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That aside, I was wondering what really inspired people as far as mapping goes? Obviously, studying other great maps is a good way to get inspiration, but what about from other sources? I know for me, watching Sherlock Holmes really helped with the 19th Century London vibe I'm so fond of.
I haven't played Dragon's Dogma, unfortunately, but I feel where you're coming from, yuyu. Part of the reason I loved Skyrim so much was because if the realistic setting. I've come to realize that I just really love realism.
That said, I also love inserting fantasy elements into settings they have no earthly business being in. 19th Century London-esque setting with elves, dwarves, and goblins? Why yes.
There's also something to be said of the contrast between realistic environments and more outlandish ones. I love the abrupt shift; it really makes those environments stand out and invoke an even greater sense of awe. Stumbling upon Blackreach by complete accident was one of my favorite moments from Skyrim, but that's a whole different topic of discussion entirely.
Spoiler for:
From ManuYasha (http://manuyasha.deviantart.com/) on deviantart.
(https://rmrk.net/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffc05.deviantart.net%2Ffs70%2Ff%2F2013%2F006%2F9%2F8%2Fthe_city_of_caelum_by_manuyasha-d5qn8ug.png&hash=854afec77b96f6bef492748188a3c793f53249fc)Rtp tiles & custom made ones inspire me a lot. I really wanna get back to playing in rpg maker whenever I see maps like this.
From ManuYasha (http://manuyasha.deviantart.com/) on deviantart.