assuming that "Field of a Thousand Screams" is the land belonging to one faction and "Field of Eternal Pain" belonging to the other. (Diaanja - Western - "Field of a Thousand Screams") vs. (Eastern - "Field of Eternal Pain" - Khorminth)... And for anyone interested, Diaanja's army seems to be of Demons and Khorminth's of Energy.

 

So basically what I'm getting here is that there are 7 different names being thrown around. Blood Region, Blood Forest, Cursed Forest, Bloodwood, Forest of Thousand Eyes, Field of a Thousand Screams and Field of Eternal Pain. I'm guessing that the 7 names are to be used to identify large sections of land as opposed to the other names on my map for small place areas. I think I need to drop one or two of those names completely from use... "Blood Region" I've already dismissed from any use but I'm having a very hard time deciding how or if to use Blood Forest, Cursed Forest, Bloodwood and Forest of Thousand Eyes. I'm thinking I should drop Blood Forest and Forest of Thousand Eyes. So the entire region would be "Blood Region". Then the red forested area would be the Cursed Forest. Then the three sections of forest that area separated by the river would be Bloodwood, Field of a Thousand Screams and Field of Eternal Pain.

 

Makes sense, sounds good?

[Dragon Brother 620]

Your plan makes sense with the names and the regions youve picked. Is there anywhere you can write on, or on the page linking to, the map about the confusion surrounding the naming?

[Schot 415]

I could mention it on the page where I put this new map on the wiki but I'm not so worrierd about the map itself and how people will interpret it. I guess what I'm most concerned with is that the place names I chose for the Blood region are going to be used on the wiki and will become "fact". Naturally it's important to me that my facts are in fact... Fact, heh. ^^ Thanx Dragon. I was desperate for a second opinion.

...and someone to blame when it's discovered I was wrong. "It was Dragon! He said it was ok!"

 

I'll be back to work on tidying up the map after I've finished creating pics for the Cursed Forest quest. The download version of the map will be MUCH better quality than the maplib version that I've made available. I plan to do a bit of research into what an ideal size would be for printing and probably provide different sizes of the map so that anyone who wants to print it won't have to make adjustments themselves. Any advice of ideal print sizes would be much appreciated.

[gogoblender 3,306]

I don't know where you get the time Schot, but again you've made art and utility work beautifully together again.. And just in time too cuz the expansion is SO hard ^^

 

Alas... last map of the game to be made?

 

If so, you did the Ascaron and I think even all of us, the supporting community here now for years, very very proud.

 

Good job Schot!

 

 

gogo

[Dragon Brother 620]

...and someone to blame when it's discovered I was wrong. "It was Dragon! He said it was ok!"

Busted! lol...its ok cos the opposite is also true...when people congratulate you for your hard work you have to say I owe it all to Dragon Brother for the suggestions or something like that

 

I guess what I'm most concerned with is that the place names I chose for the Blood region are going to be used on the wiki and will become "fact". Naturally it's important to me that my facts are in fact... Fact, heh. ^^

Well, as long as the names for the places make sense then I guess it doesnt really matter. And just think...if its written on the internet then it must be right

[LazyTomcat 0]

Any advice of ideal print sizes would be much appreciated.

 

I would print it in 150 x 150 cm. My girlfriend says 100 x 100 cm is much too small.

 

LT

[Schot 415]

I don't know where you get the time Schot, but again you've made art and utility work beautifully together again.. And just in time too cuz the expansion is SO hard ^^

 

Alas... last map of the game to be made?

 

If so, you did the Ascaron and I think even all of us, the supporting community here now for years, very very proud.

 

Good job Schot!

 

 

gogo

 

Last map indeed. *sniff* Course I still have all those region maps I want to make. ^^

 

Thanx gogo!

 

...and someone to blame when it's discovered I was wrong. "It was Dragon! He said it was ok!"

Busted! lol...its ok cos the opposite is also true...when people congratulate you for your hard work you have to say I owe it all to Dragon Brother for the suggestions or something like that

 

I guess what I'm most concerned with is that the place names I chose for the Blood region are going to be used on the wiki and will become "fact". Naturally it's important to me that my facts are in fact... Fact, heh. ^^

Well, as long as the names for the places make sense then I guess it doesnt really matter. And just think...if its written on the internet then it must be right

 

lol Dragon. Hmmm... I hadn't thought of that. Well I guess I better go rewrite the credits. Love your logic on interent fact. Works for me. ^^

 

Any advice of ideal print sizes would be much appreciated.

 

I would print it in 150 x 150 cm. My girlfriend says 100 x 100 cm is much too small.

 

LT

 

No problem at all Tomcat. I can make it a PNG file if you like. That way it will be in true full colour unlike a jpg.

[Dragon Brother 620]

...and someone to blame when it's discovered I was wrong. "It was Dragon! He said it was ok!"

Busted! lol...its ok cos the opposite is also true...when people congratulate you for your hard work you have to say I owe it all to Dragon Brother for the suggestions or something like that

 

I guess what I'm most concerned with is that the place names I chose for the Blood region are going to be used on the wiki and will become "fact". Naturally it's important to me that my facts are in fact... Fact, heh. ^^

Well, as long as the names for the places make sense then I guess it doesnt really matter. And just think...if its written on the internet then it must be right

 

lol Dragon. Hmmm... I hadn't thought of that. Well I guess I better go rewrite the credits. Love your logic on interent fact. Works for me. ^^

 

yep, and if it's on a wiki it's even more factual. Which makes me wonder why my uni lecturers say not to use a wiki as a source...:s

[gogoblender 3,306]

Any advice of ideal print sizes would be much appreciated.

 

I would print it in 150 x 150 cm. My girlfriend says 100 x 100 cm is much too small.

 

LT

 

 

Lazy! I just caught this post... it is AMAZING seeing you here! Any chance you could tell us the secret, and maybe story of how you guys got Schot's map printed up?

 

Beautiful job...

 

True fans, you and your Girlfriend!

 

 

gogo

[Schot 415]

Wee lil update just to say... Aaaaargh! This map is making me crazy, lol. I'm working on it but mah OCD has flown a bit out of control. Adding all kinds of useless details, haha. Should be done soon provided I don't think of something else that needs a personal touch...

[locolagarto 15]

More power to ya man. I would have probably got the outline done. a few names and some color and said, "good enough for me!"

 

Maybe that's why I get toon to level 100 and them get bored and start over. Hmm....

[LazyTomcat 0]

Any chance you could tell us the secret, and maybe story of how you guys got Schot's map printed up?

I don't print it by myself. Posterjack does the work for me (I'm lazy) .

Posterjack Germany

At the bottom, right beside "Impressum", you can select other countries. Inclusive Canada.

 

LT

[gogoblender 3,306]

thank you for links and info. And btw, I can't help noticing awesome sig you have. It's distinct, really shows out... is that your creation?

 

 

gogo

[Schot 415]

@loco: Believe me, I could use all he power I can get. ^^ I reeeeally wanted to just make a quick job of this one and toss it out but I have a feeling that this will be the last map I spend a lot of time on so I want to make it a good last push. Now that it is unlikely the world of Ancaria will ever change again I'm somewhat reluctant to see my Cartographic efforts end. It's been a treat working on the maps. A painstaking love to be certain.

 

@Tomcat: Great info Lazy Tomcat. It looks as though you live up to your name, hehe. I decided to do a bit of research today while out and about and learned a great deal about DPI, or PPI. I had no idea that the PPI I had chosen in Photoshop would have such a large impact on print out resolution. Truth be told I've never printed any of my works and had no idea how important DPI/PPI was until today. At any rate, I printed out the Ice & Blood Map today. Woohoo! It's sssssso cool. The shop I went to couldn't print the map on the paper size I wanted, 36" x 36" so I asked them to print it out on 8"x 11" sheets of paper. I just finished taping the sheets together and it now hangs in gogo's room. I gotta say it's pretty cool to see it in such a huge size. And dirt cheap too! It cost me about $5.00. There were size errors here and there so on my next visit I'll have the DPI and size errors all fixed up.

 

Almost done!

[Dragon Brother 620]

@loco: Believe me, I could use all he power I can get. ^^ I reeeeally wanted to just make a quick job of this one and toss it out but I have a feeling that this will be the last map I spend a lot of time on so I want to make it a good last push. Now that it is unlikely the world of Ancaria will ever change again I'm somewhat reluctant to see my Cartographic efforts end. It's been a treat working on the maps. A painstaking love to be certain.

 

@Tomcat: Great info Lazy Tomcat. It looks as though you live up to your name, hehe. I decided to do a bit of research today while out and about and learned a great deal about DPI, or PPI. I had no idea that the PPI I had chosen in Photoshop would have such a large impact on print out resolution. Truth be told I've never printed any of my works and had no idea how important DPI/PPI was until today. At any rate, I printed out the Ice & Blood Map today. Woohoo! It's sssssso cool. The shop I went to couldn't print the map on the paper size I wanted, 36" x 36" so I asked them to print it out on 8"x 11" sheets of paper. I just finished taping the sheets together and it now hangs in gogo's room. I gotta say it's pretty cool to see it in such a huge size. And dirt cheap too! It cost me about $5.00. There were size errors here and there so on my next visit I'll have the DPI and size errors all fixed up.

 

Almost done!

Pictures!

[gogoblender 3,306]

heh, Ashley he stuck it up on my wall...impossible for me to even write a single sentence of prose without Ancaria billowing about under the wind of a fan.

 

I hope he finds a way to get this out to interested folks.

 

It's... awesome

 

 

gogo

[LazyTomcat 0]

is that your creation?

It's made by Seraph. A professional graphic designer. She made many of the ciSacred graphics. Sadly she is not active on ciSacred since a long time. From time to time you can see her in the official Sacred forum.

 

@Schot

I think it's better on paper than on linen. On 100x100 cm linen you can not read the little letters. That's why the next will be 150x150 cm at glossy paper.

 

LT

[Schot 415]

Pictures!

 

Will do!

 

I hope he finds a way to get this out to interested folks.

 

It's only a matter of time. I'm bound and bent on having a nice print version available since I printed yours. ^^

 

is that your creation?

It's made by Seraph. A professional graphic designer. She made many of the ciSacred graphics. Sadly she is not active on ciSacred since a long time. From time to time you can see her in the official Sacred forum.

 

@Schot

I think it's better on paper than on linen. On 100x100 cm linen you can not read the little letters. That's why the next will be 150x150 cm at glossy paper.

 

LT

 

I agree with gogo. The sig is spectacular. Impressive quality for sure.

 

As for the sharpness of your linen print I think I'll be able to resolve that problem on this new map. The one you printed was with the previous map I made and the download image was only 72 PPI. I learned yesterday that 72 PPI is really terrible for print quality so on this new download I'll be making it 300 PPI. That should allow you to be able to read the text on the map when you print it out. I'm also going prepare a package that will allow people to print the map out in standard 8.5" x 11" paper format like I did with gogo's map. The 8.5" x 11" version will be 12 sheets of paper. The print shop near me says that there is always a margin applied to full page prints so after the 12 sheets are printed the white margins will need to be cut away from the print outs and then assembled together to form the complete image. The entire package is near exactly 3 feet square. It's a perfect size really. Quite large. gogo's map is a test map so it has the 72 PPI. The text on the map is unreadable but once I've made the corrections we'll see how well the text looks.

 

 

Oh and I just got an email from Maplib saying that my latest version of the Ice & Blood map has been updated. I made quite a few changes to this version

 

 

->Updated Ice & Blood Map<- (Keep in mind this online map's quality is waaaaay lower than the downloadable version's will be.)

 

Changes:

• Added note about the new Mount quest in Blood region
  
• Added more paths to Crystal and Blood regions as well as the Dragon Mage's campaign start island. Bottom left corner of map
  
• New path in desert to connect the two start locations for the Epic Office Quest
  
• Changed the different Experience statue icons into a single common icon. See map's Legend
  
• Gave the god statues better colour coding. See map's Legend
  
• Changed style of Start location icons. See map's Legend
  
• Added more boss locations
  
• Added special thanks to Ascaron and Deep Silver. Top right of map.
  
• Added note about Northland Expedition quest in Artamark that allows players to reach the Winter Island
  
• Changed appearance of colour coded mini region map
  
• Created own custom frame with oh so special torn paper look ^^
  

 

Download will be done this week!

[stubbie 22]

Fantastic effort schot.

Look forward to getting the download version.

Your work is much appreciate.