No Name World Map

[barry joseph]

Hi.

Now that we have introductions out of the way, let's move on. I've been lurking around this place for a little while now and I love it. I've saved many-a-map into my "Inspiration" folder and have learned a lot just from reading stuff.


This is a currently unnamed world (I tend to call it "Blar Malmur" but lately I don't like that name very much) that I have been developing off and on for the past few years. It started out as being for a game I was/am making in "RPG Maker 2000"/"RPG Maker XP" but now it's honestly more of a worldbuilding pastime that I mostly just do for fun. When I first started this map many years ago, man, it was HILARIOUSLY awful. I wish I hadn't deleted it just cause it was so bad. Oh well maybe that's a good thing.

world1.jpg

So anyway, I want you guys to tear this map to pieces. I've lately been second-guessing the shapes of the landmasses; they don't feel natural to me anymore. When I made this I was thinking of plate tectonics in the back of my mind but it doesn't look that way now. I see it as just a collection of random landmasses. This map in particular has had me thinking about this a lot lately. I love the way the landmasses are in that map ugh I'm so jealous. I also think there might be too many islands? Like they just look too randomly placed you know? I dunno. Be brutal and tell me everything you're thinking. Everything. All your deepest darkest secrets.

Oh I've also been working on a close-up map of the big continent in the middle, kind of in the style of "Ramah"s maps. Those are my fav. It's coming along nicely now, I'll be posting that one next I'm sure, but I really want to get this map more squared away first. It's taking me a long time because I'm learning a lot along the way, and I'm trying to make it a little more independent of his maps, not just a cheap clone, so I'm not using the brushes from his map. I seriously thought about it, trust me, and it would probably end up looking nicer in the end if I did, but that's not what mapmaking is about imo.


Oh also I should note that there are a couple of small chunks of this map that I more or less borrowed from another map I found here a while ago. I didn't save the map though unfortunately and I don't remember the name of it. But the parts I borrowed are meant to be temporary until I can think of something I like better/just as much. If you recognize the chunks please speak up.

[rdanhenry]

There are a number of areas that look more like a skeletal hand/foot than lands. You have way too many bits of land up close to each other to look natural to someone whose experience is looking at the Earth. That doesn't mean that it necessarily couldn't happen. Our experience with only one Earth-like world is pretty darned limited compared to all the possibilities of a human-habitable world, but it going to look odd to anyone who has spent much time looking at the globe. I'm more positive that the three similar islands that form the bulk of the "claw" at the east end of big continent are so unlikely as to be a practical impossibility (although it's a cool formation for a fantasy world).

[Ascension]

I think it looks mostly good (sorry, watched the princess bride tonight). That big landmass I might break up instead of having it snake around the way it does and the top left thingy I'd either space the two main chunks more apart or join them together, but that's just me. I wish I could create the sort of fanciful shapes that you have here...I'm too vanilla in my landmasses. I think the claw looks kind of cool.

[barry joseph]

So I just got a new computer case today, went from mini tower to full tower, so naturally I need to buy some cable extensions, so I won't be able to post an update for a little bit. Last night I was able to do a few changes based on what you two have said so far though.

There are a number of areas that look more like a skeletal hand/foot than lands.

Thanks for that, I can't believe I never realized how ridiculous a lot of those areas looked. I changed the far western land a lot, took out all the skeletal islands and connected the two large chunks as suggested by Ascension. I also took the claw thing out, separated the snake-like landmass, and took out a lot of the islands in that area. It's already looking better.

I wish I could create the sort of fanciful shapes that you have here...I'm too vanilla in my landmasses. I think the claw looks kind of cool.

Your maps are amazing, I wish I could make logical and plausible maps like yours, not skeletal-shaped claws and such. It's kind of ironic actually, while I've been working on the close up map of the middle continent I've been thinking "the shape of this continent is pretty boring. Hm." And now I'm realizing that's not a bad thing at all, and almost all other areas of the map are too fantastic.

[barry joseph]

Okay I am back, have no fear.

Here are the latest changes with the changes being represented in very rough coastlines. I quite like how the western continent turned out, but I'm still not sure about southeast chunk(s). Thoughts?

world1.jpg

[Hai-Etlik]

The Impression I get from it is a world with a higher sea level. Lots of shallow, continental seas and partially submerged mountain ranges.

[barry joseph]

It's interesting you say that. That huge sea/ocean part between the two continents in the middle is a very shallow sea called Beggar's Dip. The borders around it are major trade areas and because the water is so shallow, many poorer, smaller boats can safely use the trade routes, hence the 'beggar' part of the name.

So I've decided to just completely re-do the southeastern continent as I didn't like where it was headed. I think this version is much better, again with very rough coastlines. A couple coastline updates in other places, like the western continent.

world2.jpg