Mirage Source

[size=150]ZoSo's Mapping Tutorial #1[/size]
[i]Regular Forest Area[/i]

Made by ZoSo, don't post anywhere without crediting me.

First of all, RMXP tiles... They are pretty bad for Beginners, but so many seem to use them here anyway.. so.. Alright, we shall start with this map.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/1.png[/img]

What's wrong with this map? Everything, its very squary.
Squary = Bad.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/2.png[/img]

Look at the real world, go to a forest and look for yourself... Nothing in the world by nature is squary.
Google "Forest Path"... or "Forest" and check the images if you are to lazy to go to the forest yourself.

Anyway the key to mapping good is mapping like if you would draw, but instead of drawing the painting, world map or whatever, you have tiles... it's like a puzzle, you need to put the tiles together so they fit.

So lets start over... First make an empty map. Add the grass tile, and start doing a road. No roads are "L" Shaped.. People don't walk that way, they take shortcuts... why walk like a robot? People don't instantly turn around when they reach the end... they walk in a "C" shaped way, thats why the roads have to be "C" shaped.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/3.png[/img]

See, looks a lot more realistic. Okay, now its time to add thick grass... Yet again, grass does not grow like squares. If you have no idea how you should put it, take a glass of water and spill the water on a paper. It won't come out squary. If you don't wanna do that, just look at the next update of the map :).

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/4.png[/img]

Alright when thats finished we need to add some trees. Don't add to many, it actually all depends if you want to have an game which will have all the sides of the maps leading somewhere, or a game which you can only follow the roads to get somewhere.. In this case, i mapped a map which you would be able to walk anywhere to, since games with that kind of world are a lot better, but if you don't have that in your game, try adding so many trees as possible to the ends of the maps... fill 'em, so it really looks like there is no way to walk through.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/5.png[/img]

Alright, its starting to look quite good now. You don't want the map to look to cluttered right, since monsters and stuff will be filling it too, remember that. All that is left is to add some flowers, stones and so on. Remember, don't add them just anywhere... Everything in the map has to be balanced.

[img]http://godborn.com/images/tutorials/map01/6.png[/img]

Alright, you're done. All you need to do now is map the rest of the maps in the same style. I will be posting more tutorials about mapping later, if you have any requests for types of areas please tell me. What I plan on doing is a Cliff tutorial and a Town tutorial.

Anyway, if there is any grammar errors or something wrong with the spelling.. Please tell me, its not always easy doing everything right when English is my 4th language.