Eastern Hemisphere [Quenched]

[oaktown]

thanks to everyone for their continued feedback on this map even though I've been away... i hope to get cracking on it now that I have some free time.

There were many, many comments, some of which I have addressed in this version, such as:
• spelling
• adding the Dutch
• expanding the Japanese empire to include Sakhalin, which now brings up the value of the region
• making Australia independent

Click image to enlarge.

The to-do list is long... top items include making Europe a bit bigger to fit everything, and possibly dropping a territory or two from Africa. However, I like the idea of Africa being big and hard to hold - which it is and was. If anything I'd like to make Africa more complex, but not make the bonus any bigger... I've already dropped its bonus since the last version.

And yes, I will rethink the mountain graphics. I'll either make the rest of the map fit those mountains, or redo them in a different style. Consider them place-holders for now.

Question: should Ireland have its own territory? And if it does, do I have to give territories to Wales and Scotland? I'd like to just add ireland only.

[Blitzaholic]

nice work oak

[oaktown]

Click image to enlarge.

Since the LA map is going nowhere, I'm going to get some serious work done on this project. Here's what i've done...

Made Europe ever so slightly larger to better fit army circles. I dropped circles in and everything is fine, but this is the large map so I may have to tinker further.

Desaturated everything to get away from the parchment look. I know, I know, there goes Oaktown again not using color, It's the 20th century, after all, and we're using paper and ink and one-color printing. Things are indeed looking more grey, which I think fits the theme and era of the map, and I plan to work the individual graphic elements - boats, mountains, additional landforms which I'll add later - further into this look. I've played with the mountains a bit and I already like them better sans-color, but I'll push them to look more hand-drawn.

Again, this is the era of look I'm going for with the mountains... in looking at this I can already see where I need to go next in terms of map texture, though the game map should be cleaner than this image.
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historic ... e_1820.jpg

[BrianHoef]

Love the map, not so much the newer grayer draft. The parchment-style was easier on the eyes.

Regarding the Irish Question, I say don't add Ireland. It doesn't really add to gameplay and it's not historically helpful. Ireland wasn't independent until after WWI; the system you have for other colonies would make some sense, but as I assume you'd have an attack route from Britain, the bombardment would be pointless. Leave it out.

[fireedud]

The new gray style looks disgusting. Could you perhaps make it somewhere in between the two previous colors?

[sam_levi_11]

no grey style, its just not as good. the old stly i thought was greay

[dunc_2007]

I think having your oaktown signature under Australia makes it seem out of place next to the legend. Perhaps you could put it up in the top right?

[Ruben Cassar]

Excuse my ignorance but shouldn't what you call French Western Africa have a French flag and Australia have a British flag?

[Ruben Cassar]

I think having your oaktown signature under Australia makes it seem out of place next to the legend. Perhaps you could put it up in the top right?

I concur.

[oaktown]

Excuse my ignorance but shouldn't what you call French Western Africa have a French flag and Australia have a British flag?

it was pointed out to me that by this time Australia was independent of England or something. I don't understand the whole commonwealth thing, so I was bowing to the word of the Aussies and Brits around here.

French W. Africa could indeed have a french flag now that we have added the trading companies. Before when it was direct bombardments of colonies it wouldn't work because France can actually attack French West Africa directly - you can't have it both ways. Now I guess it could, though most players would probably attack directly rather than hit a neutral and bombard. But who knows - may as well give that option.

I agree that the grey is a bit blah. I'll see if I can't come up with something in between. I think it's not the grey I dislike so much as the what it has done to the color on the region borders.

As for the sig, well, I wanted to get it out of the way. Trouble is the style of the sig doesn't look so hot on this map... I may need a sig redux, since I already dumped the old sig on High Seas anyway.

[MrBenn]

Like others I preferred the touch of colour from the previous version.

With your sig, could you keep the graphic the same but give it a woodcut-style? That would either look good or rubbish, but I haven't decided yet.

[RjBeals]

The color version might be my favorite map you've ever done. The grey one is horrid.

[oaktown]

Click image to enlarge.

the people have spoken, we're bringing back the color. It's still darker than the earlier versions, but nothing like the grey.

Only change to gameplay here is the addition of the french flag in French West Africa. If anybody every uses it I'd be shocked, but you never know - I finally found a use for the bombardments in Berlin.

Also stuck in the rest of the army circles.

I'd love more gameplay feedback - I'm at the point where i don't know if people are pleased or just don't care.

[AndyDufresne]

Hm, the game play of this map is interesting, especially the lay out of the continents. We have the resident "Waste Land Continents" (Europe and Russian Empire) at the top of the map, with the more friendly and smaller areas located towards the middle and bottom. Of course though Europe will get play, due to the connection strategic advantage it holds in regards to the Trading Companies and Colonies.

All your bonus values seem spot on...as I figured.

Australia and then into S.E. Asia look like great starting positions if you happen to have some control in Europe. But if you don't, China and Japan along with the Middle East seem to be the best bets...

Hm, it looks like the game play is well thought out. I can see various scenarios working, depending on your initial placement.

Few minor things:

Does Italy have a route to Austria-Hungary? Maybe nudge the mountains up or down, depending on if the answer is yes or no.

Are we supposed to see territory division lines beneath the tree roots? I mean, mountains? I.E. Stavropol-Perm-Siberia and Amur, etc.

Maybe alter South Africa's color a little bit, just so the text of "S. Africa" isn't so light in the ocean.

You are going to do something still with the flags, yes? They feel...hm...too shiny and new compared to the other style of graphics on the map. Maybe more dull colors...or something to to keep in style with the...erm...style.

Lastly, are we playing hide and go seek with your signature? Or maybe it just takes time to move it to its final resting place in the upper right.

Keep up the work!


--Andy

[Ruben Cassar]

the people have spoken, we're bringing back the color. It's still darker than the earlier versions, but nothing like the grey.

Did you remove the darker earlier version because I can't find it? I think the border colours were easier to read on that one. I have to strain my eyes a bit to see the division between some of the different regions on this one.