Seeking Suggestions: Near-Future, Dystopian Series Maps

[-K2-]

Hello everyone;

I'm a new member who joined to seek your suggestions and critiques to improve maps used in a 3-novel series I'm writing. The series takes place near-future, U.S., so that eases off the creativity required.

Deleted, questions answered.

K2

[-K2-]

Something I failed to mention about these--which in retrospect might have put off some folks who looked at them--is unlike the work here where maps are generated from scratch, I've used existing USGS mapping as the primary map, and simply made my additions to the base image. That said, since in the story these come out of the USDA-USGS office, which is now a part of the Restored Constitution Federal Government, very near future, I saw little point in recreating the wheel...drawing what already exists, is available for use, simply to say I generated it from scratch.

In any case, if anyone has thoughts as to what these need to have added, or removed, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks for any help or opinions you'd care to render!

K2

[Ilanthar]

It's looking good. Somehow it makes me thinks at those cinematics when you zoom in a satellite view from land to close view of a district/building.
What I would like to see is a diagram or a global map that shows more clearly how the different maps (at different scales) are linked together.

[-K2-]

Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts on how I could improve these, or have any questions as to why something is shown or isn't? I'm hoping to get these to a final version so I can focus on story.

Thanks for any help.

K2

[Greason Wolfe]

Visually, I think they look fine, however, lacking the context of the appendix you mentioned, I am not sure if I can offer any advice or suggestions. Given that it is for a near future story, I think the style is suitable. Will try to keep an eye on this though, just in case something occurs to me.

[-K2-]

Visually, I think they look fine, however, lacking the context of the appendix you mentioned, I am not sure if I can offer any advice or suggestions. Given that it is for a near future story, I think the style is suitable. Will try to keep an eye on this though, just in case something occurs to me.

Well, thank you for taking the time to peruse them.

In short, the maps exist for the reader as a means to understand how densely populated the city-state is, give a visual reference to story changes, and allow them to follow character routes to compare them to existing areas (since little would change past decay). The story characters use them to discuss city planning/conditions and to relay character locations in communications.

Bold areas of text (much like titles) are there since these are intended/hopefully to be used in print and e-books. So, I tried to make them seem like part of a presentation like you might encounter in a group meeting.

Thanks for your input.

K2

[Ilanthar]

Yes, it's way more obvious for me.
And I was indeed thinking of the second one (TST). The third solution is less synthetic but interesting and well done as well.

[-K2-]

Yes, it's way more obvious for me.
And I was indeed thinking of the second one (TST). The third solution is less synthetic but interesting and well done as well.

Thanks for posting back.

Working backwards, the third set was made square so--in it's own appendix/compendium chapter--as I tell the story of the grid system, when I get to the part where it explains the designers solution...one page is the top image with a paragraph of explanation below, the next page is the second image+paragraph, third the third one and so on as I tell the story, but each of those images and their associated explanations are one page after the other.

The second one, though I just slapped it together for your suggestion, I could do as well I suppose if it helps...something like an image graphic without the text, and add it to the same chapter.

In addition to that chapter, there is a glossary for the government terms, which includes every term for the CAGS system (Consolidated America (sanctuary east) Grid (reference) System).

Finally, all the other maps (showing the city-state as a whole, flood changes, territory changes, individual character routes, etc.) are used in the story on pages or in a 'map appendix/compendium area'.

I've made a LOT of maps, hehe.

So, knowing that, do you think I should add the second image (better done) to the set, perhaps in the CAGS chapter--along with those others in the third example?

Thanks for your help!

K2