Map has to be taken down.
FarsightX3
Surveyor
This is the new map that I was having trouble with rendering. I am still having some quality issues while rendering, but I did get it to render the best quality I have. I think my rivers are better, however, some of them are weird. But this world doesn't work like our world, but very similar. This is a colossal map. I couldn't put cartouches or contours or the rest of the effects like I wanted too so this is what I have to deal with for now. This map is design for my own mmorpg idea. That's why it may be different from the maps you are use to seeing. I hope you like it and enjoy. Let me know what you think good and bad. What places seem like worth visiting to you?
Comments
I found it easier to see by letting it load, and then saving it to my hard drive. Viewing the result in Irfanview allowed me to see details.
It is huge and would make for an interesting mmo.
If I had to criticise, I'd say it wasn't particularly geographically sensible, particularly with the grasslands cutting abruptly to desert or the forests of Hazemyst glades surviving in the poisoned soil so close to the intolerable hellfire of the melting moor- but hey, this is high fantasy, and you're terrific with the whole fantasy aspect.
This is amongst the best maps I have seen displayed here. Excellent work.
To sandwich: The Moonryn Temple plays a vital key in the main story line. It's a story line that is deep and complex and will "wow" the player when they found how it all plays out.
The only thing that really jarrs my suspension of disbelief with this fantasy world is the terrain transitions. Zoomed out, I can't tell at all, but when I zoom in regions look cut up along the edges in polygons. This is most noticeable with the non-realistic geography sections, although please don't misunderstand: I have no problem with the fantasy geography. I just wish they flowed into one another more smoothly given how intricately and non-uniformly the terrains themselves are created. Some examples of what I mean are looking at are Bloodstone Pass, Maeko's Island, or the Naji Desert into the Slimescale Swamp.
The only specific terrain that I've found that doesn't seem to flow like this itself is the Naji Desert, especially when you compare it to the Arid Dominion or the Desert of Burning Sands. Another might be the Slimescale Swamp, but I think that's just because the fill is so uniform compared to the variety in your other terrains. As well, a few symbols do jut into the sea.
Of course, if you aren't going to have your players zoomed in that close, this may be irrelevant. And I apologize if my critique seems greater than my praise... I really like this map! It has great depth and you have an eye for symbols that I haven't cultivated.
Edit: Spellingz.
You questioned the transitional flow between the Naji Desert and the Slimescale Swamp. I do agree that doesn't make a lick of sense at all. However, for game play reasons it had to occur because that area is a starting zone for some of the different races. I am willing to actually change the slimescale swamp to a similar zone or possibly something different. Since my game world is essentially played on one single shard server, the locations of each starting area had to have a wide array from each other to limit lag issues.
The races that actually start in that area are as follows...
Naji Desert - Xyrotheta - Mu'atan, which are a majestic mummy race.
Slimescale Swamp: Lykuan, a lizard man race
Jakari Jungle: Jakari which is an ape race.
If you could possibly think of any other type of region that would fit in the slimescale swamp area for a Lizard man race to live in, that would be cool and I would consider changing it.
A little note, for those who have played mmorpgs... The Red Text = Hostile zones, Black Text = Interior and Exterior Dungeons, Blue Text = Racial Starting areas, Green Text = Raid Campaign areas, Purple Text = World Wonders/Other cities and Brown Text = Untravelabe regions.
You will notice that some environments have blue text, that means those races that start there are tribal and do not consent to a city.
By the way, I wasn't critiquing the placement of the swamp or the desert (your reasons for terrain placement are your own! ), just that the transition between them looks (visibly, at the map) abrupt. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to improve that, and as I said, at a macro-view it doesn't matter so much. Perhaps something as simple as a blur or a glow on your terrains sheet would help? Others that are better than me can probably offer better suggestions.
In the campaign world that I'm running now, I have lizardfolk living in all different climes (including an arctic race), but without knowing their particulars I don't think I can offer much in the way of suggestions if you do want to change the terrain. Jungles, swamps, marshland, or coastal cave networks are the classic lizardfolk tropes.
One other thing: You might consider renaming your Desolate area. It bears an awfully strong resemblance to World of Warcraft's Desolace. But that's just a personal taste thing.
There are no effects. For some reason when I add them they dim the resolution of the terrain. And there are no contours because they look awkward since the map is 90% land.
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