South Africa Map - Back On Track?

[Crowley]

My South Africa map, based on the 52 districts of SA.

The first poll results:
Is this South Africa map a playable option?
Yes
67% [ 47 ]
No
5% [ 4 ]
Needs work
27% [ 19 ]
Total Votes : 70


Update v19:
Fiddled with mountains.
New map name font.

http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthA ... rge_19.jpg

Update v18: (Some minor updates not shown where I played around)
Changed some borders for better fitting text and army shadows
Changed bonus text alignment.
Softened colors in dead territory.
Standardized mountains.
Fixed rivers glitch.
Changed one Freestate border and increased bonus to 5.
Darkened KZN territory.
Fixed up font. Again.
Changed flag and map name.

http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthA ... rge_18.jpg


Update v15:
Minor updates...
Fixed a 'glitch' here and there.
Fixed up the legend.
Made the whole northern border a river.
Fiddled with the mountains - there are 3 different mountain types - please tell me which you prefer.

http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthA ... rge_15.jpg


Update v14:
Standardized font.
Changed internal borser colors to a light grey.
Fiddled with map logo.

http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthA ... rge_14.jpg


Update v13:
Changed font - Again. Sharpened and added some shadow. I think it looks pretty clear now.
Changed internal borser colors to black.
Changed some borders to better fit text and army shadows.
Fiddled with text for better fit.
Changed Eastern Cape bonus to 6 (6 borders, 7 territores).

http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthA ... rge_13.jpg[/url]


Update v12:
Changed text - Other versions are on latter pages with some other font cahnges...
Fixed some minor glitches.
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthA ... rge_12.jpg[/url]

Update v8:
Gave rivers more definition to make them clearer.
Made bridges a little smaller.
Tried to make the mountains look like mountain ranges, but failed
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthA ... arge_8.jpg[/url]

Update 25/03/07:
Gave territories some more texture.
Played around with the mountains textures etc- there are 3 different ones now. Any comment? Which are going in the right direction?
Changed ocean name font. Again.
Changed names font.
Played around with the river texture.
Changed anchors for port cities and removed the lines between names and territiries.
New bridges.
Darkened the whole map just a tad.

http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthA ... 260307.jpg[/img]

Last update:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica_Large_250307.jpg

Update 23/03/07:
New legend.
Worked on ocean texture.
Changed ocean font.
New 'wooden' bridges to replace 'concrete' bridges. (I know they're a bit rough, but it's just a draft.)

http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica_Large_230307.jpg


Update 21/03/07:
Played around with legend.
Added the big 5 for that 'Africa' feel.
Also, here is another image that has a larger escarpment.

Update:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica_Large_210307.jpg

With Escarpment:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica_Large_With_Escarpment.jpg


Update 20/03/07:
Toned down colors some more.
Added text shadows to hopefully make them more readable.
Moved info legend to top and map name down.
Added One way attack routes from escarpment to low laying territory.
Added ocean names.

Large:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica_Large_200307.jpg

Small:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica_Small.jpg

Without One way routes:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica_Small_No_Oneway.jpg

Without army shadows or One way routes:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica_Small_No_Shodows_Oneway.jpg

Thumb:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica.thumb.png

XML:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica.xml


19/03/07:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SouthAfrica.L.jpg

18/03/07:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SA_800X600_190307.png

First draft:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SA_800X600_150307.png

[Bad Speler]

I will just comment on playability for now. Gauteng should be worth 2, it may be near the smaller continents, but it is very easy to get a lucky deployment and start with it. Same with Mpumalanga. Eastern Cape is harder to defend then northern cape, yet Eastern Cape has a lower bonus. Perhaps switch the bonuses. Also KwaZulu Natal and Western Cape are essntially the same, except Western Cape has 1 more country. Give KwaZulu Natal a bonus of 4.

[boberz]

no i think huateng should be three it just seem such an improtant point and that wouuld make people fight over it more but perhaps we should post in the correct place from now on

[Bad Speler]

well see what others think then, i just say 2 because its very easy to get a lucky deployment and start with that continent.

[Crowley]

Aah, thanks for some feedback!

The bonusses were just thrown in there, I'm open to discussion all the way.
The Gauteng bonus, I think may be high, but that is purely because of emotional reasons. It's our biggest economic sector, so it may be high.
It might be difficult to defend, so I could put in a river in the north maybe and make the bonus 2.

[Nikita_2006]

I did not see your new topic, and posted something in your old thread.

Good luck with this one.

I first must take a better look at this map to give any comment.

I let you know what I think of it later

gr

[Nikita_2006]

OK there we go:

1 - I don't like the Legenda, white on white, maybe you must use a darker color.
2 - The font is not always readable anough, especcialy the letter a, look at Frances Baard.
3 - Is 10 continents not to much.
4 - Mpumalanga and Linpopo have almost the same color
5 - I miss the orange river, is there a reason for it ?

gr. nikita

[Crowley]

OK there we go:

1 - I don't like the Legenda, white on white, maybe you must use a darker color.
2 - The font is not always readable anough, especcialy the letter a, look at Frances Baard.
3 - Is 10 continents not to much.
4 - Mpumalanga and Linpopo have almost the same color
5 - I miss the orange river, is there a reason for it ?

gr. nikita

1. Changed to a darker color
2. Changed font to Arial and made everything bold. Looks a bit better maybe...?
3. There are 9 continents. I do not want to change this, because these are the 9 official provinces of South Africa.
4. I could change this if it's really a problem - looks fine to me - but only if enough people feel this is a problem. I used nice layers in Fireworks, so changes are quite easy, but obviously the colors are not something I layered... Amateur mistake...
5. Put it in for you although not on the absolutely correct place (for playability reasons)

OK, here is a updated version that I played with a bit:

[Nikita_2006]

Looks better to me, I look at it later this day and see what else we could do to make the map better.

I hope that Andy can give some tips to, he is the one to decide.

We will see

I shall focus on this map the coming time and hope that there are others wo wants to give feedback to.

To me its a nice map, but why the modern layout, I like alse the historical map from around 1900 ?

gr. Nikita

[onbekende]

Long time since I last done this, but let me give you my advice.

- first of all, your continent bonus lines, organize them in some way (west=> east or other way around°

I will do my advise top to buttom, left to right

Limpopo:
- Perhaps change a bit more color, is hard to see with other continent next to it.
- is there a shorther name for "Sekhukhune" ? seems to strech the space a bit.

North West:
good

Guateng:
- army shade and Tshwane ar a bit over eachother, you could think the name is "Tsnwane"

Mpomalanga:
- color (see other continent)

Swaziland:
good

Northern Cape:
good

Freestate:
- what happens when switching army shade and name in "Motheo"?
- Put "Gariep" higher and army shade lower.

Lesotho:
good

KwaZulu Natal:
- think put "Ugu" in map and army chade out of it, or even both out of map
- Put "Drakensberg" higher, will make it then Draken-berg.

Western Cape:
good

Eastern Cape:
- Army shade and Ukhahlamba out of each other (prhaps shorter territorie name)
- Amatole and army shade out of each other


I see no problems with bonusses or anything else for now

[Nikita_2006]

Onbekende nice that you are back and also want to help to get this map on a higher level (final). Where have you bin the last time, busy with school I gues ?

gr. nikita

[onbekende]

Other internet stuff, and some school

always good my advice is heared

[armychick]

I think it looks fine, I could see it being playable..I don't see any real problems with it, I'll look at it better but I can't find anything wrong yet..(that's my personal thoughts) [/b]

[Nikita_2006]

But Andy finds something, thats for sure.

He noticed this map and I saw that it is also mentioned in the list of maps that are in the develepment phase. So I think that he fairly soon shall give his comment on it.

And a map need to be discussed before it is accepted.

So all there is to discuss is welcome

[Nikita_2006]

Other internet stuff, and some school

always good my advice is heared

Glad your back, we missed you on this forum.

And Wisse and Marval where are those guys, work to do on this map.

[DiM]

the map is nice, could play well. but there's the problem of the colours. this is going to be a tough one because i understand you did not use layers for everything. this sucks when it comes to editing. i did my first map on a single layer. needless to say i had to start it again )

also add different textures to the lands, blend better the anchors (use the magik wand and mask)

the flag. take out the white background and make it flow across the water. maybe even try making it a bit transparent.

the mountains. don't copy paste the same triangle over and over. use 3-4 triangles with different shades and sizes and maybe even add some snow on a few tops. it will look less artificial. check out the mountains on revamp of the middle east. the best mountains ever.

the rivers. water texture is a must. maybe some gradients to get rid of the uniform colour. also blend the colour of the river to the colour of the ocean at the point where the meet.

the white. get rid of the white unplayable territory. make it grey or something.

that about it on the graphics aspect. i'll let the others talk about gameplay.

[Crowley]

Thanks for all the ideas and feedback.
If everyone believes there are just some graphic elements that needs to change, I will actually spend some real time on this. This is only about 3 night's worth...
I'm very excited about this (as I'm not really a graphic designer) so if I can get quick feedback, I'll do it quickly.

[Gozar]

Go for it!

[Nikita_2006]

Make the legenda smaller and pimp it up, make it look like a signboard (if that is the right word for it). Maybe you must split the legenda in two. The explanation apart from the rest.

[Crowley]

UPDATE!

OK, I have redone the layers to make it easier for myself.
Some of the colors have changed, but that was just to make it easier for myself when I re-painted the background.

- Added the 'dead' area with texture.
- Updated the legend and fixed up the map title.
- Gave the territories a little texture. Not too much, because I like it clean.
- Changed some bonuses. I think they are pretty balanced now.
- Fixed up all the borders and changed some to make readability easier.
- Added rivers with texture.
- New mountains.

I have taken into consideration (I hope) all of the issues raised here so far, please post any critique if there is any.


First draft:
http://www.aargh.co.za/images/cc/SA_800X600_150307.png


Updated 19/03/07:

[Gozar]

Pretty.

[Crowley]

Thanks Gozar.

Anyone else with any ideas?

[Coleman]

Finish the XML and we play?

[Crowley]

Finish the XML and we play?

Seriously? I have done nothing on the XML yet, but I will get cracking on it today...

[Nikita_2006]

Looks nice, maybe it is a good idea to place always the latest map on top of the thread.

Can you make the map a little smaller so that the legenda don't lay over the landarea, and I don't like the river that hits the legenda.

Have you thought about the smaller and the bigger map, is this the bigger map ? I want to see if the font is readable in both maps.

gr. Nikita