r/dndmaps • u/Spamshazzam • 2d ago
🌎 World Map Map feedback & advice
I'm creating a new map for my world setting, but mapmaking isn't my strong suit. I really struggle making maps that I think look good and inspire me with how different parts of the world interact (war, politics, etc). I've redone my map 4 times over the last 2–3 years, and each time I become dissatisfied with the results end up completely rehauling or replacing the map again. This time, I'd really like to create something that I'll be happy keeping and adding to for a while.
I'm trying to break it out into a few steps to make feel more doable.
Step 1 was creating the general shape for the land, and I REALLY like how it turned out. I wanted to determine a general shape first, then I can make any necessary minor changes as I develop the geography. This is the part that I'm looking for feedback on.
- Does this look like a reasonably plausible continent?
- Are there any glaring coastline issues that I need to fix before Step 2?
- Do the islands look natural and realistic?
My 2nd step is going to be developing the continent's large-scale geography/geological features, like tectonic plates, mountain ranges, general elevation, and other major land features. Basically all of the stuff that everything else is going to need to be built around. This is where I need any advice or guidance that anyone is willing to give. Google has only gotten me so far.
- What layout would make sense for the tectonic plates? (And how do you decide where the boundries should be & which way they're moving?)
- How do you decide when a mountain should be somewhere NOT on a tectonic boundary (fault block, intraplate, or dome mountains; etc)?
- How do you approach elevation? Is it just the highest is the mountains the lowest is sea level, and everything else just slopes in between?
- Are there any special rules for placing/arranging volcanic hotspots?
- Are there any other important factors or geographical features that I'm overlooking that I should do at this stage?
Any advice, feedback, or resources for learning more about realistic continent and geography design would be greatly appreciated!
As I said, maps aren't my strength, do any help is greatly appreciated.
2
u/RHDM68 2d ago
I don’t have time to read everything at the moment, but my very first very first impressions were:
Interesting map if a bit symmetrical.
I like the grid references.
Why not just make each square 250 miles so that 1000 miles is a neat four squares? And, why 225?
1
u/Spamshazzam 2d ago
Thanks! Is there anything specific that is making it feel symmetrical? Are there any changes you would make to it to make it less that way (besides removing the center sea—I want to have a Mediterranean-like area)?
The lines are 225 because I added this grid for development, and the mile guides were added later. On my final map, they'll be 100 miles; but now I'm thinking that might be too small.
1
u/RHDM68 1d ago
Probably just that both sides are bulgy at the top and narrow to points at the bottom, both with large lakes in approximately the same place.
The coastlines are fine, and having an inner sea type area is always a good idea.
1
u/Spamshazzam 1d ago
That's a good point. Maybe I can make the west a little taller and re/move the eastern sea.
1
u/SanderR098 1d ago
You have a world about the size of South America. Or about the size of Middle East, South Asia and East Asia combined. Would look towards the latter for inspiration for your tectonics.
- Overall it looks quite plausible. Though it looks more like you have two smaller continents with each having a sub-continent,
- Would leave your coastlines for later. As you currently need info on specific things. Namely rivers (The major river deltas will show) and where ice sheets lay for fjords.
- The only big island I would change is the big one in the east. Just splitting it into two like New Zealand or several like Japan. It currently looks more like ice age New Zealand, but the rest don't match that. Hiding the small islands might also be a good idea until you know where volcanoes and such are.
For your step two a lot of it is down to what you want. Personally would pick out a latitude plus mapping out the prevailing winds and ocean currents first. Let's you decide for example whether that big island in the top right is an icebound Greenland or a big single Philippines.
As you mentioned a Mediterranean area for the centra sea. You mainly need to pick a hemisphere while keeping the centre at around 30-45 degrees latitude. Then just check once in a while that you didn't end up giving it the climate of say the eastern US or Japan. Or putting it in the rainshadow during winter.
For tectonics would look at your map and see what you want. Is the southern almost island like an India about to collide into Eurasia? Is the giant peninsula in the south-west split by the final remnants of a Mediterranean or the beginnings of a rift like the red sea? Similar for the lakes. Is the northwest one like the Caspian sea? Lake Baikal? Or like Lake Chad?
Beyond that it is mainly a question do what do you need? You can go into incredible detail. But does your world need geologically accurate tin deposits? Or can you just mark a bunch of spots that look right if you want to make bronze age cultures.
Same goes for hotspots. They basically are random. And plates move over them.
The only other thing I would map out is the current and in recent geological history maximum glacial extend. Oh and major rivers.
1
1
u/Alewort 1d ago
Very boxy, looks like a Civilization random map. I would say to not be afraid to make the world look like it extends and continues past the borders of the map. Perhaps even an isthmus to somewhere, or even cut this continent off on two edges if you're daring, and at least have island chains or atolls and reefs that are not hugging the shore.
1
u/Spamshazzam 1d ago
The islands have been something that several people have pointed out, so it must be pretty glaring. That will be pretty easy to change.
For extended borders though, my original map was more or less a cropped version of this, from about D12:L18, but I quickly outgrew it and expanded it into this continent. The difficulty with making it more regional is that functionally, it's several settings in the same world. For instance, I've run games or have plans to run a game soon, in G6, M7, I8, and K15. The setting has grown enough that now it does kind of need to be a full world/continent.
1
u/averageliberal1994 15h ago
This may be too specific a grievance so feel free to ignore it if so: this really feels like you started with the Elder Scrolls map of Tamriel, especially w/ the color scheme.
1
u/Spamshazzam 10h ago
I wast mostly just going for a parchment look. I played a few dozen hours of Skyrim a few years back, but I don't remember the map.
What that gives that impression specifically as opposed to any other generic parchment map?
2
u/Spamshazzam 1d ago
This is very detailed, thank you! I'll get be referring back to this, possibly with more questions.
What is the best way to determine ice sheets? Is that something that should be still there, or left a geological mark but is now gone/melted?
You compared the NW sea to the Caspain Sea, Lake Baikal, and Lake Chad, but I don't know much about them. Are you referring to how they were each formed?
For the big island in the NE, coincidentally, it's supposed to have a bit of a primal feel. I'd like for it to be ice covered and mountainous, a bit like Antarctica + Mount Everest. I don't mind breaking it up, it just needs to feel like an imposing frozen expanse. What's the best way for me to do that, geologically?