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

[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!

[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/...e?pid=86320415 and http://www.birthright.net/forums/com...lia-t2911.html .

Sorontar

[ShirraWhitefur]

This has already been done. See http://community.wizards.com/bright/...e?pid=86320415 and http://www.birthright.net/forums/com...lia-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.

- Shirra