Share your early maps!

[Bogie]

My first maps were made with the same Dundjinni software I still use today and it is really good at making a basic map look OK. I have since learned a lot about better texture selection and use of mapping elements and covers. Still for being only the second map I ever made, it's not horrible.

[johnvanvliet]

from 2003 a colorized " blue Mars"
-- basically Mars with Water




this is more a 3d texture than a map , but this is my main area of map making

[Feilim]

Love the maps being shown. Have to say (as an ardent roleplayer) thats its not just about artistic merit. The dungeon map shown and the little map of townhouses immediately get my GM brain working.

[Kellerica]

Your early maps certainly suck a lot less than mine did, you guys You're making me feel bad!

I jest, of course, it's been a blast seeing these. Glad to see so many people sharing stuff in this thread!

[Diamond]

Oooh, a chance to show off (haha)! Here's one I did about 8 years ago, with dwarven kingdoms galore:

[Bruno Müller]

Kellerica, thanks for this post. I'm laughing a lot looking at my first maps (at least the oldest I could find here).

They are from a RPG setting called Séghen that I started with a friend when we were around 17 (I'm 30 now). The setting is abandoned now, but I have fond memories of writing it - I learned a lot!


2006 - Twelve years ago I had no idea how rivers worked.


2006 - A little later that year, we changed the main orientation of the map and some kingdoms shifted.


2009 - Three years later, I had loads of maps drawn on a notebook. I colored some of them on Photoshop CS3 (!).


2010 - I started making individual kingdoms. I still like the style they were coming through.

Soon after this, we abandoned the setting, and I don't even remeber why. I think mainly because my friend and I got separated because of college.

Jump to today:


2018 - A regional map of my current setting, Tiriana.

I learned a lot since my first atempts, and I'm really glad to see how I improved until today.

Thanks again for the thread, Kellerica.
You made me revive some good memories here.

[Kellerica]

Oooh, a chance to show off (haha)! Here's one I did about 8 years ago, with dwarven kingdoms galore:

D, you showoff, your early stuff looks about the same as my 100th attempt... Were you just born awesome?

Kellerica, thanks for this post. I'm laughing a lot looking at my first maps (at least the oldest I could find here).

I learned a lot since my first atempts, and I'm really glad to see how I improved until today.

Thanks again for the thread, Kellerica.
You made me revive some good memories here.

Good stuff, you've certainly come a long way! I really like those later ones, you've got a good style going. And my pleasure, I'm glad people are finding this thread engaging.

[ladiestorm]

I just popped in to catch up, and saw this thread. I have to get in on this!!!


Anyone remember these maps?


Posted just.... has it been almost 3 years now? Wow. Made with CC3+, of course.

Now, what should I use as a comparison? Oh, I know...

All of these were made with CC3+. Wow, looking back at those first maps... maybe I HAVE come a long way!

[Jerron]

Speaking of early maps, these are my first world maps I did as a kid. It started out as a map of the countries my stuffed animals were kings and presidents of. So of course there is an elephant-shaped country called Elefantia and a bear shaped country named Pandiland. And in a burst of creativity I included countries with names like Ingland, Ititali, Achinland and Asuland (which weren't ins pired by any earthly country names at all!!!) And when I decided map making was so much fun I just expanded the world and added new Islands and continents. There is still another elephant shaped island, a teddy bear head shaped country and a horse shaped country... In this part of the world there were also countries like Gondor, Rohan or Narnia. And then there came the time I came to my senses and decided not top rip off places any mor and start to make up my own mind and create a world myself. Some parts of coastlines made it into my world Esper and keep my childhood alive.

[Kellerica]

Speaking of early maps, these are my first world maps I did as a kid. It started out as a map of the countries my stuffed animals were kings and presidents of. So of course there is an elephant-shaped country called Elefantia and a bear shaped country named Pandiland. And in a burst of creativity I included countries with names like Ingland, Ititali, Achinland and Asuland (which weren't ins pired by any earthly country names at all!!!) And when I decided map making was so much fun I just expanded the world and added new Islands and continents. There is still another elephant shaped island, a teddy bear head shaped country and a horse shaped country... In this part of the world there were also countries like Gondor, Rohan or Narnia. And then there came the time I came to my senses and decided not top rip off places any mor and start to make up my own mind and create a world myself. Some parts of coastlines made it into my world Esper and keep my childhood alive.

If that is not awesome/adorable I don't know what is.