Mescona: An alternate world map

[PS Extraordinary Tales]

I have been constructing a sort of alternate world gothic wild west setting vis-a-vis an ongoing project, originally a novel, now a comic I am collaborating on with an artist.

This here's a map I've been working on, modified from a pic of an old map I found online (I don't intend to publish this particular image). I have redrawn the political boundaries as per the setting - in place of America is Mescona, a confederation of self-governed sovereignties which banded together as one unified people out of an early history of foreign oppression. So yes its very similar to America. The key lies in the details, which I'll not weigh down this thread by going into just yet.

Mostly the point of this thread is I'm trying to see if anybody has tips for mapmaking, be they tips of the cartographer's trade, good programs to use (I used GIMP for the following image), tips for the more literary side of things (names, naming conventions, comments on the nature of political boundaries), or whatever anybody feels like contributing. I would much appreciate any advice.

That said, the following map is not finished. I intend to add a few geographic changes such as several sizeable craters from a celestial collision in the planet's past (the event which split off this alternate world from the 'real world' timeline), and a few resulting landscape changes. For instance, what would be California was largely split off into the ocean by a huge crater. The great lakes are largely one as the result of a similar crater. Most likely a few more notable changes. Thoughts and critiques, be they of a visual nature or a literary nature, are quite welcome. I'm curious if anyone else even likes this idea.

Here's the map:

Regards, PS

 

[Bruce McKnight]

I'm also a fan of Gimp and youtube is full of great map tutorials. It looks like you have the skill to mkae it work.

The only thing that jumps out at me about your map (which I like so far), is that the boundaries still appear to be loosely based on current state borders. If there were a bunch of celestial collisions leaving craters, I would expect the inhabitants to draw their new borders more along geographic landmarks. Depending on the level of transportation technology, I would expect the Rockies to divide a territory north-south rather than seening an east-west border running through them. Unless, of course, the Rockies were obliterated and are now a series of crater lakes and gravel plains

 

[PS Extraordinary Tales]

A fair point! Actually yes, in part due to a series of craters and subsequent geological upheavals (which I have yet to map), everything west of the Rockies in the northwestern region is pretty much a no-man's land beyond which is only the raging sea. In such forgotten plains may lie many a forbidden secret. Even, perhaps, the lair of a god. Spoilers!

The story actually begins in the main character's hometown of White Clyffe, which lies in the northwestern territory, at the far end of the NW Rail Line, in the foothills of the rocky mountains (which will have an alternate name yet to be decided). This town would lie within the borders of Idaho, in our world.

And yes some borders may be redrawn around craters and such. Shrewd of you to notice the existing boundaries being used. My thinking was that these boundaries are generally based on geographic features anyhow. In my region (West Virginia) for example, you're not like to pass into another state without crossing a river - the whole eastern edge of the state is demarcated by the Potomac River.

Thanks for the comment, I much appreciate your input.