Alysia - low rate project resurrection - mapping showoff

Hey everyone! After about 12 years since my last project, I just couldn't shake the itch to dive into something new - and this time, I'm going bigger than ever! I've done some casual mapping here and there over the years, but nothing major. Now, I've decided to go all in on a fully custom, old school feel. low-rate 8.6 server.

Don't expect it to drop anytime soon, though - I want this map to be massive, with 6+ cities and enough space for tons of players to hunt without stepping on each other's toes.

For my first showcase, I’m sharing a little bit of everything I’ve worked on so far to give you a feel for my style. I'd love some feedback - gotta shake off the rust after all these years!

Make smaller maps, than big and with empty spaces, more interesting, less boring, and with respecting players time.
How much full custom server ?

The goal is to create a world that feels vast and exciting to explore - while not having endless stretches of empty land. Towns and quick travel options (boats, flying carpets, etc.) will be spaced out just right to keep things convenient while still maintaining a sense of adventure.
That said, I still want the map to be huge! I remember how massive and mysterious the OG Tibia map felt when we first started playing, and that sense of wonder was a big part of what got players hooked.
Right now, I’m just roughing out the shape of the continent so I can start planning where everything will eventually go. There’s still a lot of empty space, but that’ll all get filled in over time. I’m also using rivers and mountains to break the map into more manageable, bite-sized sections, naturally guiding players toward points of interest.


That said, everything’s still very much a work in progress, and I really appreciate all the feedback - things are definitely subject to change!

"to create a world that feels vast and exciting to explore - while not having endless stretches of empty land"
Ok, good.

"remember how massive and mysterious the OG Tibia map felt when we first started playing"
Yeah, still working thing for games,
BUT better option is to give reward for exploring, then another resp.
BUT, this another resp, can be interesting,
with random monster exp, or random loot, extra loot here, only here, easy to make.

"and I really appreciate all the feedback"
Maybe, you have some questions ?

Yeah, I’d love some feedback as well - how important do you think lore is to a server’s success these days? I don’t really want to spend weeks crafting an intricate story and programming NPC interactions, only for most players to just skip right past through it - I do have some ideas e.g. the desert part being a barrier in progression unless chain quest is being completed opening the north part to the player.
Would it be better to keep the lore light and focus more on making exploration as engaging as possible? I’m leaning toward that approach, but I’d love to hear what you think

"how important do you think lore is to a server’s success these days?"
All servers available with lore, lore here, is not the best word here, better word is, interesting quests, was on 2/3 servers, in entire history of servers.
Have in mind, 2 or 3 interesting quests, and npc's, and that's all.

" I don’t really want to spend weeks crafting an intricate story and programming NPC interactions, only for most players to just skip right past through it"
Me doing this, takes a lot, a lot of time, and there is fun, a lot of possibilities.
Interesting things are not, easy to skipable ; )

"I do have some ideas e.g. the desert part being a barrier in progression unless chain quest is being completed opening the north part to the player.
Would it be better to keep the lore light and focus more on making exploration as engaging as possible?"

I am very into good lore, and very into good quests, and also very into good npc's dialogs eater ; )
And i don't talk about, reading "book", in the game.
Chain quest good, also, chain things to make something, not possible bridge, mountains to climb, monster available after killing npc, or while exploring abandoned house, you found letter, person in the letter, writing about last thing, what she was doing(collecting 4 flowers), and player collecting this 4 flowers, and house is changing, to the time, where this person was here.

Time levers, puzzles(my server), puzzles with mix things, monsters, traps, different floors.
Chest reward, and another chest reward inside, even bigger then, first chest reward.
If you will like it, i will write more.

I feel like in most games, especially Tibia, that more cities makes the world more empty and kind of split player base, even if its on the same server. Having a major city with a few small towns without any dp to me is better. Its always more fun to play if it feels like you are not alone.

Yeah I think having optional lore might be the way to go, for now I'll prolly focus on mapping alone.

Nemphis said:

I feel like in most games, especially Tibia, that more cities makes the world more empty and kind of split player base, even if its on the same server. Having a major city with a few small towns without any dp to me is better. Its always more fun to play if it feels like you are not alone.

Click to expand...

That is a good point, however, how do you ensure players don't have to run half the map to the main city every time they need to refill / sell loot? I definately won't lean towards TPs to hunting grounds or anything like that.

phern said:

Yeah I think having optional lore might be the way to go, for now I'll prolly focus on mapping alone.



That is a good point, however, how do you ensure players don't have to run half the map to the main city every time they need to refill / sell loot? I definately won't lean towards TPs to hunting grounds or anything like that.

Click to expand...

Make the city JUST for NPCs. You will go there to do quests for them and return to your full main city

Looks great dude, I do agree with the first post, avoid 6 cities.
In the day of OTS having 1-2 max is best, you want all your players to be congregated at one place when they aren't hunting it makes people feel like they aren't alone when playing.

If you make a map so big that no on ever sees anyone they just won't really play, people play to be social for the most part.

Nemphis said:

I feel like in most games, especially Tibia, that more cities makes the world more empty and kind of split player base, even if its on the same server. Having a major city with a few small towns without any dp to me is better. Its always more fun to play if it feels like you are not alone.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's why, one city is more memoriable, and nice, then few more, most of the time, empty cities.
But, if server have a lot of players, all cities have players, in depo, is ok.

Thanks for the input guys! Some nice food for thought while I plan things out.

phern said:

Yeah I think having optional lore might be the way to go, for now I'll prolly focus on mapping alone.



That is a good point, however, how do you ensure players don't have to run half the map to the main city every time they need to refill / sell loot? I definately won't lean towards TPs to hunting grounds or anything like that.

Click to expand...

One option (if possible, im not sure) is that the main city has DP+Market like normal and others only have DP.

looks good!
Gives me the feeling to wanting to explore

I like all the images but this one, you've done a good job of the simple/rpg style mapping. Would love to see some snow/underwater!

I think its a personal thing of swamp on water, and then using all high grass borders, I like throwing in the lower grass borders to make the high ones stick out more. I think theres also a lot going on, like a lot of different biome nature thrown into one, but that may be what you're going for!

xsaint said:

I like all the images but this one, you've done a good job of the simple/rpg style mapping. Would love to see some snow/underwater!

I think its a personal thing of swamp on water, and then using all high grass borders, I like throwing in the lower grass borders to make the high ones stick out more. I think theres also a lot going on, like a lot of different biome nature thrown into one, but that may be what you're going for!

View attachment 91909

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I went through a phase where I was mapping hyperdetailed and this is one of the victims (and I already cleared it up by like 50%) but yeah I agree there is too much going on, will prolly remake it in a simpler style or tone it down at least. The swamp in the water is to limit the space where you can swim as you're jumping from the ship into the water and then onto the beach. I sill think it looks more than decent in game when the screen is limited.

phern said:

I went through a phase where I was mapping hyperdetailed and this is one of the victims (and I already cleared it up by like 50%) but yeah I agree there is too much going on, will prolly remake it in a simpler style or tone it down at least. The swamp in the water is to limit the space where you can swim as you're jumping from the ship into the water and then onto the beach. I sill think it looks more than decent in game when the screen is limited.

Click to expand...

Yeah its a hard middle ground I always sit there and think I've done too much or too little never the right amount haha. But also true I always map for the editor and realise I've put in too much time since half can't be seen at the same time.

Look forward to more!

Sweet RPG feeling! Nice, I like it

Quick update on the map: I've been focused on repurposing several of my older, previously unreleased projects to integrate them into this project. Alongside that, I’ve been working on general cleanup and strategic planning - espcially with the whole number of towns issue - I think I'll stick to 3 on release - a small starter village and then 2 main ones. I’ve also designed a few new low level hunting areas - mostly concentrated around the starting village.