Map has to be taken down.

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

  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    edited January 2010
    pic link. The size is 10000 x 4824 pixels scaled

    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.
  • edited January 2010
    I find your use of objects is very clever, particularly with how you constructed the illusionist void, the stilts for Moonryn temple and the ethereal maelstrom.

    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.
  • I LOVE this map! Beautiful work. I really like the broken ice fields along the northern coast. Very well done.
  • Thank you for the great replies. I am glad you guys read what I wrote and understand it's for a high fantasy concept. Usually when I post those kind of maps, people just slander how geographically bad it is lol. But you guys did not and I highly appreciate it. Thank you for the kind words Sandwich and bearclaw! I hope I got your imagination spinning about the map.

    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.
  • edited January 2010
    I really like this map, and I appreciate how tremendous its size is. Zoomed in, I really like many of the terrains you've created. They have a life of their own that I sometimes have trouble creating myself, and you combine symbols nicely. I particularly like the look of Mossgrave Mire, and the progression of tundra terrain is nice as well. Just how big (in miles) is this map, anyway, out of curiosity?

    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.
  • To Goldgrae: Thank you for your kind words and I enjoyed your critique and I would have to agree with you. The dimensions in miles I made this map in for a CC3 file is 10,000 by 6,500 miles I believe. I am sure that would reduce in size via game world however. I wasn't sure how to exactly do minor transitions to different areas so that's what I didn't put them. Some transitions are "zones" themselves rather then apart of the actual specified environment.

    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.
  • It definitely sounds like an interesting world, and I was going to ask about the text color... pre-empted that! I wish you luck with your project. Single shard worlds are great.

    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.
  • Another thing you could do is create borders between different terrain regions, or a specific kind of border for those transitional zones. This would be symbolic rather than actual (like, a bright red glowing border or some such). It would look artificial, of course, but maybe that's how your in-game cartographer chooses to represent them? Just a random idea.
  • Farsight, I've commented before but must say again ... I love this map. I think what I love the most is the names you have used. The names, combined with the terrain and interesting use of symbols, pulls me in to a world of high fantasy. Wonderful!
  • 22 days later
  • Well I posted the final map with the new update 8 edits...

    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.
  • 15 days later
  • so exactly how did it take you to do all of this? I love the map it seems to be much larger than life, and rich with detail.
  • 14 days later
  • Took me a course of 2 and a half weeks to get this map the way I wanted.
  • Sorry guys gotta take the map down. But thanks for the comments, I really appreciate it. Hoping this will become my own IP soon.
  • Do you need a place to put it ?

    Free web host, I have several sites there, no huge banners, no popups.

    http://www.cwahi.net/
  • Nope, I have a place to put it. This map here is going to be involved in an IP for a video game. Can't post nothing until it's copywrited.
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