Mapping(Rivers, Insides, and Outsides)

[kuzuryuu_shiko]

I hope I'm posting this in the correct section, this is probably a problem only I can have some struggling at since perspective mapping is not my main ability.

I'm sure mappers must have made a village, forest, etc. with a river in it at some point. I, too, happen to made one, so my question is : In the outside(World Map), do you also made a watery part around the village to point out where the rivers come from in the inside, or do you just make the village without drawing the rivers on the world map?

I've been thinking about this since my first river-ed forest, since i have some doubts about drawing riversources in the world map (It really ruined the space of an island and made it ooks like a separate island), and since my game console is broken, I can't take a look at how other games did it, so I hope someone here can end my endless thinking, and thank you in advance ^^.

 

[Dad3353]

...In the outside(World Map), do you also made a watery part around the village to point out where the rivers come from in the inside, or do you just make the village without drawing the rivers on the world map?...

I'm far from expert, so my reply only applies to how I think of these things. I consider it to be a matter of scale; the Overworld is really only a symbol of the Outside, and certainly not to any realistic scale. If, in the Village, there's a stream running through, I wouldn't consider it necessary to report that onto the Overworld. If, on the other hand, it's a river (capable of taking a rowing boat, for instance...), then I would incorporate that into the Overworld. Similarly, if the river took an important role (being a barrier, or needing the creation of a passage in the game...) rather than a decorative accessory, then I'd build it into the Overworld map.
You may well get as many differing approaches as answers to this question, of course..! There are few 'rules'; that's part of the beauty of it. You decide what's applicable or not.

 

[kuzuryuu_shiko]

Thank you for your response, @Dad3353 . I know that it's all actually depends on my sights, and yes, the rivers were nothing more than a simple accessories for the map, that's why I've been thinking that it shouldn't be in the map at all. Still, the unsurity keeps eating my head up that I keep on simultaneusly drawing and removing the rivers everytime I take a look at my map (can't even count how many times I did that XD) as I keep thinking whether people uses logical thinking in these kind of problems or not. That's why I'm trying to ask how people truly see their world maps ^^ so thank you for your opinions.

 

[Lyon Media]

I think that the best way would be not to put the river there IF it's just to make the town map to look good. (Witch I'm in no means calling myself and expert or even extremely good.) But I have been going around with surveys and asking people to fill them out and over 80% of people say little visual aspect inaccuracy's on purpose or by accident are ok if it looks good. So if it looks better with out the river I say go for it with out the river.

 

[kuzuryuu_shiko]

Thank you for the suggestions @Lyon Media . Yes, I guess a simple inacurracy at map aspect for the greater goods wouldn't hurt. Finally decided to just let the map as it is now, your comments are much appreciated. ^^