Rail Australia [Quenched]

[oaktown]

Unless you've changed the coordinates since the posts above, some on the small map look a bit higher than others... all of the numbers have a pixel between them and the top line except ORG, CBA, NWC, and SYD... and maybe WRK? The funny thing is that they don't look high off the bottom, so maybe those boxes are somehow smaller?

The large map is more forgiving, but NWC looks off.

[cairnswk]

Unless you've changed the coordinates since the posts above, some on the small map look a bit higher than others... all of the numbers have a pixel between them and the top line except ORG, CBA, NWC, and SYD... and maybe WRK? The funny thing is that they don't look high off the bottom, so maybe those boxes are somehow smaller?

The large map is more forgiving, but NWC looks off.

Please refesh your browser, those changes have been made.

Version 28
3 stations have been removed from NSWRail to offer less clutter in that state...i think this works better and the bonuses for NSWRail have been changed.

Currently in the process of centering the large map.

Click image to enlarge.

Click image to enlarge.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282 ... a_V28S.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282 ... a_V28L.jpg

http://h1.ripway.com/cairnswk/rail_australia.xml

[oaktown]

right - small map good.

It's late and my eyes are going in circles, but the only thing I see on the large map is KGA... low?

[cairnswk]

right - small map good.

It's late and my eyes are going in circles, but the only thing I see on the large map is KGA... low?

if that's the only thing you see on the large map...then get off the computer and rest your eyz.
I think it is OK.

[iancanton]

cairns

though it's very late in the day, would u consider starting hobart with 2 neutrals to avoid player 1 starting with the tasrail bonus and, with reference to my previous comment about the long-distance bonuses being too low to affect play, doubling the countrylink, ghan and indian pacific bonuses to +4, +6 and +8 respectively?

ian.

[cairnswk]

cairns

though it's very late in the day, would u consider starting hobart with 2 neutrals to avoid player 1 starting with the tasrail bonus and, with reference to my previous comment about the long-distance bonuses being too low to affect play, doubling the countrylink, ghan and indian pacific bonuses to +4, +6 and +8 respectively?

ian.

i have no objection to doubling the bonuses for the long distance trains if needed, but have you read through the thread to see why they are at that level? I think this was determined at some length throughout the process.
Don't know about the Tasrail bonus, even though i understand why it could change. I'd prefer to let this one go through and see if there are any consequences.

[iancanton]

although i don't actually recall much discussion on the matter, i understand the reasoning behind why the sundowner bonus and, to some extent, the ghan bonus, are small. however, countrylink has stations in three states for +3 and indian pacific looks virtually impossible to hold (and therefore likely to be ignored) for a niggardly +4.

as for tasrail, the map has 61 starting territories, so there will always be at least 1 starting neutral. why not put that neutral in a place where it'll actually be doing some good, in other words hobart?

where a route links two states, have u experimented with having half of it in one colour and half in the other (with maybe some sort of transition colouring in the middle), to avoid giving the impression that a station (for example brisbane, which is connected to newcastle by nsw-coloured dots) is part of both state systems?

ian.

[oaktown]

although i don't actually recall much discussion on the matter, i understand the reasoning behind why the sundowner bonus and, to some extent, the ghan bonus, are small. however, countrylink has stations in three states for +3 and indian pacific looks virtually impossible to hold (and therefore likely to be ignored) for a niggardly +4.

Personally I'm alright with the low bonuses for the longer routes. If this were a purely classic style map, of course I would push to make a 12 territory bonus more generous than +4, but nobody is going to be starting the game and going after those long routes as their initial foray into picking up extra armies. More likely, the long routes are going to be gravy bonuses for somebody who already has some meat and potatoes bonuses. For example, once a player has wrapped up Ausrail for +4, they only need to grab an additional, and very linear, four additional territories to hook up another +3. Seems too generous to give the Ausrail player another +6 for getting four more territories.

as for tasrail, the map has 61 starting territories, so there will always be at least 1 starting neutral. why not put that neutral in a place where it'll actually be doing some good, in other words hobart?

I always go back and forth with making half of a two territory region a bonus, because while on the one hand it keeps somebody from getting it on the drop, but in this case it means only one player really has a chance of going after the region because nobody else can attack HBA other than the LNC player. Ian's point about the map having 61 territories may push me into the camp of starting HBA neutral.

[cairnswk]

although i don't actually recall much discussion on the matter, i understand the reasoning behind why the sundowner bonus and, to some extent, the ghan bonus, are small. however, countrylink has stations in three states for +3 and indian pacific looks virtually impossible to hold (and therefore likely to be ignored) for a niggardly +4.

as for tasrail, the map has 61 starting territories, so there will always be at least 1 starting neutral. why not put that neutral in a place where it'll actually be doing some good, in other words hobart?

where a route links two states, have u experimented with having half of it in one colour and half in the other (with maybe some sort of transition colouring in the middle), to avoid giving the impression that a station (for example brisbane, which is connected to newcastle by nsw-coloured dots) is part of both state systems?

ian.

Thanks for input oaktown, but i think the below answers your comments.

Ian...Bonuses
1. Hobart - > now starts neutral
2. Sunlander (not Sundowner) i think is best remaining at +2 since it is contained whole within in qld and would raise that state bonus to +11 - 5 sstations
3. XPT has been raised to +3 cross states - 6 stations
4. The Ghan is now at +4 - 9 stsations
5. Indian-Pacific has been raised to +5 - 13 stations

As to the colours, no i hadn't thought of transitioning them, and would prefer they remain as is.
graphically i don't there is anything to be gained here, and more represents the different guages in each state.

Please refresh to see the changes.

Click image to enlarge.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282 ... a_V28S.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282 ... a_V28L.jpg

http://h1.ripway.com/cairnswk/rail_australia.xml

[oaktown]

works for me... if there are any further concerns you all should speak now, or I'm going to send this one upstairs for some quenchin'.

[cairnswk]

works for me... if there are any further concerns you all should speak now, or I'm going to send this one upstairs for some quenchin'.

Works for me too

[Night Strike]

Above DRW and also kind of on the smaller bottom-right islands, those teal outlines look very out of place. I see they're the same color as the mainland, but perhaps thinning them down a bit won't make a non-playable area pop out so much.

[cairnswk]

Above DRW and also kind of on the smaller bottom-right islands, those teal outlines look very out of place. I see they're the same color as the mainland, but perhaps thinning them down a bit won't make a non-playable area pop out so much.

I have checked and i can't thin them any more than they already are.

[cairnswk]

Above DRW and also kind of on the smaller bottom-right islands, those teal outlines look very out of place. I see they're the same color as the mainland, but perhaps thinning them down a bit won't make a non-playable area pop out so much.

I have checked and i can't thin them any more than they already are.

But i did recudce the opcaity of that blue line and it looks better now....please F5

Click image to enlarge.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282 ... a_V28S.jpg

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282 ... a_V28L.jpg

http://h1.ripway.com/cairnswk/rail_australia.xml

[Night Strike]

Above DRW and also kind of on the smaller bottom-right islands, those teal outlines look very out of place. I see they're the same color as the mainland, but perhaps thinning them down a bit won't make a non-playable area pop out so much.

I have checked and i can't thin them any more than they already are.

But i did recudce the opcaity of that blue line and it looks better now....please F5

Looks like it should work now.