Thank you for joining me on this, the 26th edition of #1GAM.

This month's optional theme achievement is: MAPS. Make a game with a map in it and you'll earn 250 extra XP.

But don't do it for the XP, do it because maps in games are awesome!

You know when you are just starting a fresh new fantasy novel, right on page one there is often a hand drawn world map,
filled with dangerous-sounding places, roadways and rivers visible, ominous mountains in the distance.
You begin to imagine all the amazing places you're about to visit.

Same holds true at the beginning of a huge open-world RPG game as you gaze at all the unknown areas to come,
or even the overworld views from something like Super Mario World. Castles await along a web of roadways,
each a milestone along the way on an awesome adventure.

So this month, add a map to your game.

Maps can play a part in any kind of game in any genre - not just RPGs.
The imagery of cartography could be just that bit of "juice" your current project needs.

Imagine a simple match-4 puzzle game, for example. Its story could be told through the use of a map.
Just make your level select screen a fantasy map with clickable cities taking you to new levels instead of
a boring grid of buttons with the words "level 1, level 2" on them.

Suddenly, just by changing your level select screen's artwork to look like a map, your simple puzzle game
will feel like it has a story, a plot of sorts, a place. It suddenly feels more adventurous. There's suddenly
more reason to try that next level: you're going somewhere. Exploring new territory. Finding treasure.

That's what #1GAM is all about!

Exploring new territory (the new skills you learn), and finding treasure (game mechanics that you fall in love with).

Imagine that your career as a game developer is plotted on an overworld map. Each game you've made is a castle.

Maybe you've already discovered many incredible places. Perhaps some of the cities on your map led to
great boss battles, new abilities, fortune, or dead ends.

But most of your map is still blank - still obscured by the fog of war.

You haven't yet opened up every area in the game! One glance at the edges of your life map, at the
undiscovered countries in the distance, is enough for drive you to continue the adventure of discovery, isn't it?

This "cartography of your ludography". Your own personal treasure map that is the things you do and things you make.

This month, I hope you find the X. Good luck, and have fun!

- McFunkypants (aka Christer Kaitila)
- twitter.com/mcfunkypants

Credits:
Map icon: freefantasymaps.com
Background music by Zero Project