South Africa 1885

[natty dread]

Very nice. I can't think of anything I'd change for now...

Well, the mountains could still use some blurring of the edges at some places. Perhaps adding a slight drop shadow on the mountains could make them look better?

Or, color the insides of the mountains with light grey to make them look more solid... right now, the bonus area colours overlap with the mountains, and that just seems wrong to my eye, somehow.

[captainwalrus]

Why is stellaland split into three? Those three combined are smaller than some other single territories, why not just combine them and lower the bonus?

[Industrial Helix]

Natty - Ok, I'll take note of that. Do you think the same thing about the mountains applies to Wars of German and Italian Unification or is it just this map?

Cap'n - Well, I really don't want a whole bunch of tiny one and two terr bonuses and I tried to limit them where possible... so it arises out of that.

General Statement.

I think I want to steer this map away from standard gameplay and go for something different without getting too complex. I'm just not sure what exactly I thought I might pick the brains of the foundry to see what you guys might have.

Die Groot Trek was an interesting idea but I don't think it encompasses the whole of the map so it kind of doesn't work.

I was thinking something like conquer two or three of the areas for the win but I'm afraid it might lead to a bunch of players heading for Zululand, Amatonga and Basutoland. One possibility is to drop Amatongaland. Ok, as I type I'm steering for this gameplay objective. Thoughts?

[Raskholnikov]

I would still use some variant of the Groot Trek, and have as objective conquering the Western Cape (its point of departure) and the South African Republic (main area of new settlements) PLUS all Groot Trek in-between stations. This would bring in a historical element and would also explain the birth of modern-day South Africa without taking anything away from the really beautiful map you've done so far.

[jefjef]

How about hold all ports and Pretoria + ? for the win? You hold all that in RL and you own South Africa.

[natty dread]

Natty - Ok, I'll take note of that. Do you think the same thing about the mountains applies to Wars of German and Italian Unification or is it just this map?

I took a peek at those map, and I'd say no. At those maps, the mountains actually work. I think it's because in those maps, the continent colours are solid, and not just outlines drawn to the borders of the areas. Here, when the colour intrudes on to the mountains, it makes them look flat and ... not mountain-like. Colouring the inside of the mountains with grey should fix this, adding more depth to the mountains = making them look like ... well, mountains

[isaiah40]

Okay, suggestion. Could you instead of having the bonus outline color run through the mountains, just make the outline stop at the mountains? The mountains are dividing some of the bonuses anyways so you could just outline the bonus up to the mountains and continue on the opposite end of the mountains. This way it would preserve the mountains as they look good for the time era. For example, West Cape, use the color along the coast then the border with East Cape but stop at the mountains. Then go over to Piquetburg and start the outline again.

Secondly, Does Frnkfort and New Castle connect? It is a little hard to tell, it looks like they don't but at first glance they look like they do. Maybe add in a couple more mountains there would be good. Also Buthabuthe and Winburg, that is an open area correct?

That's it for now, I don't see why we couldn't get the Draft Stamp out and stamp it!

[Evil DIMwit]

How about hold all ports and Pretoria + ? for the win? You hold all that in RL and you own South Africa.

Sounds like a really good idea, but not if the ports all connect to each other.

[ender516]

If the anchors still don't seem to suit the style of the map (and I think they don't quite), perhaps, to match the font, they should be given an italic-like slant and look more hand-drawn, like a notation made by the owner of the map.

[Industrial Helix]

As for the graphical suggestions... I'll keep note of them before posting the next graphics version. Thanks!

The thing I don't like about holding all ports plus Pretoria is, a) all the ports connect. b) I think it takes away from the historical situation of these warring states of South Africa. I kind of think that the map should be about conquering the states of South Africa as the various wars in the region of the period were about. I'm not 100% sold on the idea though, so there's definitely room for discussion... thoughts?

[jefjef]

Well objective maps are swell and everything but personally I like standard play maps the best. I prefer to eliminate and destroy than just capture to win.

The only real objectives you have here are the ports. Pretoria is a major region. You would need to also designate more terts if you really want an objective type map.

[Industrial Helix]

See, while I prefer standard gameplay maps I kind of think there's a bias against them in the foundry right now and long term members of the foundry are sick of seeing them. They're making the call for maps with unique gameplay and it sounds like a decent challenge and this map is relatively young still.

I think conquer any three states would be a good objective because it keeps the conquer and destroy style of a standard gameplay while offering a semi-different dynamic. Kind of like Europe 1914.

[AndyDufresne]

See, while I prefer standard gameplay maps I kind of think there's a bias against them in the foundry right now and long term members of the foundry are sick of seeing them. They're making the call for maps with unique gameplay and it sounds like a decent challenge and this map is relatively young still.

I think conquer any three states would be a good objective because it keeps the conquer and destroy style of a standard gameplay while offering a semi-different dynamic. Kind of like Europe 1914.

I think this map can easily stand without any objectives. It has a unique geographic area, in addition to a unique style of graphics.


--Andy

[jefjef]

I agree with Andy.

But If you really want an objective of holding bonus regions you would have to add connects I've suggested to Stellaland and code that single bonus region as a large Neutral.

Or I spose you could designate 3 specific regions to hold instead of 3 random ones.

[Ahuatl the Leper]

Hi, just wrote sum, but lost it all, wasnt logged in when i submitted...

Anyway, the map looks good, with a feeling of freshness - i can even feel the breeze and smell the oceans salty spray...

Dont think Pretoria is too strong as it has seven fronts to defend...

One or two passes might be good, and realistic, but maybe subtle, barely discernible, requiring a good look 2 spot ? ...i can search for some maps showing their locations if u wish - ?

The Cape, or "Cinderella", as we have s/times called her has always played a significant role in our history - at the time of this map it was the British stronghold, much as the Transvaal was the enemy or Boer Citadel and any route north had to be either through some part of the Cape. The alternate route, though used/tried was impractical due to the arid conditions of desert and semi-desert areas. The Northern Cape is a bit of a 'Wasteland', yet fertile still. The real waste lies north of the Cape Province and west of the Transvaal and northern free state, which is the Namib and Kalahari deserts.
The Wars fought at this time were some with such tribes as the Zulu, Sotho and Xhosa, and of course the Anglo-Boer Wars and the borders reflected in the map are largley those of the two participants, the English and Boer.

These borders were the result of the trek which had begun +- 50 yrs before when the Republics shown here were still in their dreamtime, the trek could better be a seperate map, maybe similar to Route 66?