Classic Cities :Pot Mosbi [Quenched]

[isaiah40]

That could work, though I was thinking of one of the utilities or parks. Any way would be fine with me.

Ah BGD is one of the utilities - it's purple

Ah so it is!! that will work then.

[cairnswk]

That could work, though I was thinking of one of the utilities or parks. Any way would be fine with me.

Ah BGD is one of the utilities - it's purple

Ah so it is!! that will work then.

Cool, i'll adjust the map and re=post. Thanks

[cairnswk]

That could work, though I was thinking of one of the utilities or parks. Any way would be fine with me.

Ah BGD is one of the utilities - it's purple

Ah so it is!! that will work then.

Cool, i'll adjust the map and re=post. Thanks

Version 9 re-posted.

[Victor Sullivan]

Jeez, this is like the third time I thought I posted here already, ha.

Texture looks okey dokey to me! The new troop circles, however, look pixel-y to me.

-Sully

[cairnswk]

Jeez, this is like the third time I thought I posted here already, ha.
Texture looks okey dokey to me! The new troop circles, however, look pixel-y to me.
-Sully

Yes i agree about the troop circles but it might just be something in the CD image translation.
I'll check it out. I don't think it is a major one though.

[Gillipig]

I love how creative this map is! One thing though, the legend text describing that you need to hold at least one tribe to stay in the game is too small. I think you should either increase the size of it or change the text colour or texture to signalize that this is important information.

[cairnswk]

I love how creative this map is! One thing though, the legend text describing that you need to hold at least one tribe to stay in the game is too small. I think you should either increase the size of it or change the text colour or texture to signalize that this is important information.

Consider done next version.

[cairnswk]

After sully asked for new texture, i inadvertantly saved over the last file.
So i had to re-create from V8.
This is the adjusted version 9 with new texture, and i have returned to the old army circles, hoping they don't show the pixelation that was occuring in Coreldraw to .png translation.

[Victor Sullivan]

Thumbs up!

-Sully

[cairnswk]

Thumbs up!

-Sully

Phew! Thanks Sully

So is there any thing else that needs to be discussed re this gameplay?

In summary, we've covered:
* map size
* golden numbers and required neutrals and probability drop tool
* starting positions and starting numbers
* bonuses
* tribe set up access to a easy/middle range bonus zone and any advantage from that
* legend arrangement for continents
* continent colour consistency with mini-map
* impassables

Graphics touched on:
* army circles
* legend colours consistent with the map
* losing condition text size
* ground texture
* trees and overall aesthetics
* text legibility
* continent placement in legend

I think that about it.

[Gillipig]

Can't think of anything else! I don't know if you've changed the ocean much but it looks very good now at least.

[isaiah40]

Since there has been no real gameplay suggestions lately, and I'm happy with the way everything is right now, I do hereby brand this!

While this has been stamped, if any other game play issues are brought up, it is still expected that the mapmaker addresses those issues.

[cairnswk]

Since there has been no real gameplay suggestions lately, and I'm happy with the way everything is right now, I do hereby brand this!

While this has been stamped, if any other game play issues are brought up, it is still expected that the mapmaker addresses those issues.

Thank you isaiah40.

[cairnswk]

Version 10
A slight depth texture has been added alongside the river, plus other minor adjustments

[cairnswk]

This is the dueteranope CB test for Version 10...added to front page.

[iancanton]

something i haven't noticed before: gerehu, renwara tais, outer mails and inland saut are effectively 3-region bonuses for purposes of calculating bonus drop probabilities in 1v1 games. if u put 3 neutrals on one region of each of these bonuses and also on one of the viles regions (another 3-region bonus), then the starting regions will be 32 for 1v1, 22 for 2v2, 14 for 3v3 and 11 for 4v4, better than the current 15 for 3v3 and no worse for the others.

ian.

[cairnswk]

[cairnswk]

something i haven't noticed before: gerehu, renwara tais, outer mails and inland saut are effectively 3-region bonuses for purposes of calculating bonus drop probabilities in 1v1 games. if u put 3 neutrals on one region of each of these bonuses and also on on e of the viles regions (another 3-region bonus), then the starting regions will be 32 for 1v1, 22 for 2v2, 14 for 3v3 and 11 for 4v4, better than the current 15 for 3v3 and no worse for the others.

ian.

ian, I can understand everything but the viles region. Since they are quite seperate, why would you do this to viles?
and if viles was left out of this new neutral deployment, would it still make a difference to those calcuations you did?

[iancanton]

viles is a 3-region bonus and, in 1v1 and 3-player games, has a 7% and 10% chance respectively of all 3 regions dropping to the same player (over 3% to player 1). if viles is left out, then there are 33 starting regions for 1v1 and 3-player games, which is not a good number, with the other types mentioned above being unchanged; the calculation is based on 75 normal non-neutral regions plus 16 covered by the 8 start positions. i have no objection if u make the viles neutral a single-troop neutral, as long as there is a neutral of some sort.

is there a reason why the tokarara neutral is only n2, while all of the others are n3? we ought to be consistent here.

the baruni bonus looks as if it ought to be worth more, instead of less, than napa napa rot because of the extra border and more central location: +5 instead of +3. napa nambis also can do with an extra +1 because of its 4 borders and large number of neighbouring enemy bonuses: +4 instead of +3. good job with the bonuses otherwise!

ian.

[cairnswk]

ian, the current neutrals i count are:
2 - solwara
1 - PM pasis
1 - Tokara
1 - Waigani
1 - Bigpela Gavman Distrik
1 - Saraga
1 - Karabosea
1- Gabatu
totals = 9
you want to add 4 more
1 - Waigani Tais
1- Gerehu
1- Et Mail
1- Kila Kila Wan
- 13.
104 - 13 = 91.
If we add
1 - MV Macdhui (shipwreck)
1 - M7
* (making it an obstacle into the mountains from the north for the tribes invading)
* (i really don't want to make any Viles neutrals because they are already fronted by killer neutrals which makes them even harder to get from the sea)
we can get an 89 golden number - good for all except 5 and 7.

...

is there a reason why the tokarara neutral is only n2, while all of the others are n3? we ought to be consistent here.

Yes. the salwara and pasis are killers and we thought 2 would have been big enough to overcome on these for attacking the sea routes.
Tokarara was made a 2 as the only token neutral at the intial stage.
I think tokarara should only be n2 as it is +2 with 6 borders.

the baruni bonus looks as if it ought to be worth more, instead of less, than napa napa rot because of the extra border and more central location: +5 instead of +3.

OK, I understand, if M7 is made a neutral, will that still require Baruni to be +5?

napa nambis also can do with an extra +1 because of its 4 borders and large number of neighbouring enemy bonuses: +4 instead of +3.

OK i can agree to that.

good job with the bonuses otherwise!
ian.

Thank you too - for the perserverence with these bonuses, they are not easy to strike some potential balance with.
I must also acknowledge Sully for his initial help with the bonuses.
I'll await your answer to the above questions before updating the image.

[RedBaron0]

Alright cairns, lets hash out these graphics, you're really gonna need to put some more work into this. There is a ton of awful looking stuff here.

The mountains aren't constant with their light source you got lighter sides where it should be dark and dark sides where it should be light. There is a line on some of the tops that should be some sort of ridge?

The tribe markers are a mix of decent to just terrible, Motu is just blurry and the Asaro one looks like a stormtrooper from Star Wars. Maybe its the glow, too bright/too wide/too yellow

You should add more different jungle trees to break up the monotony of the rest, its just the same background tree copied over and over in nice neat straight lines.

The thinner territories borders are too thin, they are pixely and jagged especially noticeable on lighter regions such as Napa Napa.

Why is the river water darker than the ocean?

Some territory names are getting lost, especially on the dark green of the parks.

I don't know if the shadow around the border of the map is necessary, it at least needs to be toned down it really seems bothersome when in contact with the playing surface.

[cairnswk]

Alright cairns, lets hash out these graphics,..

Good

you're really gonna need to put some more work into this. There is a ton of awful looking stuff here.

i realise this needs more work, but i didn't think it was that awful I had already started on changing colours since i am not happy with the colour scheme yet.

The mountains aren't constant with their light source you got lighter sides where it should be dark and dark sides where it should be light.

Oh! the light source is from the ESE.
So with that knowledge please advise where you think the changes should be made.

There is a line on some of the tops that should be some sort of ridge?

Please advise on this also, and how do you know that that area you're looking at should be some sort of ridge?

Before i comment on these below, the map is exported to .jpg not .png so there is going to be some issues with a bit of bluriness.
Also, the minimum line thickness in this maps' software is 1 px. There are no decimals.

The tribe markers are a mix of decent to just terrible...

Some are reasonable .pngs, some others i have to re-draw.

Motu is just blurry

Yes, i plaved this in a bitmap rather than as a vector group...here is the original size...and it is reduced down to map size...fixed next version

... and the Asaro one looks like a stormtrooper from Star Wars. Maybe its the glow, too bright/too wide/too yellow

OK, here is the Asaro natives (your version of storm troopers - perhaps that's where Lucas got the idea from )

and this is my take on it...(40x120px) and reduced down to fit on the map

..yes there is a yellow glow which i will look at reducing
all tribes glow has been reduced from 5px to 2 px.

You should add more different jungle trees to break up the monotony of the rest, its just the same background tree copied over and over in nice neat straight lines.

That is an easy fix, time consuming but easy

The thinner territories borders are too thin, they are pixely and jagged especially noticeable on lighter regions such as Napa Napa.

You've mentioned Napa Napa, but what the others do you think need fixing?
- the inner borders are 1px #333333 soft line 100% edge
- between regions borders are 3 px #333333 soft rounded 50% edge

Why is the river water darker than the ocean?

Is there are rule that says rivers can't be darked than the ocean? I am simply curious

Some territory names are getting lost, especially on the dark green of the parks.

Please clarfiy so i know which ones to correct

I don't know if the shadow around the border of the map is necessary, it at least needs to be toned down

i'd like to retain it and yes maybe it needs toning down

...it really seems bothersome when in contact with the playing surface.

oh! is that a personal preference? Et Mail and Nain Mail can be moved west to avoid this border.
Thanks for the input, and i look forward to hearing those other areas you think need fixing

[RedBaron0]

Click image to enlarge.

Color coded
red circles - issues I see with lighting of the mountains you say ESE for the light source, in many cases your mountains that are being lit are facing eNe and should have much of any sunlight on them. I'm assuming the light is emanating from about the spot the Huli tribe is.

The bit of mountains you have between Iwan and Huli I think can just be covered over with trees they're already there and cover most of those mountains anyways.

yellow arrows - the odd line mountain ridges they really just seem too dark and pronounced to me in most cases. If this is just a transfer issue, ok, but that ridge line just looks odd, perhaps changing the color of those lines will help, like a dark green perhaps?

teal circles - borders that seem a little pixelly. I just hate a 1px border cuz I think its those on any kinda straight angle have the appearance of jagged steps, and it especially shows when on top of lighter backgrounds.

lime circles - territory names getting lost in background colors. On the subject of territory names... I've seen you use this particular font quite a few times across your menagerie of maps and think it'd a good idea to try something different.

pinkish circles - just a couple territory borders that are funny to me. They are all blending into the background and could cause a bit of confusion as to where territories begin and end, on the 2 shorter ones, a shift one direction or another to clear this up.

For the color of the ocean/rivers, I just am looking for consistency in impassibles ocean/rivers=water and should be a similar color. I'm not saying they have to be the exact same color, just a bit closer in hue. Yes I know from river to ocean water can range wildly in color, especially river water, BUT on a map water, no matter its form, river/ocean/lake they will be represented by a similar shade of blue generally.

You answered my other questions, so I'll have to live with the stormtrooper I guess.

[cairnswk]

Thanks RB0, i'll look at those sometime in the near future...
on the font issue, i'd like to keep this font, given that the names are in toki pisin, i'd prefer to retain a simple font rather than anything fancy, as i have a big belief in legibility on these maps as part of the overall process that i was taught.
Yes it looks same same to some extent across the range, but clear fonts create fewer problems for players reading them.
Having said that, i will do some exploring to see if anything is suitable as a replacement.

[iancanton]

104 - 13 = 91.
If we add
1 - MV Macdhui (shipwreck)
1 - M7
* (making it an obstacle into the mountains from the north for the tribes invading)
* (i really don't want to make any Viles neutrals because they are already fronted by killer neutrals which makes them even harder to get from the sea)
we can get an 89 golden number - good for all except 5 and 7.

91 regions, less 16 regions used by start positions, is 75. none of the viles regions are dead-ends, but are each adjacent to 2 non-viles regions. the fact that an additional killer neutral is also adjacent to each actually increases their connectedness compared with, for example, the existing gabatu and tokarara neutrals. starting one of the viles regions as n1 stops the +4 viles bonus from being dropped, while letting someone occupy that viles region with minimal resistance. i'm not keen on a macdhui neutral, since ailan is already fairly hard to conquer.

is there a reason why the tokarara neutral is only n2, while all of the others are n3? we ought to be consistent here.

Yes. the salwara and pasis are killers and we thought 2 would have been big enough to overcome on these for attacking the sea routes.
Tokarara was made a 2 as the only token neutral at the intial stage.
I think tokarara should only be n2 as it is +2 with 6 borders.

i agree with n2 for the killer neutrals. does tokarara have 6 borders? i think it's only 5, so something must be unclear. anyway, the same argument applies even more to boroko and utilities, so why not consistently n2 (except for n1 on one viles region)? after all, they're there only to prevent dropped bonuses.

the baruni bonus looks as if it ought to be worth more, instead of less, than napa napa rot because of the extra border and more central location: +5 instead of +3.

OK, I understand, if M7 is made a neutral, will that still require Baruni to be +5?

however u look at it, baruni is more difficult than napa napa rot. i like the way the maunten area restricts access from east and west except at the m1, m5 and m6 points. however, the internal arrangement of maunten is too much of rail pot mosbi. instead of making m7 start neutral, why not merge away two maunten regions (m1 with m2 and m3 with m4) to a total of 5, obviously with a reduced bonus? combined with the viles n1, this gives 88 starting regions, which is also a golden number.

the zone bonus borders can be made thinner without loss of clarity. i initially thought that kanudi gas ples was not adjacent to kanudi because the thick dark green border looks as if its part of the mountain ridge that surrounds much of gas ples.

to preserve more detail of their costumes, does increasing the size of the tribesmen work, perhaps just head and upper body if there isn't enough space? of course, that leaves the question of where their legs have gone...

ian.