Mapping Improvement Thread 4

[LaDestitute]

First: Get rid of the tree canopy autotile.

Symmetry:
Space out your objects further but not in the scale of a pot being across the room from a cup. Try not to have natural objects (such as bushes or trees) in symmetrical couplings or groups, unless your like working on a forest or swamp or whatever. What helps is to use triangular arrangements of things like flowers and bushes, the mind tends to ignore triangular arrangement.

Spread your sand out and make it more random (and possibly smaller for big stretches) and possibly not even use the dark grass tiles or use the dark grass sparingly.

 

[Sir Ver]

@ShadowMainZERO
Sure, I will do my best.

I am using a maplinks script, that when a player reaches the edge tile and then tries to continue further, the player will be transferred to the next map. However, the problem I have is that, i have not yet found a way that can stop players going through that specific tile without stopping the maplinks all together.

And yes, Maplinks uses just one event on each edge of the map to link it with another map.

I hope this helps you to help me, if you need further explanation, I'll try again.

EDIT: @ LaDestitute
I see, I think I understand what you mean, thank you, I will change it, and show you guys once again (After I fix my problem)
Also, just quickly, this village is supposed to be in a forest, as in they have pretty much just built where they can. Does that change anything about where i have placed some of my objects?

 

[ShadowMainZERO]

@ShadowMainZERO
Sure, I will do my best.

I am using a maplinks script, that when a player reaches the edge tile and then tries to continue further, the player will be transferred to the next map. However, the problem I have is that, i have not yet found a way that can stop players going through that specific tile without stopping the maplinks all together.

And yes, Maplinks uses just one event on each edge of the map to link it with another map.

I hope this helps you to help me, if you need further explanation, I'll try again.

That's... rather confusing. I wish I could help but I've never used maplinks (Although I might if I can't get my idea to work). Try asking on the script's thread or just asking the Script Support.

 

[bacon]

To begin with, your map looks decent. You appear to be having a problem with symmetry. Try spreading out your objects (especially natural ones) a bit more and try not to have them be symmetric. Also, the majority of your use the sand and dark grass autotile isn't good. Btw, try to make the river bigger. I just don't see a river having thin parts.

sort of

your map, while it does have a few symmetrical mapping errors, they aren't too obvious. But there are some errors like the guy above said. What you need are more objects closer together, not less. This does not mean throw all of the objects on the map, it means scoot things a little closer together. Also, if it is a forest, use a lot more trees and switch the patterns up a little bit.

The autotiles are mapped incorrectly. Dont string them out like that

Get rid of the canopy~

Also, those bushed do not fit or match the scheme at all. Try to reuse colors and keep within a palette. If you have one palette of green, keep it that way and dont add another one.

Make your long grass more random.

The river should be a but bigger and should not cut off like that.

viewtopic.php?f=152&t=74906
tutorial!!!!!!



La Destitute: The map is super plain. You are using saturated colors in sparsity. Your flowers are mapped symmetrically.

You map is extremely, extremely, extremely plain.

I dont care if its a plain or if its supposed to look like that, it looks bad.
I feel as if ive already gone over this with you earlier this year~

Your dirt path is odd too, try making it more natural

 

[Sir Ver]

@ShadowMainZERO

I tried that, but I think I posted in the wrong section.

Thank you for giving me your advice thus far though. It is much appreciated!

EDIT:
@bacon
Hey thanks for your tips, and the link to a tutorial, I will go over that in a moment.

However, which autotiles do you mean? Would they be the dark leaves on the ground running the edge of the canopy on the bottom?

And also, i quite like the canopy auto tile on the bottom, does that really look so bad?

 

[LaDestitute]

Your dirt path is odd too, try making it more natural

That's not a dirt path. Dirt doesn't have grey and black checkers on it...

 

[bacon]

I am talking about the dirt path next to the stone path i am not an idiot x:
Nickster gave you really good advice by the way
I really suggest you follow it

 

[LaDestitute]

I am talking about the dirt path next to the stone path i am not an idiot x:
Nickster gave you really good advice by the way
I really suggest you follow it

That's sand, not dirt. There's not many ways to map a bed of flowers, anyway.
It's just a practice map. I'm working to improve my skills as I go along.

I get it, okay? My skills at mapping are definitely not the best and I'm working to improve as much as I can.

 

[ShadowMainZERO]

Okay, now that that's out of the way, can we go back to mine?

I really wish the Forest Town tileset had flowers that weren't potted. Flowers would probably be perfect for making it look better but the damn thing has no wild flowers.

 

[bacon]

Well why is there not very well mapped sand? x:
i mean people are giving you some good crit it would be nice if you would at least try to follow it~
there are plenty of ways to map flowers
but having them spread out like that without any eye breakage maps the map look plain and symmetrical

Shrink the map
You dont need half of those houses
and you can make the map x10 more livelier using 1/2 of the space
I mean there isn't anything interesting
even if you added a million npcs doing crazy backflips and tricks and whatnot it would still look plain
you have to remember that less is more
also those weeds look better if you clump them in groups by using the 1 weed and 2 weed tiles
and are those
undulations that aren't mapped right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you get rid of those right now mister
and you read that tutorial I posted to sir ver
because it has a piece on autotiles i suggest you read

try to avoid the rubble on the path as it is rubble for the cliffs
also get rid of those bushes and use bushes that have the same color scheme as the trees

do you use an all in one RTP Tileset
because if not, I suggest you start to~

 

[RavenTDA]

Well geeze a lot of maps :0

@Jbrist
What I meant with the bolts is that... inside the board walk on the ground there's like little tiny screws that are inside the ground on the boardwalk. Hope you know what I mean now. ^.^;

I didn't know it was stormy. Doesn't look stormy enough for me. Gotta have even a tad bit of rain going on imo and darkness.

@Cait
Looks really good except that blue part is kinda confusing. Not only that because it's such a saturated and strong color, I feel it takes away from everything else. I would just lengthen the path up the screen. Other than that I don't think you need to be curvier or whatever at all. Looks GOOD, because its very reflective of what games back in the day looked like. You don't need to have a crazy turny path to be in a forest. Your layout imo is good.

As for the fog... it's alright. But I would maybe try playing with the transparency or make it so it's sharper. You game is very pixilated so I would think having the fog be kinda pixel-y be fitting. Maybe the softness and sudden change of texture is the biggest issue? Also try to make it pretty small. Because I think you can change the sizes if I remember right.

@LaDestitute
Yeah I gotta agree your map is lookin pretty empty. The second one looks better but it'd be good to clump those flowers together more. Flowers usually don't get that far away from each other in nature. The Lillypads in the pond would have the same effect but they're fine how they are now.

@Sir Ver
The tree canopy is looking really confusing in your map. I have no idea what's going on with it. O.o. Some of your windows are inside of your roof like the one house with the scarecrow near it. I think the window is messing with the roof. The house to the right of that... has a rather random fence. And then there seems to be some inconsistency with the windows. Imo, I'd just choose a single type. There's also not really any paths that go anywhere. I'd think there'd be some crossing over as well. You also have way too many wells ESPECIALLY since there's a giant water source in the middle of your area.

@Comments in general
You CAN use tree canopy like Cait's looks really awesome. It's a great example. Your map isn't automatically terrible if you use it. Gosh. There's all kinds of ways to map, so if you try to conform to one way, well no matter how awesome it is, it'll end up looking really same-y fast.

 

[RavenTDA]

Computer choked sorry. :p plz deletes

 

[RavenTDA]

*sorry!*
Stupid computer :p
plz deletes :s

 

[Jason]

Ah those, they're to show that they're not made from one long piece, and instead lots of them overlapping and bolted together, as if it's badly made or something, although I guess it doesn't give that effect... and as for the storm, the screen is dark, if anything I just need to make the clouds darker, and probably turn up the intensity of the rain... that could work, right?

 

[Sir Ver]

@RavenTDA
Thanks for your tips, I found them quite helpful. I've decided to do away with the canopy, so that is already gone, and with the tutorial that was linked to me by bacon, I found out how to fix my problem. I understand what you mean about the windows, I'll be updating them along with the rest of the maps.

 

[ShadowMainZERO]

About making the village smaller: People won't mind if it seems like some of the NPCs are homeless? Really, my village is painfully small when compared to real life villages. Then again, things are allowed to look dull in real life.

What's the standard for number of houses in a village in a RPG?

 

[Mr_Smith]

That really depends, I don't think there is a standard for it. It just has to feel right, and I think the layout of your village... does not.

 

[Sir Ver]

Ok guys, I have been practicing, using some tips from the tutorial and you guys, and this is what I've come up with so far.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[ShadowMainZERO]

I just had an idea.

Back when mining communities still existed, the companies that funded the towns saved money by basically splitting almost all of the houses in two. While the executives would get their own house, the workers would live in the split houses. If I were to do that, I could still make it to where everyone has their own place to stay but I could also pretty much cut the number of buildings in half. Doing this would also make sense as it would conserve building materials and firewood. Also, since the town hall is just that, a library, and two shops in one, it would make sense that the houses would be like that.

What do you guys think?

 

[Sir Ver]

I can't offer any expert advice, but in my own opinion, wouldn't that create a large amount of unnecessary work? But then again, if it's one of your pet peeves, then I think do it.