I NEED HELP MAKING A WORLDMAP.
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Alright I need help making a world map using the RM2K RTP. It has to be large, and there are at least two warring kingdoms of roughly the same size.
I can't start making my game until I have the world map, but I just suck at this. Are there any tips and tricks or whatever to make this easier?
I can't start making my game until I have the world map, but I just suck at this. Are there any tips and tricks or whatever to make this easier?
There's no easy way. A tremendous amount of planning is required if you want to make an immersive and realistic world map. Usually that begins at the storyboard phase.
How well planned out is your game? Do you have a spine complete? A spine being : heroes go here, then here, then there, then there, etc. If you have that, you can start planning locations in a relative scalar distance.
Next might be geographical natural obstacles like mountains and lakes. Depending on the time period of your game, they would serve as borders or strategic points for placement of major cities (rivers/bays) or fortresses (narrow passes, river crossings).
World map making is an ongoing process. Depending how much effort you put into it, you can have a jumbled everything-added-willy-nilly map like all of our first RPGs, or something masterful that could theoretically be dropped into medieval Europe.
In the meantime, if you need a tentative map to help you direct your game, you could just draw a very rough thing in your favorite drawing program (MSPaint!).
How well planned out is your game? Do you have a spine complete? A spine being : heroes go here, then here, then there, then there, etc. If you have that, you can start planning locations in a relative scalar distance.
Next might be geographical natural obstacles like mountains and lakes. Depending on the time period of your game, they would serve as borders or strategic points for placement of major cities (rivers/bays) or fortresses (narrow passes, river crossings).
World map making is an ongoing process. Depending how much effort you put into it, you can have a jumbled everything-added-willy-nilly map like all of our first RPGs, or something masterful that could theoretically be dropped into medieval Europe.
In the meantime, if you need a tentative map to help you direct your game, you could just draw a very rough thing in your favorite drawing program (MSPaint!).
Actually I don't have such a thing yet, just a basic idea for the story and the characters. But now that you mention that it does make sense.
A small world map full of locations is a lot better than a large, empty world map.
Do you have battles on the world map? Then you have a traveling meta-game, and the map should be a bit bigger.
No battles? Then go with Chrono Trigger's model. Very small world map, but beautiful, and no empty spots whatsoever.
When it comes to world maps, function > form.
Do you have battles on the world map? Then you have a traveling meta-game, and the map should be a bit bigger.
No battles? Then go with Chrono Trigger's model. Very small world map, but beautiful, and no empty spots whatsoever.
When it comes to world maps, function > form.
My suggestion is draw it by hand first. Map out (ha ha see what I did there) the locations and maybe even basic geography by hand. Me personally I always find that to be the best way to approach it.
After that you can try to convert it to a digital format basically.
After that you can try to convert it to a digital format basically.
Start by having a general idea of how large and what shape you want the continents to be. Make a brief outline with the grass tile, then fill in the gaps. Pay attention to what features you want it to have. Maybe there's ice in the south and a mountain range to the east, perhaps a lake in the middle. Maybe plains or a desert.
Look at other world maps (most games have them). Look at real maps of countries.
Remember that coastlines are rarely straight. They tend to be pretty jagged, so try to keep straight lines to a minimum. Add the darker water off the coast a little so that it looks like the water gets deeper the further you go out.
Here's a few examples:
Look at other world maps (most games have them). Look at real maps of countries.
Remember that coastlines are rarely straight. They tend to be pretty jagged, so try to keep straight lines to a minimum. Add the darker water off the coast a little so that it looks like the water gets deeper the further you go out.
Here's a few examples:
Chrono Trigger's world map was pretty small, but to be honest it never gave the feeling of traversing a world, more like a small part of the world. I don't want that. And yes I do have battles on the world map.
As for drawing it on paper, it's a good idea but the thing is I will come up with shapes that can't be realized using the RTP. Which is why I thought it was easier to do in the editor immediately.
As for drawing it on paper, it's a good idea but the thing is I will come up with shapes that can't be realized using the RTP. Which is why I thought it was easier to do in the editor immediately.
A small world map full of locations is a lot better than a large, empty world map.
This is exactly what I went with for Journeyman. In spite of this...
Do you have battles on the world map? Then you have a traveling meta-game, and the map should be a bit bigger.
(I do have battles on the World Map) the World Map is just 34x26.
Small size makes mapping it a manageable task and keeps you from getting lazy/sloppy.
I am a big fan of doing everything in the editor from first-go, mechanics, maps, writing, you name it. I'm not a big paper planner.
Yeah me neither. Usually I just make a random world map and try to come up with reasons to travel it all over.
I come up with the quests and sidequests I want for a particle act in the game, and then design my maps around accessing them.
Wait is that what you did for Hero's Realm? Because honestly all I can do is stare at that world map and think to myself, "How the hell does a guy come up with this stuff".
author=kentona
I come up with the quests and sidequests I want for a particle act in the game, and then design my maps around accessing them.
Kentona Uses Particle Act!
Or you can just have me crap out a world map and you can make your game/geography based off that...
I'm kinda busy though :<
I'm kinda busy though :<
author=Liberty
What chipset is that? It looks like that REFMAP world map chipset that Legion Saga 2 and such used, but the water looks different.
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