Mixing Top-down and Angled viewpoints

[fullmetalpegasus]

So...

I've noticed that it seems pretty common place to mix top-down and more of an angled (bird's eye?) view of a map. I was wondering what sort of rules might be associated with doing things like this as the project I've been working on looks a little odd in that regard. What started out as a top down sort of look shifted into a more of a slant and now that I have my coastlines established it seems a little hard to fix it. I personally felt that it was part of the map's charm to mix the perceptions. But much like present and past tense (like I always seem to mix up anyway) are there rules against it? Does it even matter?

Thanks everyone,
Brittney

[Mouse]

Hello and welcome Fullmetalpegasus

How you draw your map is very much up to you. Perspective is commonly discussed around here, and in truth there is no 'proper' way to do a thing where maps are concerned. There is even a strong historical precedence for being allowed to mix perspectives - many 16th, 17th and 18th century maps were drawn top view, but with side view hills and mountains. Contours and relief shading are both relatively modern inventions as far as cartography is concerned.

Most regional fantasy maps are drawn in what is loosely termed 'isometric perspective', or at the very least a kind of false, or parallel perspective without any vanishing points, so that even though the mountains are an angled bird's eye view, they remain the same size all over the map.

Dungeon maps are usually plan view, since isometric mapping tends to obscure parts of the playing area, but I've seen a few good ones done in iso.

So it really is very much up to you, and what you prefer.

The best way to find out if what you've drawn makes sense is to start a WIP thread, either in this sub-forum, or in one of the more specifically named sub-forums in this same main forum

[fullmetalpegasus]

Thank you so much!