Rate my Mapping Options

[Max]

Hey guys, now I think this is the best place to post this up.
Here are some of the maps I've been making for 'educational purposes'

I'm not working on any games at the moment, if anyone has a team and would like a mapper.
I'll be happy to join. Note: I only use VX.

So here are the maps:
If you would like: Rate them, C&C aswell.

[Show/Hide] Maps

I have plenty of more maps but I just picked out random ones.

So what do you guys think?

This post has been edited by Max: Jun 1 2011, 05:28 AM

[amerk]

That's really damn impressive! Good use of the RPT and Mack sets.

[bacon]

They are pretty good. One criticism I have is that they are a little but busy looking. There is a lot going at once. You might want to reduce the amount of different palettes to create more of a cohesive blend objects so that the player's eyes do not get overwhelmed.

Another thing would be the clashing of styles. Those palm trees do not really fit at all. I would recommend maybe replacing them. I know rmvx has a bunch of resources and a thread with links to all the different types of trees.

As for your interior, I would say that maybe it is a little bit too big. I suggest maybe shrinking it up a little bit.

Anyways, these are really good starts. Good luck with your mapping expeditions.

[Max]

They are pretty good. One criticism I have is that they are a little but busy looking. There is a lot going at once. You might want to reduce the amount of different palettes to create more of a cohesive blend objects so that the player's eyes do not get overwhelmed.

Another thing would be the clashing of styles. Those palm trees do not really fit at all. I would recommend maybe replacing them. I know rmvx has a bunch of resources and a thread with links to all the different types of trees.

As for your interior, I would say that maybe it is a little bit too big. I suggest maybe shrinking it up a little bit.

Anyways, these are really good starts. Good luck with your mapping expeditions.

Thanks for the tip~
Well, I usually put so many things down because in my eyes it looks loads better. But I understand how it can be overwhelming.
Especially in gameplay.
- For the palm trees, I was thinking that the trees I kept using may be repetitive, so I was thinking if the palm trees would blend in, and make things different. Apparently not, but you are right there actually looking at it now, it does seem odd seeing a palm tree in a forest of some kind.

Well, for the interior map (castle), the castle looked really big from the outside so I made it seem that what is being seen from the outside is just as big as the inside (the whole castle is really BIG). But usually the interior maps I normally make are small and sometimes even squashed.

[amerk]

I overlooked the palm trees before, but I agree. They would work better in a sort of desert community or maybe a rest stop at some oasis.

Anyway, now that I'm giving it a second look based on bacon's perspective:

I really don't think the size is too big, taking the ratio of tilesets verses sprite in mind, but a couple of areas could use some work. In the first area, the pillars that are set up in a sort of circle above the entrance (with the two plant pillars near the upper part), I think the middle of this will be a lot of open space. Something that will help may be to add a center piece (like a small pool and water fountain). In the last picture, near the entrance to the ruins at the bottom of the screen, again a lot of open space. Perhaps a few crevices, rocks, or something will help narrow the path down.

You have a lot of detail, and your maps are better than something I could probably create. But again, looking at the first three screenies, a few things I might suggest. Starting with screen 3, the four trees in front of the fence; there's two straight down and another two going diagonal. This looks to be taking up too much space and looks a bit overcrowded. My suggestion: remove the lower right tree (the one going diagonal). Then take the lower left one, move it one tile right and one tile up, and see if that looks better.

Second screenie, I admit there is a lot of detail going on, perhaps too much. Suggestions would be to remove the plant pillars near the bridge, remove the palm trees and replace with some grass/flower tiles, and at the entrance with the 6 pillars, leave just the top and bottom right at the entrance, although put an extra tile space in between so people can see the character when they walk into town, and remove the other four pillars.

First screenie, I love the attention to detail, and you can refer above to my recommendation for the center of those 6 pillars, but I also noticed how symmetrical it all looks. A few cracks in the walls and floors, different colored plants, and maybe some pebbles on the ground can go a long ways to create a more natural look.

Overall, though, they are really good maps. I'm curious to see how you would design other maps as well: such as, mountainous regions and hilly regions. Desiging a "plains" seems to be the hardest, because you can't use so many trees to avoid it being a forest, or so many cliffs to avoid it being mountainous, which means other things need to go in to eliminate unnecessary space.

[luigi400000]

In the 5th pic, the river in the bottom right? it's so, straight, try to make it more natural? otherwise great work!

[Rukiri]

Okay to decent, your maps are a bit too straight and blockish looking(blame the bad rtp..)

This post has been edited by Rukiri: Oct 15 2011, 01:42 AM