I am creating my first map, a nearly 2,000 territory Middle-earth map with layered bonuses, cities, custom models, and trade routes. I also need a bit of help installing NinjaNic's auto-namer because there is no way i'm going to type up 2,000 territory and 500 bonus names.

I don't think you should start your first map with 2000 territories. Try to go with, say, 800 territories, from there you can learn what you did right, what you did wrong, and any improvements you could make from there. Start small.

I've made a few before, never published any. Weren't very good, I think I'm ready for this, i'm already 2/3rds of the way done, so I guess I'll just finish it.

I tried to upload a demo, but it is about three times too large. Do you know any ways to reduce byte size?

Edited 2/18/2018 05:55:12

https://petercollingridge.appspot.com/svg-editor

If you input the code of your program you will get options to reduce your memory size. When I did it, it reduced my file size by 40%.

I'm not sure what the app Abraxis suggested does, but here are my two suggestions.

Remove any images you were using to create it.
Use the simplify tool on territories that are very detailed. (If you manually drew it rather than doing point to point, a very small area can sometimes have dozens of points which you really don't need)

It's a website that makes your file space for your SVG get smaller. That's it.

I can't figure out how to make my bonuses appear. They are all paths marked with 'BonusLink_Nurn' or 'BonusLink_DolGuldur', for example, what am I missing here?

Also, my Inkscape's Document properties drop-down option and shortcuts aren't working. Any help?

Edited 2/21/2018 02:22:51

You have to manually create the bonuses in the map editor on Warzone.

Colion, I got a nice Discord for you to see everything there is to mapmaking, and how to make your map better.

https://discord.gg/DHERfnT

https://www.warzone.com/SinglePlayer?PreviewMap=72059
(I had to severely cut down the number of territories because their are not enough place names in Tolkein's Middle-earth)

I really like it. Though I think you forgot that one island in the anduin (forget its name), between mordor and gondor.
Otherwise, great map!

I had to make it larger to fit a two digit number, osgiliath is going to replace it.

0k b0ddy, keep up the good work.

Any LotR nerds here? I'm having difficulty naming areas in and around:
-Enedwaith
-Minhiriath
-ForodWaith
-Northern Rhun
-Near Harad
-South of the Sea of Nurnen

there is a guy called "thelegend", he is a guy i know how is a lotr nerd, not sure if he'll help u though, ill link his profile

https://www.warzone.com/Profile?p=4090173830

here it is

This isn't canon, but I found a list of Easterling tribe names. You could use some of them in Rhun, just to have names.
https://enanoakd.deviantart.com/art/Genealogy-of-the-Easterling-Tribes-598634865

Sadly, there are not a lot of specific names for all places. I might suggest naming areas based on the city that is right next to them, or naming them after people who lived there, which should be easy enough to research.

I don't know if you'd want to use this as a territory name, but Greenway was a major (But old and not used in late-third age) road going from Fornost Erain to Gondor. The Wikia has more information (http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Greenway) and includes names on that page like the Great East road which is through Bree.


Also, you instead of Eryn Vorn you called a territory Emyn Vorn, while it should be the former.
And it's Eriador not Erador.
You also put Mithlond as part of Arthedain even though it wasn't (It's Lindon and inhabited by elves not humans), but that may just be a design choice of yours.

I think the problem with trying to make that many territories in Middle-earth, is you can't name them all canonically.

Tolkien never really focused on the geography of Middle-earth, and only really drew (and especially named) what was necessary to the books. Indeed, Christopher Tolkien drew most of the maps we use today.

I think, to make a proper map of Middle-earth, some areas will have tons of little territories (the Gondor/Mordor area, for example) whereas others will have hardly any (e.g. Rhun).

Now, I'm not quite sure where you're getting all your names from (like the territories in Muial??? What the heck?), but you're doing a reasonable job. (Btw, you messed up Delta of Anduin: you spelt it Andruin)

The only thing I think you should do, is NOT TO CREATE TERRITORIES THAT DON'T HAVE NAMES!
Make territories of the named regions, don't make territories and then try to find names for them (a lot of which, I'm guessing, are dodgy, even if it's not your fault)

Hope this helps, and I think you're doing a really great job! ;)

If you haven't already, check out Saruman's maps https://www.warzone.com/Map/8623-Middle-Earth-Big and https://www.warzone.com/Map/12094-Middle-Earth-Diplomacy

These are good maps with a lot of territories, but don't need to find (or make up) random obscure names, because there is not too many territories.

looks very pretty, good job!