[CWBP2] World Map construction thread

[jkat718]

I'm willing to help, but I will warn you that I have little-to-no practical experience with actual mapping; I've only given critique so far.

[Ghostman]

This is probably going to be a unpopular opinion, but I feel like I should voice it anyway:

I think we've been doing it wrong from the beginning. By focusing so much on the global scale stuff, things like planetary configurations which, while interesting, are going to have no bearing whatsoever on most of the maps to be made. I mean, the project is mostly about making regional, overland and city maps for a shared world. Celestial bodies aren't going to show up on such maps.

I know I have been waiting for the time we'd finally have a world map sectioned to a number of overland areas ready to be picked up and worked into maps by users. That is the point where IMO the whole project actually starts; everything up to it being merely preliminary work, a kind of necessary evil. But we've never reached that point because we're so bogged down on details. And too concerned about securing the approval of a large number of people for every detail, apparently with the assumption that most of the people who might be interested in mapping for CWBP2 would also be interested in participating in the preliminary design. I think that may be a false assumption.

What if we'd instead taken a quick and dirty, fast and loose approach to this? Just whipped up a barebones global map divided into appropriately sized pieces and declared, Here's a world, grab yourself a plot of land and map away!? The project surely wouldn't be aiming at a high degree of internal consistency then, but it'd be ready to go and easy for new members to just jump in and contribute.

[Azélor]

This is probably going to be a unpopular opinion, but I feel like I should voice it anyway:

I think we've been doing it wrong from the beginning. By focusing so much on the global scale stuff, things like planetary configurations which, while interesting, are going to have no bearing whatsoever on most of the maps to be made. I mean, the project is mostly about making regional, overland and city maps for a shared world. Celestial bodies aren't going to show up on such maps.

I know I have been waiting for the time we'd finally have a world map sectioned to a number of overland areas ready to be picked up and worked into maps by users. That is the point where IMO the whole project actually starts; everything up to it being merely preliminary work, a kind of necessary evil. But we've never reached that point because we're so bogged down on details. And too concerned about securing the approval of a large number of people for every detail, apparently with the assumption that most of the people who might be interested in mapping for CWBP2 would also be interested in participating in the preliminary design. I think that may be a false assumption.

What if we'd instead taken a quick and dirty, fast and loose approach to this? Just whipped up a barebones global map divided into appropriately sized pieces and declared, Here's a world, grab yourself a plot of land and map away!? The project surely wouldn't be aiming at a high degree of internal consistency then, but it'd be ready to go and easy for new members to just jump in and contribute.

We were not focusing on stuff like planets. It was just meant to be something we could do while deciding on the world map. Anyway, we do share the idea that trying to please too many slow down the project. Even if we try to please, it's hard to know the real impact.


Falconius: Do you have the map in PSD or something better than JPEG ?

[Azélor]

I made some modifications. Some were mostly aesthetic (but I think it's important too) others are more drastic like the merging of land to create a larger continent in the south. It is more or less an accident.
In general, I still think the land placement could be better...

At first I did not liked the long islands of the north east. But, from a geologic standpoint, it's a really interesting formation. This could mean that there is a lot of tectonic activity in the region. And that activity could extend far to the east, where is become the west.

It is possible to make some landmasses larger/smaller but I haven't played with that much.

feel free to flip it around. (90 degree could be a compromise)

[jkat718]

@Azelor

Invalid attachment error. Not sure if it's in an invalid file format or if it's just too big.

[Azélor]

I don't know what went wrong. It happens almost half of the time.

the map is 10 000 by 5 000 pixels, 50 megapixels is over the limit but apparently it's ok because it's only 72 DPI...

[Falconius]

I think we should just work away at it regardless of how many active participants at the time. They will join and leave as it suits them. if they weren't here or didn't participate in the initial set up, tough cookies. Also I agree with Ghostman to an extent, which is why I just wanted to get this map done enough so we could just divide it into plots and get moving. It simply is not going to be a super focused project such as those done for a specific purpose. Quite frankly I think the variety we will get without working top down will simply not compare with the immense diversity and variety of everything we get on Earth. A fantasy world in which the variables are even greater then those of realities would undoubtedly be even more diverse. That is why I'm not to concerned with getting all our pegs in order before we start. Merely to get enough data that people can make reasonable assertions of what belongs where.

As for the map it was uploaded in PNG, which I thought would be adequate for the purposes of just working on a B/W mask, I have it in the GIMP format or whatever else Gimp exports as well. I would be editing it tonight but I went swimming and my eyes are messed up. I need to start wearing goggles. I should have more time later this week though.

[Azélor]

Ok but I think it could be a good idea to remake the world with detailed coastlines with a good resolution. I could do that when we are satisfied with the base map.

About the size of the base map: it's size is 10 000 by 5 000, is it enough?
We can share the file elsewhere if the size becomes problematic. Or we could also have a relatively small and detailed map of the world and make larger map for continent with more details.

So before we start to map, here are the things I think we must do:

1- base map: the one we are working on right now. When we are happy with the map I will remake it in high resolution (300 DPI)
I think it could be done in less than a week from now

2- a relief map: to show where are the important geologic formation like rivers, mountain ranges and plateaus.
For that, i think we need the tectonic map. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just plausible enough. We have a couple of expert on this topic so it shouldn’t take too long.

3- biome map: no, I'm not talking about something as complicated as the Koppen classification. I just want something loose to indicate if it’s desert, steppe, forest (jungle, deciduous, mixed, boreal) but it does not tell where to put the forest. Assuming one place is considered forest could be entirely covered with forest or not depending mostly on the artist choice. (But I admit that it doesn't make sense to have a densely populate area covered with forests)
Unfortunately, in order to make that map, ideally we also need

1-Temperature map = hot at the equator, it cools off the closer you get to the poles. Altitude also makes it colder but that is only important if we have plateaus. Also affect by the distance from a large body of water and ocean currents. Not too complicated and also not subject to debate.

2-Major winds map/ocean currents: ocean is rather easy, Pixie made a good guide and we can also look at the works of other members. For the winds it’s more complicated because we have to figure the high/low pressure. (See Pixie’s tutorial)

3-Precipitation map: ok well that seems like a lot but in order to be able to start the project, we just need a rough version. We can still make a polished version of it later. Assuming it's a rough version, I expect everything of this could be done in a week or two maximum. And we could start mapping after that. I know it might seems a lot be there are a bunch of good members that can give us counsels on this.

[Falconius]

Yeah that is pretty much my thinking. Most of these steps are largely just procedural and shouldn't take long, I don't want too much detail just enough for people to get a basic idea and then map on.

For instance instead of getting exact course of a major river we can can simply indicate it with a line of direction, same thing with mountain ranges. Then should someone choose a plot they can decide how to implement the details of these features as they wish.

[Azélor]

The attachment is valid now ?