Map Icons

[nickbeat]

I have been given the task to create custom icons to go with the world map. Basically I need to come up with 16 or so icons for each of the different areas of the map. I've been in a bit of a deadlock trying to think of what is most iconic for each area.

Could anyone help me come up with ideas of good iconic imagery for each place? The Necropolis 'gravestone' is just dandy really, but others like the Trade Tier icon could be represented better by a 'coin' perhaps.

Here is the list:
1.) Sestra
2.) Arqhor
3.) Gates of Sundren
4.) Gates of the Sunderer
5.) Exigo Expedition Camp
6.) Exigo Trading Post
7.) Necropolis
8.) Viridale
9.) Schild Mountain
10.) Mirakus Post
11.) Mossdale
12.) Viridale Glade
13.) Trade Ward
14.) Military Ward
15.) Entertainment Ward.
16.) Port Avanthyr

Thoughts?

[caveman_282]

1.) Sestra = MAYBE A WATER FALL?
2.) Arqhor = THAYAN SYMBOL
3.) Gates of Sundren = THE SYMBOL FROM THE GATE SPELL
4.) Gates of the Sunderer = A STATUE OF THE SUNDERER
5.) Exigo Expedition Camp = CAMP FIRE
6.) Exigo Trading Post = A OUPLE OF LARGE TENTS LIKE A LARGE TRAVELING CARAVAN WOULD SET UP
7.) Necropolis = GRAVE STONE
8.) Viridale = GNOLL HEAD
9.) Schild Mountain = I LIKE THE VOLCANOE
10.) Mirakus Post = MAGE TOWER WOULD BE COOL
11.) Mossdale = GOBLIN
12.) Viridale Glade = A BIG OAK TREE OR LEAF
13.) Trade Ward = COIN SOUNDS GOOD
14.) Military Ward = CROSSED SWORDS
15.) Entertainment Ward. = MASK HALF BLACK / WHITE LIKE THE JOKERS WEAR BACK IN THE DAY
16.) Port Avanthyr = A SHIP /BOAT

[Leaving Hope]

Nickbeat, you're missing an area there. * wink wink *

[Kaeldorn]

1.) Sestra: Monastery atop a cliff
2.) Aquor: A shady figure hiding behind a building
3.) Gates of Sundren: Uh... a gate with a (broken) cart in front of it?
4.) Gates of the Sunderer: A wall with a gate with two guards in front, one on either side
5.) Exigo Expedition Camp: landscape with hills (it's the Sharahan hills!)
6.) Exigo Trading Post: merchant stall
7.) Necropolis: big tower, all scary and evil-like
8.) Viridale: a forest (viewed from its edge)
9.) Schild Mountain: the current mountain icon seems fine
10.) Mirakus Post: Hard to say. Current tower actually works because it could stand for either the Hands' mage business or the Blades' defense
11.) Mossdale: Swamp monster! ;p On a more serious note, an image symbolizing the entry would work well: a bog with a corpse floating in it
12.) Viridale Glade: oak leaf (like Silvanus' symbol)
13.) Trade Ward: Coin
14.) Military Ward: Shield with crossed swords
15.) Entertainment Ward: The mask works.
16.) Port Avanthyr: A docked ship by a pier

[Dark presence]

I rather suggest that the icons give a good indication of what is actually there. Take a proposed icon and ask yourself, "What is the first thing you think of when you see that icon?" I think a new player should be able to look at the icons for Aquor or Sestra or whatever and think "Ah a town to explore."


With that in mind I don't see a problem with most of the current icons. If they really need to be unique, then they should probably be subtly different. For example take the current city icons. If you want to denote the trade ward from the military ward, maybe put a bag of coins on one side of the cityscape for the trade ward and a shield in place of the coin bag for the military district.

[Dune]

1.) Sestra -- A church/monestary
2.) Aquor -- A lake (with a house next to the lake)
3.) Gates of Sundren -- Big gate
4.) Gates of the Sunderer -- A statue
5.) Exigo Expedition Camp -- Small tent
6.) Exigo Trading Post -- A cart with goods in.
7.) Necropolis -- A skull or spooky tower
8.) Viridale -- Clump of trees (The transition is actually to the fort there though?)
9.) Schild Mountain -- Same as it is now or another mountain.
10.) Mirakus Post -- I think the tower represents it well.
11.) Mossdale -- Small orc or rottinh trees
12.) Viridale Glade -- A water pool
13.) Trade Ward -- A coin
14.) Military Ward -- The red cross maybe not red.
15.) Entertainment Ward -- The two drama masks.
16.) Port Avanthyr -- A ship.