Parallax Mapping advice

Hello all, I'm new to this forum, and seeking some advice regarding Parallax mapping - a mapping style that is new to me, but I'd like to get better before I start a real project with it.

As a reference to others, these are the tools and scripts I'm using to get Parallax mapping to work on RPG Maker VX ace.

I'm currently using Hanzo Overlay script for the Parallax and Overlays.
Yanfly's Parallax locking script - to stop them drifting about.
Yanfly's Region Locking as an alternative way to set the impassibility of a map using Ace's regions instead of invisible tiles.

and GIMP for all the editing and mapping.

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Now, my actual problem!

I have been fiddling about, making various map (mostly Forests for training purposes) - but I'm finding myself struggling to make certain types of map - such as making a good Parallax Cave, village / Town, or rivers.

I can't seem to find appropriate resources or techniques to make these other map types - which is a serious problem if I plan to adopt Parallax mapping as a primary style.

Is there any advice or guidelines to follow when attempting to make these types of maps or objects as Parallax. Is it simpler to first create the map in RPG Maker, then edit and modify it as a Parallax afterwards?
Any advice on the matter would be much appreciated - thanks!  :D

Moving this to general discussion, this is not a VX Ace support question.


Why don't you go look around the screenshot thread for some inspiration?

I will do, thanks!

For the time's being, I've been making caves in RPG Maker itself, and then using a printscreen of that map to touch up in GIMP (adding lights, shadows, moss and other effects) before putting it as a Parallax.
If there is a better method for this, or anything else I've mentioned, I would love to learn!

For towns, I first map out the important locations on paper, then make the base for the buildings (roofs/walls, general size, etc) in RM, then export it back to GIMP to edit the rest of the building. Once all the major buildings are in place, I draw the rest of the town around that, moving the buildings around as necessary.

Getting started is usually the hardest part. If you're low on inspiration, like Celianna said, I'd go check out other people's maps or just google images (i.e: "medieval marketplace")

There really are multiple ways to do this.

I absolutely HATE ace tiles & mapping so i usually lay the base in tiled or rpg maker xp (usually tiled).  Then i import it into gimp and do my parallaxing there.

Or if it is not to huge of a map i just place the tiles in gimp.

I'm taking a look into Tiled now, to see if this is a software that would help me out :)

For the time's being I'm making the base map in RPG Maker, then exporting it into GIMP for editing.

Thank you for the suggestions, these are helping me get to grips with what other people are doing!