User blog:The Testcardiologist/Gapia Rewind Map Edition

GAPIA REWIND: MAP EDITION

From Paint to Photoshop in six years

For mobile users without the Imgur app, click on the options and then "open in new tab".

Geia
We start off with Geia, the predecessor of Gapia. It started on July 4, 2013 by members of the Brazilian fictional television scene, its creator already had an idea back in 2011 for what was Cazbekistan (now Cazbekia, Gapia's Belarus). The oldest maps were on Minus and were removed from the internet due to instabilities the site had (Minus shut down sometime in 2015). However, in November 2019 mavb98 unearthed some of these rare gems from prior to late 2014, from when Geia was barely one year old.



https://i.imgur.com/MnNJjBy.jpg

This is how the Geian map looked like at first, when the maps were made by Brazilans, using MS Paint, and were worthy of r/crappydesign. There were two continents, probably West Rainsaw and East Rainsaw, and about thirty countries. This was from the first weeks of 2014. Initially, Geia didn't even have Hokusei, Xi'Ang, the Yareas, Istia, Arabsia, Neurcasia, etc. and was added in later revisions. This is the oldest surviving map (January/February 2014), where countries were labelled with three-letter abbreviations and dots where their capitals were located.

Also, Crush was a perfect circle. No such landmass in the real world would do that.



https://i.imgur.com/H3nKNrJ.png

In February, a new continent was added, Nortolunia. Its odd shape would later be used by South Nortolunia aka what is now Meridecia in Gapia (Africa and the Middle East). The countries that were claimed for the new continent were Esperança (later Hopeland, a pocket USA that later served as base for Eusloida); Saint Liberty (South Africa and PALOP countries, now just South Africa and Angola under Liberdesia; no wonder why he had to change the name because Libertia in Neurcasia has "Libertian" as its denonym); Roterlaine (at the time a Spanish-speaking country and far from being the counterpart to our France when Gineki took it over; Great Gritain and Grande Centro. This map was shrouded in controversy by the users of the time because the countries belonging to the map maker were enlarged without permission. Luckily enough Gineki started making maps using the designs and made vast improvements in the months that followed. Congratulations, you're a lifesaver, because you added color and more appealing fonts to the maps.

Also, Talcaland gets closer to Chile, "SMA" is sacrificed and southern Rainsaw gets extra thicc and ready to sue for damage.



https://i.imgur.com/qrZmNmG.jpg

By then Gineki was already making the maps, however they still had the same font and lots of white, because nobody didn't know where were the claimed countries and where were the vacant territories. Nortolunia changes location, size and shape. Rainsaw, Eurcatia and later Surtiasa were mixed continents (Europe + Americas) while Nortolunia was divided into sectors representing Asia, Africa and Oceania. There were already many unclaimed countries (I guess) in Nortolunia. Lettered territories are disputed territories. A is Deiwan and E is Arandia. Later they were rearranged under lowercase letters.



https://i.imgur.com/df4oMAn.jpg

This is a draft of the map above, made by Gineki. The names of the oceans were added. Also, rotated text! Something you can't do on Paint!



https://i.imgur.com/minhCkk.jpg

It was Mauro Teité that gave Gineki the idea of giving colors to each country and change the typeface for a much more pleasant Chicago. The ONFU headquarters were bilingual, due to the influx of Chileans (some where there almost from the very start), Colombians and Venezuelans in the group.



https://i.imgur.com/b5CshGk.jpg

July 20, 2014. By this time, we witnessed the birth of the "bot countries" (or "countries managed by all" or "countries anyone can manage but it's up to the admins to decide everything"). Specifically Bressia (now Brussia), Istia, Xi'Ang, Sainam, North Yarea, South Yarea and the Arabsic Union. Hokusei was under administration between 2014 and 2016 (yet was owned by DonOnce and later Gineki and later given over to bot status). It was also the birth of a new continent, Surtiasa, and North Nortolunia, with the change, was now divided between Nortolunia and Eurcasia (or was it Eurcatia?).



https://i.imgur.com/xjODITX.jpg

A near-perfect wiki-formatted map.



https://i.imgur.com/AGOW1Ry.jpg

Geia 100 years before. 100% claimed land, just to annoy potential land owners. Imagine what might have happened to Gapia if countries like Debanon, Voldasia, Capelia, Bimeria, Dembia and Rodnia still existed. Montasia is a country in Central Atlansia, so chances for these might still be high.



https://i.imgur.com/OgC5N2s.jpg

Geia in 1925. Parts of Hisqaida felt like seceding, the Bisterdan Union is a thing, Arabsia just broke up, Nouvelle Baie becomes a country.

For those who can't read properly or don't want to squint their eyes, the emirates were Derzia, Nibia, Begyptia, Arabsia, Igelia, Dissau, East Arabsia, Jiriaq, Sautel, Abu Nadhi and Hudai.



https://i.imgur.com/R6PS1nD.jpg

By 1935, Du Giorge had set up his empire. Consider him as the ancestor to the Gapian Zavkler.



https://i.imgur.com/BqHrl06.jpg

Surtaline: "There is two of us!". Well, Surtaline, there is one of me.

The scenario that had existed back then was that of Surtaline having a civil war (one of the primary reasons of Geia's confusing nature) and broke up into two separate sovereign countries.



https://i.imgur.com/YqwDAku.jpg

The first attempt made by Gineki of a terrain map.



https://i.imgur.com/thZggjJ.jpg

Suddenly, Cazbekistan left due to a temper tantrum. Porto Feliz starts claiming part of another island in Rainsaw to make up for it.



https://i.imgur.com/QjYD2qN.jpg

Nordesia and Arsitia are "discovered" and even Brussia wanted to get in on the action. East Surtaline gets an overseas territory.



https://i.imgur.com/uMPyzqf.jpg

Well, well, well, look what we have here. Cazbekistan is back. Second time the charm?



https://i.imgur.com/4O8Ywko.png

Malta grows, Libernia becomes a part of Azorita leaving its slot vacant (part of it was later occupied by Esperanta, a Minarian territory) and Tumandia links the two Eurcasias. Hopeland too decided to get an "overseas territory" in North Eurcasia. Now the continents have shadows. Catch the reflection.



https://i.imgur.com/ZSLobJM.png

Still in 2014, Britania moved to the insular region of Rainsaw (part of the former Cazbekistan) and Neurcasia's size reduced a little and moved to the east.



https://i.imgur.com/tVfhyhb.png

Novalia claimed two islands under New Westerland, the "grandfather" of New Eusland.



https://i.imgur.com/1t3zns5.jpg

From the same day as the map above, a terrain map of Geia.



https://i.imgur.com/JqzwOoO.png

A little sorting out in Surtiasa.



https://i.imgur.com/yZ46AaP.png

From the same day as the map above, a timezone map.



https://i.imgur.com/QwsrVB0.png

An archipelago is claimed under number 40. It was likely Pacifilavia.



https://i.imgur.com/NHZML78.png

Unrelated, but here's the same but as a list.



https://i.imgur.com/1KjGmgP.png

A part of South Nortolunia is given to North Nortolunia, Pacifilavia moves to the area between Xi'Ang and Istia.



https://i.imgur.com/hEmIGxL.png

Lands in the northern hemisphere move west, what we now call Arabsia in Gapia grew a little, and Sucrenia was now a country. This is the last known map of Geia, published in August 2015.

Gapia
Actually the basis of modern Gapia started as a NationStates group by DonOnce in 2013 (I am aware South Matamah and Talcaland were on a NationStates wiki a few years ago as part of the continent of Rainsaw). Due to divergences, a new, unnamed world was created in May 2015.



https://i.imgur.com/QJN882l.jpg

Can you imagine a world with sixteen claimed countries and basically three continents? That's how Gapia started in its "no name for now" phase. Map made by Mauro Teité, also features a "hurry because I'm at the edge of the Photoshop canvas) design on the eastern continent. Initially it had no name and was a solution set up by DonOnce to facilitate things further.



https://i.imgur.com/9hroLzd.jpg

"Now, a new map, more land for this perfect world that we named Gapia". Featuring new countries, like the "comeback" of Roterlaine, Latinolia now sovereign and a new content. I que visca Gran Gritanya també.

"Chau Geia

VIVA GAPIA"

-DonOnce, August 31, 2015

Between June and October of 2015, Geian members had lost their marbles. Some members left Geia at all and others went to join Gapia. Reports say that Geia was a really confusing group, due to constant spamming and creation of new Facebook account to violate the maximum two country per owner rule at the time. During this period, DonaldoC1997 was expelled (DonOnce called him a traitor, but when he went to Gapia the relationship stabilized somewhat). His countries were not present in Gapia, at least when it started. On October 24, 2015, Geia oficially shut down. Some members moved to Gapia while others refused to continue doing so.



https://i.imgur.com/x6XrXfS.png

A new Gapia, this time more organized than the previous one. The last map Mauro made. From then on, Gineki made all maps. Continents were reorganized: the Atlansias for the Americas, Eurdecia for Europe, Meridecia for Africa and the Middle East, Asikai for Asia and Transania for Oceania. A number of CMAs (countries managed by all, later bot countries) were created, the rest consisted of countries owned by Facebook users. A seemingly familiar combination of colors began to appear.



https://i.imgur.com/AT5YtSt.png

About fifty countries were claimed. Vera Cruz was the only territory and it was, at the time, under the same typeface as administered countries.



https://i.imgur.com/80ZUyLK.png

Not much of a change, Mayagia (at the time Gapia's Colombia) lost some land to Sudatlánsia, and the continent lost some of its land to the south when Dovaly (the new Novalia) was claimed.



https://i.imgur.com/cffA1aR.png

Gapia's structure changed a lot. Meridecia was now divided into two subcontinents: Arabsia (West Meridecia) and Afronia (East Meridecia). Territories and oceans were now labelled. Lots of new CMAs like Udreine, Nagmolia and Makistan were created. GIneki's countries (Hisqaida, Neurcasia) already made the switch. Eurdecia was now looking more like the former (West) Rainsaw and Atlansia like Eurcasia (Eurcatia?).



https://i.imgur.com/HS3vWNj.png

By October 2015, DonaldoC1997 had switched between worlds. His countries (South Matamah, New Rhumb, Liberty) all moved to Gapia, and later took control of Palesia from its former owner and turned the old New Westerland into New Eusland. Other names from Geia like Pacifilavia (former Istolasia) and Cazbekistan returned.



https://i.imgur.com/maQ8L3z.png

Vengatio1, later to become the fifth admin, registers with Quemurilla, a Meridecian de facto dictatorship, and the Vradivan Islands, a pseudo-Singapore with traits and qualities of Vietnam and Cuba.



https://i.imgur.com/QO6kNJb.png

By December, Vengatio1 claims New Alacania in South Atlansia and Karistia in North Atlansia. Burfhana (Gapia's Botswana) is added. Vera Cruz moves to the Neptunic Ocean.



https://i.imgur.com/mOCBZU0.png

A few changes in Eurdecia, with Nouvelle Baie moving near Roterlaine and Cazbekistan revived as Gapia's Belarus. Afronia's size grew a little so that Meridecia wouldn't be a horizontal continent. Rivland is added, initially in Asikai, north of Istia. Sudraica moves near Arabsia. Also new are non-Facebook countries where administration is made in wikis (thanks, TK). Centlands was the first.



https://i.imgur.com/mWaEScA.png

In February 2016, Olho Negro returns in Gapia, Burfhana moves a little south and Deiwan and the Yengish peninsula switch places. Macamot is here.



https://i.imgur.com/VSoaKKS.png

In March 2016, Meridecia was restructured and the location of Eurdecia and Asikai had to change slightly. Adisinia (Ethiopia) was added.



https://i.imgur.com/hj8wyxa.png

There were many changes in August 2016. Seilan became an Istian state. Great Gritain moved back to Asikai. Meridecia was restructured by making it closer to Africa. Centralia left and its territory was given to other countries.



https://i.imgur.com/WUtIxG2.png

In January 2017, Centralia (and Maurodx) returned, this time in Transania.



https://i.imgur.com/5d4Q8tP.png Arguably the biggest change of 2017 (if the return of Centralia doesn't count) was the switch of the Lusophone regions of the Atlansias. Palesia and its associated countries switched places with Azorita and New Rhumb. Now Palesia has the same climate patterns of its IRL counterpart. Its shape makes it feel more like Hungary. Mujuki and Kyojin are restructured after abandon. Gineki takes over Mujuki and DonOnce takes over Kyojin.



https://i.imgur.com/Evrupr6.png

In September 2017, Transalia was restructured due to the arrival of Cenfestaro.



https://i.imgur.com/99H2isp.png

The Gapian map changed significantly in February 2018. Nordesia (the country) was split into four, the Iperidan peninsula was created, by aggregating all Hispanic countries (except Rialmany) and South Matamah in order to create it. Ibergia collapsed into Arnelia and Azeria into Turkistan. New Eusland was now to the south-west of Neurcasia.



https://i.imgur.com/jjh9vGE.png

Further changes in June, with Olho Negro becoming Gapia's Mozambique, Perporania becoming the Gapian DRC (as a Francophone country) and a few new countries as well. Disputed territories and countries with limited recognition are now marked. Makistan moves to east of India (probably because Eguzkia and Ilargia needed a better location, not because of representing Bangladesh).



https://i.imgur.com/FCJjeVt.png

The maps are steadily improving and they're looking better than ever.



https://i.imgur.com/pLp2i03.png

Key offenders Gwanda and Gladekia have been removed because the respective users stole concepts, a few renames here and there and also Hisqaida losing its exclave, thus forcing Eusloida to move south and share the southern island with Jysannia.



Why waste time in uploading maps on Imgur, when you can upload them on Wikia? This is the English version, posted just for the division between Eurdecian and Asikaish Brussia (and not the glitch where Fernandina's name still appears).



Cenhasia now has a link to mainland Eurdecia. Eireland gets a suitable location.