Mountainside Dungeon, Adept & Expert (Patreon)

Hey there Adepts/Experts! Your alt version this week is another with a cooler palette, something that would fit in easier in chilly environments than the original. This version wouldn't be out of place in an adventure set in winter, though don't worry about the lack of snow in this map as I'll be making another version and add it on to the next Revisited post as a little bonus. 

1. I always struggle a little with dungeons/temples as I feel the need to add some outside environments to the map in order to give some setting, but the effect often gives a dizzying feeling of clashing perspectives- the top down dungeon floor plan against the 3/4's view of the mountainside. It looks somewhat off to me when I try it but that's showbiz, babe. 

The layout I had in mind was of a somewhat symmetrical dungeon, crumbling with age and cave-ins over the years, set with its entrance on a precarious ledge. The ledge was quick to sketch out, but I agonized over the dungeon as I always do, settling in the end for a fairly small and simple layout (my personal preference).  

2. Rock walls are some of my least favorite things to draw because of how monotonous they are, but they aren't as bad as grass so I'll keep looking on the bright side because I was spared that fate this week. The dungeon walls also were a little tricky, though that's just because I wanted to draw them a little differently than I have previously. This time I wanted them thicker and more even, which I thought would give the impression of careful design when it was first made while also looking a little less messy. In the end, it was more work to keep them even and consistent though I don't think the effect was as apparent as I hoped for. I have some thoughts about how I'll do it next time, so we'll see.

3. Another part of these maps (inside/outside ones) that make them difficult is that they're double the work to shade and color. When it's entirely one or the other there's a lot of duplication of efforts at play, but special attention must be given to both aspects here. Otherwise I decided to split the difference in imitating the coloring and lighting of two of my older maps- Desert Tomb and Ancient Catacombs, two personal favorites. 

I think there are a couple things I would alter if I felt like picking this up again. The floor tiles are blending into the floor a little more than I would like, the dungeon feels a little constrained by the size of the map, and the coloring inside feels a little off to me. In all, these are things that would take several hours of additional work, so it would be a long time before I went about doing it.