Help!

[bloodyrosemccoy]

Hey, nerds!

Help me out here, because Google and the library catalog both look at me like I’m some sort of nut when I say I want resources on creating maps for made-up worlds. I am a nut, of course, but dammit, I know there are answers out there for nuts like me, because I have countless fantasy books with detailed maps in their fronts and also a lot of RP-ing friends who spend their weekends barging around such worlds. The resources must exist, because not every nerd is willing to reinvent the wheel.*

But god help me if I can find any of these resources, so I turn to you, you nerds. Where can I find good books/sites/software on creating maps of worlds that are not Earth?

I’m counting on you, internet! Don’t let me down!


*Yes, a lot of us are, but dammit this is the FUTURE and you would think we of all people would be willing to share pointless knowledge like this on the internet.

Comments

[blackbyrd2.livejournal.com]

No resources, but I can give you some ideas of how the geology should work, assuming carbon-based life forms simlar to Earth-types;

Evolution is going to require approx the same kind of proportions/type of world we have here, so you could figure about 1/2 - 3/4 of the planet as water, assume the tectonic plates will shift like ours, and that mountain ranges will then follow these plates around, creating pushup mountains like the Rockies, or volcanic mountains where the plates are moving apart.

Larger planets will need to be less dense in order to have habitable, usable amounts of water/oxygen, etc., and not crush the inhabitants. Higher density/larger mass planets which create das uberstrong aliens will have a whole different chemistry, and may use ammonia instead of water, which means your creatures won't be able to directly interact without life-support suits. (Gas giants, etc.) Smaller planets will have a difficult time hanging onto the gases needed to make an atmosphere and protect the life from radiation.

Moon/earth is going to be your best bet for a double planet system. Keep the tides in mind.

Good luck!

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

That's the stuff I'm tops at! (Actually, if you need resources, I've got a couple of terrific books about exactly that I can dig up.)

As I mentioned in another comment, at this point my questions are about the maps themselves--while I'm great at what I term "zoomed out" planetbuilding (density, distance from star, atmosphere, plate tectonics, alien life on said world), my sense of scale is pretty pathetic. I have real trouble gauging how something fits on, say, an island. I'm looking to plan cities, figure out distances from landmark to landmark, translate a global map onto a flat surface, that sort of thing. I'm leaning toward Campaign Cartographer right now, actually.

[blackbyrd2.livejournal.com]

Oop! Sorry then. :)

I hope it does what you need. I've sketched a map or three for D&D in my time, but couldn't give you a clue how to be more accurate about it. I only ever worried about the parts where the people were going to go. :D