# Community Participation > Mapping Challenge Suggestions >  Versions of same map

## J.Edward

Something that came up when talking with another map maker was me doing a map of theirs, related to a project we will be working on.
So I was thinking that could be cool - pick a map to use as a basis and everyone does their version of that map.
The specifics could be worked out such as just what or how much of the original map must be retained but the style should be up to the competitors.
I think this would produce some interesting results but it would have to be a map that enough people were capable of doing.
So the base map couldn't be so complex as to turn away people from entering.

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## - Max -

I had a similar conversation with a fellow map-maker. I think that's a great idea!

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## Diamond

Yep, I like this idea too.

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## waldronate

This would, then, be an elaboration on the "make a map from this blob" challenge that happens fairly regularly? Where instead of just an outline, basic features such as rivers, town placement, and names would already be provided? Assuming an overland map, of course; it could also be an inn, town, or other such thing.

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## J.Edward

Yeah, I suppose it could be any sort of map really.
What I had in my head was maybe a bit more specific so that the challenge was more specific I guess.
Maybe I could find a map that would be an example of what I was thinking.

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## - Max -

In my mind, the idea was to "redo" a map from another map maker in the way you feel you would have done it. For instance, some could pick a perspecive view of a city made by xxxxx and decide to go with a top down view, or decide to go on satellite type from a hand-drawn  map etc...

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## J.Edward

> In my mind, the idea was to "redo" a map from another map maker in the way you feel you would have done it. For instance, some could pick a perspecive view of a city made by xxxxx and decide to go with a top down view, or decide to go on satellite type from a hand-drawn  map etc...


That could work as well. It wasn't quite what I was thinking but could still prove to make a fun and interesting challenge.

In the end, it's just a suggestion and I'm happy with any of the CLs deciding to run it as they see it.  :Wink:

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## - Max -

> That could work as well. It wasn't quite what I was thinking but could still prove to make a fun and interesting challenge.
> 
> In the end, it's just a suggestion and I'm happy with any of the CLs deciding to run it as they see it.


Maybe you had something in the idea of  this in mind?

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## J.Edward

That looks like it was a fun challenge. How did I miss that? There were some good entries in there too.
That sort of speaks to it but not quite.
I'll try to throw something together to illustrate what I'm thinking.
But that will have to be tonight as I have work I need to get done right now.

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## tainotim

Great idea! The challenge you refer to Max was really great. However, if something similar is repeated, please make it so that it's easier for us traditional cartographer to partake. Because I for one would love to be in a challenge like that one  :Wink:  

Cheers,
Tainotim

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## - Max -

> Great idea! The challenge you refer to Max was really great. However, if something similar is repeated, please make it so that it's easier for us traditional cartographer to partake. Because I for one would love to be in a challenge like that one  
> 
> Cheers,
> Tainotim


What would help you to join such challenge (or what prevent you to join)?

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## tainotim

Well, as I understood it at the time you had to continue drawing on the sample map, not draw a whole new version of it in your own style. That renders it slightly difficult for the traditional craft to partake, unless of course one owns a printer that can print out the sample on a good enough paper. However,  I for one don't have that. 

However, on a second glance, that might have been a misinterpretation by me at the time  :Razz: 

Cheers,
Tainotim

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## - Max -

Well indeed the challenge wasn't draw it with your vision of it but "Finish it", so without a printer, it would have been hard to join for a traditional ink map maker. Anyways, I'm pretty sure J. has something else in mind.

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## Pixie

It may be a little cheeky of me to suggest this, but I would love to put forth a little bit of my fantasy world for this. Heck, it surely is cheeky, but I would be so proud!  :Very Happy: 

I've got elevation and climates mapped out, as well as rivers and possible/actual settlements (even with names, in some areas). There's areas of historical relevance, areas with interesting geology, areas that are predominantly land and areas where the coast can be the focal point... (did I sell the idea, by now?)

Anyways, food for your thoughts..

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## J.Edward

> It may be a little cheeky of me to suggest this, but I would love to put forth a little bit of my fantasy world for this. Heck, it surely is cheeky, but I would be so proud! 
> 
> I've got elevation and climates mapped out, as well as rivers and possible/actual settlements (even with names, in some areas). There's areas of historical relevance, areas with interesting geology, areas that are predominantly land and areas where the coast can be the focal point... (did I sell the idea, by now?)
> 
> Anyways, food for your thoughts..


While different from what I was thinking, that would be a pretty cool challenge I think.
My basic premise was to have a basic map that everyone is starting from. Then each person is trying to map it as they see it - whatever style they would use.
So 10 contestants, 10 maps - but all based on the same source map. It's a bit like the challenge you linked to Max but not as hard lined. 
And it would allow for tainotim's point as well. No one is actually utilizing the original file in their map as they are making a redo of it in the style of their choosing.

Lots of room there. Could be done in perspective, top down, atlas style, cartoony... just that they are all doing the same area of the same source map.
I hope that is understandable. Maybe? I would have no problem going with Pixie's work as the source but it needs to be nailed down to one area. If that is coastal, fine. Or mountainous, fine. But everyone would be mapping the same area.

Pixie - some info may not be used as it might be too constricting. It could be used by participants if they wanted it but need not be if they did not want to.
The key would be the terrain and outlines.

So, does that explain it clear enough?  :Smile: 

edit - I had another thought. This challenge could be duplicated for either lite or normal challenge. It's not too complex for lite nor too easy for the normal challenge.

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## Pixie

I can think of a number of spots where coastline and altitude info would be great for this challenge, and make for fun mapping. That's what I had in mind when I suggested it. Then I started thinking of all the remaining info I could provide, and I overlooked how that would limit the challenger.. But, yeah, a simple pack of coastline and heightmap is a good starting point for this sort of challenge.

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## J.Edward

> I can think of a number of spots where coastline and altitude info would be great for this challenge, and make for fun mapping. That's what I had in mind when I suggested it. Then I started thinking of all the remaining info I could provide, and I overlooked how that would limit the challenger.. But, yeah, a simple pack of coastline and heightmap is a good starting point for this sort of challenge.


Hey Pixie, can you post a pic of the area you are speaking of or link to it if it's already here on the guild?
I think the challenges for nov and dec may already be decided at this point but this still sounds like it is well received enough to be a challenge in the next few months perhaps.
Oh, the info you were speaking of can still be added in. Some may want to use it in the making of their map. I just didn't want to make it a formal condition of the challenge. That's all.  :Wink:

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## Pixie

Sure I can.

This is one of the areas I had in mind. I zoomed in with G.projector to get an equidistant projection and left the 5º graticule for reference. This could be the base map. It's just as easy to share a grayscale version or an equirectangular projection depending on the artists needs. 
I thought about adding a layer of notes (climate, major rivers, nations, etc), but maybe it's best if that is a separate piece of text.

Anyway, this is the sort of stuff I was talking about.


The map covers a wide area and could be cropped differently, but I thought this could cover a variety of landscapes. For scaling purposes, the highest areas reach around 3500 m in altitude and that inner sea is roughly the size of Britain.

edit: I decided to update the old thread on this fictional world (here) so that you "challenge setters" could have a look up and maybe choose other areas for the actual challenge - if you like.

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## - Max -

Whatever choice would be made (between J. or Pixie's proposal) sounds like a great challenge idea imho  :Smile:

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## J.Edward

Pixie - I'll go take a look at that pic and the thread and see if any other area jumps out to me.
We'll have it sorted soon I think.

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## J.Edward

Pixie - I think you picked a good spot.
As you don't have rivers showing on there, that could add to the challenge. Then we'd get some interesting variety.
I'll keep you posted on when this would be happening. Thank you Pixie.  :Smile:

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## Chick

> edit - I had another thought. This challenge could be duplicated for either lite or normal challenge. It's not too complex for lite nor too easy for the normal challenge.


Please don't do this, at least not in the same month.   For someone who isn't interested in a particular challenge, having the same one in both places means they have none to participate in.

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## J.Edward

> Please don't do this, at least not in the same month.   For someone who isn't interested in a particular challenge, having the same one in both places means they have none to participate in.


No worries Chick. I don't think they would do that. 
Though that is a good point too.

edit - I'll rephrase - we won't do that.  :Wink:

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## J.Edward

I forgot to add the poll option. Just added that if anyone wants to vote for or against the idea.

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## Pixie

I just voted "This sounds good!" (for obvious reasons  :Very Happy:  )

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## J.Edward

NOTICE - As a question to those who've viewed this - would you prefer it to be a Lite challenge or a Full challenge?

Pixie - I'm not sure when this challenge will happen or in which level - Lite/Full. We've had a lot going on here at the year's end so discussion for it hasn't happened yet but I'm pretty sure it's going to to.
We'll just have to work out when. Whenever it does, it might be good if you are available in case anyone wants/needs to ask any questions about the land, history, etc.
I will keep you informed when I know more.  :Smile:

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## jbgibson

I like mapping - or any worldbuilding - within constraints imposed by others.  Makes it more of a challenge.  If you want to have both lite and regular, I'd suggest lite first, so as to not give anyone the excuse "oh, I could never do that as well as Max/Diamond/Tainotim/Chick/Sapiento/A2Area/ICouldGoOn..." :-).

I've wondered about ways to reward someone who wants to play along with a lite contest, even after they have excelled their way out of lite eligibility.  If several such folk shadow-enter a lite, say they get a poll of a different sort - maybe a blind auction.  Winner (voter) if the 'winning' amount is enough gets a professionally printed or printed and framed edition of the map they deem winner - and the Guild keeps the amount over the cost of the printing/framing.  Maybe set a threshold of however many such shadow entrants get involved - if four or more play along with any lite challenge, an auction is run for a print, if eight or more, it's a print that's framed.  Maybe the 'winning' shadow-entrant gets a print too, if they want one.

Anyway - whatever form this 'many versions' challenge winds up being, I think it'll be fun to watch and fun to enter.

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## J.Edward

Thank you for commenting JB.  :Smile: 
I like your thoughts on starting with Lite which just kind of feels right to me as well.
Offering physical items means the money for that has to come from somewhere, which would be tricky.
I've wanted to find some way to have challenges where anyone could enter - still trying to work through that though.
Would people want to enter a challenge if there wasn't a prize/medal/badge? Should probably start a different thread for that I guess.

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## jbgibson

Heh - that's why I thought of an auction - the winning bidder >ahem< _voter_ is providing the money :-).   It's a flawed idea, but could start a better one.   

The competition, even when I am NO competition :-) , seems to be what draws me in to actually mapping.  I have a lot of inertia - have to be shoved to get off a comfortable dead center and moving in a mappish direction.  Cooperative work gets me moving too - geofiction/ cooperative worldbuilding is what got me into digital mapping in the first place.  Even a lame story line draws my attention... say, if the many-versions / one basemap was a set of prospective designs for terraforming, or for rebuilding after a magical conflict wiped clean the slate... Maybe alternate histories; conjectures a quarter-million years later of what might have been.

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## ChickPea

> Would people want to enter a challenge if there wasn't a prize/medal/badge?


This is the interesting point for me.

My answer is that, yes, I certainly would. I like the feeling of working on a community project with others at the same time, and any bauble that I may or may not win at the end is secondary. Of course it's nice to win, but it's not my primary incentive for taking part. I might be in the minority with that thought, though. I appreciate jbgibson's thoughts about offering a prize/auction, but do people really need that? Is it really the case that they wouldn't take part simply because there was nothing to win? 

As for whether Lite or Regular, well, you exclude a certain about of Guilders with the Lite Challenge, whereas the regular is open to everyone. But if you do opt for Regular, there's a good chance some people simply won't enter as they'll feel outclassed. I don't know what's the answer. I'd kinda love to try this just as an ongoing community project, with no real prize on offer, just the fun of taking part with fellow Guilders, but this might just be me!  :Smile:

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## J.Edward

It's not just you ChickPea.  :Wink: 
I like the challenges as a way to challenge myself. Try new things. Do maps I wouldn't have thought of perhaps.
Maybe we can start a series of open challenge projects.... will need some thought though.

Yes, that is a point that makes me like open challenges... I'd like everyone to be able to participate.
But, would people be interested enough?

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## ChickPea

Yup, +1 on open challenges. Something with no time limit that people can drop in and out as time permits. And maybe even go back and join in a second time because they wanted to do it again in a completely different style.

This encapsulates mapping simply for the joy of mapping!  :Smile:

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## fabio p

I think we already have a competition with no time limit and no awards: this is the forum itself, where we are free to post every map, every work in progress without any costraints.
If competition is to be, in my opinion there must be rules, time limit and a prize, even if symbolic like the compass.
In my opinion, a  “competition” is for people who want to “compete” and if someone feels that would be outclassed in a competition and that thought is just unbearable, he can just post whatever he wants in the various forums.
But if you really want to create a competition where each participant will have a real chance of winning, even against the giants of mapmaking, you can think of something like the Academy Awards or the Golden Globe. 
For example one could vote the various aspects of a map: best original idea, best backstory, better execution, better graphics performance, etc. 
So anyone could win in one category also against an established artist.

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## J.Edward

> I think we already have a competition with no time limit and no awards: this is the forum itself, where we are free to post every map, every work in progress without any costraints.
> If competition is to be, in my opinion there must be rules, time limit and a prize, even if symbolic like the compass.
> In my opinion, a  “competition” is for people who want to “compete” and if someone feels that would be outclassed in a competition and that thought is just unbearable, he can just post whatever he wants in the various forums.
> But if you really want to create a competition where each participant will have a real chance of winning, even against the giants of mapmaking, you can think of something like the Academy Awards or the Golden Globe. 
> For example one could vote the various aspects of a map: best original idea, best backstory, better execution, better graphics performance, etc. 
> So anyone could win in one category also against an established artist.


Sorry for not responding earlier Fabio, though I did read it when you wrote it.
Those are all fair points.
I think ChickPea and I just sort of went off topic a bit. It wasn't speaking to this particular challenge idea.  :Wink: 

I'm still working out when and whether Lite or Regular. Any input on Lite or Regular is welcome.

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## Pixie

Whoaa! Nearly a year has passed since we discussed this. Is it still an option for a coming challenge? I have new areas that would be fitting

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