Pondering Another Rifts Map Project

[Hotrod]

It's been a while since I made a Rifts map, and while I've enjoyed and appreciated the interest and the commissions I've had for Palladium Fantasy, I'm a big fan of Rifts Earth, and I'm thinking that I'd like to return there to do a map. I'm contemplating several possibilities for my next Rifts map project:

The first option is to do a global vector map of Rifts Earth that can be overlaid onto Google Earth. This would be a bare-bones map without my usual flourishes and detail, but it would show all the canon coastlines, mountains, rivers, and possibly ley lines. This would be very useful to me for building future Rifts maps, but it could also be useful for players and GMs who want to compare existing geography to that of Rifts Earth in a direct way on Google Earth or on a flat projection. I took a crack at this a year or two ago, but I haven't touched it in a while.

Russia seems like the most timely map for me to do, since Kevin plans on cranking out a Sovietski book soon. There are good canon maps I could use as a basis

Great Britain would be a fun map to do. The canon maps are pretty consistent, and I could use existing geographical information to not only combine the canon information, but to do so in a way that includes a lot of real-life detail. This would probably be the quickest and easiest map to produce, and many of the tools and icons I've been using in my Fantasy maps would be appropriate for this one as well.

The New German Republic could be fun to map. The Triax books are some of the most popular around, and war of annihilation makes an interesting setting and challenge for my map-making.

Mexico/The Vampire Kingdoms would be an interesting challenge. It's one of the most iconic regions in Rifts Earth. The biggest problem here would be the Yucatan Peninsula. The dual nature of this area would be particularly tricky to map. It would also be a lot of fun to work in as many vampire symbols as I can.

Anyway, as much as I enjoy cartography for its own sake, I also want Rifts fans to view and use these maps. What would you like to see?

[say652]

I voted Russia, because i love the Warlords setting.

[Burren]

I voted Great Britain mainly due to the love and nostalgia I have for this Rifts setting. But that aside, the level of real life detail you could incorporate, as you pointed out, would be pretty awesome.

[mercedogre]

i want a detailed map of the north american west coast (specifically California)

[Blue_Lion]

i want a detailed map of the north american west coast (specifically California)

There is no specific information on the west cost.
There is a map of north America project in a thread at the top of the forums thou.

[dragonfett]

I voted for the NGR mostly because there are three books (that I can think of at least) for reference material which would make it easier to make it. The NGR map could really cover most of Europe with another separate map for England and a third map for Russia.

[Hotrod]

i want a detailed map of the north american west coast (specifically California)

Me too!

The way I make these maps is to assemble all the canon information I can find and include as much as I possibly can into the map. The idea here is to create a single point of reference for important map details, so that if your party of floopers wants to traverse its way from one place to another, you and/or the GM can see the climate, terrain, vegetation, ley lines/nexuses, political territories, and settlements you might come across between where your party is and where it wants to go. Palladium's maps tend to focus on just one or two of these categories, and they often leave out key details that are in the published text. Often, Palladium has multiple maps of a single region scattered throughout a book, which can make it tricky to keep tabs on where everything is.

In terms of California, there's very little in the published canon. Even the shape of the coastline is a bit nebulous. The Savage Rifts map of North America might be helpful to you, but if you're looking for more than just the shape of the coast and the climate, I can't help you.

[Glistam]

I'd love a global map overlay, and I've always thought Rifts England deserved better. Those were my votes. I can understand the need/desire for a Europe and Russia map too, though.

[ShadowLogan]

In terms of something else you could probably combine the England and NGR maps and do just a European Map. That might also allow some notes on Western Russia (part in Europe) and Northern Africa (Med. Coast) to be depicted.

[Hotrod]

In terms of something else you could probably combine the England and NGR maps and do just a European Map. That might also allow some notes on Western Russia (part in Europe) and Northern Africa (Med. Coast) to be depicted.

Not impossible, but tricky. There are canon maps of Europe as a whole, but they tend to be inconsistent and lacking detail in a lot of areas, while having lots of canon details in other smaller areas. The NGR and Britain would be very dense areas to mark up, and I'd have to cut out a lot of canon information, while Spain and most of the northern Mediterranean shores would be empty. If I do a Europe map, I'll probably do it as a collage map after I do some smaller pieces of it. I agree, though that it would be nice to have a comprehensive map of Rifts Europe.

[J_cobbers]

I would like to see a well done South America map. We have 2 source books to pull from a number of nations and a very diverse region on which to build some good maps.

[The Beast]

I'd rather not see any Google earth overlays unless it can be done in such a way that you can get the coastlines done right and remove all references to non-Rifts stuff.

Petty tyrants thrive when they have authority backed by vague regulations.

[say652]

I selfishly stand by a better Russia map. Such a great setting though.
For the greater good i will say a Google Earth type overlay will help everyone.
Pffffft pffft! Screw everyone!! Go Russia!!

[Hotrod]

I'd rather not see any Google earth overlays unless it can be done in such a way that you can get the coastlines done right and remove all references to non-Rifts stuff.

That's the idea. If I do it right, you could create the overlay, line it up with the real world geography if you like, extend it to the poles and around both hemispheres, and turn off all other real-world information. The result would be a simple Rifts Earth globe.