Lego Pirate minifig maps?

[Col. Whipstick]

Okay guys, this is just a bit of an experiment... Inspired by the 2x2 lego pirate treasure map that used to be found in numerous sets, in my quest for greater customization I'm looking into producing some different maps.

This image is just a tester/teaser to see what opinion and demand would be like. Instead of taking the fictional 'Terra Incognita' of the official pirate map I've just rendered a map of the 'Northern Caribbean' and done two versions. One an old sepia styled map and the other in colours compatable to what lego have done. Additionally I've tried to add little features to the map as lego did but I'm unsure yet of how these look and what may be changed in the way of compasses, sea monsters, anchors, ships, whales etc.

Then I've looked at making these maps have some relevance and have created two versions showing Spanish and English colonial territory around the Golden Age. So have a look guys, print them out and see if they work. What do you think of the different colours etc? Won't go into production yet until I can see if it's worth it.

[Lord Of Pies]

I think they all look very good, Col. Whipstick, better than the made up maps by TLC! I prefer the bright blue and white maps myself, as I think they fit in better with Lego.

[Col. Whipstick]

I think they all look very good, Col. Whipstick, better than the made up maps by TLC! I prefer the bright blue and white maps myself, as I think they fit in better with Lego.

What about the whale, icons etc? Too much, not enough? I like the idea of showing territory and will look into making wall maps that would go on the walls of cabins, inside the governor's office, that sort of thing because one can show a bit more detail than what's going on that tiny map.

[Lord Of Pies]

I quite like the small icons, I think they are a nice touch. The maps I have designed do not have many icons as their is not much room.

Edited January 12, 2008 by Lord Of Pies

[Capn Frank]

I always thought i'd be fun to have multiple map areas,

but when you brought them together, they'd make one big map.

That's just me though. X-D

P

[Lord Of Pies]

I will post my maps I have made tomorrow, they are of the British Isles and are on my brickshelf.

[Col. Whipstick]

I always thought i'd be fun to have multiple map areas,

but when you brought them together, they'd make one big map.

That's just me though. X-D

P

I'm looking at doing that when I mentioned a large wall map but it'll be a bit of time away, I want to make a load of regional sized ones first. Could someone print those out though and tell me how they look or is the scale too small and the ink too thick from the print?

[Captain Ka-Boom]

Great job i think i might use that as a very small detail. Ever thought about French territory maps?

[Col. Whipstick]

Great job i think i might use that as a very small detail. Ever thought about French territory maps?

Of course I have... Ka Boom, this is only a quick sampler, believe me when I get going, if I get going I'll have hundreds of these. I have already done French ones. I'm simply not going to continue until someone prints out so I can see they work otherwise I would waste loads of hours on something that isn't going to work. The flags took ages of resizing and many e-mails between myself and Lord of Pies to get the sizes right before I could continue.

By the way - I like the avatar!

Edited January 12, 2008 by Col. Whipstick

[Lord Of Pies]

I have posted my first batch of minifig maps, this time of the British Isles.

[Opproperaar]

Why I love the iedea and think they look beautiful, however don't you think your maps are a bit TOO accurate for the time?

I've read a very detailed book about cartography throughout the ages and it's a well known fact that until the 20th century maps had many inaccuracies in them.

On the other hand, such maps would be great on modern vessels (cause of their accuracy) if it were not of the edges which seem cut and worn out.

That's just my two cents :-P

Keep it up! *y*

Edited January 13, 2008 by Hairy Ruben

[Col. Whipstick]

Why I love the iedea and think they look beautiful, however don't you think your maps are a bit TOO accurate for the time?

I've read a very detailed book about cartography throughout the ages and it's a well known fact that until the 20th century maps had many inaccuracies in them.

On the other hand, such maps would be great on modern vessels (cause of their accuracy) if it were not of the edges which seem cut and worn out.

That's just my two cents :-P

Keep it up! *y*

I yeah for sure... if the maps are meant to go with the early early stuff they will be too accurate but in the end of the day we have to take slight liberties with history, otherwise the maps would look too much like the default lego one - just a lump of Terra Incognita. Also the maps will run really for the length of our time and I'm sure that by the 19th century the mapping was fairly good. Besides, how much accurate detail can one fit on something so small?

[Lord Of Pies]

I think I might have fitted to much detail on to my British Isles maps, I have a bad feeling it might end up as a splodge!

Edit: They look quite good, here is a pic (note it is not stuck on)

Edited January 13, 2008 by Lord Of Pies

[Col. Whipstick]

I think I might have fitted to much detail on to my British Isles maps, I have a bad feeling it might end up as a splodge!

Edit: They look quite good, here is a pic (note it is not stuck on)

Looks like I might have to reduce the size of the template, is it just that bit too big for the 2x2 tile piece?

[Lord Of Pies]

Theoretically it fits, its just my crappy cutting that did. I rushed that one as an example. And the camera brings out the worst of tiny errors or marks, for example the map doesn't actually look that pixal-y!