ORACLE

2/12/2010

Mapping With GIMP

As I push forward with my One Page Dungeon entry I have thrown myself headlong into a crash course in the use of GIMP to help me create a nice looking map. I already have an ancient version of Paint Shop Pro, which isn't quite robust enough for the project, and Adobe Photoshop CS3, which can be a handful for those like myself that haven't mastered the program. GIMP seems to hit the sweet spot somewhere in the middle, and better yet it is free! I am just sorry it took me this long to give it a try...

For those who haven't discovered it yet the Cartographer's Guild is a forum dedicated to the art of creating custom made maps. There are a ton of very talented people frequenting this forum, so of course it is a great source of inspiration and advice. One particular thread I have been following was posted by torstan, and is titled "Creating an old-school map in Gimp." This has turned out to be a lifesaver! This tutorial is well written, easy to follow and I am so glad I stumbled on to it. There is no reason every gamer alive is not a member of this forum!

2/11/2010

Designing My Own One Page Dungeon

I am a big fan of the whole One Page Dungeon scene, and I have decided to try my hand at entering one of my own design into this year's contest. Judging from last years entries I will have my work cut out for me if I wish to have any chance at winning, but it will be fun nonetheless. Already it has turned into something of a learning exercise, as I try to get a better grasp on Photoshop and GIMP to help produce a cool map. My biggest goal with the project is to try to capture the spirit of this blog and the whole sword & sanity theme. I have a handful of ideas, and I need to decide which one is the strongest. I only have a couple of weeks left, so I plan to post my efforts here, and get some feedback before entering the final adventure to be judged. Wish me luck!

2/10/2010

[Blog Alert] Propnomicon

Propnomicon is a very interesting blog I have followed for a good while now that is dedicated to documenting the activities of the Lovecraftian prop making community, and other similar subject matter that Mythos-prop fans might find interesting. I have to say that this is probably the most consistantly updated blog that I have on my blog roll. This guy is a blogging monster, and his posts are always interesting and I find them inspiring as a gamer. I plan to post more on the importance of using props at the game table in the near future. I have a modest collection of Mythos inspired props myself, and I have even dabbled in crafting some for my own personal use.

Blurb from Propnomicon:
Propnomicon focuses on horror and fantasy props of interest to fans of H. P. Lovecraft and players of the "Call of Cthulhu" role playing game. That includes items directly inspired by Lovecraft's writing, DIY information for creating your own works, printable paper props, and source materials related to the 1920's and 30's, the "classic era" of the Cthulhu Mythos. Beyond that, the proprietor of the blog also enjoys pulp action stories, classic supernatural horror, mad science, and the occasional foray into more modern interpretations of the Mythos.

More Gaming Goodies Headed My Way

Last night Lulu sent me a notification that my order for the Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion has been printed, and is now in the mail. Also, I have pretty cool little product coming from Troll Lord Games. They combined the fourth printing of the Castles & Crusades Player's Handbook, and the third printing of the Monsters & Treasures into a handy-dandy flipbook. I couldn't resist the novelty of it, so of course I had to order a copy of my own. I am just doing my part to take some of my tax return, and put it back into the system to help stimulate the economy! :-)