Map Showcase and Review Thread

Stochastic said:

Hey all, here's a part of a route from my Pokémon Empyrean. It's not yet finished 100%, need to add more detail
and fix a few things here and there.

Click to expand...

It's a nice map, but I think if you made the color for the grass or the trees different, it would be much better. Also look out near the top left corner, you got some cliffs on top of trees.

It's big, natural looking, and seems to be pretty finished. I need to learn to use elevation better.

The only sore point to me the cut trees, they really don't work(for me) randomly sprinkled like Rock Smash boulders.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I sprinkled some of those because I'm lacking another type of tree/bush to complement the details on the map,
I'll be changing it to somethin' else. Thanks!

It's a nice map, but I think if you made the color for the grass or the trees different, it would be much better. Also look out near the top left corner, you got some cliffs on top of trees.

Click to expand...

Do you have any suggestions on how to change the color? Darken the trees, or changing the hue of the
grass, etc? Although I like the current colors, if it can look better, I'm all ears. And thanks for pointing out
the tree tile error : )

I've been working on a (secret) project for a little bit, but I'm kind of at a place where I can't really continue the story, so I decided to make maps.

Advent Town (Starting town, warning, big)

Route 1 (Warning, big)

Centure City (Horrible pun and there's a big image in this one too)


Ignore the white squares, that's where flowers were originally, and the program I use to tak map screenshots doesn't render them properly.

Akaran said:

I've been working on a (secret) project for a little bit, but I'm kind of at a place where I can't really continue the story, so I decided to make maps.

Click to expand...

Advent Town (Starting town, warning, big)

I love the blue flowers, that small touch is just so perfect
the layout is very basic for a starting town, nice and simple, but you may want to mix it up a bit - then again it is only a starting town so there does not require much detail, but it's w/e
Route 1 (Warning, big)

It's a pretty good map, I like the idea of it, but its too square, with some minor edits it culd really be a cool map, the only big issue I have s that the ledge areas seem almost as if they are trapping you, there isnt much to do there except leave that small area, if you added something of interest, maybe a person or a hidden item, it would be neat
Centure City (Horrible pun and there's a big image in this one too)

horrible asymmetric orange building at the top, I cant stand it, it may not be that bad, but I would never use it, I cant stand asymmetry used in such a way
other than that the town is very bland, it looks as if it would be one of those towns that the player just pass by, other than that building at the top, theres nothing really interesting, or even pretty there, like a fountain, or statue or something
the road tiles you're using are too wide also, they just look awkward like that, as though they take up most of the map

Went and took your critique into consideration. I needed to change the asymmetrical yellow building anyway, it's the Trainer's School.

Route 1


Unseen but there are berries in the berry patches, in the 1st ledge area there was an Antidote before, but now in both ledge areas there's hidden items.

Centure City


(Imgur noooo you changed the pictures to jpgs!)

Stochastic said:

Yeah, I sprinkled some of those because I'm lacking another type of tree/bush to complement the details on the map,
I'll be changing it to somethin' else. Thanks!



Do you have any suggestions on how to change the color? Darken the trees, or changing the hue of the
grass, etc? Although I like the current colors, if it can look better, I'm all ears. And thanks for pointing out
the tree tile error : )

Click to expand...

I made a quick selection in photoshop and played with the colors a bit to give you some inspiration

Original


Variation 1 (minor edits on original, trees only)


Variation 2 (cliffs are darker, grass is less saturated, trees are more blue to give a more magical look)


Variation 3 (whole scene is modified to look more like a dead forest)


Here is a link to the psd if you have Photoshop and you want to play around with the colors yourself. Note that I was lazy and omitted the cut tree and wooden logs/trunks from my selection, so you can't really play with their colors unless you do it yourself. Also, although if you probably know that, playing with the hue and contrast can be imprecise and will only give you an idea.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ferlwzcp3jtf54c/Stochastic_edits.psd

Thanks so much for making those! This will help me a lot ! : )

*flies off and starts playing in photoshop*

@Akaran
The route looks... like a route. Make the right bottom bushes less square, use more of those small trees in the crevices, and do you have a more visible flower?

@Stochastic
I like the first variation myself, but the second is fine too.


Route 1, haunted mansion is now inside the forest.

Akaran said:

Went and took your critique into consideration. I needed to change the asymmetrical yellow building anyway, it's the Trainer's School.

Route 1

Spoiler:

Unseen but there are berries in the berry patches, in the 1st ledge area there was an Antidote before, but now in both ledge areas there's hidden items.

Centure City

Spoiler:

(Imgur noooo you changed the pictures to jpgs!)

Click to expand...

they're going good, better than the first, but still choppy, check this out
It's from World Slayer, if you use his method, then making interesting and exploratory maps will become a cinch, and really draw in people to your game

the map overall are ok, but they can be so much better with a little more work! good luck

lauerolus said:

@Akaran
The route looks... like a route. Make the right bottom bushes less square, use more of those small trees in the crevices, and do you have a more visible flower?

@Stochastic
I like the first variation myself, but the second is fine too.


Route 1, haunted mansion is now inside the forest.

Spoiler:

Click to expand...

relatively boring, empty, and quite bland, take a look at Worldslayer's method to mapping, and it will easily put things into perspective and make it easier to improve your map
also, why is there a bike on the side of the road?
if I saw one there, I would just take it...

WARNING: LARGE IMAGE UNDER THE SPOILER. HIGHLY RECOMMEND CLICKING THE ALTERNATE LINK INSTEAD.

http://i.imgur.com/PJuMPKL.png

Touhoumon Underground/Touhoumon Faith & Prayer Version

Chireiden/The Palace of the Earth Spirits

Known throughout the Underground as the location where Satori Komeiji lives, the Palace of the Earth Spirits is an important landmark in Gensokyo, and an iconic structure for Underground Society.

The Palace of the Earth Spirits could be compared to a zoo with the number of animals seen gathered around it, namely being Kasha and Hell Ravens.The size of the mansion allows the well over 100 Kasha living there to remain there comfortably. The towers in the East and West wings (not featured yet) house the numerous Hell Ravens that live at the mansion, save for Utsuho Reiuji.

The Mansion is divided into five main wings: The East Wings (Upper and Lower are individual wings), The West Wing (Upper and Lower are individual wings), and the Lower Level f the Main Hall (Chireiden Basement Floor 1). The Kasha are also divided into 5 clans, and with 1 alpha for each group. Each clan bunks in their own wing, and will often dual bunk if there is not enough rooms. the Clan Alpha's will get their own room.

The Dining Hall is divided up between two floors, to accomidate the large number of Kasha and Ravens that live within the walls of the mansion. At a grand seating capacity of 128, the dining hall is well equipped to handle the average amount of guests it will get at one time, and then some.

A map from my game, Pokemon: Opal Version

The Pallisa City Gym is the simplest to get through, and contains no real "gym puzzle" as it is the first gym, and meant to be easily navigated. The only significant feature of this gym is the wild Pokemon that attack you, who can't be fled from, and can't be caught, paired with a higher encounter rate. They are just there as an annoyance.

Location: Pallisa City
Type: Normal
Leader: Joey (yes that Joey)
Pokemon: Eevee, Lv. 13; Rattata (shiny), Lv. 14
TM Gift: Double Team

It looks more like a Grass type gym to me, Ryad... Anyway, I think it's fine for a gym, though it does feel a bit cramped in there. I think the walls you placed in the middle of the gym look a bit a bit out of place, they don't seem to connect that good to the grass.

WARNING: LARGE IMAGE UNDER THE SPOILER. HIGHLY RECOMMEND CLICKING THE ALTERNATE LINK INSTEAD.

Alternate URL

Touhoumon Underground/Touhoumon Faith & Prayer Version

The Anicent Capital, Underground City

The Ancient Capital, also known as the Former Capital of Hell, is anything but abandoned. After the yamas relocated Hell, the Oni made a deal with the yamas to keep the lingering evil spirits at bay if they were allowed to live in the Underground. Over the years, the Oni decided to expand and build up the city. Oni can usually be seen partying through the streets day in and day out.

The Underground has been known to never turn away any visitors, going so far as to even allow them to stay in the city if they so wish. While the predominant inhabitants are the Oni populace, the city also has a Tsuchigumo, as well as a nearby Hashihime who guards the bridge to the city.

The city sports numerous districts and houses in each district, but the district of most fame is in the Central portion of the city, known as the Party District. In the Party District are two buildings - the Underground Tavern, which is always active, and the Dojo, where one can find several Oni always itching for a contest, be it in strength of puppet battles now.

At the far north of the city is the entrance to the Palace of the Earth Spirits, where the Komeiji sisters moved into when exiled from the above ground, and live with all of their pets, namely Rin Kaenbyou and Utsuho Reiuji. The Mansion is easily one of the largest structures in not just the underground, but the entirety of Gensokyo as well.

Click to expand...

90x140 was the size of this map. Some may argue that it was entirely unnecessary to create a map that big, one with all those houses, but I was trying to go for a proper and accurate representation of how the Ancient Capital looked - which according to various sources (Official and headcanons), is a very big city. It also was supposed to look like a traditional Japanese village from the Meiji Period of Japan, roughly the late 1800s.

Derxwna Kapsyla said:

WARNING: LARGE IMAGE UNDER THE SPOILER. HIGHLY RECOMMEND CLICKING THE ALTERNATE LINK INSTEAD.

Spoiler:

Alternate URL

90x140 was the size of this map. Some may argue that it was entirely unnecessary to create a map that big, one with all those houses, but I was trying to go for a proper and accurate representation of how the Ancient Capital looked - which according to various sources (Official and headcanons), is a very big city. It also was supposed to look like a traditional Japanese village from the Meiji Period of Japan, roughly the late 1800s.

Click to expand...

I understand that you're trying to create a large, expansive Capital city, but right now it seems like it would be very boring to play. There are too many empty spaces and too much repetition. To keep the player engaged you need much more variety, particularly in the buildings - look at the building variation in maps like Goldenrod City and Jubilife City, for example, which actively encourage the player to explore the town. I would also encourage less angular use of mountains, although this is less pressing. Just remember, it's all about crafting an experience for the player, and I would consider historical accuracy a secondary concern.

I LIED!
I WILL NOT STOP THE THEATRALICS!!
MUAHAHAHAHA!

...*Ahum*
Anyway, Fuchsia Jungle, a new Post-Game Area, similar to Cerulean Cave, in my game Pokémon: Blaze Red & Lush Green

tImE said:

I LIED!
I WILL NOT STOP THE THEATRALICS!!
MUAHAHAHAHA!

...*Ahum*
Anyway, Fuchsia Jungle, a new Post-Game Area, similar to Cerulean Cave, in my game Pokémon: Blaze Red & Lush Green

Spoiler:

Click to expand...

i feel like it should be bigger and easy to get lost in, you know, less straight foward

Saving Raven said:

i feel like it should be bigger and easy to get lost in, you know, less straight foward

Click to expand...

NEVER!!
I SHALL NOT ABIDE BY THE CRITIQUE OF SIMPLE MORTA-
*Ahum*
I mean, yeah, I agree with you.
I remade the entire map, making it slightly bigger and "easier to get lost in".
This isn't supposed to be a big plotline area, just a simple post-game area with some post-game Pokémon and Celebi, so I don't want it to be too big.

tImE said:

NEVER!!
I SHALL NOT ABIDE BY THE CRITIQUE OF SIMPLE MORTA-
*Ahum*
I mean, yeah, I agree with you.
I remade the entire map, making it slightly bigger and "easier to get lost in".
This isn't supposed to be a big plotline area, just a simple post-game area with some post-game Pokémon and Celebi, so I don't want it to be too big.

Spoiler:

Click to expand...

looks great! I only say bigger because it was called a jungle, and that was more of a little forest path :P
but it looks great now!
besides, you wouldnt wanna just GIVE them celebi, they gotta work for it :P

Saving Raven said:

looks great! I only say bigger because it was called a jungle, and that was more of a little forest path :P
but it looks great now!
besides, you wouldnt wanna just GIVE them celebi, they gotta work for it :P

Click to expand...

Well, actually making Celebi appear will be hard enough.
You'll see...! ;)