Map Creation in RPG Maker

## Maps

Maps are an important element of game design. They are the base of the game the player plays on, so if the map does not work well, your game will follow suit. Below is a tutorial to help you create your own map in RPG Maker and some tips and tricks to enhance them. Although physically making the maps are easy, ensuring that it plays well is harder. Hopefully this tutorial helps you out!

## Step 1: Setting up the file

   In order to set up a map on RPG Maker, the area you would like to create a map on should be on the screen. By default, it should appear like the following image on the right.
#### The map tool

    In order to edit the map, you must select the map tool in the tool bar at the top of the screen. Once this button is clicked, you can freely draw and edit the map on the screen.

## Step 2: Drawing

Drawing anywhere on the map places the tile you have selected. RPG Maker comes with a generic tile set that appears on the left side of the screen for users to begin with, but users may choose to import their own tile set instead. There are also other tools that users can use to draw with. These tools make it easier for the user to do specific shapes, and generally make the map making process easier.

### Tools

There are five tools specific to map creation that are available for the user to use. These appear as the icons below.

#### Pencil Tool

The first icon is selected by default when drawing is enabled. This is the pencil tool. This tool paints a single tile on the area the user is hovering over. This selection is good for detailing and placing tiles in specific areas.

#### Rectangle Tool

This is the second icon starting from the left. This tool paints tiles in a rectangular area that the user selects. They can choose the size they would like to paint by dragging the cursor closer or further away from the tile they select. This tool is helpful in painting a large area in the shape of a rectangle.

#### Ellipses Tool

This is third icon starting from the left. This tool is the exact same as the rectangle tool, but in the shape of an ellipses. This tool is helpful in painting a large area in a round shape.

#### Flood Fill Tool

The fourth tile starting from the left. This tool fills in an area of duplicate tiles. When the user clicks on a tile with this tool, any adjacent tile that is the same as the clicked tile will change. This is helpful when you would like fill a large area of the same tile, or replacing many of the same tile.

#### Shadow Pen Tool

This is final icon starting from the left. This tool is used to add or remove shadows of walls. The image above shows the shadow tiles (right) next to regular tiles (left).

## Step 3: Let your imagination go wild!

Above are all the steps required to create basic maps on RPG Maker. The rest is up to you!

## Additional Tips and Tricks

Here are some additional tips and tricks that can be used to enhance your maps. There are many ways to create a more interesting map design. Varying the overall shape and elevating certain blocks are two of them. These additional tips and tricks come from map maker Indra on the RPG Maker forums. For further reading, see here.

### **Varying the shape of the map**

Indra mentions that changing up the shape of your map from a rectangular one to a more asymmetric design is a simple way to make your map more visually appealing. It also functions as a natural visual guide to important object/Non-player characters, while at the same time creating an illusion of multiple rooms in one scene. This guidance can be especially crucial in puzzle games, but it is a helpful technique to master for other genres as well.

An example of how a single map can maintain an illusion of having multiple rooms.This is an example of how an asymmetrical room would work.

### Elevating certain regions for complexity

Similarly, elevating areas on the map also put the playable areas into segments, creating the same multi-room illusion. By using special tiles, this method not only provides visual complexity but can function as support to other mechanics, such as wall climbing or jumping, should you intend to implement them. Therefore, adding the height element to a 2D map system can result in the increase in game complexity.

## Additional Resources

If you would like to learn more about the technical aspects of map design, Indra's forum post is a good resource for designing maps. This is the link: https://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?threads/mapping-in-five-easy-steps.61/

Additionally, SRdude's series on RPG Maker is a helpful visual version of this guide. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR9y6vco-VQ

## References

* Indra's forum post: https://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?threads/mapping-in-five-easy-steps.61/
* SRdude's RPG Maker tutorial series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR9y6vco-VQ