First ever map

[KillianBlack]

New here so I thought I would post what I am working on.
It is not fancy and is still in progress but I am here to learn
and make it better. The prime reason behind the map is for
a book I want to write... I figured it would be a good starting
point to be able to use the map for story telling. Also to help
set the story better in my mind.

First thanks for any critques and or responses. I look forward
to learning a few things here.

Second be nice it is my first attempt..... lol

[msa]

Not much to go on but I think the landmass looks nice. I'm looking forward to seeing it with some details and decoration added.

[thebax2k]

Nice start KillianBlack. I like the compass rose you are using, did you design it yourself? I really can't comment too much on your maps until I see more in the way of geographical features.

But from what little I can see, a few things come to mind. First, some of your borders look a little bit unusual in that they don't seem to be following the terrain. Granted, there are plenty of examples through history of borders literally being lines drawn on a map (with little thought for the people who actually live there), but typically countries have been bounded by geographical features. The eastern country on your western continent has a river that just weaves through its western border. There may be a reason for that, but why doesn't the border follow the river? Generally your borders should bound or be in mountains, deserts, rivers, swamps, etc.--geographical features that serves as natural boundaries. Where you lack those features, you are likely to have castles and keeps as nations fight over the land over time.

Second, I'm not the river police, but on your western continent in the south, you have a long river passing by what looks like a capital city on a huge bay. Why doesn't the river drain into the bay? Not all bays will necessarily have rivers draining into them, but large ones usually do (I'm thinking of Hudson's Bay or the Bay of Bengal).

Regardless, you are off to a good start, I'm curious to see how this map develops.

[KillianBlack]

Thanks for the input. With regards to the Compass Rose,
I found it while doing a search for one and then ran it
through Illustrator. It came out that way. Sometimes
lucky accidents are the best.

I follow the thought process in regards to the boundaries.
It was my thought to run mountain ranges along the borders.
I do remember thinking about using a river as a border but
I am not sure now why I chose not to. But I think on the next
incarnation that will be changing. The river that doesn't make
it to the body of water is a mistake as it should be flowing into
the ocean. I am thinking that I will change the edge there to
make it a larger bay.

The other river will in fact drain into the bay but from a water
fall. That section of the map is intended to be a mountainous
area with high cliffs. I am not sure how I am going to represent
that in 2D but I am also going to try and do a relief map as well
but that will be a time in coming....

Thanks again for the input. It has given me some stuff to think
about and work out.

[Ascension]

Bax hit the river issue I had in the west but there's also one on the eastern continent (in the south), altho it's not nearly as close to the bay...just something to think about is all. The coastlines look too smooth, rough 'em up a bit. Otherwise, pretty decent start and hope we get to see more.

[Steel General]

Welcome Aboard! Have some 'rep' for showing us a map in your first post *bonk*

Well, the river anomalies have been covered so enough about them.

Love the compass rose.

Will hold off any more 'critiquing' until you get a bit more done.

[KillianBlack]

Thanks for the Welcome and the Green.
I will try and post from home later with
an update of the map I already have a
few ideas about how to fix some issues.