Help request for article about RPG medieval maps

[pyrandon]

Hello, friends:

I have been working for the past few days on an "article" detailing the basic composition of medieval cartography, for use by RPG mapmakers who wish to create authentic feeling maps.

I began a similar list some time ago in order to improve my own maps, but then I decided to expand and systematize it for others' eyes as well. At first I foolishly thought this would be simple to write, but as always it turned into a tangled forest of no return, through which I hacked my way for some time until I created the draft I have attached to this thread.

If you have any interest and free time, I could really use some feedback on it. Ideas, suggestions, additions, critiques... and (especially) point out any mistakes. Anything at all will help.

I'm not sure what I will ultimately do with this article; I may submit it somewhere or (more likely) I'll post the finished copy here in the Guild in a new thread.

Thanks a million,

[ravells]

Interesting read, Don. I'll send you an email with my thoughts.

all the best

Ravs

[The Cartographist]

Pyrandon - Really interesting read and a good first draft. What ever became of this little project? Did you ever go any further with it?

[pyrandon]

Ironic you should dig this one up, "Tim": The cummunity leaders & I have just decided to try and edit it up for the upcoming Fantaseum magazine. Do you have any suggestions on it (does anyone)? I have not read it for well over 6 months, and it was written so quickly I imagine there are many needed changes; if anyone has input I would love to hear it.

[The Cartographist]

There were numerous editing fixes that needed to be made, i.e. spelling, grammar, one or two punctuation. All minor things to fix, but things that definitely need to be fixed.

In general, I think that it is a really good start. Having said that, I think that it needs to be expanded. Almost every point that you bring up (while absolutely valid) could be well-served by writing a little more, whether that is more examples, further description, etc.

I really liked how you wrote suggestions based on your "facts" for RPG maps. Most of those can be expanded as well.

The ONLY major critique that I have of the article stems from your desire to generalize for "medieval" maps, which you go on to say spans several hundred years (I believe at one point, you say the 7th thru 14th centuries.). The problem is that then, at various points in the article, you say that there were changes in general map technique and proficiency over that span of several hundred years and that generalizing is difficult to do so. To correct this, I would recommend tightening up the time span that you plan to discuss or at least split it up into several periods and discuss each separately.

Ultimately, I think that the article should be focused, or expanded. Put another way, your coverage is a mile wide and an inch deep. I would rather read a mile wide and a few feet deep, or a quarter mile wide and several feet deep.

Last suggestion (Which I hope ties together all of the babbling above): Take each of the "facts" that you present and turn it into a 3-4 page article. You would then have a series of articles vice one really long one.

[Gamerprinter]

You could expand each section/paragraph into several pages with more examples. Also at major changes in mapping expand those points as intro pages into subchapters...

What I'm saying - add some depth, expand the thoughts, even include some tutorials and you've almost got enough material for a complete book. Say a handbook or manual. Publish on Fantaseum, or as Cartographers Guild's first published work.

Just a thought.