Central America [Quenched]

[lgoasklucyl]

Version Nine:

Changelog:
-Río accent added
-Canal accent removed
-Islas de Bahia accent added
-Panamá added
-Quice -> Las Verapaces
-Changed RAAN and RAAS. Wrote out the whole thing for one and portion for the other (RAAN and RAAS respectively), so we can see what they look like/choose that way. RAAN is correct but enormous, RAAS is incorrect(ish) but much, much smaller.
-Xela -> Quetzaltenango
-Moved around some territ names in Costa Rica/adjusted the border to a more appropriate position.
-Touched up some colors (mostly in Costa Rica); more work still needs to be done here.

To Do:
-I would really like to redo the map that is the key entirely (to make it neat like RJ did), though am unsure exactly how to approach this.
-Make it easier (more noticeable) that there are territs in the sea. I think the key to this is going to be drawing attention to the SW corner where the key is. Perhaps adding some sort of extra decoration down there will make it more noticeable.
-Other stuff.

Click image to enlarge.

[natty dread]

Wow, where did this come from? Looking good!

The colours of the sea routes & ports are not very clear. They're not easy to tell apart even with normal vision, so colour blind people will probably have an even harder time telling them from each other...

Also, why only +1 for holding canal + both sea routes? If you think those 3 territories as a continent, you have 3 borders to defend to keep it. I think you should at least make it +2 to make it worthwhile...

[lgoasklucyl]

Wow, where did this come from? Looking good!

The colours of the sea routes & ports are not very clear. They're not easy to tell apart even with normal vision, so colour blind people will probably have an even harder time telling them from each other...

Also, why only +1 for holding canal + both sea routes? If you think those 3 territories as a continent, you have 3 borders to defend to keep it. I think you should at least make it +2 to make it worthwhile...

'
Thanks! =)

Distinguishing sea routes is definitely going to be important, though I'm unsure yet exactly how to make them too much clearer. A color change may be necessary, but I think the most important thing is helping draw attention to the fact that there are actually territs in the sea. Either way, work does need to be done there.

I think the Canal bonus is good as is (+1) because of the inherent advantage to holding the sea routes. Not only are you obtaining a +1 bonus, but you also have two territs that can move all over the map. I'm pretty sure that's why we decided on a +1.

[natty dread]

Well, you have a point there. Let it stay as +1.

Another way would be to give a +1 autodeploy to each sea route. Although there's no way to make those dependent on holding canal...

I'd say a colour change for the sea routes / ports would be the best solution. And don't worry about people not knowing sea routes to be territories, there will be troop numbers there... that usually gives it away

[lgoasklucyl]

I'd say a colour change for the sea routes / ports would be the best solution. And don't worry about people not knowing sea routes to be territories, there will be troop numbers there... that usually gives it away

You'd be surprised how oblivious people can be... and then proceed to take it out on the map-maker(s) because the individual was too damn lazy to read the key.

[natty dread]

Well, I think it's clear enough. There are plenty of good maps where people will get pwned if they don't bother reading the legend.

I see the similar colours a much bigger issue here.

Btw, if you like, you're welcome to offer some suggestions on my map as well (click sig)

[AndyDufresne]

You will probably want to change "attack" to "assault" to match CC official lingo. But otherwise, things look pretty good. I could maybe endorse changing the sea route dot colors...

As for similar colors being a problem, I'm not sure they are, but you can always run the standard color blind test.


--Andy

[lgoasklucyl]

You will probably want to change "attack" to "assault" to match CC official lingo. But otherwise, things look pretty good. I could maybe endorse changing the sea route dot colors...

As for similar colors being a problem, I'm not sure they are, but you can always run the standard color blind test.


--Andy

The orange'ish wheel could definitely run close to a 'red' so I can see why it might be easy to confuse (color-blind wise). I'll come up with different colors, not a problem.

Attack->Assault, not a problem!

Thanks

[MrBenn]

As far as I can see, there are no problems with the gameplay here - I think we were just waiting on the resurrection to stamp it (but I shall leave that honour with Incandenza).

Graphically things are generally pretty good. I was surprised to see the shipping routes as they are - I could have sworn that they were marked with dotted/dashed paths - part of me thinks that this would enable you to not have to worry about the ship wheel icons, and would help people not get confused by them...

As I've said over PM, I'm keen to get his map done and dusted - the gameplay hold-up shouldn't have evolved into the problem it became for you... we'll have to chalk that down to experience for the next competition

Anyway, let's get this boat on the road... keep up the good work

[lgoasklucyl]

Graphically things are generally pretty good. I was surprised to see the shipping routes as they are - I could have sworn that they were marked with dotted/dashed paths - part of me thinks that this would enable you to not have to worry about the ship wheel icons, and would help people not get confused by them...

As I've said over PM, I'm keen to get his map done and dusted - the gameplay hold-up shouldn't have evolved into the problem it became for you... we'll have to chalk that down to experience for the next competition

Yeah, the gameplay holdup was utterly frustrating, especially with Oak/others having already worked it out prior to the competition. I can't even imagine how he felt with it all turning into a cluster after all the hard work to assure it wouldn't need to be discussed

The problem with the shipping lanes being lines is that it looks ugly as all holy hell. I'll grab a previous version to show you what I mean...

Click image to enlarge.

It just gets waaaayyyyy too busy. Unless someone has a suggestion for pulling it off and it being not so busy, I don't see it working all too well.

edit: Perhaps it just looks busier because the boats detract from the overall theme? Also, smaller dots may help.

Let's see what people have to say.

[RjBeals]

LG asked if I would try and help with the mini-map. Here's something I threw together this morning...



I start with a 1-pixel black round hard brush. Have the satellite map graphic on it’s own bottom layer. Zoom in a good bit and start tracing the borders. The “curviness” of the coastline is your call.

I’ve lowered the opacity of the base maps layer to about 35% - enough so I can see the image, but my new borders will stand out more.

I use a standard mouse. Try to move it your arm/wrist smoothly when tracing.

Also in Photoshop, you can move the canvas by holding the spacebar and moving your mouse. It helps when you’re zoomed in real close.

Click image to enlarge.

Click image to enlarge.

Next I’ll start a new layer for each of the bonus regions colors. You can either use a paint brush to color the regions, or the magic wand selection tool. I used the magic wand for this example. You can use the eye-dropper tool to match the big maps colors, or if you have a color pallet made, use that.

Click image to enlarge.

Now I have all my regions colored and on separate layers. I’m now going to ctrl-shift select all those layers so I end up with all the lands selected (First image below, before expanding by 1-pixel). Then I will go to Select > Modify > Expand by 1 pixel. It may be under a different drop-down menu, but you should find "expand" somewhere under the select menu. I will make a new layer and call it ALL LAND. I will fill this with a dark green. This layer is underneath the other color layers. I also add a very slight outer glow to this layer. This will give a well defined coast line and help the map stand out from the oceans.

Click image to enlarge.

Click image to enlarge.

That gives you your land. Next just play around with the font until you’re happy. I normally like crisp black text. I found it hard to position the text horizontally, so I tilted it all and liked how it looked.

Click image to enlarge.

[Tisha]

have you considered taking a tiny bit of the green out of the water?

[lgoasklucyl]

Rj, you're the man

I assume you intend on copying that over to tips and tricks? Pretty solid tutorial and it looks like you put a good amount of time into it- should spread the wealth!

Tish- I could try adjusted the green in the ocean a little, seeing what I come up with!

[RjBeals]

Rj, you're the man

I assume you intend on copying that over to tips and tricks? Pretty solid tutorial and it looks like you put a good amount of time into it- should spread the wealth!

ehh... if the mods feel like it, they can. Hope it helps ya. I notice your map doesn't have any land borders at all - you may want to experiment wit this.

[lgoasklucyl]

Rj, you're the man

I assume you intend on copying that over to tips and tricks? Pretty solid tutorial and it looks like you put a good amount of time into it- should spread the wealth!

ehh... if the mods feel like it, they can. Hope it helps ya. I notice your map doesn't have any land borders at all - you may want to experiment wit this.

(Around the majority of the continent- you mean?)
I have a layer of them, I just turned it off. I had them in their originally and wasn't a big fan.