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Me and Tilesets Just Dont Mix ... I cant make good maps because i cant make good tiles ..... i was wondering for some tips please?

Start with trying to portray concrete objects: a tree, a house, a mountain, etc. Working on something that has a definite shape will give you the skills you need to a) start working with random freeflow shapes and b) give concrete objects for flair.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

And also, if the flair just isn't there, then sometimes I try working with just a quarter of the map, and then expanding from there. (Like make a smaller tileset, then adding on, great if you're trying to make an open map.)

And if you're low on inspiration, a good old PALEMOONish tileset will work.

Ok ill keep those tips in mind for my next map

Also, look around at random maps, and see if you find any inspiration

little nuances can greatly influence gameplay and aesthetics of a map when building a tileset.

If you're truly truly stuck then try starting out with geometric shapes (such as parallelograms, squares, rectangles, triangles, octagons, hexagons) and then take those shapes and add something to it. If it doesn't look good then start over and try something else. If that doesn't look good then either try something else again or start over completely. Also, I like to shift and move blocks of tiles a lot to see what they would look like somewhere else in the map and how that would influence the gameplay.

It's also a good idea to, if you're looking to build a great tileset, start off with just the tiles, making notes in your head or on paper of what you think would be good to include in different sections of the map. When you get stuck on some portion of the tileset, lay down a ninja and just jump around in the map for a while and see what works and what doesn't. Edit your tileset as so, and then add to it some more. Eventually (and I mean eventually as in no more than 30 minutes usually) you'll get a fairly functional tileset.

When you start to add objects and stuff, don't be afraid to edit your tileset a little bit to accommodate something you hadn't thought of before. Don't go too overboard but don't be afraid to step outside of the box a little either.

Hope that helps.

EDIT: Also, it helps if you just make tilesets simply for the sake of making tilesets. Don't even add objects, simply create something just because you can. And if you feel like you could add objects to it and make a good map then do so.

Normally, I'd chuck some completely random tiles together and wait for a result.

For a while I was addicted to the "2 3" theme, basically using just them to make a jagged tileset.

It's a great method for tilesets, and you can quickly turn pro.

I'm pretty descent at tilesets, in the end you need alot of patience.

On a side note: You don't need tilesets to make a map good, check out the troes series, which uses basic tiles and curved mines to make a map, that is, in my opinion, lovely.

Tileset advice...hmm...

I just use a few of these basic steps when making races, or just normal tilesets.

1. I think up a few good themes.
2. I try each and every one of them out.
3. I take a peek at some of the greatest tilesets ever made for inspiration.
4. Start.

That's what I do.

Plan your maps. I'm not if most map makers do this, but a plan gives you an idea of what you want to do. Even if it's not very good, you can easily refine parts you don't like after building a basic structure. Once the foundations of the map are set, you can really go far and make something fabulous.

If you're just totally lacking creativity, you can always try placing a few shapes here and there and see if it can grow into something bigger. Heck, maybe even use one of those map generators to give you a kick start.

Whatever you do, just don't stop. Getting a flow for things will really help. It doesn't matter if you don't have any ideas, just do something.

Wow alot of replies ... this should lead me to better tilesets