Kickstarter - past and Future

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Mataxes
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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by Mataxes » Wed Sep 12, 2018 1:18 am

I think they're talking about the map in the back of the original Theran Empire book, which has the entire Greek peninsula labeled as "Vivane" even though it was established in the Sky Point box that Vivane isn't that large, and Rugaria is southwest of it.
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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by Bonhumm » Wed Sep 12, 2018 4:17 am

Slimcreeper wrote:
Tue Sep 11, 2018 11:35 pm
How does the map need to be corrected? Is it not aligned with the texts?
The Rugaria/Vivanne mess is the main issue indeed, but while they are at it there would be other points to fix like:

- Creana (Egypt) showing that the region is smack in the middle of the desert instead of following the Nile.
- Half of Spain missing
- Could have zoomed-out the map like 5% more and actually show the location of Shossara instead of just an arrow pointing north.
- Not look like it was made with crayons.

You know, minor stuff.


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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by Slimcreeper » Wed Sep 12, 2018 3:20 pm

Yeesh, that is pretty bad. It’s one of few books I never got and never wanted. My illustration dock is pretty full, but maybe I’ll take a look at it in a few months. I don’t know where the provinces are supposed to be, though.

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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by Telarus » Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:27 pm

Not to mention that the sea levels (and thus coast lines) were in a radically different place that long ago ( <-- map nerd).

I have satellite height data used for real-world maps for the entire Theran Empire region on my desktop (in storage), and was having success with altering the sea levels. There is also "uplift" land-height change from melting glaciers to deal with (but according to something in the ED/Shadowrun lore, the maximal ice age on their earth was much less than ours, but had similar mass extinctions due to Scourge/Horror activity... so maybe I don't have to sweat that too much). And then of course sculpting in the unique Barsavian features like Death's Sea and the Mountain Ranges... That I have solid proof of concept for. Yet another 45% finished project *sigh*...

My life has been crazy this year, and the airship material is next on my ED 'to do' list... but that Atlas is always in the back of my head. Link to last concept: https://www.cartographersguild.com/show ... hp?t=14750

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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by Slimcreeper » Wed Sep 12, 2018 6:46 pm

I was thinking about changing coastlines too and wondering where one could get that data! Your 3D map work is amazing.

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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by ChrisDDickey » Thu Sep 13, 2018 1:26 am

Yes, I am also inclined to forgive much mapping irregularities in fantasy games. Between "things in the real world changed", and "fantasy changes things", you have the question of just how good the mapmakers are at measuring distances in the thousands of miles and plotting them on a flat map. Especially when they probably think the earth is flat to start with. Even assuming you can (magically) get good measurements, if you don't know you are working with a sphere, things just don't fit right.

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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by Mataxes » Thu Sep 13, 2018 1:37 am

Yeah, while notable errors like, "Where's Rugaria?" need to be fixed, there comes a point where you need to accept that some things are going to be different, shaped to fit the needs of the setting and story, rather than a meticulous mile-to-mile recreation.

I mean, it's our world, but it's not our world, if you get my drift.
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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by etherial » Thu Sep 13, 2018 3:13 am

ChrisDDickey wrote:
Thu Sep 13, 2018 1:26 am
Especially when they probably think the earth is flat to start with. Even assuming you can (magically) get good measurements, if you don't know you are working with a sphere, things just don't fit right.
Eratosthenes had a pretty good estimate of the diameter of the Earth. Assuming it was round during the Age of Legend, every Sailor should know it.

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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by Geekabilly » Thu Sep 13, 2018 2:09 pm

Yeah we were talking about the Theran Empire map, which is pretty messy. Vasgothia for example, on the map it is shown as being all of Germany, Denmark and Netherlands where as the map in the Vasgothia chapter only shows a slice of the northern part as the province. There's irregularities between the Theran Empire book and the Vivane boxed set, which is where the whole Vivane, Rugaria / Greece issue comes from. Also, a smaller province called Torinachia is described in Vivane as being smaller province within Vasgothia and yet it isn't detailed or even mentioned in Theran Empire. In fact, I think Theran Empire pretty much ignores the Vivane and Skypoint boxed set and the information on Therans from the Barsaive boxed set (the Barsaive boxed set gives you good break down of a Theran legion but Theran Empire doesn't seem to take that information into account)

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Re: Kickstarter - past and Future

Post by Bonhumm » Thu Sep 13, 2018 5:36 pm

In another thread Mataxes said:
Mataxes wrote:
Thu Sep 13, 2018 4:42 pm
I'm hoping to see that done within the next year. Right now Morgan is focusing on the mechanics for the "Mystic Paths" book (which includes new and reworked Disciplines). "Arcane Mysteries 4e" (working title) is the next one on his plate.
For clarification purposes, am I right to assume that the 'Mystic Path' book will be an 'Adept's way' and include 4ED adaptations of (for example) the Liberator, Purifier and Windmaster/dancer/scout?

And where does the Elven Nations book fit in there? (as in when/between which book can we expect it?).



Also, to continue the discussion about Thera:

As Geekabilly is saying, the size (and even existence) of Vasgothia/Germanies gets on my nerve. Why would Thera go through the troubles of conquering a landlocked place that stretches so far north while leaving the extraordinary fertile lands of the Hispanic peninsula and most of Anatolia untouched?

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