Switzerland [MAP 2.7]

[natty dread]

1) small territories = because I used the real map of switzerland. Do you think I should make territories with different real regions? I'm tired of maps who are far away from reality. I wanted to make some new maps in europe but close to their actual regions.

These maps are not being used for a geography lesson. They are used for playing.

Therefore, the gameplay clarity of the map is always the #1 priority, which goes above all else - even accuracy. If gameplay clarity requires you to fudge up some territory borders, then you need to fudge them. Players are not going to care that your map is 100% accurate, if they cannot see where a territory connects or can't see their own troops...

[FarangDemon]

I highly encourage you to make a Switzerland map.
I think the idea of cheeses and chocolates is cool, but I agree with the others, that priority should rest with making a standard Switzerland map first.

Maybe you could later make a map called Deutschsprachige Laender that would contain Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Strassburg, Suedtirol and the German speaking cantons of eastern Belgium? That would be a cool map to contain all "cheesy" German stereotypes.

1) small territories = because I used the real map of switzerland. Do you think I should make territories with different real regions? I'm tired of maps who are far away from reality. I wanted to make some new maps in europe but close to their actual regions.

These maps are not being used for a geography lesson. They are used for playing.

Therefore, the gameplay clarity of the map is always the #1 priority, which goes above all else - even accuracy. If gameplay clarity requires you to fudge up some territory borders, then you need to fudge them. Players are not going to care that your map is 100% accurate, if they cannot see where a territory connects or can't see their own troops...

Grifftron and I were confronted with the same problem in Thailand. Originally, we thought we'd have each of 76 provinces be it's own region. This was impossible, as many of the provinces, especially around Bangkok, were too small. So instead of totally making things up, we merged the smallest provinces together with their neighbors, until the resulting "ueberprovince" became big enough to fit the map. You can either name the resulting amalgamation after the most prominent of its constituent provinces, use a combination of the names of all constituent provinces, or use a different name that somehow corresponds to the region (can be based on physical geography or demographics).

I don't think we've sacrificed reality by using this method of fudging. In fact, I wouldn't call it fudging, as that contains negative connotations, bringing to mind obscuration or obfuscation. I would call this method amalgamation.

[natty dread]

I don't think we've sacrificed reality by using this method of fudging. In fact, I wouldn't call it fudging, as that contains negative connotations, bringing to mind obscuration or obfuscation. I would call this method amalgamation.

By fudging I was mainly refering to when you have to move a border slightly or draw it in a slightly different curve or something to make the territories fit better.

Merging and splitting of territories is another thing that may have to be done to improve gameplay.

If you try to dogmaticly stick to real borders and divisions, you'll often find that you'll have a very hard time - if not impossible in some cases - to make the gameplay clear and balanced. If it bothers you, just remember that borders and regional divisions are really arbitrary... borders are always changing, and the land doesn't care how people divide it.

[DJENRE]

1) small territories = because I used the real map of switzerland. Do you think I should make territories with different real regions? I'm tired of maps who are far away from reality. I wanted to make some new maps in europe but close to their actual regions.

These maps are not being used for a geography lesson. They are used for playing.

Therefore, the gameplay clarity of the map is always the #1 priority, which goes above all else - even accuracy. If gameplay clarity requires you to fudge up some territory borders, then you need to fudge them. Players are not going to care that your map is 100% accurate, if they cannot see where a territory connects or can't see their own troops...

I know, but I don't want to create maps who are not close enough from reality. I can switch some parts of course for the gameplay, but not too much. See my other thread about french map, most of the players told they cannot see anymore a french map wich is not correct.

Thanks farang and natty, I will start again once I 'll know how to save properly on GIMP I gonna check your tutorial natty

[natty dread]

The connections and geography can still be fairly accurate... we're not talking about adding extra mountains or such here. The only time you need to fudge any geography is when you are unable to fit all the gameplay features on the map properly. If you have really small territories that you want to include, you can use insets, but too many insets on a map is not good either... making the territory large enough to fit army numbers is often the better choice, and no one will usually even notice it.

[40kguy]

... you're making a cheeses of Switzerland map?

This is probably one of my most favorite Foundry posts of recent time.


--Andy

wait till i master gimp then i will make a banana map.

[DJENRE]

I redraw everything using GIMP now I learnt some stuff by myself and some using natty tuto

Is that the kind of work you would see?



Don't tell me names are missing. I know, But I stop there for now just to see if you like the new design. I also have to change some little things like place for some circles. I just want a first feedback to know if I continue with the same kind of design.
Lakes have been redrawn and make more impassables through region. And I've switched all the little parts of regions who made the map confusing.
I've also changed the big Bern region in the middle. Will be a pass throught regions. Start 3 neutrals and back to 3 neutrals after each round. That make a better gameplay I think.
No more cheeses and chocolates (of course) but I kept the languages

Let me know

[kengyin]

you should probably include black borders and ditch the army circles

[DJENRE]

ditch?

[kengyin]

yeah, maps are usually nicer without them especially if you add texture to the map as well

[DJENRE]

but what are ditch? I don't understand what you mean

[DJENRE]

I kept working on the map and finally added names.
I'm not really happy with names. Itried grey, and black and I have no idea what I could change.

[Nola_Lifer]

Change the background layer to something else. That may help with the names. Keep spewing out map ideas and these guys will keep critiquing until the perfect balance is found. Don't give up.

[kengyin]

but what are ditch? I don't understand what you mean

ditch is a verb it just means get rid of

[DJENRE]

Change the background layer to something else. That may help with the names. Keep spewing out map ideas and these guys will keep critiquing until the perfect balance is found. Don't give up.

Thank you so much for that message. Yes it's hard to keep working on map when there are only critics...
At least some are constructive critics and few posts help sometimes.

This is the last drop before I let you check and feed me back

MAP 2.3


Added : roads in Bern (center).
Also note (already on last maps) :
B-J = Bernesse-Jura
Bâle C & V = Bâle-Campagne & Bâle-Ville
Obe. = Oberchalbstein
Appenzeller is now a single region (instead Interieures & Exterieures)

[Teflon Kris]

This map has come a long way from the original cheeses idea. I like the backgoround myself - some work on getting the right trasparancy for the front layers maybe.

Keep going.

[DJENRE]

This map has come a long way from the original cheeses idea. I like the backgoround myself - some work on getting the right trasparancy for the front layers maybe.

Keep going.

Thank you DJ Teflon. I keep going for sure

[DJENRE]

THREAD UPDATED WITH LAST MAP!

[natty dread]

You should post updates both in the first and last post of your thread...

[DJENRE]

You should post updates both in the first and last post of your thread...

But updates have been told in last posts before the update. Do I have to rewrite it again?

You didn't tell me what you think about the new map.

[kengyin]

can you get rid of the army circles? trust me, my map originally had army circles, and it looks way better now

[natty dread]

It could use some borders...

[DJENRE]

can you get rid of the army circles? trust me, my map originally had army circles, and it looks way better now

Yes, It could be. Circle are only to show where troops will be placed...Should I add XX or 88 instead circles?

[DJENRE]

As request, this is a new draw without the army circles.
Also added on first page.

MAP 2.4

[natty dread]

You need some contrast to the background. Right now all of your map kinda blends in together, with everything on the same level of focus, saturation and lightness...

First of all, that landscape image you have overlaid on the background (sure it's public domain? make sure) make it black and white (colors -> desaturate) and set the layer mode to multiply, with a low opacity.

Then, you could add a drop shadow to the land. Select all of the land area, create a layer below the land areas, move the selection down and right for about 3 pixels, feather selection (selection -> feather) by about 5 pixels and fill with black. Set the layer on soft light.

I would also recommend adding some borders to your territories. You have each different colour land area on it's own layer, right? (you should have.) Refer to my tutorial on how to add borders for them, except in this case, I would advise very thin borders.

Also, the cow and the bell images are really crappy quality, get rid of them...