# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Sci-fi/Modern Mapping >  Alternative Earth Map

## trexmaster

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this map, as what I have here is not a world of my own making so much as a political map of an alternative version of our world in 2009. Nonetheless, I thought those interest in alternative history would be interested in seeing it.

This world is dominated by three superpowers known as the Allies (blue), the Nubian Empire (yellow), and the Soviet Union (red). Territories not in control of any of the three superpowers are colored gray.

The Allies control western Europe, Japan, Australasia, and most of North America. As their name implies, they are not one single nation so much as an alliance of nations, but they cooperate so closely together that they are regarded as one superpower nonetheless. The Allies claim democracy and capitalism as the ideologies that bind them together. They also possess the most firepower of the three superpowers, for they are the only one to have nuclear weapons.

The Nubian Empire controls Africa, part of the Middle East, and some Mediterranean countries. They are by far the oldest of the superpowers, having existed for over three millennia. The Nubian Empire is ruled by a monarch, the Pharaoh, who is considered to be a god in the flesh. This belief that the Pharaoh they serve is divine gives the Nubian military an almost religious fanaticism unequaled in strength. The Nubians are also the economically most prosperous of the three powers, in part because of the natural wealth of the land they control as well as their long history of commerce with the outside world.

The Soviet Union controls most of Asia and eastern Europe. The Soviets claim to be communistic, but they would be more accurately described as totalitarian, with the ruling party having control of almost every aspect of the society. The Soviets rule over by far the largest population of the three superpowers, which means that they can field larger armies.

All three superpowers fight each other for control of the entire world, but each offers a different justification for their expansionism. The Allies claim to want to bring democracy and capitalism to the rest of the planet, the Nubians cite the authority of the gods, and the Soviets say that they want to bring about a global Revolution that will overthrow the capitalist and feudalist oppressors of working people the world over. Cynical observers argue that each faction just wants the same thing: total power over the planet.

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## töff

Off to a good start!

It doesn't matter that you didn't make up this world. Otherwise, nobody would do Middle Earth or Star Wars maps.

Your map really wants titles on the colored areas. Or at the very least a color key somewhere.

Then, are there going to be cities?

Also, I think the texture in the sea needs to go byebye. It makes the continents look like they're laid flat on some weird showercurtain from the 1960s. If the sea texture can't match the coasts, then just use straight blue or some other color (black is cool).

It looks good so far. Please post your updates!

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## trexmaster

Here's an updated version, with a legend and no ugly ocean texture.

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## töff

Good so far ... keep going ...

I kinda hope that terrain will not be a factor in this map, other than as it affects political units.

Somehow this reminds me of Orwell. Oh, the triad of world powers, of course.

Show of hands for Europeans feeling slighted? Hah! The Nubians Cometh!

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## trexmaster

> Somehow this reminds me of Orwell. Oh, the triad of world powers, of course.


You are not the only commenter to compare my alternative Earth to Orwell's 1984. In fact, on every forum I've posted this map on, at least one poster says it reminds him of Orwell.

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## trexmaster

Here's a revamped version of my alternative Earth, this time without any gray "uncolonized areas" (I thought it didn't make sense for any part of the world to remain conquered given how powerful each of the three superpowers is).

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## töff

> thought it didn't make sense for any part of the world to remain [un] conquered


I could see it going either way. You might consider some autonomous areas within the superpowers ... places that almost aren't worth being claimed, or that have somehow won some partial independence.

Hey wait, I thought you said this world was not of your own making? Are you taking liberties?

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## mearrin69

Sticking with the Orwell thing (as I am a big fan of him and 1984 in particular) you could leave some areas grey as "contested areas". For those that haven't read the book, certain areas (resource rich, population heavy areas such as the Indian sub-continent, most of Africa, and South America) constantly traded hands as the three superpowers waxed and waned. 
M

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## töff

> [deleted]


 Bit of a spoiler there.

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## mearrin69

Whoops, you're right. I don't think about spoilers for older stuff. I'll see if I can edit my older post to hide it.
M

[edit]Hmmm. Doesn't seem to be a spoiler tag or any background color that will hide it. I removed the line.[/edit]

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## töff

I'm overly sensitive :\ sorry.

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## wormspeaker

If you haven't read 1984 yet, shame on you. The meat of the book is about government control of the self rather than any of the petty details of world conquest anyway. Besides, if you want to avoid spoilers for 1984 you really have to drop out of society, its had a profound impact on the Western world.

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## töff

> If you haven't read 1984 yet, shame on you.


Some people are just getting old enough to be held accountable to such a standard (and good luck doing the holding  :Wink: ). And new people keep getting born, so ... seriously, a spoiler is a spoiler for anyone who hasn't read the thing yet.

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## wormspeaker

> Some people are just getting old enough to be held accountable to such a standard (and good luck doing the holding ). And new people keep getting born, so ... seriously, a spoiler is a spoiler for anyone who hasn't read the thing yet.


Haha.

<spoiler>In the New Testament, Jesus dies.</spoiler>

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## jaspertjie

Nice, really. But you should add Norway and Sweden to the allies, seems to me.

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## SopFreem73

Im afraid I had to go with depressing. Although it started off well, I have to say that I was pretty disturbed for several days after watching the final ep.

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## su_liam

> <spoiler>In the New Testament, Jesus dies.</spoiler>


God! You ruined the whole New Testament for me.

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## töff

It's not a spoiler if it comes so close to the beginning.

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## icosahedron

> God! You ruined the whole New Testament for me.


You can still read it. No spoilers, but there's a twist at the end.  :Wink:

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## töff

Or you could say the end is ... twisted.

Or you could say we're still waiting for the end.

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## Immolate

I've never read 1984, although I read a lot. Still, I know how to use the term "Orwellian" correctly and appreciate terms like big brother and newspeak sufficiently. When the concepts in a classic become pervasive enough in a culture, it is no longer necessary to read the book in order to understand the premise, although your personal context will be less uniform than those who have read the book.

I did recently read "Atlas Shrugged", and I can tell you that it isn't a book that translates well into simple expressions and ideas, and has to be read to be fully appreciated. It is also a dark-future-ish novel, although in Rand's future, the wheels don't just wobble and squeal as they do in 1984, they completely fall off. Fair warning: it's a bit of a slog in parts. Galt's manifesto near the end is a marathon rant. I have a feeling that if Ayn ever starting harping on me, I would have to get up and leave after a few hours for my own sanity.

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## RobA

I preferred _The Fountainhead_ to _Atlas Shrugged_.  Though both have very similar philosophies  (the whole "virtue of selfishness" thing Rand espouses).

-Rob A>

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## mearrin69

> I preferred _The Fountainhead_ to _Atlas Shrugged_.  Though both have very similar philosophies  (the whole "virtue of selfishness" thing Rand espouses).


I've read both but can't say I really like either. Both are tough reads. Orwell managed to make his bleak entertaining (to me anyway) if still depressing. Of course I tried to read _The Fountainhead_ for the first time in fifth grade...alongside _Brave New World_ IIRC. Way too early. I managed Animal _Farm_ in the summer following second grade - but I had no idea what it was really about until I came back to it later on. Maybe I should reread some Rand...it has been a very long time since I gave her a shot (though I did read her last time as an adult so at least I understood it [mostly...lol]  :Smile:  )
M

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## alaskanflyboy

I'm looking to create a similar type of map for a setting I'm developing and I wonder what technique you used on the creation of the country borders. I've had a heck of a time trying to think of how to do it and look anything close to what you have.

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