Map Showcase and Review Thread

[elarmasecreta]

@ppooookkkkkkk:
Right of now it's incredibly frustrating if you go south since there's a dead end and a load of grass. Listen to PokeInfuse, as it is now you only have to take 3 turns to get through the map. That's even less effort than on the first route in FR/LG!

Take a look at the map I posted earlier for some inspiration. Or even at the routes from the original games. Don't make your paths too wide, and don't create large patches of grass. grass doesn't make the route any more difficult, just more frustrating. Create a maze like structure to make the map more difficult and interesting. Make sure every accessible part of the map lead to has a purpose.

I've drawn you something you could use as an example:

the red path shows a curvy path the player could take, with a few branches that lead into dead ends where he/she can find items or whatever. the brown lines are ledges, with the pink lines showing the direction in which the player could jump. green patches are trees.

Hope this helps you!

[Nintendork15]

Random Ice cave map. Empty space mountain thing, is gonna have trainers and a cut scene on, hence why space is needed, puzzles work perfectly as shown in following spoiler.

Spoiler:

[ppooookkkkkkk]

Originally Posted by elarmasecreta

@ppooookkkkkkk:
Right of now it's incredibly frustrating if you go south since there's a dead end and a load of grass. Listen to PokeInfuse, as it is now you only have to take 3 turns to get through the map. That's even less effort than on the first route in FR/LG!

Take a look at the map I posted earlier for some inspiration. Or even at the routes from the original games. Don't make your paths too wide, and don't create large patches of grass. grass doesn't make the route any more difficult, just more frustrating. Create a maze like structure to make the map more difficult and interesting. Make sure every accessible part of the map lead to has a purpose.

I've drawn you something you could use as an example:

the red path shows a curvy path the player could take, with a few branches that lead into dead ends where he/she can find items or whatever. the brown lines are ledges, with the pink lines showing the direction in which the player could jump. green patches are trees.

Hope this helps you!

Ok thanks but I cant edit it now since i'm slept over my friends house today. So I don't have acces to my laptop.

P.s posted using my mobile.

[WackyTurtle]

Spoiler:

Just a quick one, here's the most recent route for my game "Legends of the Arena".

Didn't know how to display events on my map too, but at this point in the game it's raining and a storm is approaching. Those two ledges on the road near the top of the map are blocked by dancing Ludicolo, hence why you have to go around via the long grass. Also along that road are trainers, which is why it's somewhat sparse.

Oh, and that blue Pokéball structure in the centre of the map is a healing station to heal Pokémon.

[Rayquaza.]

Following the critique of the old map I have removed many of the unnecessary pathways and added more tall grass and higher cliffs to Route 9:

Spoiler:

[elarmasecreta]

Rayquaza, your map is still too empty... you'd get lost so easy. Look at all the tips Ppoookk got, avoid using large open spaces and huge patches of grass as well.

WackyTurtle, your map looks quite good, however, the paved area is really boring compared to the parts with the long grass. It looks like its half finished now.

Also guys, please post reviews when posting your map(s). =)

[WackyTurtle]

Originally Posted by elarmasecreta

WackyTurtle, your map looks quite good, however, the paved area is really boring compared to the parts with the long grass. It looks like its half finished now.

Yeah it bugs me too, but in fairness it is littered with trainers and cyclists and the like, so it's not too boring to play. But thank you for the feedback.

Also guys, please post reviews when posting your map(s). =)

I thought that it wasn't mandatory to rate the map above you?

[Nintendork15]

Originally Posted by elarmasecreta

Also guys, please post reviews when posting your map(s). =)

Nothing says we have to review the above post(s).
Besides I had already reviewed the one above me, twice.

[ppooookkkkkkk]

Originally Posted by Rayquaza.

Following the critique of the old map I have removed many of the unnecessary pathways and added more tall grass and higher cliffs to Route 9:

Spoiler:

As elarmasecreta said your map feels very empty. Filling a little bit more will make it perfect
Also the platform between the water(I can guess it's there for an item)I should have some objects like flowers and rocks.

Heres the update of my map.

Spoiler:

It is more difficult than before.

[Nintendork15]

It looks great now, except if you go from the Left gatehouse to the Upper Gatehouse, you can't, it's all completely blocked off, is this intended?

[ppooookkkkkkk]

oh really sorry about my mistake i'll fix it.


Edit: map fixed in the above post.

[DaSpirit]

ppooookkkkkkk, mapping is not all about random placings. You're still doing it. Your flowers look random. In real life, they don't grow like that. They grow in patches near each other. Same with trees. There shouldn't be any spaces in between them unless it's for a secret area where you find an item. Every pathway has to have a purpose. Also, ledges are meant for going backwards from a route easier, so if they do not fill that purpose, remove them or move them elsewhere.

I suggest you start studying official maps before you continue making your own. An idea: Go to Bulbapedia and look at D/P/Ppt routes and try to emulate them. They should have full map images there. Don't copy 100%, but just take a bunch of pieces and merge them into your own. Just look at the design patterns.

[KingCharizard]

Originally Posted by DaSpirit

ppooookkkkkkk, mapping is not all about random placings. You're still doing it. Your flowers look random. In real life, they don't grow like that. They grow in patches near each other. Same with trees. There shouldn't be any spaces in between them unless it's for a secret area where you find an item. Every pathway has to have a purpose. Also, ledges are meant for going backwards from a route easier, so if they do not fill that purpose, remove them or move them elsewhere.

I suggest you start studying official maps before you continue making your own. An idea: Go to Bulbapedia and look at D/P/Ppt routes and try to emulate them. They should have full map images there. Don't copy 100%, but just take a bunch of pieces and merge them into your own. Just look at the design patterns.

Then whats a forest? The official maps, well the orginal ones were alot like his above map. Dont get me wrong though I'm not saying above is a good map but its not that bad either..

[Rayquaza.]

3rd time lucky!?

Filled in more space to this map:

Spoiler:

[Riansky]

Rayquaza: Add more trees. And don't put them so separate and don't throw them aroud map. They have to me together more like official maps, have a look at them. Its better then previous map but still its really empty.

[elarmasecreta]

Rayquaza, that map is just way too large, start working on smaller maps first to get an ideas on how to make them look interesting and less empty. You could divide that map into several smaller maps and connect them in essentials.

[ppooookkkkkkk]

Originally Posted by DaSpirit

ppooookkkkkkk, mapping is not all about random placings. You're still doing it. Your flowers look random. In real life, they don't grow like that. They grow in patches near each other. Same with trees. There shouldn't be any spaces in between them unless it's for a secret area where you find an item. Every pathway has to have a purpose. Also, ledges are meant for going backwards from a route easier, so if they do not fill that purpose, remove them or move them elsewhere.

I suggest you start studying official maps before you continue making your own. An idea: Go to Bulbapedia and look at D/P/Ppt routes and try to emulate them. They should have full map images there. Don't copy 100%, but just take a bunch of pieces and merge them into your own. Just look at the design patterns.

First of all Making games isn't Known Here. Programs like RMXP,Game maker,Sphere, Etc aren't very much mentioned here

Second No one here doesn't have sense of a Perfect maps All they think of it that it should be difficult.

Third I'm just eleven. So, I don't have very great skills at mapping,Scripting,English. Thats why, i hear people say this is wrong that is bad. I'm upset no one takes it from the point of view of a 11 year old Game devolper.

And Last. My tilesets Won't accept the Filling the gaps. Thats why, those have to be there.

im sorry For my rage.

About the flower's i'll fix it.

[Nintendork15]

Originally Posted by ppooookkkkkkk

First of all Making games isn't Known Here. Programs like RMXP,Game maker,Sphere, Etc aren't very much mentioned here

Second No one here doesn't have sense of a Perfect maps All they think of it that it should be difficult.

Third I'm just eleven. So, I don't have very great skills at mapping,Scripting,English. Thats why, i hear people say this is wrong that is bad. I'm upset no one takes it from the point of view of a 11 year old Game devolper.

And Last. My tilesets Won't accept the Filling the gaps. Thats why, those have to be there.

im sorry For my rage.

About the flower's i'll fix it.

In the Game Dev section, RMXP and Game Maker are very much mentioned.
The only sense of perfect maps are official or legit looking ones.
Age is no relevance here. You'd think at the age of 18 I'd learn to stick to one idea, master spriting, do some scripting, and decide to release a beta or something by know. But noooope.

I don't see how the tileset won't accept things, do explain.

[ppooookkkkkkk]

I'm sorry i was in rage thats why i said things like these

About things i said above. I live in Pakistan here game devolpment is not commonly mentioned. Programs like rmxp,sphere gamemaker, etc are considered useless here.

About tilesets wont accept it. My layer three is full. And, the tree tiles i use are more than two tiles wide and They won't fit there. Thats why I said that.

I'll still see what i can do to fix my untidiness.

[P-Sign]

Originally Posted by ppooookkkkkkk

I'm sorry i was in rage thats why i said things like these :P

About things i said above. I live in Pakistan here game devolpment is not commonly mentioned. Programs like rmxp,sphere gamemaker, etc are considered useless here.

About tilesets wont accept it. My layer three is full. And, the tree tiles i use are more than two tiles wide and They won't fit there. Thats why I said that.

I'll still see what i can do to fix my untidiness.

Would that really matter? For as far as I know it's the same in almost every country, including mine (I only know three users of RPG Maker in The Netherlands) and I can't say I had much problems because of this. As long as you understand a decent amount of English and search on communities dedicated to RPG Maker, you'll be fine, I think.

You can edit your tilesets in case you need that; I have done that pretty often. You can, for example put a grass tile under a tree so you won't have to put the grass tile on layer 1 and the tree tile on layer 2.

What I'd do to fix your map:
-Line the flowers up a bit.
-Add sand paths and eventually small bits of water.
-Smaller patches of grass.
-Random placement of the tress on the border; it looks a bit weird now.

[KingCharizard]

Everyone's a critic.....

Originally Posted by Riansky

Rayquaza: Add more trees. And don't put them so separate and don't throw them aroud map. They have to me together more like official maps, have a look at them. Its better then previous map but still its really empty.

This is something that I continue to see that is really starting to annoy me, I'll explain. People keep saying "Like the official maps", last I checked these are fan games being made by different people with different styles. A little creativity, change, should be encouraged not frowned upon. You want to explore the official maps go play the official games.

@Rayquaza, IMHO The map isn't bad, but its just too large. Why would anyone make a map that massive. I've been seeing this as a recent trend. When you have a map that large you run into the problem you seem to have and that there is to much open space you're trying to fill and it makes the map look odd. You wouldn't use a canvas that is too large to paint a picture and try to fill the empty space with something odd or out of place would you?

[Riansky]

Originally Posted by KingCharizard

Everyone's a critic.....



This is something that I continue to see that is really starting to annoy me, I'll explain. People keep saying "Like the official maps", last I checked these are fan games being made by different people with different styles. A little creativity, change, should be encouraged not frowned upon. You want to explore the official maps go play the official games.

Its not about making maps like official maps. Just to look at them because they are good example how maps should have been made. Otherwise It almost make no sense to put trees at random spots, trees don't grow like that, same goes with flowers. So that's why I said to look at official maps, just because people will see how the maps should have been made, not that they have to be like that..

[jim42]

I find that a good size for maps is 30x30 traversable area per tile on the Town Map. For instance, I would make something three map tiles wide be 90x30, or something like Jubilife be 60x60. Take a look at my attachment for an example of the former. A good size map with plenty of variation, a good amount of paths, shortcuts back, and areas for later. Note there's some custom tiles there, so don't go stealing anything.

With the tilesets problem, I think you just need to understand how tilesets and mapping works. To use the trees as an example, in my tilesets I have maybe a dozen or so tiles. Four tiles are the base and middle of the tree; I place these on layer two in the placement I desire. Then I have the edges and tops of the tree. These go on layer three wherever I have bases on layer two. Then there's the joiny bits where things would usually overlap; they also go on layer three.

Take a look at my second attachment for an example. Highlighted in orange are the layer two tiles. I start with the bottom four, put trees wherever I want them, then at any place there there are multiple trees in a line, I replace them with the top four. Then, I place the tops of the trees on layer three, and outline all of the outermost trees with the appropriate edge pieces. Easy as pie. All you need to do is make a similar setup in your tilesets using your tiles.

Also, if I may make a recommendation, avoid using DPPt or BW/2 maps as inspiration. While there are some good examples of mapping in there, there are also a lot of blocky, unnatural maps present in those games. A better source would be HGSS. Much improvement was made in regards to mapping in those games.

[ppooookkkkkkk]

thanks every one for the examples. I'll try to fix, my maps as soon as possible.

Edit new map i hopw its good :D

Spoiler:

There are no gaps in the trees.

Some of those empty space you can see. Are for items.

There is a road construction going on. So, thats why there are those half road mud paths

[Nintendork15]

Originally Posted by jim42

I find that a good size for maps is 30x30 traversable area per tile on the Town Map. For instance, I would make something three map tiles wide be 90x30, or something like Jubilife be 60x60. Take a look at my attachment for an example of the former. A good size map with plenty of variation, a good amount of paths, shortcuts back, and areas for later. Note there's some custom tiles there, so don't go stealing anything.

With the tilesets problem, I think you just need to understand how tilesets and mapping works. To use the trees as an example, in my tilesets I have maybe a dozen or so tiles. Four tiles are the base and middle of the tree; I place these on layer two in the placement I desire. Then I have the edges and tops of the tree. These go on layer three wherever I have bases on layer two. Then there's the joiny bits where things would usually overlap; they also go on layer three.

Take a look at my second attachment for an example. Highlighted in orange are the layer two tiles. I start with the bottom four, put trees wherever I want them, then at any place there there are multiple trees in a line, I replace them with the top four. Then, I place the tops of the trees on layer three, and outline all of the outermost trees with the appropriate edge pieces. Easy as pie. All you need to do is make a similar setup in your tilesets using your tiles.

Also, if I may make a recommendation, avoid using DPPt or BW/2 maps as inspiration. While there are some good examples of mapping in there, there are also a lot of blocky, unnatural maps present in those games. A better source would be HGSS. Much improvement was made in regards to mapping in those games.

I don't know what to say, That map is just pure awesome! <3