ZoSo's Mapping Tutorial #1

[Mithlomion]

ZoSo's Mapping Tutorial #1
Regular Forest Area

Made by ZoSo, dont post anywhere without crediting me.

First of all, RMXP tiles.. They are pretty bad for Beginners, but so many seem to use them here anyway.. so.. Allright, we shall start with this map.

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What's wrong with this map? Everything, its very squary.
Squary = Bad.

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Look at the real world, go to the forest and look for yourself.. Nothing in the world by nature is squary.
Google "Forest Path".. or "Forest" Check the images if you are to lazy to go to the forest yourself.

Anyway the key to mapping good is mapping like if you would draw. But instead of drawing the painting, worldmap or whatever you have tiles.. thats like an puzzle, you need to put the tiles together so they fit.

So lets start over.. First make an empty map. Add the grass tile, and start doing a road. No roads are "L" Shaped.. People dont walk that way, they take shortcuts.. why walk like an robot. People dont instantly turn around when they reach the end.. they walk in a "C" shaped way, thats why the roads gotta be "C" shaped.

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See, looks alot more realistic. Okay, now its time to add thick grass.. Yet again, grass does not grow like squares. If you got no idea how you should put it beside square like.. Take a glass of water and spill the water on a paper. It wont for sure come out squary. If you dont wanna do that, just look at the next update of the map .

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Allright when thats finnished we need to add some tree's. Dont add to many, it actually all depends if you want to have an game which will have all the sides of the maps leading somewhere, or a game which you can only follow the roads to get somewhere.. In this case, i mapped a map which you would be able to walk anywhere to. Since games with that kind of world is alot better. But if you dont have that in your game, try adding so many tree's as possible to the ends of the maps.. fill em, so it really looks like there is no way to walk through.

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Allright, its starting to look quite good now. You dont want the map to look to cluttered right, since monsters and stuff will be filling it to, remember that. So all that is left is to add some flowers, stones and so on. Remember, dont add them anywhere... Everything in the map has to be balanced.

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Allright, you're done. All you need to do now is map the rest of the maps in the same style. I will be posting more tutorials about mapping later, if you got any requests for types of areas please tell me. What im planning on doing is a Cliff tutorial and a Town tut.

Anyway, if there is any grammar errors or something wrong with the spelling.. Please tell me, its not allways easy doing everything right when English is my 4th language.

[Matt]

Awesome tutorial.

There were a few grammar mistakes, I don't remember them off hand, but they weren't that noticeable.

Overall, great tut. ^_^

[Robin]

Awesome tutorial.

There were a few grammar mistakes, I don't remember them off hand, but they weren't that noticeable.

Overall, great tut. ^_^

He's Swedish. Can't have a go at him for grammar xD

[Matt]

Anyway, if there is any grammar errors or something wrong with the spelling.. Please tell me, its not allways easy doing everything right when English is my 4th language.

Please read Robin.

I was just telling him, because he asked me to.

[Robin]

I'm dixlestic

[Cruzn]

This is my attempt in going over your grammar and such. =P
[spoiler]

Code:

[size=150]ZoSo's Mapping Tutorial #1[/size]
[i]Regular Forest Area[/i]

Made by ZoSo, don't post anywhere without crediting me.

First of all, RMXP tiles... They are pretty bad for Beginners, but so many seem to use them here anyway.. so.. Alright, we shall start with this map.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/1.png[/img]

What's wrong with this map? Everything, its very squary.
Squary = Bad.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/2.png[/img]

Look at the real world, go to a forest and look for yourself... Nothing in the world by nature is squary.
Google "Forest Path"... or "Forest" and check the images if you are to lazy to go to the forest yourself.

Anyway the key to mapping good is mapping like if you would draw, but instead of drawing the painting, world map or whatever, you have tiles... it's like a puzzle, you need to put the tiles together so they fit.

So lets start over... First make an empty map. Add the grass tile, and start doing a road. No roads are "L" Shaped.. People don't walk that way, they take shortcuts... why walk like a robot? People don't instantly turn around when they reach the end... they walk in a "C" shaped way, thats why the roads have to be "C" shaped.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/3.png[/img]

See, looks a lot more realistic. Okay, now its time to add thick grass... Yet again, grass does not grow like squares. If you have no idea how you should put it, take a glass of water and spill the water on a paper. It won't come out squary. If you don't wanna do that, just look at the next update of the map :).

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/4.png[/img]

Alright when thats finished we need to add some trees. Don't add to many, it actually all depends if you want to have an game which will have all the sides of the maps leading somewhere, or a game which you can only follow the roads to get somewhere.. In this case, i mapped a map which you would be able to walk anywhere to, since games with that kind of world are a lot better, but if you don't have that in your game, try adding so many trees as possible to the ends of the maps... fill 'em, so it really looks like there is no way to walk through.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/5.png[/img]

Alright, its starting to look quite good now. You don't want the map to look to cluttered right, since monsters and stuff will be filling it too, remember that. All that is left is to add some flowers, stones and so on. Remember, don't add them just anywhere... Everything in the map has to be balanced.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/6.png[/img]

Alright, you're done. All you need to do now is map the rest of the maps in the same style. I will be posting more tutorials about mapping later, if you have any requests for types of areas please tell me. What I plan on doing is a Cliff tutorial and a Town tutorial.

Anyway, if there is any grammar errors or something wrong with the spelling.. Please tell me, its not always easy doing everything right when English is my 4th language.

[/spoiler]