Ray's mapping tutorial-method

[Ray Maverick]

.::Introduction::.
Hi everyone!Welcome to my mapping tutorial!I'm Ray Maverick and i made this tutorial to teach the people of PC forums everything i know about mapping!I hope you'll learn from it!There are 2 sections: The basic functions,and a mapping way.

.::Tools::.
You'll need advanced map(a-map) to accomplish all the following steps.
A-map is a tool for making maps,created by Lu-Ho.It has many functions and i'm going to explain most of them.

Click here to get a-map.

.::Basic Functions(for starters)::.

Spoiler:

This section is for starter mappers.I'll explain most of the functions of the a-map.
These are in the top of your map.(please give me some ideas on how to explain this XD)
''Edit your map''
There are 5 ways to edit your map.

''map''
''movement permissions''
''events''
''wild pokemon''
''header''

''map''=you can edit your map(simple,this is for noobs).
''movement permissions''= there will be a whole section about those.
''events''= here you can edit the events of your maps.
''wild pokemon''= the tittle says all,you can edit wild pokemons,how often they appear,wild pokemons in grass,water,ground,fishing.
''header''=there will be a whole section about this.

''Show sprite button''
it is shaped like the sprite of the hero of R/S/E.
it shows all the sprites of the current events in the map.

''Settings of Events''
(this works if you choose the ''events'' instead of the others -map,wild pokemon,etc)Right of you in the tool,there are the settings of an event.

''Change the events''
You can change the events of a map.Down-right of a-map there's current events of your map.Just change the number of the event,and then click ''change events''.Your new event will appear in top left of your map.
Here are all the events:
1. person event
2. signpost event
3. script event
4 warp events

''warps''
the warps warp the player into another map.For example,you want to enter a house.You enter from its door.In the map,theres a warp in that door.To add a warp in your map,just change the events.And to edit the events,just look at the settings.

A warp must always have a number.You're gonna use this number to the warp you're making.
Results of this:

warp 1= Warp you're making
warp 2=Warp you want warp 1 to lead

map bank=contains lots of maps,FR has 42.
warp 2 is in a certain map,right?Left of you,there is the list of maps and map banks.Find the number of the map.This map is in a certain map bank.Lets say that this warps number is 3.

warp 1=Click on it,right of you will appear the settings:
n0 of warp=fill this with whatever number you want(Make it sure that the number does not exist in the map,on another warp)

to warp number:Fill this with the number of the warp 2,which is in this case 3.

Map bank:the number of the map bank that warp 2 located in a map of this bank

Map:The number of the map that warp 2 located.

results(in game):When you enter from warp 1,you'll end up in the warp 2.

''connections''
The connections work like warps.I'll update this part later

.::Mapping Way::.

This is my personal way of making maps.You can either follow it,or you can develop your own way.I'm happy to share this with you guys of PC forums.So,lets get on with it!

steps: (you start with a plain map of grass)


1.

Let's start with a plain map of grass.There is nothing to see here,though.
Before start building your map,you must think about your maps
shape,consider where exactly is the mountain,the grass,the water etc.

2.

To start the map,you must start with the very basic structures.
The nature structures,the mountains,the water and the trees.

3.

Now,the upper map is very plain,don't you think?
The map needs to be decorated.There are some decoration tiles,
such as flowers,rocks,shades of grass(or paths),bushes, etc.
In the following maps,i start adding to them decoration tiles:

Take a look into your garden!Don't you see rocks?
Rocks are common to find,and they are part of nature.
Maps represent nature,and nature has rocks(mostly).

Outside your window,it has bushes and flowers,i suppose.
In the following map,there are flowers and bushes added.
They give out a natural feeling,perfect to improve your map.

After the rain,there remain small amount of water.(sorry,but i dont know how to call them).It seems that water is vanishing slowly from our planet,so in virtual world,add as much as you can!!
I also placed ledges in the map.

3.

Now the map is a lot more interesting than before,don't you think?

Can you compare this map....

...With this map?

Human is also part of the nature.This map lacks the "human touch".
You can add the human structures in your map.
I placed a house,a fence and a mailbox,all human made things.

Human made things can't be created by theirselves,otherwise,they wouldn't be human made.
So,most of the maps must have humans,events in the language of a-map.

So,the final result of the map is this:

Good luck with your own maps. ;)
.::Some notes::.

Try to avoid making square maps.
Try to be natural.
Think of nature,its not so perfect to have squares or symetrical things.Think about it.

.::Credits::.

To Zorthan Maverick,and to dragonfirenightmaster9,they tested this tutorial and approved it.
To Lu-Ho for his amazing tool,a-map

And this was my tutorial,i hope you people like it,and ask questions about something you didn't understood,report grammar mistakes,sorry for these.Expect more updates soon.Sorry for the no images thing.I'll try to add some.

 

[MASTEROFPUPPETS93]

So Ray this is a very detailed tutorial ;) You explained almost all things you must know about advance map! I'll read the whole tutorial when i need help with a-map ;)

Great job! ~MASTEROFPUPPETS93

 

[Master Terrador]

Hey...You've got a Tut up...nice...If I forget something I'll Come back here...Oh yes...My name is Dragonfirenightmare9...You put Dragonfirenightmaster...Just going to point that out...

 

[Ray Maverick]

Thanks everyone!!!I've not added all the sections yet.
I don't think your name will bug you,its more cool.

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

Making a square map isn't something you should "never" do. You can make a map square yet beautiful at the same time. :\

Other than that, it's pretty nice, just try to make it look more shiny. =P

I wanted to come here and see some terrible thing and go lawl

 

[Crimson Stardust]

This is certainly helpful to me...
i can look up this tut if im mapping

 

[Xela]

Nice and explained tutorial, maybe add some pictures to each section?

 

[Ray Maverick]

Making a square map isn't something you should "never" do. You can make a map square yet beautiful at the same time. :\

Other than that, it's pretty nice, just try to make it look more shiny. =P

I wanted to come here and see some terrible thing and go lawl

So,show me a good square map,and i'll believe you. :\

This is certainly helpful to me...
i can look up this tut if im mapping

Thanks. ;)

Nice and explained tutorial, maybe add some pictures to each section?

Yeah,you're right,but i have some difficulties with that.I cant shoot screenshots,and i cant post them,i must make them banners.

 

[Avatar]

I'm not really sure what you were trying to achieve with this 'tutorial' but I think it needs a lot of work.
Not only is it not a mapping tutorial, but it's not very descriptive in its steps. At best this is closer to a mapping guideline than anything.

I personally think the basic functionality section of this tutorial is pointless as one would assume the user would have a basic grasp of the program they're working with when trying to find tutorials to help them on their mapping.

Mapping method? What? There's no real method here nor even a visual demonstration (rather important) of said methods.
Telling people that they shouldn't map in squares is a little silly seeing as the majority of official maps are mapped with that basic structure in mind. It's how square your mapping is that's the major factor in how good your map will end up looking.

And telling people not to leave a map undecorated is a little silly too because you make it seem like just a tiny fraction of the map being filled exclusively with regular grass tiles (not the tall grass with Pokemon in it) is a no-no, which in some cases it isn't.

I'll commend your effort, but I think you need to revise this tutorial a bit.

 

[Taz Maverick]

I'm not really sure what you were trying to achieve with this 'tutorial' but I think it needs a lot of work.
Not only is it not a mapping tutorial, but it's not very descriptive in its steps. At best this is closer to a mapping guideline than anything.

I personally think the basic functionality section of this tutorial is pointless as one would assume the user would have a basic grasp of the program they're working with when trying to find tutorials to help them on their mapping.

Mapping method? What? There's not real method here nor even a visual demonstration (rather important) of said methods.
Telling people that they shouldn't map in squares is a little sillying seeing as the majority of official maps are mapped with that basic structure in mind. It's how square your mapping is that's the major factor in how good your map will end up looking.

And telling people not to leave a map undecorated is a little silly too because you make it seem like just a tiny fraction of the map being filled exclusively with regular grass tiles (not the tall grass with Pokemon in it) is a no-no, which in some cases it isn't.

I'll commend your effort, but I think you need to revise this tutorial a bit.

I couldnt disagree more.You know what?I'm not a hacker.Ok.But with this tutorial,i'm goint to learn mapping.Explaining the functions is not pointless,as i don't know nothing about them,AKA,i'm a noob.
And quess what?Me and Ray saw many square maps lately,and none of them was good.So,you're saying to Ray to not tell people to do square maps? :\
And yeah,this is actually am aaping method,why do you say its not?

 

[Avatar]

Considering this tutorial probably isn't more than a week or two old at best I doubt you could've mastered mapping by following this.
Please see this tutorial. It may be close to 4 years old now (and not made exclusively for hacks) but it has the basic method right.

Just because someone has a terrible square map does not mean every square map is terrible too. Maybe you should re-read my post again before you misinterpret it.

 

[Taz Maverick]

Considering this tutorial probably isn't more than a week or two old at best I doubt you could've mastered mapping by following this.
Please see this tutorial. It may be close to 4 years old now (and not made exclusively for hacks) but it has the basic method right.

Just because someone has a terrible square map does not mean every square map is terrible too. Maybe you should re-read my post again before you misinterpret it.

So,you consider this a good mapping tutorial.Its the same steps,but it has screenies.And i didn't learnet a thing from this tutorial,i can learn easily with Ray's tutorials,so stop saying thats a terrible tutorial.Its great.

PS i don't see the greatness of the maps of the tutorial you gave me.

 

[Mana1]

Like avatar I'm not sure how useful this tutorial can be, and the one he linked is much more helpful as it shows you each step.

Get some pics up, it will help. (And I don't understand how you can't make Screenshots but you can make banners :\)

 

[Ray Maverick]

Stop that fighting please.Avatar,if you show me even one square map,i'll remove the ''Don't do square maps.''
And the truth is,i rushed this tutorial,so i will add updates.


My paint is broken,so i cant paste the screenshots,or mapshots,or anything related.

 

[Xela]

Actually Ray Maverick, here is kind of a square map i made for some time ago.

 

[Master Terrador]

How does Paint break...If you need Help with that...I could help with your problem...:)

 

[Ray Maverick]

Actually Ray Maverick, here is kind of a square map i made for some time ago.

Its not so square.Even if it is,its not my taste.

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

Huh.

This is why I love watching you.

I think you changed it to "try" so I rest my case.

I don't need to keep arguing, there's no point.

 

[Surf]

Actually Ray Maverick, here is kind of a square map i made for some time ago.

That is a square map.
But, in a hack or a game the playability counts more than the overall beauty.

 

[colcolstyles]

Hm, well Neti, along with a handful of other people, has already written a tutorial on AdvanceMap's features so nothing new there (plus, his was explained very clearly for someone for whom English is their second language). Anyways, if we take out your AdvanceMap "explanation", then the tutorial itself is fairly empty and devoid of anything really helpful. Let's analyze your mapping method:

Step 1: I agree with this. It is always best to plan out your map before you actually begin the process of mapping. So far so good...
Step 2: Add finishing touches!? What about the actual mapping? You go straight from the pre-mapping stages to the post-mapping stage. I think that the main reason why the maps in the Map Rating Thread haven't been as good lately is most likely due to the fact that people don't have proper instuction for the step you missed: the actual mapping. I think a mapping tutorial is pretty useless without telling people how to go through the long, tedious process of making the actual map.
Step 3: Okay, checking your maps also makes sense. Nothing to complain about here.

As others have said, I respectfully disagree on your point about square maps. Square maps can look good too; the trouble is not making things too square. There is a certain, almost nostalgic element in square/Nintendo-styled maps that gives them an appeal which can't be matched by "natural" maps. And when it comes time for playing through a map in an actual hack, square maps are that much more enjoyable to walk through and experience.

So I'd recommend that you revise your tutorial on pretty much every front. You need to go into more detail on the actual process of mapping, which is what this tutorial is focused on at its most basic level, and perhaps even rethink your idea of a good map.
Toodles ~