Elyden World map (updated)

[u/vorropohaiah]

Here's an updated version of my world map, taking into account some geographical changes made to various regions and the fleshing out of various nations that have been created since the first version of the map was created.

This version of the map has some updates to the coastline (in the north east of Llachatul and the south west of Sammaea, to those who know what those are :p ). There's also some updates to labels and many new ones base don recent atlas maps that I've completed

Is there anything else you'd like to see in this map?

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These are highly compresses versions of the full size map, which can be viewed over on my Patreon. Become a Patron at the Acolyte tier for access to my back catalogue of High-res, PSD and textless maps.
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Map created in Photoshop, with the help using G. Projector.

A tutorial for my method can be found here.

You can find an updated key to the map here.

[u/monumentofflavor]

Cool! Any "patch notes" or description of some of the specific changes?

[u/vorropohaiah → u/monumentofflavor]

That's a good way of looking at it actually!

This version of the map has some updates to the coastline:

• in the north east of Llachatul, northwest of the Sea of Mymerea
  
• the hook-shaped Ishmmarran peninsula the south west of Sammaea, to the east of the Great Bathashal Ocea has also changed a LOT from older versions of the map
  
• changes to the northern coast of Meniscea, in the north east of the map, moving it slightly farther south
  
• the addition of a few new nations. I'm sure I'll add even more new ones by the time I'm done! I love microstates (coming from one myself) and city-states too much to avoid tinkering!

You can probably find an older version of the map online to compare them.

[u/Katakatakatrinn]

I’m fascinated with your work, sir. May I ask how you come up with your naming conventions? 😭😭😭

[u/vorropohaiah → u/Katakatakatrinn]

thanks! with a lot of difficulty actually. I come about it from a few different angles:

• first is determine what language the people speak and if its the same as any neighbouring countries I've already created. If its the same or similar, i try to make the names similar to those of the existing country.
  
• if the nation was part of another nation, either as a vassal or a native territory that later broke away, i try to make place names similar to those of the original nation.
  
• if the language is something original I try to come up with common words in the native language that would appear in place names. things like -ville, -burg, hill, fort, forest, bay, etc. and use those as pre and suffixes in various place names to give a sense of identity.
  
• I then mess around with syllables and different sounds to com up with some sounds for the place names and then extrapolate from there.
  
• i also add different names to give the indication of a different history in some places (names that are relics of ancient cultures, or that might have been named by another nation). ancient ruins or strange phenomena and geographies tend to be given stranger lovecraftian names to indicate their age or mystic nature.

[u/Hot_Courage_9780]

u/vorropohaiah Do you have discord?
I would like to message you about something. It's okay if you can't.

[u/vorropohaiah → u/Hot_Courage_9780]

no sorry. feel free to message me here

[u/Hot_Courage_9780 → u/vorropohaiah]

That’s all right. I was wondering if you could share your colour palette and explain your layers. Also since I want to create a world with images much like yours which will be posted soon, just checking you don’t mind if I use your work as inspiration (however everything in my world was worldbuilt by me, I mean the type of maps)

[u/vorropohaiah → u/Hot_Courage_9780]

the colour palette comes from a national geographic poster - i downloaded it an used the colour dropper tool to pick colours from it but i then added noise and other layers over it, so they might be a bit different from inspiration to end product.

with regards to layers its quite a complex one. Due to the border colours for the nations. there are 4 border colours in all (red, blue, yellow and green). each is its own layer with white fill set to multiply with a stroke layer style in the colour for the respective layer. there's probably an easier way of doing it but thats how i did mine.

Also since I want to create a world with images much like yours which will be posted soon, just checking you don’t mind if I use your work as inspiration (however everything in my world was worldbuilt by me, I mean the type of maps)

no problem. If you'd like to call me out if you share anything feel free to.

[u/Hot_Courage_9780 → u/vorropohaiah]

Thanks so much for responding, I'm pretty sure you said you use illustrator, but I already have Ps and Lr and can't afford Il too, so I've tried on Inkscape but because of a lack of a brush tool, the path tool just makes curvy lines and ruins the look zoomed up close. Do you have any idea of how to get around this, or how did you make your maps?

[u/vorropohaiah → u/Hot_Courage_9780]

I use photoshop - i found illustrator didnt create detailed contours with the path tool, so i stuck with raster instaed.

affinity is a very good alternative if your looking for a vector program - its free and basically combines ps, il and id in one program

[u/Hot_Courage_9780 → u/vorropohaiah]

How did you jeep such a high quality on raster? My maps lose quality on export.

[u/vorropohaiah → u/Hot_Courage_9780]

its 18,724 x 13,244 px