February 2019 Challenge: Laugdenor's Tower

[Naima]

This is coming out really good very detailed, I like the sugestion on the roof too.

[ladiestorm]

thanks everyone

@Domino - I don't know if I can put a shadow under my clouds, because they are not symbols... it's just an effect, using smooth colored polygons and a blurring tool. But I do understand what you are saying, and I will see if I can tweak it a bit.

@ GreasonWolf - Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do about that. The trees poking under the map border surrounding my map, will be hidden by a screen once I'm done... but the ones that are over my little map section border, I can't hide with a screen. What I may be able to do, is increase the size of the section borders, and put my symbols underneath them, but I dont' know if I can make the section borders big enough to hide the tree limbs, I will have to check on that. But thanks for the suggestion!

[ladiestorm]

So I've started working on my third and final level of this mage tower. I've hopefully fixed my cloud shadow and map section borders, and I've moved on to the third story.

Now, my third story surface is bigger than the other two. No, this is not a mistake, it is by design. I had to have bigger floor space to house that massive telescope! This floor also houses Laugdenor's Portal, and his scrying fount. I haven't decided if I'm going to put a work station up here, but I probably will, as he will need a place to make calculations for observing the heavens, and those wonderful constellations Domino put in her map!

I'm still toying with the idea of a magic barrier as opposed to a full roof, but I haven't quite got it right, yet. I will be tweaking and playing with that for a while. I haven't worked my shadows, yet... this is just the preliminary testing of my third level. Suggestions are always welcome!


### Latest WIP ###
Laugdenors Tower12.JPG

[Domino44]

That is awesome! I love the massive telescope! I really like the idea of doing a magical barrier for the roof, it's looking so good!

[ladiestorm]

okay, wow... I just posted this!

I will admit, I'm not satisfied with the forcefield as it is... but I'm not done with it, yet. The third floor itself is 85% complete, as I won't have much up there. I may add a plant or two, and a desk... but other than that, for the most part, what you see is what you get.

One thing I am a bit proud of though, are my little caps on the top of the wall! I've been trying to figure out how to mimic those for a long time, and I just realized how to do it. And I can't believe I didn't figure it out long before now!

There is still quite a bit of work to do, but I still have a little over two weeks to finish it, so I'm actually doing pretty good, time wise.

[Mark Oliva]

I don't know if I can put a shadow under my clouds, because they are not symbols... it's just an effect, using smooth colored polygons and a blurring tool. But I do understand what you are saying, and I will see if I can tweak it a bit.

Do the following on a sheet that's right below the sheet with the clouds:

1) Make a black polygon the same shape and size as the cloud.

2) Give it a feather effect. I don't remember what CC3+ calls that, but it's the effect that blurs the edges.

3) Give it the desired degree of transparency.

4) Shift the location slightly, so that the shadow peeks out from beneath the cloud at the right place.

[ladiestorm]

Hey Mark!

I, uhm, already did all of that, with the exception of the shifting... I will go back and do that. But yes, I made the shadow polygon, with edge fade inner (that's the feathering effect), blur, and transparency. I just didn't think to shift it. But hey, that just means I'm learning, and great minds think alike! lol

[ladiestorm]

Well, the third floor, except for lighting, and tweaking, is complete. I still need to work on the forcefield a bit. I think it need something, I just haven't figured out what, yet. Some way to show it up a little better. I'm still working on the grounds... and I need to do something with the border, but I haven't gotten to that point, yet. But, here is my progress:

### Latest WIP ###
Laugdenors Tower13.JPG


Laugdenor turned the chair away from his desk, and sat staring out in to the room. He nodded to himself. The portal was up and protected, he could come and go from his tower as he pleased. His scrying pool was attuned and ready. He glanced at the massive telescope to his right. He would be able to study the sky with much more accuracy, now. He gazed up at the barrier protecting the roof from outdoor elements. Only his death would bring it down, and woe to whatever invaders who might be raiding his tower if that happened... the magical explosion would bring it all down on their heads!

He walked over to the edge wall and looked down. The cave entrance that led to his public portal was just barely visible from here. He smiled at his own genius. A small cave near his front door was the entrance to a series of tunnels, and a portal that corresponded to another maze of tunnels, and another portal at the base of this mountain. That entrance was hidden behind a door in the mountain, magically riddle locked.

Anyone seeking him, would first have to find his hidden tower. The only way to it was through that door, and the two mazes of tunnels in which his portals could be found. But he hadn't made it that easy. Mirror chambers, conjured elementals, natural cave dwellers and all sorts of interesting things would be housed in those caves. Only the most worthy, or most desperate, would be able to find their way though. Only the most dire of circumstances send someone through. This way the quest, and the questor, would be tested by him before they even reached his tower door. He gazed up at the clouded, dimming stars. Those questors would be seeking him soon enough.

He opened the trapdoor, and headed back to his library. It was time to start his research, he had much preparing to do...

[ladiestorm]

hmmmmm... it appears that my third floor flat symbols sunk through the floor. Looks like I need to fix that... let's try this again!

### Latest WIP ###
Laugdenors Tower13.JPG

[Bogie]

Looks Great Storm! The forcefield is a cool idea and I like how you did it!