Lords of Xulima Post-funding Update #23: Map of Xulima

The map of the lost continent of Xulima is the focus of the latest Lords of Xulima post-funding update. According to the developers, the map was conceived in part as a response to modern role-playing game maps, which, in their opinion, lack personality:

We have to admit that we were inspired by the maps of classic games like Might & Magic and Wizardry. Those maps were full of vibrant colors, with mysterious locations and intriguing creatures. At the same time, they were accurate and creative representations of the actual game world. For us, they were authentic works of art. I remember one of the most memorable moments of my childhood, opening the box of my first RPG: “Might and Magic II” for the Super NES (what times!). As I unfolded the map of the World of Cron for the first time, I was totally blown away. I can’t remember whether I fainted or not, but either way it remains an incredible source of inspiration to this day.

Sometimes, it seems like the art of making these imaginative and beautiful maps has been lost… like so many other great aspects of old-school RPGs. In my opinion, the maps for some of today’s games are. well, I think an image here is worth more than a thousand words. Here you have the maps for Oblivion, Dragon Age and Skyrim. These games seem to lack a captivating, global view of the world; a certain identity or personality which makes you want to explore it and discover its secrets.

Noticed something in their choice of links?