The Campaign Builder's Guild

Well I am back once again to get some help on map design. I have here my tectonics map so far. Currently just the major plates shown. Though I need some help on where other plates might go.

[spoiler=LARGE IMAGE]

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Large Green Arrows = Continental drift
Small Green Arrows = Plate pushing up and over
Small Red Arrows = Plate being forced under

So my question is if you think this as set up is plausible. Also I would like to get your take on where realistically ocean fault lines would fall. Thanks as always.

Well, in the real world you've got some mid-ocean rifts - areas where two plates are moving apart and magma wells up into the gap. Based on this, I'd say that you can expect the same in your case.

Well yes that of course is a given. What's your opinion though on good places to put them.

I gave up trying to figure out what to say in words in a post so here... this is where i would think the ocean faults would be. Some are induction some are subduction and the multi lined areas are a combination of both. 4 plates is easy... When i did my tectonics i had like 8 plates, two of which split into two and two sub-continents (old broken off bits) and the one plate was spinning to rip itself apart.

I like it. Though its five plates not four :P (and all the masses are the remains of what was originally two continents). Anyhow I think I might just use this (with a few tweaks to account for certain drift aspects I didn't detail. Great work Lath, you're a lifesaver.

Well, I'm still confused about your map (and Lath's) because there are huge parts of the map that aren't covered. The whole globe (assuming we're talking about a globe) should be covered with plates.

Here is a map of the plates on our globe, showing the subduction/overthrust and spreading zones. Note that the North American Plate extends out to the mid-Atlantic ridge.

So what I'd do is to expand some of the given plates, and add a few that are primarily oceanic. Draw in the drift directions for those, this will tell you where you have strike/slip zones, overthrust/subduction zones, and spreading zones.

Lath's map is a good start, you could expand your given plates out to the boundaries he's drawn with probably adding some smaller plates. I think that's what he intended anyway.

Something else to keep in mind when doing tectonic work before making a world map: you can change the total volume of water on the planet.  In other words, regardless of how you set up the plates, you can have greater or lower elevations simply by playing with sea level.  The tectonics work is good, though, for determining the amount of disparity between the highs and the lows, and the location of variance.

Quote from: snakefingWell, I'm still confused about your map (and Lath's) because there are huge parts of the map that aren't covered. The whole globe (assuming we're talking about a globe) should be covered with plates.

Here is a map of the plates on our globe, showing the subduction/overthrust and spreading zones. Note that the North American Plate extends out to the mid-Atlantic ridge.

So what I'd do is to expand some of the given plates, and add a few that are primarily oceanic. Draw in the drift directions for those, this will tell you where you have strike/slip zones, overthrust/subduction zones, and spreading zones.

Lath's map is a good start, you could expand your given plates out to the boundaries he's drawn with probably adding some smaller plates. I think that's what he intended anyway.

It is going to be covered. However before I could put in more plates (mostly my oceanic plates) I needed to know where the rifts would go.

Quote from: acrimoneSomething else to keep in mind when doing tectonic work before making a world map: you can change the total volume of water on the planet. In other words, regardless of how you set up the plates, you can have greater or lower elevations simply by playing with sea level. The tectonics work is good, though, for determining the amount of disparity between the highs and the lows, and the location of variance.

Normally this would be true. However, I already have parts of the globe (including elevations) mapped out. So the best thing to do isn't to flood or dry up the place but to just draw the coastlines differently.

Glad you found it useful Nomadic, i just did a VERY quick rough in. i didnt even distinguesh between lift and submerged edges. Techtonics i think is something you could put more effort into than results shown tho, i suggest keeping in simple and not over thinking it. More plates would be easy to add in and alter around.

Also i have found i get more detail/ideas by looking at the history of the plates as well not just looking at a current "snap shot". India's not just a sub continent but also coming from Africa helps make interesting climate/terrain distribution. How OLD a mountain range is (old or recent plate contact) changes the lay/look of the mountains. Jagged and "cliffy" Rocky Mountains, or eroded humps of the Appelation (not spelt right i know). Personally i feel with tectonics the more plates, breaks, movement, and collisions just fills your head with ideas and fills itself out.

Well I have pretty much finished it and outlined subduction zones and such. The fun part comes next in lining up land masses and designing them how I want (I already have a Pangaea setup mapped out so this isn't a snapshot persay). Thanks again though. This is what I needed.

cool, I can't wait to see the end results!

x-posted from the "Magical Society Books. . ." thread:

For those curious about such matters LiveScience posted last Thursday "The Real Story Behind the 'Roof of the World'," regarding new tectonic findings/theories about the formation of the Tibetan Plateau.