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Saturday, July 26, 2014

Deep Carbon Observatory - Maps


DEEP CARBON OBSERVATORY MAPS

A few posts ago I lamented the fact that the excellent adventure Deep Carbon Observatory (link to purchase on RPGNOW) lacked classic top down maps, because it was hard for me to visualize running a couple of its areas using only the elevation or isometric maps provided.  Since I like the adventure, like drawing maps, like the author, like the artist and especially like the strange and evocative environment that the adventure manages to create without departing too far from a standard fantasy world, I have decided to draft maps for the Deep Carbon Observatory.

I chose the adventure’s ultimate destination and location because it seemed the most complex and most in need of reference.  This becomes especially true as there’s a good chance that the observatory will end up being run as a chase.  The map is nicely set up for this, with only a few dead ends and many loops.
I was not able to replicate the measurements described in the  adventure itself, as these would make some areas very very small and others oddly huge.  Instead I tried to keep my scale in line with that of the elevation map.  
 
DCO - Lvl 1
 Level 1 – AREAS 1,2 , 26 and 39 – 44

DCO - Lvl 2
Level 2 AREAS 3-12, 26 – 28

DCO - Lvl 3
 Level 3 RIGHT STALACTITE, AREAS 13 -17

DCO - Lvl 4
Level 4 RIGHT STALACTITE, AREAS 18 -21

DCO lvl 5
 Level 5 AREAS 22 – 25, 29

DCO - Lvl 6
Level 6 LEFT STALACTITE, AREAS 30 -32

 
DCO - Lvl 6
Level 7 LEFT STALACTITE, AREAS 33 -34


DCO - Level 8

Level 8 LEFT STALACTITE, AREAS 35-37

DCO - Lvl 9
Level 9 LEFT STALACTITE, AREA 38

15 comments:

  1. Cool, I will link to this in the product page if its ok with you?

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    1. Of course - I'll cross link it. I'll send you all the files if you feel like wrapping it up in any way as a PDF to offer more directly.

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  2. These have a nice hoary feel to them... good maps like these can really set the mood in my mind as I run the thing... vs. some sterile computer generated thing with no character.

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    1. They are my attempt to rip off Scrap Princess' style - albeit with Dyson hatch to prove my OSR bonifieds

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  3. Good job then... because they hit me in the same happy place as her illustrations do.

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  4. What do you draw maps with? Pencil, pen, marker, ?

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    1. I draw my maps in pencil, then ink over it with a variety of pens, mostly Sharpie micropoints and thin points. I use a grey marker for any water, and then scan them in greyscale. Through a dubious photoshop/picasa/gimp (whatever is handy) process mostly involving filters I give them a variety of distressed looks.

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  5. Great stuff! I just picked up Deep Carbon Obs and can't put it down. Your maps add just what I need for my 2D brain. I think my players are in for an unexpected side trip.

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  6. Glad the maps are a help, I found drawing them gave me a much better understanding of the observatory structures.

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  7. These will be very helpful, thank you.

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  8. Sincere thanks for these stellar looking & quite useful maps!
    -=A

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  9. DCO was a hairs-breadth away from perfection. Now, it's there. Thanks!

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  10. For the slow-witted among us; The map for Level 7 LEFT STALACTITE, AREAS 33 -34 has room 33 mislabeled. It is 35, and should be 33, I believe.

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  11. Just picked up DCO and google for maps, super glad to see these, they look great.

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