Apple's Continental Map

[Applejack]

Most of these names can't be copyrighted or stolen since they are generic ones.
Other than that, I don't understand the point of making this list (here) especially since it lacks the indications where they are located on the map.

I don't care whether they're copyrighted or not.
If someone uses them I cannot accuse him but should
my story or map ever become famous, the thieves will
have no way of accusing me.

I'm just saying they're mine, no need to come up with copyright.
I hope most people here aren't uncreative fggts how use other ppl's names.
I think that's a fair assumption for a guild like this.
If not, that'd be a sad thing.

If you had taken the time to read, (sorry if you actually did)
I said that better pictures are to come.
Also, the first pictures show something, so there is a point in typing the list.
I just did it beforehand.

Xpian, how did I accuse someone of stealing my names?
If someone actually does so, there's no way I can know, unless
he or she openly says so, or creates a map with my names it.
(Not gonna complain about a few names though, of course)

Christopher Paolini's story is so fked up, the plot is cringeworhty, as is the geography.
Not to mention the tons of names which were so obviously lotr rip-offs.

[xpian]

@applejack - I specifically said that you HAD NOT accused anyone of stealing. "Nobody here is making such an accusation" is what I said. My points, which I believe I made adequately in the post above, were:
1) You can't copyright names or titles. Period. Ask a lawyer. I'm not saying you were trying to do so, but people are sometimes confused on that point, so it's worth a little clarification in a forum such as this where many pairs of eyes are reading.
2) Lots of names are floating around in the culture, coming from lots of sources, so one should take care before taking a suspicious stance. I didn't say you were accusing anyone, I was commenting on the tone contained your sentiment, "Also, this is MINE, I have proof hhehehehehehee. was so protective, and now it's online." As if you'd be able to stake out a territory composed of a list of names (many of which seem quite generic, as I think you'll admit) and then jealously guard it against anyone who might "take" one of the names...at least, that's kind of how that line struck me when I read it.
3) And I thought it was important to acknowledge, at the same time, that we have indeed seen some sketchy practices in this industry of people swiping stuff, uncredited, and using it in their own work. Sometimes with malice aforethought, sometimes perhaps innocently or ignorantly, but it's at least worth recognizing that this is indeed an issue we in the professional and semi-professional cartography/illustration world need to deal with from time to time. Just not this time.

4) Finally, I think you've forced me to add a new point. This is an online forum, it's true. But unlike a YouTube comments thread, for instance, this is a community marked by civility and good will. We may argue with each other, but we do so in good humor and with politeness. Dropping the vowels out of a word like "fggts" might get it through a filter, but it doesn't disguise the ugliness of the actual word you're referencing. Even dropping the other f-bomb in the form of "fked up" is pretty rare around here. I'm not yet a Community Leader around here, so I won't speak for them, but as a member of this guild who very much values this space, its people, and the atmosphere of sharing and support they create, I'm going to ask you to refrain from using language like that in the future.

[Chick]

Did you know that Tolkien "lifted" most of his dwarven names and Gandalf from The Elder Edda, an old Norse saga? He also took the entire concept of the Ring and of the Valar from earlier Norse and English literature and legends. Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon and early English literature, and that was the source of much of his inspiration and his names.

https://www.quora.com/profile/Thomas...-Tolkien-STOLE

http://theland.antgear.com/tolkiens_ring.html

[Applejack]

Okey, seems fair enough.
I know I can't copyright it, but if it ever becomes an official map, I have proof it was made
by me, so people can steal them, but they won't get anywhere.

Many which seem generic? You mean created by a generator? This is so saddening. ZERO of the names
were created by a machine. That strucks me personally as jealousy.
Those generators are 100% crap coming up with crappy names as the Eastern Mountains or the Great Sea.
You should know better.


Chick. I know, but I said that Chrisopher took his names from Lotr.

[snodsy]

4) Finally, I think you've forced me to add a new point. This is an online forum, it's true. But unlike a YouTube comments thread, for instance, this is a community marked by civility and good will. We may argue with each other, but we do so in good humor and with politeness. Dropping the vowels out of a word like "fggts" might get it through a filter, but it doesn't disguise the ugliness of the actual word you're referencing. Even dropping the other f-bomb in the form of "fked up" is pretty rare around here. I'm not yet a Community Leader around here, so I won't speak for them, but as a member of this guild who very much values this space, its people, and the atmosphere of sharing and support they create, I'm going to ask you to refrain from using language like that in the future.[/QUOTE]

I would like to second xpian comments on Point 4 of his post about the civility of this site. I enjoy this site immensely, and one of the reasons is for it's positive and constructive criticism, while maintaining a very professional environment.

People here are at different levels in their development and coping techniques and styles can help in this development, hence the tutorials and WIP process that are so prevalent on this site. Many famous artist have copied earlier and other contemporary artists styles as they develop and eventually do develop their own style. It's collective learning that advances each of us and the industry.

[J.Edward]

It's a tough world out there. Integrity and honesty do not reign.
If you're worried about theft or copying... best hide your work away.
However, if you're going to go forth into the world and make a name for yourself, you have to be bold and unafraid of such things.
People will copy. People will steal. If your work is good, they'll do it a lot. If they can.

That being said, as a CL, I will speak to the 'bad language' issue being brought up - let's tone that down. Okay.
We don't ban often [other than spammers] but it has happened before. Not a threat. Just a civil warning.
I'll attest, there really is no better place on the net for fantasy mapping. The Guild allows lots of viewpoints.
But we do it in a civil and friendly manner. Nuff said. Back to looking at maps.

[xpian]

@applejack - The word "generic" does not mean "produced by an automatic generator" in this context. Generic means ordinary, common, expected, or simply not unusual or unique. Most members of this community will agree that names like "Red River" and "Middlehaven" are fairly ordinary--hence generic--names. And there's nothing whatsoever wrong with that. Most maps have lots of generic names, because most countries have place names that are quite generic (both in the real world and in fiction. Hobbiton is the town of hobbits. East Farthing is the easternmost part of the Shire. "Shire" itself is an old English word for a type of community. For every "Caradhras" or "Kazad Dûm", there's a generic place name somewhere else.)

Many of your names do indeed seem unique, at least to me. And you should be commended for coming up with a big, versatile list of place names to add richness to your setting. However, as Max hinted to you several posts ago in this thread, we are not used to having big lists of names simply dropped into forum posts, not clearly connected to the maps in question. When I read "Red River" in your list, what does that mean to me? Am I to go back to your map and try to find it? What good does it do your fellow forum readers to have "Red River" sitting alone in a big list of names?

If you're looking for acknowledgment of the sheer mental work that it took to come up with a big list of names, I'll give that to you. I've done this exercise myself and it takes a lot of thought. But it's something all of us around here are pretty familiar with, and it's not clear why it belongs in several long forum posts. As I understand it, the Finished Maps forum is intended primarily as a place to share completed maps and get constructive feedback and/or adulation from the other Cartographers in the guild.

[Chick]

... the Finished Maps forum is intended primarily as a place to share completed maps and get constructive feedback and/or adulation from the other Cartographers in the guild.

I think that is actually the biggest issue here.

May I humbly suggest to applejack that you delete all the posts with the long lists of names, since they don't really need to be posted here and don't add anything to the purpose of this forum, and then ask one of the CL's to move this thread to the appropriate WIP section of the forum?

[Applejack]

Lol, maybe the words were too much yeah.
But I do not hesitate to call ppl who steal work from ppl like that.
This is indeed a friendly community but those who steal etc. are simply (insert the word here)
But oke, I'll tone it down.

Ow okey, I was really insulted by that ''generic'' at first, but fortunately it's a misunderstanding on my part.
Yeah, well after inventing 400 city names, there's indeed some simple not very unique names lol.
Red River has to do with its history of bloodshed, not going into that right now.

The Kazad Dum is indeed a nice fantasy name, but I want my story to be more like Game of Thrones.
More realism, no dwarves and elves etc.
Maybe that's something for me to keep in mind, more fantasy names.
Do you guys think I should balance that generic and fantasy more?
I like prefer names like Castletown and Whitegorge above names like Paladorf, Zemmystafar or Okruarin
I just like those english names which (imo) give it a more realistic, medieval feeling.
But...what's your opinion?

I typed the list down because I wanted to know the opinions on the names.
It was also meant to clear things up, for my map is a hand drawn one, so it might
be too vague on a picture to read the names.

Anyways, maybe this is indeed the wrong forum for my list of names.
I thought it was supposed to be here though, I mean, where else?

peace

Chick: Okey, but where else can I put the names on the list?

[J.Edward]

You could leave all the names and we could just move the thread to Regional and all would be good, I think.
If you want it moved, say the word and I or another CL can move it.