How to make your AAR quality map from an F10 save

[takedown47]

People have been requesting I do a tutorial and show them how to make a nice AAR quality map. I have included a file below which contains instructions, a template you can use and a nice map font called Romeodn. Please note you will need some sort of image editing program like photoshop. I use Photoshop Elements 2.0 which was released in 2002 so you don't need super expensive programs like CS6.

Download: View attachment 91756
Works better with SWMH

Example of the finished product

Hope this helps.

P.S To the moderators I wasn't sure where this thread should go so if you want to move to somewhere else that's fine.

 

[Five_X]

Oh, wow, this is really cool! I might try something like this out, except with some other filters and layers added maybe to give a more "antique" feel to it. Thanks for posting this up!

 

[MichOrion]

Awesome, thanks! I love making AAR type maps.

 

[takedown47]

Oh, wow, this is really cool! I might try something like this out, except with some other filters and layers added maybe to give a more "antique" feel to it. Thanks for posting this up!

Happy to help, you can basically use any sort of old paper texture as the filter (although there is one in the map pack I attached for download). If you find something good feel free to post your map and the filters/fonts you used to make it in this thread. I'd love to see your map creations!

 

[MarcellusMagnus]

I combined takedown47's paper texture with a terrain map by MondoPotato, plus some ideas of my own (like highlighting certain realms, in this case everything ruled by my dynasty).

I think it turned out alright:


(Up close, you can see the discrepancies with the major rivers changed with TOG, but otherwise it looks fine. I'm using Mod Mercator - as a part of CK2+ - which is close enough to the vanilla map, while SWMH seems to have changed a lot more.)

This was done in Paint.NET (which is free) with the Circle Text and 1px Expansion tools from dpy's Plugin Pack. (Also, the PSD Plugin can be used to open takedown47's Photoshop template.)

Download it as: .PDN (Paint.NET) | .PSD (Photoshop)

UPDATE:
Messed around with this a bit more. Applying the Ink Sketch effect to the terrain layer made it a lot better:

 

[General Baker]

Smart ideas, I never considered altering the ingame screenshots!

 

[jpinard]

Very nice, thanks!

 

[MarcellusMagnus]

New version:
Switched to the Ink Sketch look, added borders, and made sure rivers aren't blocked out by the highlighted realms.



Download it as: .PDN (Paint.NET) | .PSD (Photoshop)

 

[takedown47]

That's a great looking map, awesome job!

 

[DunkFunk]

very very nice!

 

[Davisx3m]

Great initiative, thx!

 

[Lord Blazer]

New version:
*snip*

Think you can make a version of the map in a PSD format? GIMP isn't exactly able to open PDN files :/

 

[MarcellusMagnus]

Think you can make a version of the map in a PSD format? GIMP isn't exactly able to open PDN files :/

Sure, I was able to export it as a PSD, I hope it didn't mess up anything... Let me know how it works!
I updated my post with the link (and did the same for the first version as well).

 

[User29]

Hey, this is awesome, and you guys making these possible. I love you guys! Keep it up please!

 

[Rozmarzony]

Well done.

 

[Lord Blazer]

Sure, I was able to export it as a PSD, I hope it didn't mess up anything... Let me know how it works!
I updated my post with the link (and did the same for the first version as well).

Dude, awesome! Many thanks

 

[Tommy4ever]

wow, these look really good. I'm going to look into trying to do some maps like these for my AARs.

 

[MondoPotato]

I combined takedown47's paper texture with a terrain map by MondoPotato, plus some ideas of my own

Wow, you had had to dig far back in the post your empire thread to find that old basemap! I'm glad somebody could make good use of my work! Nice maps MarcellusMagnus, and nice post takedown47

 

[Jingo1980]

This is great, even someone with my extremely limited artistic abilities managed to create this

 

[riknap]

THANKSSSS!!!
hahaha
but really now, much appreciated.