Finally--A Map of Solstice

[rbudrick]

Hi Folks,

EdOscuro was nice enough to host this image for me, since i don't yet have a website. I created this map for Solstice back in September, and I know many of you have waited to see it.

http://home.comcast.net/~edoscuro/map_solstice.gif

This particular one is less than 1MB, as Ed managed to make it a bit smaller memory-wise to save web space. The original is about 2.45MB and is a JPG. You can barely tell the difference, but if someone wants the original, just send me a PM.


Give me Feedback! Enjoy!

-Rob

[Jestr]

That is awesome! I am impressed and it makes me want to play my favorite NES game again!

[lendelin]

Great map!! I'm a complete map nut and downloaded it immediately.

btw, a year after Solstice was released I drew complete maps of Solstice (6 pages) with simple Wordperfect lines, shifted them diagonally and copied them (with legend, items, lil' arrows) which were then printed in a German game magazine.

I knew a 14 yr old back then in Germany who desparately and unsuccessfully tried for years to be in a game mag, and during one of my visits in Germany I gave him my maps, told him he should submit it, and they printed it. He got 300 marks (=$150) for it and could finally afford a NES.

Here's the German game mag:

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lendelin2001/detail?.dir=/Unfiled+Photos&.dnm=German+Video+mag.jpg

Here a section of the printed maps:

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lendelin2001/detail?.dir=/Unfiled+Photos&.dnm=Solstice+in+German+mag.jpg

I made also years ago complete and 100% accurate maps of Equinox (14 pages); I discovered 2 mistakes in the games map design. Room numbers, all items, all Entrances, legend, etc.

here's a sample of Equinox:

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lendelin2001/detail?.dir=/Unfiled+Photos&.dnm=EquinoxBinder.jpg

Back then before the guide business really took off, I made maps of evry NES and SNES game I had which was even halfway worthwhile to have a map of.

Here are my binders with the maps:

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lendelin2001/detail?.dir=/Unfiled+Photos&.dnm=Binders.jpg

At the end I became almost professional. :) Sometiems it was even more fun to draw the maps than playing the game (e.g. Castlevania II) I really have this strong urgency to archive like a librarian, that's why I buy to this day guides for almost every game I have. I can always play Crystalis or Shadowgate and have great maps for it. :)

Your map is great, accurate, good overview, clear....great job!!! Maybe I should try Adobe or some new system and update some of my old maps, beats the hell out of watching Dateline. :)

[rbudrick]

Thanks Lendelin! It's my first map I ever did...except for a Rygar map I did using someone elses individual level maps.

And your maps rock! I wish I could see more of them Being a German mag, I have never seen those. From the little pic though, it's kinda funny how similar ours look!

-Rob

[lendelin]

Thanks Lendelin! It's my first map I ever did...except for a Rygar map I did using someone elses individual level maps.

And your maps rock! I wish I could see more of them Being a German mag, I have never seen those. From the little pic though, it's kinda funny how similar ours look!

-Rob

Well, they look so similar becasue they both are very accurate. Too bad that i don't have a scanner, otherwise I'd post them. I'm also very proud of my Blaster master maps, becasue this game too never saw published maps.

Drawing maps for Solstice and Equinox is relatively easy becasue you can actually count segments for each rooms on each screen, and the room shapes repeat themselves (prolly only 8 different variations of room shapes)...but try to draw a map of Blaster Master when enemies attack, and you have to count screens which are continuous!! :) At the end I was a Blaster master expert and could beat the game in less than two hours.

This is a great map, hard to believe that this is the first one you did!!

[rbudrick]

Man, if you ever get a scanner, you've gotta post some of those maps!

I think Blaster master was mapped in issue 3 of Nintendo power. Only the first 5 levels, I think though. I've seen a couple level 8 maps out there...

-Rob

[lendelin]

Man, if you ever get a scanner, you've gotta post some of those maps!

I think Blaster master was mapped in issue 3 of Nintendo power. Only the first 5 levels, I think though. I've seen a couple level 8 maps out there...

-Rob

Nintendo Power had the first two levels in issue 3 (two overview levels, and then the corresponding rooms). I used them for my maps to get the proportions right which is a major problem for Blaster Master.

That's actually what is in my binders. Blaster master I drew completely myself, but for a lot of games I used NP as well. Crystalis was mapped out to 50% in NP, I ripped out the pages, put PC-lables on them for the items etc., and the rest of the game I drew myself. (I could destroy my NPs becasue I had always two issues, one issue I never touched, the other one was used)

If I get a scanner I'd be happy to post them or send them to you. Since most of the 8bit games never saw guides or were completely printed in mags (big exception: Castlevania 3 and Battletoads) good quality self-drawn maps are incredibly useful.