How do you use empty space?

[Flowerchild]

As the title implies, how do you use empty space in maps? Some people leave ridiculous amounts of space, whereas others try and fill up everything.

I usually use some empty space, but put flowers, headbutt trees, etc, to fill up some of it. I try never to use too much though.

 

[Logan]

I don't really get this thread. You have to use free space if you're making an extensive hack no matter what way you look at it... :/

 

[honorum646]

I think he's talking about ways to fluff-up scenery in routes/city etc.

I like to put in different landmarks. Caves, city squares, ponds/rivers. Things that draw the player to remember my landscape as MY zone, not a zone just like one in another game.

 

[hinkage]

It depends on the map --

Routes I can fill with some flowers, and rocks. If it's a sandy beach, then I fill space with large and small rocks.

Mountains I have wide, open space, with lots of large mountain tiles, and a few small/medium rocks.

Forests need lots of flowers, tall grass, and trees. Even if the trees get in the way a bit. I don't leave big open areas in a forest, unless it's a clearing.

Cities/towns I generally have a lot of "open space" but filled with different tiles, like dirt/sand/roads. I never have a problem with big empty areas in cities/towns.


Tl;dr: Not all maps should have lots of open space, or no open space at all. It differs.

 

[giradialkia]

Hm, this actually has me thinking. When I'm mapping, I tend to fill up free space with flowers or other eye-candy (but usually something the player can walk over, as opposed to something solid like a tree or a rock). If I see a chunk of empty space in a map I just feel compelled to fill it out somehow- but to be honest, it's just a habit. In plenty of the official maps, there's free space in maps (without any form of visual filler). I guess the style of mapping is a factor, along with the tiles.
This only really applies to outdoor maps, of course- indoor maps are usually really small and so there's rarely any room for excess eye-candy.

 

[marcc5m]

Flowers and headbutt trees and fences oh my!

Honestly this is something I have a lot of trouble with. I can get the basic design of a map down, but I find it hard to fill it up.

 

[Truality]

Slicky git, free space is. I always try to get rid of every possible extra tile that will widen an area, but yet I miss others that properly need covering. Also, considering how I usually aim for GF-styled maps, open spaces are awkward.

Protip: I don't consider passable terrain (like flowers) a practical way of covering empty space, just making it prettier.

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

I take the empty space and PUSH it under some trees.

problem solved.

 

[sab]

I just push the walls in, or add a new wall. Then I add flowers, more trees, paths, wild grass, etc. and before you know it The map is cramped beyond anything else except maybe zein's maps. If you don't belive me take a look:

Spoiler:

I think I need lessons on how to leave more empty space, like ninja caterpie, or Thrace...

 

[Bolens]

Well using empty space in a map is difficult some times. It depends on what your trying to map. Wether it be a route, or a town...each has it's own mapping techniques best suited to it. I mean you can't really fill up a city with trees :/ wouldn't look right. Just have to use common sense and go from there.

 

[Tesbi]

I tend to automatically fill in empty space when I notice it in my maps. If it's excessive, try adding in extra areas such as alleyways for cities and pathways/jump ledges in routes. There's always a way to fill in empty space but there's also a fine line between filling and over-filling. If anything seems to be over-filled try adding a rock or a tree to use more tiles up rather than one-tile decoration.

 

[cosmifox]

mostly in cities like a big one just add a house with no door then you dont take the troube to make another house map
routs i just add logs rocks grass and jump ledges

it depends on the person i guess

 

[Alexander Nicholi]

What I do with empty space in maps

I tend to overfill outdoor maps, because I think the more detail a map has, the better it looks. I like to theme my maps depending on whether they're a city or a route—for instance I don't fill a city map with trees unless it's a town like Fortree. I always manage to theme it correctly, and add lots of detail, but I have a problem with filling up large amounts of space, like for instance a 40×40 map. I love adding detail because I think it makes the game a lot more interesting if the game's scripted well and has a good plot.