I am very curious about new map for Hickory Branch location. I've seen very nice screenshots from your work Gaear, maybe you can post more pictures and progress description to feed my curiosity. I'm not very skilled with Photoshop but if you need support i would gladly offer some help.
Hi BigLittleBoy - Thanks for asking about Hickory Branch. The new map for the overland location is actually all done already, though it still largely needs to be sectored and given the once-over for placement of monsters, etc. I also plan to write a couple dialogue files to place here and there so there is some small level of interaction there (while hopefully not dramatically altering krunch's original vision of a battle-heavy arena). I've also pondered adding some other elements of interactivity, mainly in the form of suggestions by Allyx et al for scouts and larger-scale battles, if possible. How that turns out remains to be seen. The crypt is partially done, but that map is comparatively very small and shouldn't take long to finish. Now that I've gotten the initial batch of mods out on the whole ToEE improvement initiative, I should be able to move onto finishing HB and other things more quickly. Here is another image in the meantime - section 5 of 16. Enjoy.
It looks great. Especially when compared to previous map. One more question Gaear. What's your plans after finishing Hickory Branch location? You want to add more areas or edit existing ones? Maybe editing Hommlet is a good idea - redone map with finished castle(option for do-gooders, when party decides to help Burne) or map with village burned and pillaged to the ground(for villains, when you get tired of these hopeless people and you decide to put them into eternal sleep).
I've got plenty of other irons in the fire, the new Welkwood Bog mod among them. No plans to revamp the castle at this time, but that's not a bad idea for an ambitious modder.
