Birthright Maps - Hi Res and carefully scanned

[ShirraWhitefur]

--- Map Links ---
-- Web res and WotC for comparison, ~7 megs
BRMaps - Anuire v1.0 - Web and WotC.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SP77MIBW
BRMaps - Cities of the Sun v1.0 - Web and WotC.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BOR6H3F9
BRMaps - Rjurik Highlands v1.1 - Web and WotC.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BLGWD7DW
BRMaps - The Great Bay v1.1 - Web and WotC.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4W8UD1PP
BRMaps - Vosgaard v1.1 - Web and WotC.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JJHERRZR

-- Standard Res, ~50 megs
BRMaps - Anuire v1.0 - Standard Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7HNDDESY
BRMaps - Cities of the Sun v1.0 - Standard Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HORYPSQT
BRMaps - Rjurik Highlands v1.1 - Standard Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=K57UPCLS
BRMaps - The Great Bay v1.1 - Standard Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=X86LXY80
BRMaps - Vosgaard v1.1 - Standard Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=C8YEZCEU
-- High Res, ~100 megs
BRMaps - Anuire v1.0 - High Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VQQZ5IF2
BRMaps - Cities of the Sun v1.0 - High Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VA9VEE7H
BRMaps - Rjurik Highlands v1.1 - High Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=U4NXFJ1R
BRMaps - The Great Bay v1.1 - High Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=60VMU1W5
BRMaps - Vosgaard v1.1 - High Res.rar
- http://www.megaupload.com/?d=F4DCOAKI

---
Greetings.

A while ago, when I purchased the PDF versions of the various birthright supplements to round out my lacking collection, as well as allow me to not need to break out the hardcopies near as often (so they'd last longer), I came across something that irritated me.. perhaps even angered me. The maps. Okay, yes, they were split up so you could nicely print them out, page by page, tape it together..

Except for one small detail. They were scanned by an idiot. I'm sorry, but they were. Some of the worst of them are missing 2" wide, 6" long sections in the -middle- of the map, due to the gross incompetency. All of them are poorly aligned.. I spent a few weeks trying to fix problems as best I could, before I finally gave in and on a pure whim, asked Ryan Caveney if he'd loan me -all- of his maps, in return for hi-res versions on the computer, as close to perfectly aligned as possible with a cheap A4 (8x11) scanner. I figured it'd be a no.. but to my amazement, he was also bothered by the bad maps, and wanted good ones.

So over the course of a month, I slowly scanned all the main overland maps, and worked on them in the full scanned resolution.. It was enjoyable making four gigs of ram start running 'low', heh. So, I know have 'em in monolithically large sizes, as well as several smaller versions. I also have the WotC 'fix up' attempts.

Now, I did these months ago, but one of the eventual end-goals was to try to resize things and fit the whole map into one image. Stalling point is that WotC did each and every one at a slightly (or largely) different scale, so lining up would be a total pain in the arse. I know, I tried. Also, they used slightly different colors, which further adds to the hassle.
The second end-goal was dropping the whole thing down to greyscale, and slowly, carefully trying to brush out all the domain numbers, so it could be used as a massive background, with some sorta program doing an overlay for your games current numbers. Again, total pain in the arse. Due to the numbers being through some of the map features, you either need someone willing to kills ages of time on each and every spot, or you need to decide on what sort of smoothness breaking backdrop you want for the numbers to be placed in (like a simple white box, or instead maybe a hazy brushed side circle..)

- Shirra Whitefur

-Edit-
Found the Highest-Res stuff. My mistake, the 600 DPI's are between 650 and 1,000 megs of size, though in gimp XCF. The High-res release is around 14000x8000 and 100 megs each, the 'standard' is ~9000x6000 and 50 megs, the 'Web' release is ~3000x2000, and around five megs. Vosgaard, understandably, is about half the size on each. WotC versions are around 3 megs, and built purely from the PDF's.

I may eventually get around to scanning all small cards that were sent.. I think he may have even tucked a players-secrets in there.. but I don't think they really need it, as they're not huge multipage affairs that were horribly scanned, nor are they part of the world-map. Also, I have -not- scanned the multi-page basic, low-information worldmap, as I would really prefer to replace it with a connected version of the close-ups.

Further note. These are -not- split into separate page PDFs / images designed for printing. This is a single, whole image of each map. And an end goal if there's enough interest, of a _single_ map. At that point, I'll bother working on a split up designed to be printed out (with tab-sets to glue/tape underneath), but till then, people who want a printed version can do their own splitwork. Assuming I can even post the links to them.

Currently assuming since an Admin said, 'Of course you should make them available to other fans', I'll take that as the official okay for now.

Forewarning. Megaupload has ads. (What a surprise, a -free- upload place using ad based revenue). I do not currently have plans to upload them elsewhere myself.

[Green Knight]

Of course you should make them available to other fans; what's the point otherwise?

[Vicente]

I think nearly all TSR pdfs that were sold were horrible scans :( There was a lot of talk about that in EnWorld (and I suppose in other forums).

[ShirraWhitefur]

Of course you should make them available to other fans; what's the point otherwise?

The point, in this case, was making sure that I _COULD_ post them, without the BR Forums being forced to delete the post / the links due to legal obligation. Trying to save a can-o-worms. ;)

Right o, I'll edit in the links.

- Shirra

[Sorontar]

Now, I did these months ago, but one of the eventual end-goals was to try to resize things and fit the whole map into one image. Stalling point is that WotC did each and every one at a slightly (or largely) different scale, so lining up would be a total pain in the arse. I know, I tried. Also, they used slightly different colors, which further adds to the hassle.

This has already been done. See http://community.wizards.com/bright/gallery/view_gallery.one?pid=86320415 and http://www.birthright.net/forums/complete-map-cerilia-t2911.html .

Sorontar

[ShirraWhitefur]

This has already been done. See http://community.wizards.com/bright/gallery/view_gallery.one?pid=86320415 and http://www.birthright.net/forums/complete-map-cerilia-t2911.html .

Sorontar


Well, I'm thankful for it. (as if I need it, now I've got it), but at such a small size, if one has need of a hi-res for a project.. that sure isn't going to cut it. It is a -really- nice job in clean up though.
That said.. I'm not exactly sure why one would need a massive resolution, but then, I prefer my save'n'reprints in 300 DPI or more, for clarity sake.

Anywho, means my end goals still stand, including a full put together, in hi-res, with the numbers conveniently culled for use as a backdrop in some sort of update-able template.

Maybe at some point I'll get some thoughts from those who've already been downloading this, if I'm lucky. :D

- Shirra

[Rey]

There is no greater happiness than to invite home my gaming group, connect laptop to a 37" lcd TV, load a Cerilian 5.2MB image and then zoom in on particular area and hear the sighs of the present individuals.
Even Gorgon looks scarier that way. :D
Our DM said that the only thing missing is a pointer for a presentation.

[dunsel]

Thanks for these, I don't think I'll ever stop using the birthright campaign setting.

I do hate .rar files though! For this I will go download some unpacker though.

[ShirraWhitefur]

Thanks for these, I don't think I'll ever stop using the birthright campaign setting.

I do hate .rar files though! For this I will go download some unpacker though.

www.rarlab.com for Winrar, there's also 7zip, and myriad others that will open them up nicely.

And thank you. Thanks to you, I did -not- loose a bet.
An artist friend of mine actually bet me that the community would not leave any thanks, or even constructive ideas, before fifty downloads had passed. And I was losing hope, what with being told, in effect, that I had wasted my time, and having someone comment just to praise someone else's project.

Though, I'll admit, I can't say I'm thrilled at 50 downloads and only one positive comment, at least I didn't have to cough up cash to him! :D

Anywho. I'm still mulling over the whole idea of trying to make handy 'fill in' points for realm ratings, again for the idea of using this as a bottom layer in some sort of automated piece of handiness. Still not sure how to make it passable looking, without requiring weeks of work.. For that matter, still need to figure out what I could actually use it -with- for that. I've noticed a few project bits floating around for the PBeM stuff, and maybe that'd be the spot to start looking.

- Shirra

[Rey]

WinRAR will take care of all your problems with archives. Even unregistered it will still work, and even if you reinstall the OS (talking about windows here). you can just copy the install dir and click .exe, just need to re-do file associations.

[Vicente]

Thanks a lot for this, really appreciated :)

[Arjan]

i think there is no upload size limit for the download section here on BRnet.. so you can always put them up here

[TheChamberlain]

Of course you should make them available to other fans; what's the point otherwise?

Hmmm no word of thanks, nice....

Thank you ShirraWhitefur on behalf of the FAN's

Using them for my current Campaign. ;)

[Rykros1]

I think the fact that 50 users have downloaded these is indicative of gratitude.

However, I do personally want to thank you for these. My computer is a beast and opens up the high-res versions in the blink of an eye and seeing these gorgeous scans and the even compilation of the separate maps makes me enjoy the game I run so much more.

Nice job man. Can't wait to see a full map of Cerilia, if you intend to do one.

[Rey]

And of course, I would like as well to express my gratitude for this fine work. May there be more people like you. Cheers!

[Kami]

Thank you muchly, kind sir! :D

[ShirraWhitefur]

Well, I'm happy to see people actually are enjoying the work! That's what makes effort worthwhile. ;)

As to getting more done, it's debatable as to when it will happen. Had to do an OS reinstall this past weekend, and I'm still lacking a lot of time to throw at this project in any case. We'll see what the future brings. :D

- Shirra

[ShirraWhitefur]

Initial tests with a few autostitching programs have been promising for the map work. The results are nice overall, though I need to work on adding a backdrop for empty spaces, and then there's the need to manually add places back in, since despite the blending, only one image will have priority.. so if we're dealing with map edges, one of 'em will have no domain names and such and it will often enough blank out the ones that should be there. Which means carefully hand-copying in stuff and trying -not- to mess up the color of the map.

Then there's the parts that may be even worse to try and fix.. where the blending gives an overlap of map feature names.. Seeing areas in the upper left of the Cities of Sun map half-named, quarter named from the great bay, and similar from the Vosgaard map in the upper right.. So the end result could be a bit messy.

As it stands, I'm seriously debating rescanning the maps, all of them, -again-, just to see if the current program can yield a better result then the hours of by-hand work, considering it was designed for photos and not maps, and using that for base, as I know my own results are imperfect. Noo, no OCD here! ^_^ I'll probably pass on that though, for now.

I'm seriously thinking that, if possible, I'm going to strip out all the map lexicons (as it stands, there's three in the image!), and only add in the map-scale marker when all done, manually. Again, this is all in the 'ambitious project idea' stage, so it's entirely possible it'll just get dumped. However.. does anyone have some GIMP/Photoshop tips on how to get a patch of the map background, and replicate it to most sizes and 'meld' it into the map so it fits, so I can fix patches I had to do heavy fixing?

Further thought.. and this one's important to the final product.. In cities of the sun, there's this one bloody island far to the south, Khoufayla. It causes the whole map to extend downwards, -past- what Anuire and the Low Detail map show for Aduria's shape. I can either have a big unfinished area in the left for Aduria, or I can get rid of that single island, making a smooth cut off at the bottom of the map. I need people's opinion on that.

- Shirra

[AndrewTall]

I'd drop Khoufayla, or add it in in a separate box higher up than its true position - quite a lot of RL maps deal with outliers like that.

Good luck, I spent an age with a photocopier trying to size the maps to the same scale, with scissors and tape to then rebuild the maps into an overlay - doomed to failure from the outset but I felt that I had to try.

What is annoying is that WoTC presumably have the electronic file somewhere and could easily have put it in the 10th anniversary pack...

It is a pity that Kay isn't on the boards more as this is her thing - she re-drew the map in prettier colours

I could email the two complete maps that I have if you think that they would be helpful, although neither is layered.

[ShirraWhitefur]

Well, that looks like it for the project, unfortunately.
I sat down and rescanned a few maps, and tried to feed them into image autostitching software, and unfortunately the results were less than viable. The problem being that the scanner I have available is, best said, junk, and skews every image slightly, giving each and every one a slightly different warped perspective. While I think I did an admirable job fixing it by hand for my maps, they were far from perfect, which meant making stitch-able overall map was just not panning out... And also means that since I can't make anything better with my current scanner, the overall map project, for me at least, is done.

This would be different if I was able to hit a copyshop with an A1 sized scanner, but I'm fairly sure I don't have the permissions required to do that. ;)

Anywho, I'll mention if situation changes, but I think that's probably 'it' for now.

- Shirra

[Gwrthefyr]

Sad, but the project was excellent, and so were the maps; on a side note I remember there being a stitched up blank province map of the entirety of Cerilia somewhere and I can't seem to find it anymore, depite being pretty sure it was on here :/ (or did I just dream it up and actually me who stitched up blank regional province maps... oh well)

[Semiramis]

Dang, those are some nice maps. And I remember the blank map too. It seems to me that it was 8.5x11, though