Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Spain & Portugal

Aha.  Seven hundred cities later . . .

Below is my combined map of Spain & Portugal.  The peninsula spreads over two of my map templates, so they had to be put together to show it all (that's why some of the labels appear twice; it's hard to see the overlap except where a label is cut off).  I find this looks a bit odd, but it is the map projection.  Most maps will curve the left and right sides upwards, to give the illusion that the center of the map dips, like it would on a globe.



Morocco and Algeria at the bottom of the map still need work.  But I am most pleased to say that I've finally mapped the coast all the way around the Mediterranean.  That's a big deal for me.

I was going to work on the British Islands next, but after the above I need a break with something simpler.  So I will work on Morocco and Algeria, finishing those . . . then I think I may work on western China.  Nice that I can hop around the globe as I wish.

Just a reminder, I published a book a week ago!  Already, one week.  Do have a look at it.

I'm going to step out tonight, but I will work on the next post in the Island series as soon as I have some time.

UPDATE:

In keeping with Maxwell's comments below, I'm going to post both sides of the map above, as they appear to me when I use it in a game (the edges not cleaned up).


14 comments:

  1. One hex to the left of Cordoba's label, there looks to be an error - another "Co" as if you left an earlier Cordoba label in. The font on it looks a little taller.

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  2. Another question: I see there are copies of some city names. Unlike the "Co" which looks like an error, these are fully formed.

    My question: in such cases, is this a matter of one label representing the region of influence/administration around the city proper, and the second one being the actual location of the trade-table market?

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  3. Ah, no.

    These are actually two different maps, one overlaid on top of the other. I divide my world into map sheets of 35 by 34 hexes (sometimes less, to make them come out even around the world). Each map includes 2 hexes around all the edges that duplicates the next map over, or the next map above or below that shown.

    Often the name title of a city will be moved around between maps, as fitting it neatly into place changes according adjacent hexes. Therefore, when I fold one map over another, it 'cuts off' some of the one map or appears to duplicate certain names.

    The dividing line between the two maps in this case is so SEEMLESS you can't see a 'line' where the maps overlap. The things you point out, Maxwell, are the clues that something is up. If you look back through my catalog at other group maps I've posted, you'll see similar "errors."

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  4. Heh, every now and then I want to set my world later in the Middle Ages just to get a little more historical data to compare with, but then I remember the explosion of cities in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and I think of having to map all those places.

    Very impressive work!

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  5. Cool, thanks for posting the divided maps. That clears up Leon and other labels on the divide.

    And by looking at the map more closely I can understand why there is a bigger Valencia label, and a smaller one (same goes for Guadalajara, Madrid, etc). One is the administrative region bearing that name (with gray borders) and then one is the city proper. So that's my other question answered.

    Too cool.

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  6. As perhaps more of a random question, how much of you world have you applied the Hex Map Generator towards? I know you have done portions, and I likely account for 20 or more views of Building Garalzapan's Land. I can imagine that the micro level is more done out of necessity but could you speak to your process of determining the extent at which micro information is desired/required/demanded given your depth of map making.

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  7. I would love to know if you have any resources that you have been using to gather information about Iberia besides your old encyclopedias and Wikipedia?

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  8. Jhandar,

    While I'd LOVE to do the whole world over with the Hex Generator, I've only done those areas that are necessary for when I have a party operating long-term in a specific location. If a party is only going to pass through an area or spend one or two sessions there, I don't bother.

    I suppose . . . if I ever finished the WHOLE world in 20-mile hexes, I might start in detail after that.

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  9. Barrow,

    The only other major source I use is the Global Gazatteer shown in the links section on the sidebar. Some places are so obscure there's no info for them on wikipedia, and I generally google them for information.

    Yesterday and today, I found myself looking for information about Morocco Geography - have you seen the paltry offering that wikipedia has for that? Embarrassing. I wound up in Google Books - and still found scanty info. Apparently, no one in the world can be bothered to explore Moroccan geography in depth. Sad.

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  10. Very cool! What is the size of those hexes?

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  11. I was going to use steal this map for use in a campaign, because its well made and very detailed, but it appears not to be high-definition enough to zoom-in on and remain legible. Is there a higher-definition version of the file, the version you personally use perhaps, that you have on hand? Fine if no. Thanks in advance.

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  12. Send me an email to alexiss1@telus.net and I'll send you the two maps. Have you considered supporting me on Patreon?

    https://www.patreon.com/user?u=3015466

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