Mapping Improvement Thread

[Blizzard]

What SRK said. The color choice is very odd, though. Night isn't green and the day colors are way too dark.

[Rezca]

I already caught several no-no's in the map, and I can still see a few more, but in the meantime any general advice is welcome! (That is the point of this thread is it not? o_O; )

Click for full size of course 

[Calintz]

Well, the shapes of the maps are dynamic.
They could still get more fluent, but I think you need to add more detail to the caves. Put more foliage down.

@nathmatt:
I don't like the white stroke around the HP and SP abbreviations, but that's just me. I also can't stand those facesets.
They cut off, and it looks terrible. Maybe you should try to get your hands on some faces that only show a cutoff at the neck.

[Rezca]

Thanks Calintz, I'll keep what you suggested about more foliage in mind

[Calintz]

No problem, I just feel they lack detail.
Their layouts work very nicely though ...

[G_G]

Okay I'm very proud of this town, I think its literally my best town map ever.
Images look wierd where they connect because I took two separate screenshots.

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EDIT: Yea its probably not even that good. I am terrible at mapping >_>
Seeing this is my best town map, you should see my worst >__>

[RoseSkye]

Okay I'm very proud of this town, I think its literally my best town map ever.
Images look wierd where they connect because I took two separate screenshots.

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EDIT: Yea its probably not even that good. I am terrible at mapping >_>
Seeing this is my best town map, you should see my worst >__>

It's good, I'll upload a port town tut to show you how to own the fuck out of the port town tileset though.

[G_G]

sweet thanks rose, your post town helped me out alot to thanks

[Starrodkirby86]

There's an inconsistent wall nearby the start point. It's to the left of that staircase.

The windows on the faces of the houses seem a bit high in height. What if they were lowered; would they look better there?

I personally don't use the left/right wall end tile on walls that are sandwiched between another one (For example, the vertice at the lower-right dock area, [The L shape, the place where the two lines meet, yeah?]). I myself use the middle tile. ...Though that might just be for Indoors Houses.

I should get some sleep.

Your map is not bad; don't be so harsh on yourself. Then again, feel free to. We all love you regardless, yeah? <3

[Rezca]

This isn't the only 'Sunny Forest' map I have, but it is IMO the best looking one. And the, uh... Largest 

It is intended to be a "Mini-Dungeon" within another map, and really the only way I could figure a logical transition between the two was adding a teleport marker, and frankly now that I think of it, just merging two tilesets probably would have been a better idea. The map in question is not shown here, fyi

[Jackolas]

looks really good. only thing I would change is the Squarish water. (aka use a round water auto tile)

[G_G]

Can I have some opinions on this? Maybe there are things I can fix, add?

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[Tazero]

I liek it

[Lore]

Can I have some opinions on this? Maybe there are things I can fix, add?

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Well, firstly, the terrain is just too barren. Perhaps add some plants and more scenery, like grass.
Perhaps make a little meadow for those children to play in. Since the trees are artifically planted (Hence the little stone outline at the roots) you should make them line up and parallel, since man loves symmetry.

The four trees by the small bench by the house wall should line up side by side and the bench moved elsewhere, it looks awkward for it to be planted by mankind. Remember, this is a town, not nature, 95% of everything is planted and maintained by man, and should be symmetrical. Just a few suggestions, there can be more improvements made, but first focus on the ones I gave you, I'll give you some more when you post an updated map.

[King Munkey]

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The second one isn't as good but I wanted it to be a little more simple than the first. And thoughts for improvement?

[Calintz]

@King Munkey:
I assume the first map is a simple forest map?
That being the case, I have to ask.. .. ..What is the point of the broken pillar? It bears no meaning what-so-ever, and if it doesn't, remove it, because pillars don't spring up in the middle of the woods for no reason. Unless you have some sort of sanctuary nearby, scrap it.

Secondly, I am happy that you're utilizing tall grass in that map, but don't you think one little patch is just highly unlikely?
I would suggest you throw up at least two patches of tall grass in the area, and maybe even three. Don't be afraid to let the grass grow out of the screen. It looks good.

Finally, what's with the dirt trail leading from the top? It suddenly ends after a lousy L shape leads behind a tree. The trail leads somewhere doesn't it? Make it happen, and add some breaks along the way for a nice feel! You got this Munkey!! Tear that shit up!!

As for the house.. .. ..
Make the wood cutting and placement more practical. A person doesn't keep the log cutting station far from where he is planning to unload and store it. Doesn't normally keep the cut and uncut wood far from each other for that matter. group them closer together for a more domestic look. Also, lose the oddly shaped water paths. Most people who live in nature don't build houses right next to oddly shaped bodies of water. They create the waterhole themselves. At the bottom of the screen, you should try making the water two tiles from the bottom along the entire screen, and make the hole at the top more round. Play around and see what happens. Add more foliage.

[Lore]

@King Munkey:
I assume the first map is a simple forest map?
That being the case, I have to ask.. .. ..What is the point of the broken pillar? It bears no meaning what-so-ever, and if it doesn't, remove it, because pillars don't spring up in the middle of the woods for no reason. Unless you have some sort of sanctuary nearby, scrap it.

Secondly, I am happy that you're utilizing tall grass in that map, but don't you think one little patch is just highly unlikely?
I would suggest you throw up at least two patches of tall grass in the area, and maybe even three. Don't be afraid to let the grass grow out of the screen. It looks good.

Finally, what's with the dirt trail leading from the top? It suddenly ends after a lousy L shape leads behind a tree. The trail leads somewhere doesn't it? Make it happen, and add some breaks along the way for a nice feel! You got this Munkey!! Tear that shit up!!

As for the house.. .. ..
Make the wood cutting and placement more practical. A person doesn't keep the log cutting station far from where he is planning to unload and store it. Doesn't normally keep the cut and uncut wood far from each other for that matter. group them closer together for a more domestic look. Also, lose the oddly shaped water paths. Most people who live in nature don't build houses right next to oddly shaped bodies of water. They create the waterhole themselves. At the bottom of the screen, you should try making the water two tiles from the bottom along the entire screen, and make the hole at the top more round. Play around and see what happens. Add more foliage.

I agree with everything Calintz said, and I also have a few things to say.
First of all, in the first map, the big trees shadow to the left is cut off, so it looks kind of weird. But that can easily be fixed.
Also, since you added stumps in the first map, perhaps add the actual brown wooden log (The long ones, not the gray dead ones) to make it a bit more realistic? Unless of course there is a lumber facility nearby.
Perhaps also add a bird's nest in one of the trees, after all, there are so many, a bird is bound to call one of them home.

Now, for the second map. The water at the bottom looks a bit too blocky, if you make it cut out more just a tiny bit into the land, it would look more natural, but that's just me. Also, a lot of the terrain feels sort of empty, try adding some grass and shrubbery around the area to make it feel more real. This is a minor suggestion, and very optional, but in my opinion dirt paths tend to never hold together. So the little sand/dirt path leading from the house can be broken into 2-3 pieces, in my opinion it would look better. Lastly, those two bushes on the right feel a bit out of place to me, maybe move them closer to the house? They look like they were planted, and I sure wouldn't plant my bushes God knows where.

[G_G]

Simple cave I've been working on. Its the entrance so it's not going to be that big. As you get deeper though you'll notice the maps being larger. Anyways here's the entrance.

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[Landith]

Is there a reason it is symmetrical?
The plants and stuff don't need to be that straight, maybe make the cave wider and spread things out more.
The layout is good but it seems a little narrow and long. Also the beginning left and the right side seem a little... too straight.?
The walls also seem a little bare, maybe add different wall tiles and some vines?
(You can find vines in various rtp tilesets, it has a nice effect on caves)
Also the floor is kinda plain. I would use the path and the shadow dirt autotiles to make it less plain, or maybe add some water. But I don't recommend water as it's the entrance.

Also with the way your going now, I see no light. It's a cave so it's going to be dark.
Maybe use a picture overlay with holes through the roof and it shines down or make a fire or torches.
Unless of course your character can carry artificial light.

What else...
Oh! You use a lot of crystals, I would focus on plants mainly or rocks. (As you don't really see a lot of crystals in caves. Well where I live you don't )
Also I would extend the middle part to make it where if your on the left side you won't see the right entrance. That way it makes it where the player wants to explore both parts to see if he/she is missing anything.
Also, since it's the entrance your going to have light coming in from the entrance unless it's dark outside of course.

Hope that helps somewhat (:

[G_G]

I think the path I used is going to be replaced with something else. I might even remove it. The reason there wouldn't be a path is because well its not a man made cave. So there shouldn't be any man made objects in it. Here's a newer version. I think I improved it a bit more.

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