Stop making so many maps and focus on one until you get it looking nice.
Stronghold maps are better in quality than quantity.
Strife
Posted on 11/22/09 @ 12:42 AM
Let people comment and give you ideas on the maps before you post a multitude of them.
Legolas220 File Author
Posted on 11/22/09 @ 04:27 AM
ok thanks, i will work on it
Heroesflorian
Posted on 11/22/09 @ 05:16 AM
One important thing in designing maps is the landscape. First of all, in most cases there will be much more tiles of "nature" than walls, towers or hovels.
So the landscape is the biggest part of the maps in quantity.
Even more important is this: The landscape gives a lot of feeling to your map. If there are just a few square-shaped pieces of water, iron, stone, high plateau or any other terrain or height, people will think "oh, this map is bad".
There are so many ways of improving landscapes that you can't use all, and you do not even have to be able to use every single one. But you should try to use some of them, the more the better.
I can't speak for everyone around here, but when I see a new map, I look at the minimap, at screenshots (if there are some) and decide, whether I like the landscape. If I like it, I will download the map in most cases.
After this, I will start looking up details on the mission along with the story provided.
But if I don't like the landscape, the mission has to be very creative and/or especially the type of mission I like best, to make me downloading it.
So, if there are 20 new maps with bad designing, I am likely to download none of them. If there are 1 or 2 new maps with good designing, I am likely to download them all.
And when I play a mission with very nice landscape, I will have more fun when playing, than I would have with the same mission objectives in a not-so-fine looking landscape.
Giving others the ability to have fun with creative mission objectives and great looking maps is one main reason of map-making. Always try to think of that, when you upload a map.
Here, you see a great collection of mapmaking tips & tricks:
http://stronghold.heavengames.com/maps/index_html#sod
Heroesflorian
[Edited on 11/22/09 @ 05:17 AM]
Legolas220 File Author
Posted on 11/22/09 @ 06:46 AM
ok thanks, my next map will be better, more landscape