User:JSEVERNS/Sandbox

(Working draft of "Mapping: A Best Practices Guide")

Overview

Maps are a key aspect of any roleplaying game, and Gemstone is no different in that respect. Unlike other games, however, the only maps that exist in Gemstone are those created by its players. If you are reading this guide, you must feel some interest in the art of cartography, and I hope that it will provide some utility or inspiration to you, whether you are a beginner considering your very first map, or an experienced mapmaker looking to refine your products for to meet the highest expectations of users on the Wiki or in the mapdb.

General Considerations

1. A published map is not for you, it is for everyone else

Who is your map for? If it is for you and you alone, then this guide is unnecessary -- create whatever your heart desires. But if you intend to publish this map in order to help the community and players in their navigation, appreciation or understanding of the game world, there are some some standards you should follow. Just as motorists have reason to expect that all stop signs will be similar no matter what road they are on, players have the right to expect that their maps will be broadly similar, no matter who drafted them.

I put this item first, because it's easy to lose sight of as creators -- a published map is a utility tool for the community and players, not just an opportunity for you to force a product or vision into the game and screens of other people. While every creator has some vision for their creation, you should not let that vision interfere with the primary purpose of a map, which is simply to orient players within the game world.

2. Simple is better than complex.

If an element is unnecessary, then either do not include it, or minimize it or keep it off to the side where it won't bother people who don't need it. Likewise, essential elements (labels, directions, connections) should only be as complex as necessary. Avoid the temptation to use elaborate fonts that defy legibility.

3. Be respectful of people's time and resources

Hard drives are not limitless, and neither is bandwidth. If your map is more than 1MB in size, consider where you can find savings. (More on this below in the Technical Considerations section.)

4. Published maps are part of a collaborative process

You always retain the copyright on your creations. However, when you upload a map to the mapdb, you putting down a stake in a collaborative effort, and this comes with certain obligations, chief among them a willingness to contribute constructively to the project of providing high-quality maps to thousands of users. Other cartographers may need to update your map, correct it, or even replace it if a new one is more appropriate. By uploading your map, you are tacitly giving permission for other members of the mapping community to do all these things. If you are a mapper and would like to update or alter someone else's map, start by making a good-faith effort to reach out to them for their concurrence. Remember that the overriding goal is to provide the best maps possible for users and let everything else flow from that.

Technical Considerations

Go here

Style Guide

Goes here