I am always intrigued by real pen and ink (usually so I can steal ideas, ahem, I mean learn techniques...). Volumes 1 and 2 of Torn World's Hand-Drawn Cities are for the more discerning map appreciator. These two black and white products nestle amongst the other gorgeous colour maps and accessories provided by Torn World, but for me these are the bright treasures. Everywhere you look in these sprawling cities there are details, and yet they are plain enough to make those cities your own. As is the fashion these days, the PDF comes with graphics files (.png and jpg) which can be imported into other packages (perhaps you would like to give to different districts your own shades your reference?) All of Alyssa Faden's cities appear to have grown organically, developing in sections - the awkward geometries imply social history and civil expansion. Every block of buildings is depicted, so that the streets are very detailed. However, the details do create a flaw when using the graphics files... Basically, these maps will make you want to zoom right into street level, which results in mild blur and pixelation. Again, I have to stress that this is because the overhead detail is so amazing that you just have to see how far it goes! The good news is that all of the files in these packs are small enough in size to be usable in many applications and platforms without any sluggish scrolling. Bonus.
-Billiam B.
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