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Thread: Possible additions to new and existing maps of all kinds (especially world and region

  1. #1
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    Default Possible additions to new and existing maps of all kinds (especially world and region

    Hi,

    Could I make a respectful request that for those of you who have spent the time and effort creating these wonderful maps, could you please, please spend a little time afterwords filling us in with a little detail about the world/region that you have created and the important areas within it. If you took a simple glance at our world map a quick glance at the Mediterranean Sea would tell you it's a hub of activity, but you would never have guessed that it was the home of the Egyptian, Ottoman, Roman, Greek and Spanish Empires, conquered by the Moors and at one point dominated by the British. In a fantasy world it is wonderful to learn about some of the mythology, geography and politics that have shaped your imaginations. So if anyone has the time please do so.

  2. #2
    Guild Artisan LonewandererD's Avatar
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    You might to move this to the General Discussions section. My answer to this is that while I try to add some backstory if I, and I'm sure others, are working on quick maps like for the monthly comps than backstory isn't always necissary and we may not have the time to come up with anything really indepth. If you want specifics you can always ask the creator whose maps your interested in, just my thoughts.

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  3. #3
    Guild Novice Facebook Connected
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    Well, in my experience of worldbuilding, the terrain often comes first (like IRL) and the peoples and their politics later. Personally, I start with a riugh idea of the amount of nations but I let the geography dictate borders (with a few "quirks" the reason for which can be fleshed out later). My point is: Not every cartographer may have all that worked out before the map is all done.

  4. #4
    Administrator Facebook Connected Diamond's Avatar
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    In addition to that, not everyone may feel comfortable sharing details of their conworlds, due to fear of plagiarism, etc.

  5. #5
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    I completely understand the reasons for not adding that information for plagiarism and if it's part of a competition, the competition is the focus for the map and nothing else so i'm not interested in what makes that world tick. It's just I rarely see people add this missing dimension from their maps. If you looked at Terry Pratchett's Ankh Morpork map it doesn't really represent the people who live there very well... To know it's filled with all manner of fantasy races co-existing together to form a twisted version of London gives it a little life, i'm not talking essays, just a brief paragraph or two? Maybe it's the writer that's in me that would love to see this stuff, rather than the cartographer. Perhaps another section to the forums could be added that covers these things as they are vital things to consider when making a map, especially if it's a political map with borders as most modern medieval and modern countries borders are defined by war and strength of military mixed with natural borders like mountains. Religion can play a key part, why a land like Palestine that is of no use in natural resources can become a battle ground for a host of religions and eventually taken over by one of them. maps are so much more than natural features, good ones tell the stories of the people who live there. Battle sites, places of natural beauty, places of historical interest, major trade routes all help to contribute to telling that story.

    It's only a request anyway, if some cartographers feel like obliging then I would be most grateful, if not I'll just have to use my imagination.

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