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[DESIGN] WORLD MAPS - HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT THEM?
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kentona
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CloseI make my world map as I develop the story.
I write or plan out a new section of my game - quests, towns, caves, towers, etc... - then I add to the world map to flesh out where I want my brainstormed locations to be placed. I refine the map as I develop that stage of the game. Rinse and Repeat until I have a whole world map.
When actually laying out the tiles, I try to make my land masses as earthlike as possible. Like any natural geographical element, I avoid straight edges whenever I can. Sometimes labelled the Three-Tile Rule (where you should never have more than 3 tiles along any given edge for any given chip), I find that this strategy works well for world maps. But it's more of a suggestion than a rule, really.
Here is an example from one of my games:
(url: http://www.sfu.ca/~kentona/hero/worldmap.gif)
NOTE: The map has been changed since this screen shot was made as I develop the final chapter...
I write or plan out a new section of my game - quests, towns, caves, towers, etc... - then I add to the world map to flesh out where I want my brainstormed locations to be placed. I refine the map as I develop that stage of the game. Rinse and Repeat until I have a whole world map.
When actually laying out the tiles, I try to make my land masses as earthlike as possible. Like any natural geographical element, I avoid straight edges whenever I can. Sometimes labelled the Three-Tile Rule (where you should never have more than 3 tiles along any given edge for any given chip), I find that this strategy works well for world maps. But it's more of a suggestion than a rule, really.
Here is an example from one of my games:
(url: http://www.sfu.ca/~kentona/hero/worldmap.gif)
NOTE: The map has been changed since this screen shot was made as I develop the final chapter...
I almost always plan out the actual geographical terrain of a map before I do anything with it. With world maps, I just draw out a map that I like. After that, I worry about what is on the map.
I draw them by hand randomly. I've made some pretty cool ones. I've never actually bothered doing so, but I should probably try scanning a few in and spiffing them up in Photoshop.
demondestiny
889
Whenever i make a world map i usually design it as i make my game by adding parts to the map when i create such things as forests and towns.
Quiversee
195
That's how I do it. Build it as I go along. It's more fun that way; half the time, I wind up with a better map than I originally thought I'd get.
myersguy
292
WHOA Kentona, how many tiles is that world map?!?! also, is your world map navigateable, or do you use it simply as a map function?
I personally make my world maps as I go along too, it's just easier that way.
I personally make my world maps as I go along too, it's just easier that way.
I use a 20x15 panorama, see how much I can fit in there, and call it a day.
Well, there is a little more involved than that, but mainly I do not like big overworlds nor random encounters in it. So I keep it tiny, no encounters, just basically to teleport you from one area to another.
Or I'll take another approach and just not have an overworld. This would be mainly if the game is linear (I like a VERY linear game, so for this you just keep going forward. Kinda like FFX for most of it).
Example overworlds:
Island Sky: (This is an earlier project, I didn't know how to make my own resources)
Paradise Blue:
Well, there is a little more involved than that, but mainly I do not like big overworlds nor random encounters in it. So I keep it tiny, no encounters, just basically to teleport you from one area to another.
Or I'll take another approach and just not have an overworld. This would be mainly if the game is linear (I like a VERY linear game, so for this you just keep going forward. Kinda like FFX for most of it).
Example overworlds:
Island Sky: (This is an earlier project, I didn't know how to make my own resources)
Paradise Blue:
author=myersguy link=topic=450.msg6210#msg6210 date=1197603741Umm... I think 400 x 350. And it is navigateable (is this even a word? I'm no Englishtician). It's huge and has random encounters. :P
WHOA Kentona, how many tiles is that world map?!?! also, is your world map navigateable, or do you use it simply as a map function?
I personally make my world maps as I go along too, it's just easier that way.
I haven't added a map function yet.
author=kentona link=topic=450.msg6225#msg6225 date=1197643327I believe the proper word is wordsmith.
Umm... I think 400 x 350. And it is navigateable (is this even a word? I'm no Englishtician). It's huge and has random encounters. :P
author=WIP link=topic=450.msg6502#msg6502 date=1198099667Wordsmith is so going to be a new class I'm adding to HR2, along with Bee Keeper and Biomancer (enough with all this Necrostuff all the time, I say!).author=kentona link=topic=450.msg6225#msg6225 date=1197643327I believe the proper word is wordsmith.
Umm... I think 400 x 350. And it is navigateable (is this even a word? I'm no Englishtician). It's huge and has random encounters. :P
maladroithim
1495
author=myersguy link=topic=450.msg6210#msg6210 date=1197603741
WHOA Kentona, how many tiles is that world map?!?! also, is your world map navigateable, or do you use it simply as a map function?
I personally make my world maps as I go along too, it's just easier that way.
The correct term is navigable.
Anyway
I have never actually released a game with a world map in it, but I usually use the same method Ocean does. The world of Wilfred the Hero is a giant floating disc, which I guess was ripped off of Discworld but I hadn't read Terry Pratchett at the time so FAIR USE okay! Also waterfalls are always flowing off the side of the planet but it rains enough that no water is wasted. It has less impact on the environment than Midwestern irrigation anyway........................................
yamata no orochi
184
Actually, Discworld is a large disc balanced on top of four elephants which stand on top of a large turtle, which floats through time and space. So, not exactly like Discworld.
I haven't made enough world maps to really contribute anything else of merit, so...
I haven't made enough world maps to really contribute anything else of merit, so...
Ephiam
8579
I just do it like this:
1) Write up a section of the story and then flesh it out.
2) Make the World Map as I go along, building on as the story seems fit.
Then I just add in the places, events and start over again. So far, the World Map in DF is pretty big >.>
Oh, and Kentona...that map is great. It's also big o.o
1) Write up a section of the story and then flesh it out.
2) Make the World Map as I go along, building on as the story seems fit.
Then I just add in the places, events and start over again. So far, the World Map in DF is pretty big >.>
Oh, and Kentona...that map is great. It's also big o.o
maoville
0
A very easy question. I design my world maps as i go along making my game. It can be a bit annoying but it still makes it a lot easier at the end of the game.
trance2
500
I think of the locations that the player has to go to, then I build the map around that. I try to make it look natural, though. Like, I'll have archipelagos and islands, and continuing mountain chains, as well as making room for plate tectonics. That is, if I even use a world map. There are a few ideas I have that don't use a world map at all.
I'd actually love to do a non-world map game with an episode system like Trauma Center, though... That game is giving me WAYYY too much inspiration.
I'd actually love to do a non-world map game with an episode system like Trauma Center, though... That game is giving me WAYYY too much inspiration.
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