Maps to nowhere.
OBJECTS OF OBSESSION #8: CARTOGRAPHIC DELIGHTS (PART 2)
Welcome back, if you missed the first part, you can catch up here:+
As I browsed eBay for some idleness induced retail therapy, I felt that travelling the twenty or so miles, climbing a ladder, and digging through heaps of boxes to find and extract all the games that came with physical maps would be far too much bother (plus, as mentioned in part one, the dog needed watching). So, in a rather financially challenging mood, I decided that repurchasing a few particular favourites would be okay… if they were cheap… and as long as the map that came with them was in good condition. I had (still do, actually, but it’s in drafts purgatory) a plan to write something else about them you see, beyond the navigation post, and not being able to hold them in my hands posed a slight issue. Anyway, I ordered a couple and thought nothing of it, and as I waited, I browsed some more. I ordered a few more then, and waited again, and while I waited, I ordered some more. If you can detect a pattern, you’re right. Waits begat orders, and orders begat waits, and so on, until I had a secondary (and quite large) collection of games, all of which I was certain I’d never play, and only wanted for their damned maps…
If I had gotten around to doing the thing I wanted with them by now, I’d have at least spent the money for a reason (whether it would have been a good reason is up for debate, I suppose), but all that has happened was that we now have a massive portfolio folder wedged behind our sofa containing detailed geographical and cartographic data to a bunch of virtual words, most of which I’ll likely never visit again. I blame eBay. Enjoy.
As I mentioned in the first part, I find the maps of Dishonoured 2 to be of particularly high quality, perhaps on par with that of the Witcher series.
While the majority of maps included with games feature simple city layouts or traditionally or fantasy inspired landmasses, the above for Silent Hunter really stood out to me as somewhat unique. WW2 era military themed maps included with games are apparently something of an oddity, at least in my experience.
The Witcher series seems to have consistently provided excellent fantasy maps, and there are a few scattered herein. Their artistry only improving with each subsequent release, with the third entry coming with very decorative, almost renaissance era maps (such as the one above).
The above map for Assassin’s Creed, and the below for Trine both lean into the whimsical and characterful, with the AC map detailing its locations with illustrative interpretations and filling in its vast seas with drawings of sea creatures. Trine takes it a little further, appearing more in the vein of a storybook, with the cartographical ruleset thrown out, the features and characters of the locations taking the fore.
The above map from Mafia III, in a similar style to some of the GTA additional material, features in-world advertising, which really enhances the realism, making it more than a mere guide for navigating within the game, it becoming a physical manifestation of an in-universe prop.
As mentioned with the Mafia map, the Grand Theft Auto maps often include additional information which add to the realism, and this is done perfectly with the map for GTA IV, which gives the reader information on the city's points of interest. The same can be said for the image below. The map for Fallout 4 features a richly detailed list of locations, bringing to mind a real-world street map.
Some maps are stylised, and some are more realistic, the above for the Witcher 3 beautifully highlights the former, with a characterful and colourful design that is aesthetically perfect for the game world it represents. Metal Gear Solid 4’s map, shown below, goes the realistic route, and with its utilitarian design, it almost feels like a real map one might reference in the field.
Realism can come in different forms, and the above for Total War is a good example of a realist map, but set within a different time period, detailing Europe and the Americas accurately (although not to scale).
So, what do I do with all these maps now? I guess I’ll slide them back into their folder and not look at them for another couple of years… Perhaps I’ll just go and check eBay again in the meantime. Just once…
What are some videogame maps that you find particularly interesting? There are many more that I need to dig out from the attic at some point, and many more I’ve yet to see. If you have any favourites do let me know - or any map recommendations in general.
As well as admiring maps, I’ve always enjoyed creating them, and the process is something I find both therapeutic and incredibly useful when combined with writing fiction. The imagined world of my book had been constantly shifting over the years but is finally settling as I close in on the final editing stages of the book itself. I’ll perhaps share some of that here at some point.
Also, a big thank you to the TYPEDBYTOM Patreon/BMAC supporter(s) this month:
Jamie B