guide to posting WIPs and making tree icons

[Cain]

So here's the bottom line.

I made this thread because I'm new. And i don't want to fail before I've even seriously begun working on it. So here comes a barrage of questions!

I've started sketching a world map on paper and soon I'm going to start working it on my computer.

Do I make different threads for all the continents or just one thread for the world and add continents one by one there?

Do I make one file or several per continents?(cities will be detailed pretty much so they will be separate but what about archipelagos and regions?

Should I make my own icon's for mountains, trees etc?

It's a fantasy world. In it's early stages (mythic age, where humans are young and they have recently stopped scratching their asses and started a couple of civilizations. I have huge ambition for this since i hope to one day be able to use it, I'm just guessing i should provide small bits of lore so i can get the best advice.)

Any advice/feedback will be greatly appreciated, respected and put to good use. So feel free to comment anything. Wow this feels like i made a introduction of to the project too...
-hope's nobody minds-

I also keep logging out of the forum automatically, any help?

Cain

[sreynders]

Hey Cain,

First of all, welcome!
I'm also pretty new here. In my opinion I'd just make one thread per world. Post all your continents in the same thread. This is however how i'm doing it ATM, I dont think there is a right or wrong way on how to do things, aslong as you dont spam your maps all over the place. Follow common internet etiquette. I'm currently working on a big project in one thread, posting my work in progress along the way, its great since alot of people just comment and give great pointers and will see you evolve in the same thread.

I always work in one file for a continent, cities are seperate files, each file has a lot of layermaps though. This keeps your stuff organized.
You can make your own icons or use icons already available. When you use another persons' icons, make sure you ask first and give them credit in the final result.

I'm looking forward to see your work!

Sander

[- Max -]

Welcome Cain. I'd suggest that you start one thread for your world in WIP section then you can update it with the detailed related maps you are planning to do so it would be easier to check for those who want to take z look at your works.
Sreynders already answered about the icons and I agree with it.
About the log out thing, you should have a "remember me" or something like that button just under the log in that you can click.

[- Max -]

Welcome Cain. I'd suggest that you start one thread for your world in WIP section then you can update it with the detailed related maps you are planning to do so it would be easier to check for those who want to take z look at your works.
Sreynders already answered about the icons and I agree with it.
About the log out thing, you should have a "remember me" or something like that button just under the log in that you can click.

[Cain]

Thank you this is good info, couple of weeks maybe months and I'll have something posted here. Any free software recommendations? though I guess I'd like making the maps feel "real" and made inside the world...tips on that? nothing too hard to use please

[Korash]

For a free graphics software, you can't go wrong with the Gimp. It is a free program that is as good as Photoshop (better in some ways and not so good in others) but it is a bit intimidating. If you do decide to go that route, I would suggest following some of the tutorials in the Tutorial section of the site. I would start with a tutorial that works on the area, and in a style that suits, of the area that you are working on at the time...for example, if you are working on generating the land masses, look for a tut that deals with that, and when you are working on the mountains, look for one that treats that subject. One thing though, if you are planning on working your map from the start and don't want to "waste" time working on something else (and trust me on this, there is no such thing as wasted time when learning to map) keep in mind that most tuts either generate previous steps (land masses and rivers) or assume that previous steps are done. If you have already reached a point in your map that a tut goes over, just use what you already have instead. Read the whole tut though because you never know when something new might be useful.

[Cain]

Thank you Korash! I'll be sure to make use of all information that comes my way from the tutorials.

A month or two and i'll have something posted.