This is my first attempt at creating a world map, I’m rather new to the attempt but I tried researching as much as i could about geology in order to do it as accurately as possible. But I’m inexperienced in the tools, techniques, and programs you here work in. the map I’ve made currently was done completely within adobe flash c3 as it is the program I have the most experience using.
The map I’m currently seeking help on is actually a practice map that I already decided I didn’t care to use any longer as I didn’t use any of the knowledge I later learned on (my 2nd map I calculated plate tectonics for). Currently this map is going to be used for me to learn what I need to make the 2nd map look proper. The first map I also plan to use for a general purpose map for D&D and any other games that I DM a campaign for. The 2nd map is going to be the world map for my own table top rpg I’m working on that I plan to get to a publishable level at some point. Personally I find it important to know information on this project such as the elevation and climate of any given point of the world, perfectionist that I am.
Right now I know a few issues with the map I have such as the mountain ranges and ocean trenches appearing randomly in places that don’t make sense and mountain ranges looking like a single solid geological feature including the mid ocean range. Another issue is the random plateaus everywhere that don’t really make sense. So far I haven’t considered how precipitation and erosion would affect the terrain and eventually form rivers and canyons yet either. I also think my coast lines are a bit, simple.
Anyway right now I simply what to know what I can do with what I have now to make my map more realistic or if I should completely start over. I’m willing to switch to a different program from this point if it allows me to keep what I’ve already done as a guide. I recently got the Wilbur program because I believed it was good for mapping topography and it does a decent job taking a gray scale image (which I can convert this into) and converting it to a map on there if anyone has any suggestions for using that that can help but I found that the minor difference between the majority of the continental crust (which is at an elevation of 500m to 0m on average and the continental shelf at -100m becomes an issue with simply using a erosion filter over the entire thing (not that it would fix most of the problems its just that I tried that already). I also don’t know how to use Wilbur very well either I should add.
I also have this map without any mountain ranges added and without the sea floor mapped so if my best hope is honestly starting without those parts of it then could you give me any advice for creating mountain ranges and sea floor mapping? The white lines and red line surrounding the continents are the mountain ranges and continental shelf respectfully. Note: I also added more mountain ranges and changed a few others on this one simply because I felt the other was a bit lacking so I might use both at some point even though they are only a minor difference.
Again I’m willing to switch to a different program in order to get best results but I'm trying to make a purely topographic map right now.