natty dread wrote:...
Hey, I agree. Ideally, all maps would have all graphical issues solved before the graphics stamp was issued. But we don't live in a perfect world... and sometimes, things aren't always noticed until the Final Forge.
I agree it's frustrating to the mapmaker, but we have to remember the foundry is not a perfect system, and it's all run by humans - insignificant, imperfect humans. When we are all replaced by superior, sentient computer AI:s, I'm sure the foundry will run much smoother.
natty, if you are pulling a map to pieces graphically then is not your process outcome idealistic since you are trying to get the artist to achieve your standard?
natty, I am not saying that all graphical issues are going to be 100% solved for
everyone before FF since some will have subjective preferences and some will obviously chose to ignore/not comment on a map in development to annouce whether they have any issues or not. This has always been a time management issue that i have had problems with since the word dot.
My first map, a nameless person came in late in the process and wanted legend and bottom picture changes made.
I'm sorry, but these are really big aspects that should be brought up in the early stages of a map's development. I since then have had problems with others who have left this place because of my unwillingness to cowtow to their requests for changes at late development stages after maps had been sitting for a while. Not only late changes but also insulting ones and delivered in that manner. i did the xml centering for one so called good mapmakers at one stage, and he refused to fix the army circles, yet i proved they were far from perfect. This was before the current system of stamping came in.
It's not good project management and causes us mapmakers who volunteer our time - many hours of frustration which is often spent trying to get things correct since we're not all fantastics artists like some and all have different standards and skills and we can't produce award winning maps in two hours.
But there should be a list of things, similar to the process that i have been going through with ian and others in gameplay in some of my maps, where aspects are defined and ticked off on before stamping.
These might include -
* background suitability, eg land/sea textures
* coordination of lines and borders including any pixelation issues with borders/lines
* styles of paths and icons and their suitability
* coordinated colours
* suitability of terrain features
* font styles for clarity/legibility on both the map and legend
* design borders i.e. frames around the map
* suitability and inclusion or not of the army holders
* corrections to texts, wording, other editing that can be improved.
* any obvious pixelation issues anywhere such as dim just found in this map
The same could be (and was expected a while ago), for the xml stamp.
* it had to be correct with all technical aspects
* all coordinates had to be centered\
* two maps had to be produced to show the centering also.
Just my 2c worth...now back to topic. Sorry but i had to get that out.