Mapping Improvement Thread

Started by KRoP, October 25, 2008, 10:24:44 pm

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Landith

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I'm not good at making snow maps so how could I improve it?
Btw, the snowmen are there because I'm making it where you come in and it scrolls the map and you see kids throwing snowballs and making snowmen. Which is why the snowmen are at odd places.

G_G

I'm no mapper but that looks really good landith.

Susys those are cool VX maps.

Punn neat checkpoint thingy,

Calintz

Well...
Landith I can say it looks pretty damn good from here, but you definitely need to fill it more...By that I just mean add more random crap all over the place.

Landith

Yea, I'll probably do that.
But I still have to leave enough room for a snowball fight.
I'm trying to make it where you learn the controls by having a snowball fight lol

Starrodkirby86

Quote from: Calintz16438 on January 29, 2009, 10:44:48 pm
By that I just mean add more random crap all over the place.

You wouldn't want to put too much random crap...I mean, you have to have accessibility over visual appeal. Both in a compromising balance works perfectly.

The only area I'm really iffy about is the top left section of the map, and its dark snow spots. They seem a bit peculiar, though I can't put my finger on it.

What's osu!? It's a rhythm game. Thought I should have a signature with a working rank. ;P It's now clickable!
Still Aqua's biggest fan (Or am I?).




Calintz

I don't know...it's just not enough for me...

Here is an example of one of my maps. You can notice that the ENTIRE map is damn near covered, but nothing is too extreme. It looks VERY nice. Well, in my opinion it does...
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And that is without the fog I use for that map...

Landith

January 29, 2009, 11:05:41 pm #46 Last Edit: January 29, 2009, 11:07:39 pm by Landith
That's what my mountain maps kinda look like, although a little less clutter
But I think it looks good Calintz :)

My map just bugs me for some reason but I don't know what's wrong with it  :O.o:
Oh and the blueish snow/ice is going to be slippery and you slide on it, I just have to find a way to event it and I'm using Blizzard's drunk script to make it look like your slipping. 

Calintz

January 29, 2009, 11:11:08 pm #47 Last Edit: January 29, 2009, 11:13:05 pm by Calintz16438
Lol...
well if it is any help at all, I'm not sure if it will or not...here is a snow map I made a while back. I'm not even using it anymore, so I can't change the screen tint like I would normally, but...

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As you can see...I basically did the exact same thing as with my mountain map, however the tint and fog aren't utilized very well in this particular map...This was back when I started mapping.

winkio

@Calintz's forest map: Sorry Calintz, but in my opinion, that is too much.  I do agree that Landith could use a bit of sprucing up, but yours looks like it took a couple thousand direct blasts from the scenery shotgun.  You used a TON of grass and ground plants, to the point where a clear tile is a rarity.  I think its distracting and unattractive.  Perhaps focus more on placing your ground scenery in logical places.  (Crabgrass does not grow in the middle of cleared paths.  Neither do flowers.)  Also, you have a mapping error in the top left where the trees overlap.  Might want to fix that.  the great things on your map are the excellent shape and the superb use of large scenery.  Just work on the small stuff. :)  

@Landith: In my opinion, what you are missing are the hills and valleys of snowy terrain.  In other words, it looks too flat.  You can add some 3d effects with the autotiles.  Also, a bit more scenery would round it off nicely.

@Calintz's snow map: Your brownish/bluish ground autotiles make no sense.  And again with the scenery...  It just doesn't look natural =/

(Posting text chunks ftw!)

Calintz

January 29, 2009, 11:26:21 pm #49 Last Edit: January 29, 2009, 11:49:28 pm by Calintz16438
@Winkio:
Not saying that I don't appreciate the opinion Winkio, but the snow map got a 5star rating from all judges at the place I learned to map. Abut the brown/blue trail ordeal. It is a personal look that I personally like. That's all. I don't think it looks bad at all. Nature is wild. It's not vague and therefore you need to put shit everywhere to make it seem wild (again my opinion). I can understand man-made paths always being cleared out, but occasionally in nature you can find grass clusters on a trail if the trail is not used very often...Granted I would not have normally placed those clusters on that mountain pass where they are, I threw that map together in roughly 15mins and wasn't paying close enough attention...

I am happy I posted here though. Now I can fix that mistake, and the tree error.
Thank you Winkio =)

As for everything else...
I just simply disagree. it's no offense to you obviously...
I don't know. I won't clean them up because I really like the detail of having stuff everywhere. I don't think it's distracting at all. I actually believe it grips the player's attention more than anything...

I think that by having more objects thrown all over the place, it will make the player look harder to notice the little things, like hidden chests and what not...

@Landith:
I am going to run a check on your map and give you my personal advice...wait like 10mins...

EDIT
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Suggestions are opacity coordinated...I'm sorry, but I am in a hurry...

Other notes...
You simply have too much free space. The map is big, but blocky...I know you want room for a snowball fight, but maybe you should think about designating a particular area for the snowball fight, and map that particular area accordingly, and map the rest normally...Your cliffs are too blocky and not rounded enough all the way across...The water hole is also too blocky and not round enough...You used too many of the same tree "in the same general area." I don't want you thinking you used that tree too much alone. You kinda can't seeing as how that is the main tree...

winkio

Oh no, I hope you didn't think I was trying to force you to change them or anything. :O.o:  Was just dropping in my personal opinion.  Obviously, different people will respond differently, and style is personal preference.  I was just putting in my take on it . :)

On a relatively boring note, I have this weird conundrum with mapping.  I know how good maps are supposed to look, and I never settle for less than maximum quality with my final maps.  Because of this, I have not "completed" one map to date, because I can never get it quite right.  I've tried all types of mixes and balances of scenery, but it never looks quite like I want it to.  It's like, I start out with a vision of how the map is supposed to look, and then I try and make it, but I never get it right.  The challenge for me is representing the real world in the scale of the game: it distorts some details but not others.

Calintz

January 29, 2009, 11:44:45 pm #51 Last Edit: January 29, 2009, 11:47:29 pm by Calintz16438
No no no...I understood that, and that is why I kept referencing that MY mapping is my own personal references...I mean, when I release my new DEMO and people get to playing it. Some will absolutely adore my game, why others...not so much...

Again...creating your video game is all about preference. I understand that some people look to target certain groups, keeping them in mind when making their game, (I do) but for some, they just don't care what other people want and they make it how they want it to be.

That is why I am using a SVBS...it's my personal favorite of battle systems for 2-D RPG's...

I kind of understand where you're coming from, but you need to remember that this IS a game and not reality, and you are going to HAVE to forfeit some quality in the end...

winkio

Something I'm saying isn't clear, so I'm just going to stop posting for a few hours and gather my thoughts, and see if they come out more coherently :wacko:

I have, by the way, gotten much closer to reality than most people by using unorthodox mapping techniques, such as rolling hills and circular bases.  I know that this makes no sense, but when I eventually post one that I finish (which will actually be soon ^_^) you will see what I mean.  Anyways, I'm done.  Sorry.

Calintz

I know exactly what you mean by rounded bases...
That is not a bad technique!! It is in fact, a very useful one, and I don't think I would call it unorthodox per say...

Landith

January 30, 2009, 05:08:28 pm #54 Last Edit: January 30, 2009, 07:32:44 pm by Landith
Thanks Calintz!

New Map: ShowHide


Is it any better?

Calintz

January 30, 2009, 09:07:23 pm #55 Last Edit: January 30, 2009, 09:08:42 pm by Calintz16438
By adding more to the river and making it wind more, you made an improvement, however...The actual river as a whole still has a "blocky" construction...

The top right grass patch has an ill-shaped pattern also...You might want to check the blue ice ground around your river and reform it a "tiny" bit. It looks good, but you may have too much of it placed there...

You might want to watch about putting too many of the bigger tile objects next to one another. Check my screen for more info on that...it is best to place these objects kiddy corner from one another. [BLUE = errors] [RED = good points]

You should finish the trail to the cave's entrance though... [GREEN for this]

You did a GREAT job improving this map. It looks MUCH better!! Those are just simple suggestions. Remember...when mapping, its the little shit that counts!!

IMAGE:
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legacyblade

Here's one of my maps. Any suggestions?


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Calintz

January 30, 2009, 09:52:49 pm #57 Last Edit: January 30, 2009, 10:09:13 pm by Calintz16438
I will have all of my suggestions for you soon.
I am currently busy. Give me like 15mins please...

"Personally," I would move those torches atop the stairs parallel to the two at the bottom. It would become more aesthetically pleasing to the eye...Bottom left. Same thing I told Landith. Those three tiles are ALL parallel and nature doesn't normally run that way. I would split them up kiddy corner or just place them more diagonally...Other than that, I would just add more of the dark green grass all over the place. That should pretty much cover everything...

GOOD LUCK!
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Landith

Thanks Calintz  :^_^':

Quote from: Calintz16438 on January 30, 2009, 09:07:23 pm
The actual river as a whole still has a "blocky" construction...

Could you explain what you mean by this and how I could fix it?

Calintz

Of course...
Use this buddy

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I'm not even sure who made it, but don't credit me...