I'd like some feedback on my mapping.

[Strayko]

Well, I've made a map, it cost me a pretty few hours but I think it worked out fine.
Now some people say I have potential for mapping, and I'd like my map to be judged by the pro's.

This map will be featured in the game "The land of Sidsten".
This is a 100x100 map for online gameplay, just so you know.

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3513 ... ridnv5.png[/img]

Note: the north-western part has only got trees but no further foilage yet.

Here are some zoomviews, I like comment on the foilage though, because it just doesn't look right.
(Don't count the tree with it's top cut off on the right of the tent, I forgot to correct it on the third layer)
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/4056 ... ew1ei7.png[/img]
And number 2:
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4308 ... allji0.png[/img]

 

[Mac]

Very good sorry i cant comment further i dont have time. 9/10

 

[Siege]

I cant comment on it really because i cant see the detail as the picture is far out but the trees spacing doesnt look natural theres too much of a pattern. As for leveling thats is good! Overall of what i can see 5/10

 

[Calibre]

Can I ask if you map in a zoomed out view? When detailing the location, I always find it best to zoom in so I can get a good perspective of what the player can actually see whilst in the game. However, from afar it's difficult to tell the detail within the map. Maybe make a few screenshots of your maps in game and it'll be easier to comment on them.

 

[Strayko]

Alright, I'll give ya a zoom view.

@ St. Minor: I agree on your comment, but it was necessary here and there because of the fact that it's an online map and there needs to be space to move for the players and such. I guess I can make it look a little more natural though.

 

[Rare]

Il est beau.

 

[BlueScope]

The stone pillar in the middle of the map looks like it's from Dragonball :P

Well, I'd add a little more 'flat' (hol <= Dutch :D ) space in the map, i.e. on the area directly above that DBZ pillar... well, and a gradiently growing population of trees around this empty space.

 

[theabsoluteone]

On the first zoom the tree directly to the right of the tent from our viewpoint looks like its missing its top...
Besides that nice! 10/10

 

[Killer Rabbit]

this is an awesome map 10/10

 

[Rubymatt]

omfg that's like.... so big it's wierd.

10/10

 

[The Clap]

There's some height issues in there, there's a cliff about 8 spaces heigh then next to it there's a waterfall about 5 spaces high. It really throws it off.

 

[Strayko]

There's some height issues in there, there's a cliff about 8 spaces heigh then next to it there's a waterfall about 5 spaces high. It really throws it off.

Nah, it's all perfectly measured, it just looks that way because it's zoomed.

@theabsoluteone
Read the comment above the screenshot, it says it's missing the top, I discovered it as soon as I uploaded it on imageshack, couldn't be arsed to upload a new one xD.

Thanks for all your feedback and compliments. :D

 

[TheInquisitor]

Next time you screenshot maps, make sure you turn off "Dim Other Layers" and then screenshot the map. Also, it's better not to have it zoomed out to insane distance but instead choose a distance so that we can see how it works more reasonably and then overlap different areas of the map in a graphics program so we can see the final result.

I'd give this map a 6/10 from what I can see. There's nothing particularly special about it, but I suppose it's a competant enough map. The cliff design is extensive but overall rather bland. You don't really mix enough levels of the cliffs to make it seem anything more than that and you also have cliffs that are too tall, which overall ends up giving them an incredibly flat look. This is particularly relevant to the two huge...obelisks in the middle of the lake. This biggest gripe about this map is that it's so large, yet there are no points of interest and it all looks exactly the same. You can make a map large and confusing whilst also having it look original from area to area. Unfortunately, some of this will be down to the limitations of the tileset, but you could always mix and match some stuff on. Also, make sure that you give your map edges. There's nothing more frustrating than not having a clear exit to the map, which means you should make the exits so obvious that there is no room for doubt. This means blocking off all other edges to the map. There's are times to sacrafice realism for a practical design. This is one of them.

For points of interest, you could add a little shack hamlet (for lumberjacks, most probably) - not useful for progressing the story, but a fine area to keep the player interested. There are tileset add ons for buildings over water that are on stands. You could easily add them on if you are struggling for room. Mixing them with normal houses might be a little more original than just more forest. Other things would include denser forest areas (handy for blocking off the player), clearings for campers. I see you have a tent, but you could make it more interesting by having a couple more to make a group of campers in a clearing. This sort of things offer a break from tree after tree after tree. It also gives a good reason to use more dirt pathways instead of monotonous grass.

Finally, make sure you make your steps double the size of the cliffs for perspective reasons. Refmap got it wrong.

 

[Strayko]

Next time you screenshot maps, make sure you turn off "Dim Other Layers" and then screenshot the map. Also, it's better not to have it zoomed out to insane distance but instead choose a distance so that we can see how it works more reasonably and then overlap different areas of the map in a graphics program so we can see the final result.

I'd give this map a 6/10 from what I can see. There's nothing particularly special about it, but I suppose it's a competant enough map. The cliff design is extensive but overall rather bland. You don't really mix enough levelsof the cliffs to make it seem anything more than that and you also have cliffs that are too tall, which overall ends up giving them an incredibly flat look. This is particularly relevant to the two huge...obelisks in the middle of the lake. This biggest gripe about this map is that it's so large, yet there are no points of interest and it all looks exactly the same. You can make a map large and confusing whilst also having it look original from area to area. Unfortunately, some of this will be down to the limitations of the tileset, but you could always mix and match some stuff on. Also, make sure that you give your map edges. There's nothing more frustrating than not having a clear exit to the map, which means you should make the exits so obvious that there is no room for doubt. This means blocking off all other edges to the map. There's are times to sacrafice realism for a practical design. This is one of them.

For points of interest, you could add a little shack hamlet (for lumberjacks, most probably) - not useful for progressing the story, but a fine area to keep the player interested. There are tileset add ons for buildings over water that are on stands. You could easily add them on if you are struggling for room. Mixing them with normal houses might be a little more original than just more forest. Other things would include denser forest areas (handy for blocking off the player), clearings for campers. I see you have a tent, but you could make it more interesting by having a couple more to make a group of campers in a clearing. This sort of things offer a break from tree after tree after tree. It also gives a good reason to use more dirt pathways instead of monotonous grass.

Finally, make sure you make your steps double the size of the cliffs for perspective reasons. Refmap got it wrong.

The whole map's covered in dirt, I think there's more dirt than there's grass.
Ehmmm, well I decided not to make a group of tents because this would look pretty lame, the tents all face down and there are no tent designs facing left right or up. Also, about the clear exits/ and size of the map. It's meant for online gameplay, so it would look un-natural if I just cut off the edges of the map with things, that's why the exits on my map are really clear and make you see it's an exit right away.
So basically most of the things you pointed out are done on purpose, a lot of thanks for your feedback though!

I think I'll add a little house somewhere (did this on another online map too) and I will note your comment about the cliffs.

Thanks for taking the trouble to point out things. ^_^

 

[mekacom]

It's really good, if it was smaller! It's really too big but here is not the problem, the problem is that it's ONLY tree and herbs! There is nothing more! You should have added some wood house or something else but maybe it wasn't your goal! anyway, you,ve made a good job and I,m sure you're really proud of it cause it's awesome! ^^

 

[Aldrane]

Omg... Such a big map... My maps are always really small lmao, but ure attention to detail is awesome

10/10

 

[Strayko]

It's really good, if it was smaller! It's really too big but here is not the problem, the problem is that it's ONLY tree and herbs! There is nothing more! You should have added some wood house or something else but maybe it wasn't your goal! anyway, you,ve made a good job and I,m sure you're really proud of it cause it's awesome! ^^

I'm thinking of implementing a wooden house. :D
TheInquisitor already said it, and I agreed that it could use some kind of house somewhere, but there's not really any space left for it, and I think I might mess it up. So I'ma leave it this way (A)

PS:
I noticed this thread was moved, I couldn't find any better place than resource analysis (it says: Ask for critics about your resources here), so I posted it there.

 

[Jstreet]

Why not take the screenshot outside of the grid layer. Shooting in the grid gives the image of more detail than what really exist.

 

[Strayko]

You're right, I'll give ya one without a grid.