Documentation

Auto-Stylizing Maps

How to write effective style prompts and get consistent results.

How It Works

Auto-stylizing takes your map — including territory shapes, elevation data, and zone types — and renders it as a visual illustration matching the style you describe. Your map's geography and layout are preserved; only the visual treatment changes.

Each auto-stylize operation uses one AI style credit. Credits refresh monthly. You can stylize the same map multiple times to compare results or try different looks.

Writing Good Prompts

The best prompts specify three things: medium (watercolor, ink, digital), visual reference (Tolkien atlas, military survey, manga), and mood (aged and worn, bright and vibrant, dark and gritty).

Fantasy

  • "aged parchment fantasy map with illustrated mountains and hand-lettered labels"
  • "Tolkien-inspired topographic illustration with forest symbols and ink borders"
  • "vibrant watercolor kingdom map with heraldic colors"

Sci-Fi

  • "clean technical schematic on dark background with glowing territory outlines"
  • "worn retro-futurist blueprint with grid overlay and faded ink"
  • "neon-lit cyberpunk district map with faction-colored zones"

Horror

  • "faded 1920s newspaper illustration with heavy shadows and minimal color"
  • "scratchy hand-drawn Victorian survey map on yellowed paper"
  • "dark monochrome architectural blueprint with staining and water damage"

Historical

  • "18th century engraved military campaign map with topographic hatching"
  • "medieval illuminated manuscript cartography with gold leaf borders"
  • "WWI trench map in faded olive and red on cream stock"

Tips for Better Results

  • Be specific about medium: "watercolor" and "oil painting" produce very different results even with the same subject.
  • Mention the color palette: "muted earth tones", "high contrast black and white", or "jewel-toned heraldic colors" help constrain the output.
  • Reference a real-world style: Map styles people recognize — like "Ordnance Survey", "Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition", or "Risk board game" — produce recognizable results.
  • Iterate: If the first result isn't right, adjust one element of your prompt and try again. Credits are per generation, not per map.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the style change my territory borders or shapes?
No. Territory borders and zone shapes are preserved exactly. The style engine only changes the visual rendering — colors, textures, illustrated details — not the underlying geography.
Can I apply different styles to different stages?
Yes. Each campaign stage can have its own auto-stylized result. This lets your map look aged and worn at the start of the campaign, then war-torn and marked up in later stages.
What if the result includes unsafe or inappropriate content?
Cartographer runs a safety review on all prompts before generation. If a prompt is flagged, it won't be submitted and you'll see an explanation. The system is tuned for TTRPG content — realistic violence depictions are handled carefully but legitimate game content is not blocked.