Mapping Improvement Thread 4

[WeebamNa]

No ID, it's way to wide open. Take a little bit at a time. Make a 15 x 20 map, and when you make that look good, change the map's parameters to 25 x 35 or something, and fill in that space. I understand you'd need a bigger initial space for that huge tower, but just take things in small chunks. It looks better, is a lot less work, and you'll find out that you don't need a 100 x 100 map for it to be an awesome map.

 

[bobbityjack]

dylanf3 - in general, I like it. However, those awnings in the upper right look a bit awkward - I see what you're going for, but it's still awkward. Otherwise it's quite nice (as long as you fill in those huge spaces).

Now, I was hoping to get some input on mine. It's a bit large, but hopefully you can see it all without much trouble.
This is a graveyard/central area of a large snow city, separated into richer and poorer sections.
I was trying to keep weeds and such off of the actual grave areas so it would look like they were being maintained, but it comes off looking strange to me.
Also, I'm unsure about whether or not to add more items in the "square".
Basically I don't know what else to do with this - any constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated.

Spoiler: Central Area, Snow Town

 

[Kiriashi]

Well it's a nice map... : From what I can tell though, you might wanna consider:

-Moving the mini-clocktower
-Using a less fancy water tile.
-Get rid of 4 of your potted flowers at the front gate.
-Fix the edges of said gate.
-Changing your water autotile to a rounder one.
-Adding some snowy cliffs to the map.
--If you do that make sure there is a lot of variation in the cliffs.
-Getting rid of about half of the tombstones if they aren't directly and individually involved with the story.
-Editing the path to the east to fit your square plaza thingy.

That's all I got for now. :toot:

 

[bobbityjack]

Well it's a nice map... : From what I can tell though, you might wanna consider:

-Moving the mini-clocktower
-Using a less fancy water tile.
-Changing your water autotile to a rounder one.
-Editing the path to the east to fit your square plaza thingy.

Thanks for the comments!
Guess now's the point where I explain myself unnecessarily.

The clock is a memorial fixture built out of stone from the ruined structure so I'd like to keep it there, but I may end up moving it anyway (at least a little). It wound up looking more awkward since I added more of the structure after placing the clock.
Probably should've mentioned it right off, but each of the paths leads off to very different different segments of the city (the paths and differences in the graves were meant to represent each). North is the wealthy, separately walled section of the city (hence the 'moat' using the fancy water tile), South the middle-class section, East the thieves' quarter, West the poor quarter.
The idea is that the rich funded the paving of the square and their own path but that the other groups were left to create their own paths. What do you think, not working, a wasted gesture?

Glad you mentioned the water, I almost forgot about that since I already replaced the autotile for my grass-type tilesets

 

[rey meustrus]

I would say that having so much liquid water looks weird with all that snow. I'd look into getting a frozen water autotile instead. Also, don't listen about the tombstones. That's a reasonable size for a graveyard, and I'd rather think when playing a game that there are more people in the world than just those that are "directly and individually involved with the story."

 

[Kiriashi]

I didn't tell you to drop the fancy tile because it's fancy, I just described it that way. It said that because it is not to be used as a moat. Just try a rounder water tile and see what it looks like.

The graves, IMO, is not a good way to represent the caste area split. The road clashes with your plaza thingy, which should be smaller. I'm going to stop writing because I have a head-ache, and I don't want to come across as flaming. :blush: I'll just try to make a map based on yours I s'pose.

 

[bobbityjack]

I didn't tell you to drop the fancy tile because it's fancy, I just described it that way. It said that because it is not to be used as a moat. Just try a rounder water tile and see what it looks like.
...I don't want to come across as flaming. :blush: I'll just try to make a map based on yours I s'pose.

Don't worry, I gotcha (I'm not particularly sensitive about criticism anyway).
Mainly I used the tile because it was the only water tile with a man-made look, which is what I was going for.
A map based on mine, eh? I'd love to see it.
I've just been stumbling around in the dark with this, not having anyone else to give me their two cents so this is all just great.

Also, I agree about the ice thing. I might wind up trying my hand at making an autotile just for this.

Edit: Here's the autotile I whipped up based off Cos's round water autotile.
It could definitely use some work, especially since it doesn't look good in single-tile-width turns (due to the gradient), but it suits my needs.
Edit 2: I also slapped together an icy version of the fancy water tile.

 

[Sobeman459]

C&C please on this map. Its a summoners academy. What do you think it needs?

 

[Kiriashi]

This should help.

:thumb:

 

[Sobeman459]

Okay here is the updated version. I still don't know what to do about the gate.

 

[Sir]

Now theres to much path it looks like.

But anyway, no offence to your map or your skills but because of MY tastes, i only like the castle, but i really like it :P

 

[Kiriashi]

I really like the castle as well. It looks quite nice.


Sobeman (I love that drink!), what you could do is make the wall even thicker, close it up entirely, and make a big door on it. That way you can go inside the walls themselves. :grin:

The road is a bit to big now. Try making it vary from 1 to 2 tiles wide, and in some places 2 to three.

You need to come up with some things to put in the still blank areas. It looks like I forgot to caption that dirt area. I was going to write "WTF is this?" xD. You could make some trainees playing soccer or something.

You might need a larger tileset, because wherever there is grass, there is emptiness. That tall grass is in tiny patches, which isn't what I meant. Once you get the grass figured out, add it in your acadamy area to. And more flowers. In fact just use a bigger tileset.

Don't worry, you're getting there.

 

[Akuma209]

Ok guys ive given mapping a second try and wanted to ask you what you thought of my ever first village, i made this, through watching tutorials(willowsidhe) and going through my Master tileset by Silverwind, it was abit hard to make it(all the mountain pieces), but i love mountain parts and i wanted many of them in my map, so i wanted to ask you what you thought?

i know there are some window bugs and bugs with the map itself i still havent fixed, but i still wanted to ask

Spoiler: My Village

there are also some mapping mistakes on the garden at some houses, ive been trying forever to come up with a good result and that was the closest, aswell as i have that map id like to ask about my mountain map i made without tutorials, cause i was already comfortable with the set.

all this is made by Master Tilesets

Spoiler: My Mountain

Ok now please tell any mistakes, even if there is thousands

 

[rey meustrus]

Your waterfalls appear to be falling on flat ground. You need a cliff as high as the waterfall, or it doesn't make sense. You have a cliff mapping error directly east of the north waterfall, as well.

 

[Akuma209]

Thanks i got to edit it.... looks better now i think thanks for the help. i knew something wasnt spot on
updated version:

looks like an error the same place you said last time, with the sandroad this time, but thats something im going to fix some time later on

 

[bacon]

Akuma:

• Your houses are repetitive and basic and plain boring.
• Dont use the weed tile on roofs
• Those bushes around the houses look bad and are illogical to what seen you're trying to create.
• The flags need to go. They do not match the RTP.
• You have too many different types of flowers going on.
• Your cliffs are straight and illogical. Try to make them curvier.
• You have height issues with the river
• Some of the trees are placed in odd spots.
• get rid of the moss on the houses
• The tall grass looks odd. It had a bluish outline to it.
• You tall grass is too square.
• Those random grey rocks need to go.
• Get rid of the random grey tiles as well
• Your trees do not match the wood on the houses.
• One of your houses is missing some house tiles
• Your map is boring. You need more going on.
• Some of your paths look odd
• The giant log that crosses the river need to go. Its illogical and looks bad.
• The boat makes no sense.
• You have some symettrical mapping errors.
• Overall, try splitting a town into several smaller maps to create a better overall look.

 

[bacon]

Ignore the log and portal in the corner.
Tried to create a secluded forested village.
Ill post the whole map later once completed.

 

[rey meustrus]

@Akuma: You still did not fix the issue with the waterfalls, they need a cliff to each side because otherwise the waterfall looks like the top of it is at the same height as the bottom, which doesn't make sense.

 

[bacon]

Okay, so I finished the town. I think I am going to remove some of the yellow mushrooms. The basic colors I used was green and brown, and sccentuated the mapp with flashes of yellow. I tried to create a rural scene. I might edit a tad bit more, but overall, I think its a decent map.

 

[rey meustrus]

Bacon, I think that a) you should use a different water autotile (common criticism around here, grab one of the curvy ones from earlier in the thread) and b) your bridge looks wonky with wood slats over land as well as water. I think it should go between two straight shores and start one tile farther in (it's designed so that the wood starts where the ridge is in the water autotile)