When I design a map I research the location and gather photos and maps of the locations to be represented in an AoK map design. Once I have the information I create the locations in a distorted scale if you will.
The distortion occurs mostly in what I call transitional points on the map, but it also occurs in the locations of the battlefields, castles, cities, towns, etc. An example would be my representation of Himeji Castle, although I used an accurate diagram of the moat, I was forced to scale down the actual castle complex, that would have needed at least three quarters of the eight player map to scale accurately.
An example of what I call transitional is the distance between locations on the map. Were a town that is scaled down is already meant to represent say one mile across, and then the road to a town that is say twenty miles away is only three or four miles long using that same scale...that is a transitional area of a map. I try to include distance and time in my scenarios, so I would make this road rather uneventful if you will, to create a sense of distance that otherwise does not exist.
Of the highlights of my time with design was when I corresponded with a Ohara (Miyamoto), Japan town official who sent me maps and answered my questions like; What side of the river is the water wheel? I sent him a screenshot of my AoK representation of his town and he was satisfied that I had captured it's spirit. The other just happened recently, when I received a e-mail from a player who visited Japan and participated in the famous Tea Ceremonies there. He said I was able to stir his memory of his trip more than his own photographs. However, I noticed that sometimes with designing as I do, I lose some people with these design motivations.
The fact is many people do not know the geography and ecology of the world, let alone what it was at the time of the scenarios plot. How many people know that there are pine forests in China, and there are also maple forests in China, so much like Canada that the Chinese and Canadians have joined in an effort to maintain them. Are there Deer in Japan? The answer is yes. Turkeys in Mezo-America (South America); Yes that is where they came from.
Still, I do not design entirely from this stand point, and so I too would advise bamboo in an Asian scenario, because you want the player to see Asia, and bamboo does this. It's a fantastic experience for me when I look at a map, and say this is a great map of Egypt, instead of this is a great AoK map. Although the fantasy and fictional scenarios, and there locations excite me too, and if done well make me want to learn and experience more in their imaginary worlds. I don't go in much for the abstract, but it's more a matter of taste than anything else, I usually allow for it in Multiplayer more than Singleplayer, but who can say?
I never tire of looking at other designers maps, and I am usually struck by some aspect of it. I am most pleased when I see a developed approach or style in maps...a sense of direction if you will. I personally never considered one civ's building set over another, but I have been struck by many particular designs. How many people know that each civ's monument has a real building that exists or existed at sometime, in the world for it's model?
To sum it up, all I want to experience really is creativity and craftsmanship in a design. My approach is a fluid process, where I try to represent historical or real locations artistically more than accurately, and I want to be realistic, take risks, and be original in that representation if possible.
"I take it that this is the Anastasia Scud pines for?" - Epic Commander
"What Ana said. Use sugar and the whip." - aka the Pilot
"I think you will realize the emphasis was on Ana and Cake." - Monk[This message has been edited by AnastasiaKafka (edited 07-20-2002 @ 12:28 PM).]