Map Critique

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alldis

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Hi all,

I have a terrible sense of direction so I created a map of my story world to keep my characters from running in circles. I'm looking for a critique on my current design to see if it's easy to follow or makes ones eyes bleed.

Please do not be afraid of ripping it apart as it can only help improve it.

Also, I'm trying to keep it monotone for e-reader compatibility, but I'm not apposed to adding tints to the regions if it helps with clarity.

Thanks in advance to any and all suggestions.

A.

http://oi48.tinypic.com/2r57xpx.jpg
 

chris ell

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Yeah. Looks good. What I would try to do is come up with cool stuff to put on it. You know, like the little sea monster drawings on the old maps, something to make it more "authentic".
I have no idea about geology so I don't know if it works from that POV.
 

alldis

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Yeah. Looks good. What I would try to do is come up with cool stuff to put on it. You know, like the little sea monster drawings on the old maps, something to make it more "authentic".
I have no idea about geology so I don't know if it works from that POV.

Good point, I didn't even realize there's nothing but mountains and trees on it. Heheh. I guess the regions could use some points-of-interest, etc.

As for geology, I'm not an expert either but I tried to keep the arid/mountainous regions inland and the marshy/foresty regions coastal.

A.
 

alldis

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I think it's a very nice map. Good job!

Thanks! But I honestly won't mind if you have suggestions to improve it.

On a side note, I do plan on recreating this as a hand drawn illustration once the books are complete and all the locations are set in stone.

A.
 

Gale Haut

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Thanks! But I honestly won't mind if you have suggestions to improve it.

On a side note, I do plan on recreating this as a hand drawn illustration once the books are complete and all the locations are set in stone.

A.

Of course, there's always room for improvement. :)

Some ideas... Darkening the names of the towns (for the smaller type) just a little would help make them more legible. Adding some organic looking textures could be nice. Since you are repeating sprites to indicate geography elements, having two or three sprites for each element will make the repeating images seem less familiar and less obviously copy/pasted.
 

alldis

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Of course, there's always room for improvement. :)

Some ideas... Darkening the names of the towns (for the smaller type) just a little would help make them more legible. Adding some organic looking textures could be nice. Since you are repeating sprites to indicate geography elements, having two or three sprites for each element will make the repeating images seem less familiar and less obviously copy/pasted.

Yeah good points. I've seen all the maps in the other thread and I like how the mountain ranges wind along. Mine looks very flat in comparison.

And I did NOT copy and paste each mountain. Each one was personally hand crafted. How dare you accuse me of such a thing? ;)

A.
 

lolchemist

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I love it! Especially your Altum Bay. In my story I have a little lake with some islands in it too (much tinier than Altum Bay) so when I saw it I was like AWESOME!!!
 

Tezzirax

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You have some impossible rivers. Unless there is an artificial force that is making them flow into two different bodies of water, a river will run down hill. It may merge with other rivers, but it will not seperate again unless it is in the flats of a river delta which is due to the depositing of sediments.

Check real maps and see how the rivers flow from source to sea.

Again, if you have unearthly geological forces in play then anything you want to do is fair game.
 

alldis

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You have some impossible rivers. Unless there is an artificial force that is making them flow into two different bodies of water, a river will run down hill. It may merge with other rivers, but it will not seperate again unless it is in the flats of a river delta which is due to the depositing of sediments.

Check real maps and see how the rivers flow from source to sea.

Again, if you have unearthly geological forces in play then anything you want to do is fair game.

There is some elemental shenanigans going on in Telenora, but everywhere else should follow typical earth geography. I'll do some much needed research on river systems and fix 'er up.

Cheers mate.

A.
 
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