The Professors Report! (WITH NO PICS)
In this report I will be explaining the ways and means of creating realistic maps along with tips and hints fine-tuned for Ukringo.
Main Areas:
--------------
1. What we look for in maps, how to plan them and where to look for inspiration
2. The dos’ and don’ts of positioning buildings, tree’s and objects. Purpose.
3. Paths, spacing and filling up the gaps
4. Map size and theme
- What we want to see As you know to be accepted in the mappers group you need to produce a HIGH QUALITY map that can show you have an artistic style in every field of the mapmaker. This means they want to see a large map with many different things in it but the key thing that people don’t remember is it has to blend and seem realistic. The more you keep attempting the map the more we will loose faith in your ability to map so it’s important you take a very long time to perfect it. The best way to figure out how to do this is to look at the actual maps of the handheld games and look at other mappers work. You will quickly find most maps are small compared to what you are being asked to produce so it’s important we break the map down into sections.
Follow link for all Kanto maps. (http://www.vgmaps.com/Atlas/GBA/index.htm#PokemonFL)Later in the report I will link images of other mappers work.
If you take a look at routes 1, 2, 3 and 4 you will see their simple and to the point. They keep in mind what it will look like in game and the viewing area you have, something that is easy to forget.
Before you start any map you must have a good idea of what your going to do, in your head, until you know what about half the map is going to be laid out like don’t start as maps tend to get messy this way or the same old trends kick in and we need to take a different approach.
Positioning and Purpose
------------------------------
I see a lot of the time you place random objects and buildings that when you look at it shouldn’t be there. Sometimes this is okay and can be worked around when other objects back them up. You seem to find yourself forever needing to take up space in your maps and this style can help. Try backing up simple objects like trees and make them stand out (see picture example top right). This does two good things for your map, for one it takes up more space and is addictive which will lead on to other things when I look at that picture I wonder what it may look like with a river surrounding it and perhaps then smaller tree’s around the river, it makes the tree seem more significant. Secondly it is the perfect way to show your artistic nature with these unique designs and even if it’s just a lone tree in the middle of one of your large route paths just add some circle bushes around it to add some style and focus to it. The same goes for rivers make sure you always outline a river with a grass tile and perhaps tree’s or wooden poles to make it look much more realistic.
You need to make a decision when you start if your map is going to be a town or a route, I don’t want to see both in one map unless it’s for assignment 2. Because I notice a lot in your maps you place random pokemon centres after a long route and it doesn’t look right but maybe if you back it up using objects like I’ve said you it would look better? When things are outlined it gives them a purpose and people notice them if their was two houses and one house had a big garden many flowers and a pond and the other garden had nothing but the building what house would you think to go in? When you do a town always make sure it has enough houses to support it’s size and make sure it has a purpose is the town build beside a river or between a mountain, perhaps surrounded by forest…
Things to remember!
-------------------------
- Don’t mix up tree types, in one map their should never be more than 2 different types and I’ve seen you put random safari zone tree’s in maps they don’t belong if you want to do this make sure you back it up!
- Decide if it’s a town or route!
- Back up rivers and cliffs with dirt or sand grass tiles around them to make them stand out.
- No more random pokemon centres at the corner of a map with nothing around it or a town with only one house and not enough purpose.
Paths, spacing and filling the gaps
-----------------------------------------
Another thing that is clear to see is that your spacing for paths is just to big, what you should be looking for is about 3-4 tiles high when creating a path. Or I have noticed you skip putting a path in and just cave a 10+ high tile clearing with nothing but base grass tiles. I’m guessing your looking for a natural look here or to fill space but it looks messy and can get people lost.
Okay so now we need to look into correctly making paths and at the same time fill up the gaps. Putting a small cliff by the side of paths is used to good effect and can break up paths well. The dirt and sand tiles below should be used to create patches of sand or dirt along side paths as the less of the default grass tiles you can see the better. Remember that any building you place on a map should have a path leading to it.
Map Size and Theme
-------------------------
Most of your maps are very big so taking them down a notch should help you fill them and produce more. The only time we would willingly do a 100x100 is for an assignment. Most in game maps are much smaller.
When I look at some of your maps it can seem like they should have been separate maps broken down and had more time spent on them, it’s a good idea that after completing a map you look at certain areas that look a bit deprived and go over them. Keeping everything tight and compact is what you should try to do. Make sure the theme of the map doesn’t keep changing, if we have red cliffs on the map then all other cliffs should typically be the same type. If you have islands all the islands should have the same base tiles of sand or dirt.
note: it in game stuff you need not read :P
In this report I will be explaining the ways and means of creating realistic maps along with tips and hints fine-tuned for Ukringo.
Main Areas:
--------------
1. What we look for in maps, how to plan them and where to look for inspiration
2. The dos’ and don’ts of positioning buildings, tree’s and objects. Purpose.
3. Paths, spacing and filling up the gaps
4. Map size and theme
- What we want to see As you know to be accepted in the mappers group you need to produce a HIGH QUALITY map that can show you have an artistic style in every field of the mapmaker. This means they want to see a large map with many different things in it but the key thing that people don’t remember is it has to blend and seem realistic. The more you keep attempting the map the more we will loose faith in your ability to map so it’s important you take a very long time to perfect it. The best way to figure out how to do this is to look at the actual maps of the handheld games and look at other mappers work. You will quickly find most maps are small compared to what you are being asked to produce so it’s important we break the map down into sections.
Follow link for all Kanto maps. (http://www.vgmaps.com/Atlas/GBA/index.htm#PokemonFL)Later in the report I will link images of other mappers work.
If you take a look at routes 1, 2, 3 and 4 you will see their simple and to the point. They keep in mind what it will look like in game and the viewing area you have, something that is easy to forget.
Before you start any map you must have a good idea of what your going to do, in your head, until you know what about half the map is going to be laid out like don’t start as maps tend to get messy this way or the same old trends kick in and we need to take a different approach.
Positioning and Purpose
------------------------------
I see a lot of the time you place random objects and buildings that when you look at it shouldn’t be there. Sometimes this is okay and can be worked around when other objects back them up. You seem to find yourself forever needing to take up space in your maps and this style can help. Try backing up simple objects like trees and make them stand out (see picture example top right). This does two good things for your map, for one it takes up more space and is addictive which will lead on to other things when I look at that picture I wonder what it may look like with a river surrounding it and perhaps then smaller tree’s around the river, it makes the tree seem more significant. Secondly it is the perfect way to show your artistic nature with these unique designs and even if it’s just a lone tree in the middle of one of your large route paths just add some circle bushes around it to add some style and focus to it. The same goes for rivers make sure you always outline a river with a grass tile and perhaps tree’s or wooden poles to make it look much more realistic.
You need to make a decision when you start if your map is going to be a town or a route, I don’t want to see both in one map unless it’s for assignment 2. Because I notice a lot in your maps you place random pokemon centres after a long route and it doesn’t look right but maybe if you back it up using objects like I’ve said you it would look better? When things are outlined it gives them a purpose and people notice them if their was two houses and one house had a big garden many flowers and a pond and the other garden had nothing but the building what house would you think to go in? When you do a town always make sure it has enough houses to support it’s size and make sure it has a purpose is the town build beside a river or between a mountain, perhaps surrounded by forest…
Things to remember!
-------------------------
- Don’t mix up tree types, in one map their should never be more than 2 different types and I’ve seen you put random safari zone tree’s in maps they don’t belong if you want to do this make sure you back it up!
- Decide if it’s a town or route!
- Back up rivers and cliffs with dirt or sand grass tiles around them to make them stand out.
- No more random pokemon centres at the corner of a map with nothing around it or a town with only one house and not enough purpose.
Paths, spacing and filling the gaps
-----------------------------------------
Another thing that is clear to see is that your spacing for paths is just to big, what you should be looking for is about 3-4 tiles high when creating a path. Or I have noticed you skip putting a path in and just cave a 10+ high tile clearing with nothing but base grass tiles. I’m guessing your looking for a natural look here or to fill space but it looks messy and can get people lost.
Okay so now we need to look into correctly making paths and at the same time fill up the gaps. Putting a small cliff by the side of paths is used to good effect and can break up paths well. The dirt and sand tiles below should be used to create patches of sand or dirt along side paths as the less of the default grass tiles you can see the better. Remember that any building you place on a map should have a path leading to it.
Map Size and Theme
-------------------------
Most of your maps are very big so taking them down a notch should help you fill them and produce more. The only time we would willingly do a 100x100 is for an assignment. Most in game maps are much smaller.
When I look at some of your maps it can seem like they should have been separate maps broken down and had more time spent on them, it’s a good idea that after completing a map you look at certain areas that look a bit deprived and go over them. Keeping everything tight and compact is what you should try to do. Make sure the theme of the map doesn’t keep changing, if we have red cliffs on the map then all other cliffs should typically be the same type. If you have islands all the islands should have the same base tiles of sand or dirt.
note: it in game stuff you need not read :P
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