Building an Earth-like World Mk II

[Thanksforallthefish]

Just imagine all the history, it's going to be intense. I'm going to love the first few records of civilized explorers sailing out of the cradle, only to come across thousands of miles of untamed, endless jungle and hostile natives deep from inside the rainforests, just like the legends tell.

I'd go with an African/middle-eastern mix for the fauna and flora, seems pretty good for the area.

Or maybe they are explorers born in coastal jungle cities, the center of civilization, that report dead lands with endless desert and snow...

Maybe both, why not?

In fact, I've got a nice creation myth for this world, but I'm waiting until we finish the natural enviroment first.

 

[Devilmaypoop]

Or maybe they are explorers born in coastal jungle cities, the center of civilization, that report dead lands with endless desert and snow...

Maybe both, why not?

Both is good, but naturally the jungle areas should at least somewhat lag behind, just like they did OTL.

I'll fill up the southeasternmost continent.

 

[Pipochubs1999]

Are you guys going to add the lycopod forests I suggested?

 

[Thanksforallthefish]

Are you guys going to add the lycopod forests I suggested?

I'm up for it. Biomes still need a little tweaking, so it's not too late to add suggestions.

So this world has a place called the Knives? That sounds awesome.

I really like how the map is turning out. This world has an unconventional, but highly realistic feeling. I especially like how the southern hemisphere has a supermajority of the land - too many fantasy maps are focused on balance, when the real world isn't balanced at all. You all are doing an amazing job. I would love to help design some cultures when you get to that stage. I'm already trying to visualize some epic locations for empires to form.

Thanks!

I think the 'imbalance' of this world will help us to be more creative with cultures. Deserts and jungles have developed sophisticated civilizations, so I can't see why not here.

 

[Devilmaypoop]

So, ended up with a mostly dry, cold and infertile continent. Not a very attractive place.

I can do the rest of the Western Middle continent.

 

[Devilmaypoop]

We are mostly done here. Anyone going to finish this up or?

We can start on properly naming all the continents and figuring out flora and fauna after that.

 

[Thanksforallthefish]

We are mostly done here. Anyone going to finish this up or?

We can start on properly naming all the continents and figuring out flora and fauna after that.

I'll finish it up in a while...

I think the Southwestern continent should have African fauna/flora, and the western part more European ones. The central one looks like Amazonian/congo jungle, and the one at the east looks like a small South America with more deserts.

Any suggestions? I would recommend we use the crops/fauna map I posted earlier for inspiration.

 

[Pipochubs1999]

Don't we need to finish the water currents, plate tectonics, and wind maps too?

 

[Devilmaypoop]

I'll finish it up in a while...

I think the Southwestern continent should have African fauna/flora, and the western part more European ones. The central one looks like Amazonian/congo jungle, and the one at the east looks like a small South America with more deserts.

Any suggestions? I would recommend we use the crops/fauna map I posted earlier for inspiration.

Southeastern*

The map is good. Let's place potato either deep inside the moutain region of the most eastern continent, or hide it in the mountains of the Northwestern continent.

I think the island chain and the Peninsula should have a mix mediterranean and european fauna and flora, don't know about the dryforests though.

 

[Devilmaypoop]

Don't we need to finish the water currents, plate tectonics, and wind maps too?

Well we have currents mostly figured out, tectonics mostly too, we have the active volcanic regions figured out too.

I know nothing about wind maps though.

 

[Lothal]

We should get rid of the lakelands biome. It takes up space that could be precious temperate forest(something rare on this world) and isnt really a biome.

 

[Pipochubs1999]

We should get rid of the lakelands biome. It takes up space that could be precious temperate forest(something rare on this world) and isnt really a biome.

Yeah, lake lands aren't really unique.

 

[Thanksforallthefish]

Yeah, lake lands aren't really unique.

I disagree, since it's a good way to show large wetlands, and it implies there are smaller lakes there. Also, we can create some unique flora to go with it.

There's plenty of temperate forest I think, so that isn't a problem. But I'll follow your lead.

 

[Devilmaypoop]

Well the lakelands are essentially temperate forest, just showing areas that are majority swamp, lakes and such.

 

[Lothal]

Well the lakelands are essentially temperate forest, just showing areas that are majority swamp, lakes and such.

Then we should change it to "temperate wetlands" and "temperate wetland forest"

 

[Fox-Fire]

We can start on properly naming all the continents and figuring out flora and fauna after that.

We have some already named, but not much. Please, let's use numbers to place the names instead of adding the names over the lands since it will become very crammed very fast. Then we put the names in separate columns along the right side, such as we've been doing with the climates.

Also, what's the typical font that is used? We should all use the same.

A group of rings fell into the planet, nonetheless, could we have a few more that still stayed in place being visible from the planet? That could prove quite interesting as cultural feature and it will help catapult longer range navigation much earlier on this world.

I can already imagine what a person in the first civilizations may think. A wall on the sky, a wall on earth, to keep the men from wandering into an endless ocean. A tribute must be paid to the gods to avoid being flooded into becoming part of that ocean every year...

Or maybe they are explorers born in coastal jungle cities, the center of civilization, that report dead lands with endless desert and snow...

Maybe both, why not?

Wouldn't this planet be more focused on maritime trade?

1.- The places which could harbor civilizations seem smaller, therefore surplus are more scarce.
2.- There is no large landmass like Afroeurasia to have so many land trade routes.
3.- The largest landmass is a desert, caravans can only take you so far more so thinking about the time when the age of sail comes around.

I disagree, since it's a good way to show large wetlands, and it implies there are smaller lakes there. Also, we can create some unique flora to go with it.

We have enormous wetlands, this means a diverse ecosystem of insects... carnivore plants anyone? I don't think it interferes with the forests.

So, ended up with a mostly dry, cold and infertile continent. Not a very attractive place.

Never underestimate the power of silt along those rivers though.

 

[Thanksforallthefish]

We have some already named, but not much. Please, let's use numbers to place the names instead of adding the names over the lands since it will become very crammed very fast. Then we put the names in separate columns along the right side, such as we've been doing with the climates.

Also, what's the typical font that is used? We should all use the same.

A group of rings fell into the planet, nonetheless, could we have a few more that still stayed in place being visible from the planet? That could prove quite interesting as cultural feature and it will help catapult longer range navigation much earlier on this world.

I can already imagine what a person in the first civilizations may think. A wall on the sky, a wall on earth, to keep the men from wandering into an endless ocean. A tribute must be paid to the gods to avoid being flooded into becoming part of that ocean every year...

Wouldn't this planet be more focused on maritime trade?

1.- The places which could harbor civilizations seem smaller, therefore surplus are more scarce.
2.- There is no large landmass like Afroeurasia to have so many land trade routes.
3.- The largest landmass is a desert, caravans can only take you so far more so thinking about the time when the age of sail comes around.

We have enormous wetlands, this means a diverse ecosystem of insects... carnivore plants anyone? I don't think it interferes with the forests.

Never underestimate the power of silt along those rivers though.

The problem with rings it that, according to a recent study, they would cause a shadow enough to freeze parts of the equator. And it would mess up with our whole biome/climate thingy that we have set up.

I also think that maritime civilizations will preform rather well. That's why I sugggested jungle trade powers: they would have an edge early on in maritime trade, being used to use rivers as pathways.

About insects... lots of rainforests, warmer seas (that mean more algae, through I'm not so sure) will mean a larger oxygen content in the atmosphere (but not by much) which mean larger insects. Not too large though, but one will notice a difference in the lowlands, maybe the larger ones will be the size of rats. Humans may be somewhat more active too. But I don't think it will affect too much.

 

[Devilmaypoop]

Well this world for sure will start to globalize much earlier than OTL as well as trade forming around the southern half earlier due to the coastal areas not having such huge distances.

Jungle trade powers do sound fun though. All the diseases and plagues that can come out of those jungles though, especially if those concentrated settlements get overcrowded. I will love it, will spread even faster and widespread because of the more widespread trading.

 

[Pipochubs1999]

I'm not sure if it's too early to do this but I've got a quick analysis of the first cradle of civilization ready.

Cradle A

If I'm looking at the biome map correctly, this cradle is in an area prone to monsoons, which will bring flooding to the rivers making the area very fertile and well suited for growing crops. The climate does remind me of Ethiopia in many ways. The area's terrain is dominated by flat lands and savannas to its south, which as Devilmaypoop mentioned, will probably have African flora and fauna. Speaking of flora and fauna, animals and plants that might be domesticated here include the following.

Cats: Cats were originally domesticated from the African wildcat, a subspecies of wildcat that is found in numerous environments throughout Africa and the Near East. Here, Wildcats will be found all over the southeastern continent with the exception of the frigid taiga and tundra areas. Cats will probably be spread farther throughout the world through trade but that remains to be seen.

Cattle: Aurochs are well suited to the environment of Cradle A and will make a fine source of meat, milk, and leather. Cattle in this area will most likely resemble Sanga cattle, a breed of cattle found in Sub-Saharan Africa that is believed to have been domesticated independently from the Auroch.

Donkeys: Cradle A is a suitable environment for the wild relative of the donkey, the African wild ass.

Indigo

Zebus: Like cattle they were domesticated from aurochs.

Cradle B

WIP

 

[Devilmaypoop]

Looks great. Maybe Cradle B is more like West Africa then, being the home to pigs too. Secondary Cradles of the continent would be the two mediterranean rivermouths, on the opposite sides.

As trade develops, pig would spread from Cradle B first to south to the secondary Cradle, then eventually west to the Great lakes to become widespread and forward from there.