Tips and suggestions for a new map maker

[jason.yarbrough]

Hello everybody,

I am about to start developing maps for dungeons and temples. I am would love to gain insight and inspiration from members of this guild if you have done this sort of mapping before. I love Final Fantasy and Zelda. I am writing a dark fantasy series and I feel with any fantasy series should be maps!!! I love The Belgariad series by David Eddings and of course The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. I saw a map on google titled "The Sphere" and it looks amazing. Any suggestions and tips on how to develop elaborate borders, I will greatly appreciate. Happy Holidays and map making conquests.

Jason

[Kellerica]

Honestly, the best advice: just start making stuff. Take a piece you like and try to shamelessly copy the things you like about them, and you've taken the first steps into developing your own style. Everything we do, in the end, is just combining little things and influences and inspiration we've gotten from elsewhere.

Don't overthink it before you even get started, just sit down and make something and try to see it through even if you think it's not very good. Learning from doing is the only way to get it started. Sadly you can't teach yourself to be a fabulous artist first, and only start creating after that.

Obviously this is just my view on this, feel free to ignore me should you disagree.

[ladiestorm]

When it comes to maps for stories, my best advice for starting a map: define its purpose, especially for dungeons and temples. Why is that dungeon (or temple) there? Is it a temple of a long forgotten god or goddess that needs to be reintroduced to the world? Is that dungeon a long abandoned lair of a Master Thief that stole an ancient relic that can save a village (town, city)? Is that cave system an escape route for smugglers? Is that dungeon a sewer system of an ancient ruined city? Was the city important?


If the dungeon or temple has a specific purpose, then it needs a map. If it's just there to add flavor to your landscape, then perhaps not. Once you understand what that purpose is, you can start to get a feel for how it is designed, laid out, what it is made of, and how it is made. All of these questions will help you decide how to map it.

[jason.yarbrough]

I have been watching some tutorials on youtube which are helping out tremendously. I think the hardest part is starting the drawing process, but these videos helped me understand the laying of map making. I am playing with a few styles for continent/island borders, mountain design, and rivers. Another person in this guild recommended some how-to-guides books and videos that I am waiting to arrive. This really is a tremendous amount of fun creating worlds and discovering style. This is like being a kid all over again!!! Thank you for your response. I will be posting my first map soon. Please feel free to offer some constructive criticism, if you choose to see it. I would really appreciate any and all feedback.

Jason

[Jaxilon]

In case you haven't already seen it: Check out our tutorials section. There are a large number of our better mappers who have put together how to manuals you can follow. Some may be a few versions of software older but they should still get you a long ways to where you want to go. Some of them are even designed to help persons who are not happy with their own drawing abilities.