This page is for discussion and collaboration by people making maps.
If you want to contribute to filling in the new worlds, great! It's fairly straightforward and at least as much fun as grinding for pots or dying from lag! (No, seriously, you do feel a sense of accomplishment after finishing a map.)
1. Identify the current world
Ask in-game if anyone knows what "world" you are currently in. There are supposedly 20 maps at the moment though we only have evidence of about 15. If no one knows, try to identify it from the maps on the wiki (You Are Here). Run along the coastline for a couple of minutes, then zoom your minimap all the way out and compare to the existing maps.
If the coastline definitely doesn't fit any of the existing maps, then congratulations! You've discovered one of the unmapped worlds!
Alternatively, you can run inland to the first road and then run along the road (far faster than moving in and out of water tiles). Compare the minimap you created to the minimaps in the Racetrack file.
2. Explore and take screenshots
Once you know what world you're in, look at the current wiki map and choose an area that's not mapped. If you're exploring a new world, it's best to follow the coastline and the edges of the map, and take note of any reported god locations.
Then, in-game, zoom out all the way using 'Minus' key and go reveal that map! Diagonal running in an orderly fashion works best. Don't die! Don't F5 if you can help it, and don't enter any dungeons; you'll lose your map. Save a screenshot every few minutes so that if your browser crashes, you'll still have something.
To save a screenshot, zoom your minimap out all the way so it shows the whole world, then push the Print Screen key. Paste it into your paint program and save it. (In MS Paint, create a new image, paste, then save as PNG or BMP. In Photoshop/GIMP, paste, make new layer.)
3. Add your screenshots to the map
It's best to use a layer-capable image editor such as Photoshop or (free) GIMP. These will allow you to take the current map file (grab below on this page, in a zip file) and add the data you reveal on top of it. If you're not sure if you've processed your screenshot properly, just leave it as a separate layer and someone else can check it later. Put any markings for gods and things in a separate topmost layer (called "overlay" in many of the work files) so they stay visible but don't damage the underlying map image.
If you can't or don't want to do this, just upload your screenshot(s) to this wiki page, and someone else such as Mappy or Boo can add in your data to the map. Leave a note here so we don't miss it.
Files that need to be processed: Screenshots of NWorld1,NWorld2,NWorld3 (new worlds) and also of World10 and World14 (Posted by Deep Thought, living at EUSW).
If you're mapping a new world, please feel free to make the map using MS Paint if that's all you have. Something's always better than nothing.
4. Publish the map
Crop the image down to just the map (it'll be 184 x 184 pixels). Save as PNG. Go to the maps page on the wiki, edit, upload your new image, and change the src= URL to your uploaded file.
Happy mapping!
Details and tips
Tips for GIMP 2.6.4 by Mappy:
Paste your screenshot directly into GIMP, and make it a new layer.
Select by color (shift-O) on the black area. Delete.
Toggle visibility of your new layer on and off to help line it up.
If you want to crop your layer (e.g. you want to update only a certain part of the map), rectangle select the area to keep, Layer / Crop to Selection. Or: select an irregular area to keep, Select / Invert, delete.
The following are things I like to do to make the image look a bit nicer, because I'm a little bit obsessive. Please consider these totally optional.
Erase the blue player arrow and the green ally dots. (Color select blue arrow, delete, etc.)
Erase darkened edges: The border of your revealed minimap area will have darkened pixels when it's zoomed out. This gets ugly pasted onto an existing map image, especially if you have a narrow path overlayed on a large previously-mapped area. Toggle layer visibility on and off and look for dark pixels, then erase them in your layer.
Erase the zoom arrows (select contiguous region (U), delete). If there's land behind them, fill it in by zooming in a couple of levels, taking a shot, then shrinking it to the map scale. (If you zoom in two steps, scale it to 36%.)
Fill in black water areas with dark blue. I think this makes the map easier to "read."
Tips for Photoshop CS3/4 by Boo (CS5 has a free trial now, I havent used it but it's usu similar):
Open your screenshot and marquee (M) just the black square that is the minimap.
Go to Edit > Crop to remove everything that isnt map.
Open the wiki's map in PS, and make your map a new layer. They should be the same size but if not line them up.
Select > Color Range on the black area. Erase all the black.
The following are things Mappy likes to do to make the image look a bit nicer, because hes a little bit obsessive. Please consider these totally optional.
Erase the blue player arrow and the green ally dots. (Color select blue arrow, delete, etc.)
Erase darkened edges: The border of your revealed minimap area will have darkened pixels when it's zoomed out. This gets ugly pasted onto an existing map image, especially if you have a narrow path overlayed on a large previously-mapped area. Toggle layer visibility on and off and look for dark pixels, then erase them in your layer.
Erase the zoom arrows.
Fill in black water areas with dark blue. I think this makes the map easier to "read."
Trick for capturing large areas at full resolution
From AllPurposeNerd:
1) Walk a large area and end up somewhere relatively safe, where you can stand still for a few minutes without being killed.
2) Zoom the minimap to the second highest level (i.e. zoom all the way out, then zoom in one click)
3) Right click on roughly the center of the minimap, and click Zoom In.
4) Zoom in again.
5) Take screenshot.
6) Right click, Show All.
That's how I get such large pieces of the pixel-for-pixel minimap at once. They still have to be carefully pieced together, but it's way easier than working with 184 pixel blocks.
Map work files
These .psd files are Photoshop files; GIMP can edit them too. Note that the wiki won't let you upload a .psd file. Put it in a zip file first. To keep the file size down, please crop the image down to just the map and the gray border around it (to make it easier to align new screenshots). (Rectangle select around that area, Image / Crop to Selection.)
If someone else is mapping at the same time, before you start changing the map file, make a note here with your name and the file name so the other person will know to wait.
Files currently being edited: none
