Coming flat clean, i'm an absolutely terrible mapper, everything's too flat, symmetrical [natural objects], and my houses look the same...

I've tried reading the tutorials on mapping, but they didn't help out much, it just really shows how to get started...

Anyone have any advice on how to overcome this?

I find in XP mapping the most important thing is imagination or inspiration. For me I use both.
This place right here,
http://www.bestpicturegallery.com/Angkor-W...ure-gallery.jpg
Is what caused the inspiration for this map.

I'm not saying an exact replica, but to mimic things you see in life is the best way to try to map.

...Wow...all I can say is...well...nothing...I'm speechless!
Amazing work, and that you for that advice!

Ah no problem.
What are you looking for help in? Interior? Outdoors? Forest? Town?

One of my mapping members made a tutorial on my Team site for the other mappers, im sure it can be of use to you too.

http://www.legacy-studios.org/forums/viewt...?f=63&t=302

Sakura: Anything and everything...i'm THAT BAD ^^"

LegACy: Thanks you as well!

Hopefully with the steady amount of help i'm getting, i'll be able to make something with decent quality!

Ah heh heh. Don't feel bad though we all start somewhere. Practice makes perfect as they say. That link Lega posted has some good tips for outdoors. Think the same way indoors. Not everyone will have a carbon copied home inside. On the outside they might, esp. if they are in a condo complex or in certain area's of suburbia, as a result most people try to pretty up their outside with gardens so they can still retain some of their individuality.

So some tips in that area
Outside the home.
-Have different floral arrangements around the homes.
-Have different types of plant life or trees.
-Some people don't upkeep their yard because they don't care, so a run down house here and there is completely fine.

Inside the home:
-Think of the differenty types of personalities that are out there;
-A bachelor type house would look quite different from a female occupied home.
-An obsessive compulsive home would look different from a person who isn't.
-A home with children would look different from one without (random toys around the home would be
a good way to show there are children, a scribble of a picture here and there too.)

That is freaking gorgeous. Listen to this guy.

*cough*Gal*cough* and thanks ^^

Gal? You lost me xD

Oh that's just an involuntary reaction whenever someone refers to me in masculine form when I'm female.
>_> Ignore it.
Anyways; AR, feel free to PM me if you want any more suggestions or tips on something specific!