[WIP] World of Aduhr

[shadixdarkkon]

Just draw out a continent or two on paper and once you're happy, translate them into a digital format, adjusting as necessary. It's probably helpful to narrow down the task at hand: concentrate on one continent at a time, and don't try to get overly detailed to begin with, that really isn't necessary for a first sketch. You're probably overly exaggerating that some shape "feels wrong" if that's how you feel, or maybe you didn't sketch things enough on paper beforehand to have a clear vision about how you want the shape to turn out. Things rarely work out for me either if I just sit down to "draw something" before first creating a paper draft about what the shape/layout should look like.

Basically, I think you need to be more patient with yourself and get rid of the perception that anything you draw is "automatically wrong", and probably draw a lot more quick sketches before settling on the final shape. Remember that your first creations don't have to look perfect: drawing maps is something that you get gradually better at and develop an "eye for shapes", but you need to keep doing it in order to develop those skills .

Btw, if you haven't done so yet, I'd recommend checking out Tiluchi's Pangarap (and his earlier Ayesha): that should give some ideas about how to get started with a project like this.

So another question then (plus I need more posts before I can start my own thread D: ).
How viable would it be to start with a supercontinent and then use GPlates to break it up? Instead of sort of working backwards?

[Charerg]

So another question then (plus I need more posts before I can start my own thread D: ).
How viable would it be to start with a supercontinent and then use GPlates to break it up? Instead of sort of working backwards?

There actually was one con-world around that attempted just that (here's the thread). As to how viable it is, it depends a lot on what you're aiming for. There's nothing wrong with that approach, but it gives you somewhat less control over what the present day landscape of the world looks like. I haven't attempted that method myself, but I do think it demands a reasonably good understanding of plate tectonics (and in that sense is probably a more difficult starting point for a beginner). Could still be useful especially as a relatively quick learning project, but I'm not sure if it's too viable for the sort of multi-year "endless WIP" projects mysefl and Pixie are doing .

[Pixie]

Yeah, I'm with Charerg on this one. Starting from pangaea will avoid a bunch of problems, but you still need to know your tectonics for it. Specially, you need to understand what drives the movement of plates. But go ahead - we're here for you!

Now, if you want to start your thread and still need a 5 posts count, why not look around and write some praise in the finished maps section. Take a little bit of time, find some maps that are catchy to you and just tell their makers what is it that you like about them, or ask about how they made them. Basically, engage.

Once you start your WIP thread, I promise I'll drop by for a hint or two (and I'm sure I'll get to it after Charerg)

[shadixdarkkon]

Okay, last question, I promise. So, I pretty well understand *most* of the tectonic processes, but there is one thing that I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around, and I've asked around on Reddit a bit to no avail. My question is what causes the breakup of supercontinents. I browsed the stuff from Scotese, but the only thing of substance I saw was that subduction is main driving force for plate movement. Buuutt when you look at tectonic reconstructions basically none of the plates that include a landmass are being subducted when Pangea breaks apart. This linkhttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...entered-en.svg shows that even today the the plates that hold the major landmasses are moving even though most of them aren't subducting anywhere. So is there any information on what made Pangea break up the way it did?

[Pixie]

Okay, last question, I promise.

If that's your only big question, then you're up to date with the current science . The mechanics of supercontinent breakup aren't well established yet, most likely there's a sum of several processes over various places in the continent. To start a con-world I think it's safe to establish initial cratons more or less randomly and then break it anyway you wish.
Also, don't forget that there are subduction boundaries that turned into continent-continent collisions.

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