Japan - 日本 - Quenched

[cairnswk]

RedBaron0, ...agreement with isaiah4040, way better
Congratulations, you've taken this map to a whole new level, much more like Japan, oriental style of olden days on scroll parchment.
i like MrBenn's offering of the seal, but think it is way too bright and could be given some "ancient" treatment ti style if in line with the map.
Very nice work indeed.
Two small things....
1. the black bonus 2 on Skikohu get losts...perhaps those numbers could have a slightly different tinge to them
2. your signature....with the 2009....seems out of place in consistent with the map design. Perhaps top left placement, with transparent treatment of say 50% and reduce the size of the 2009 to that of your signature....i think you'll understand what i mean....make it like a watermark perhaps.

[natty dread]

This map is looking better and better. Just stunning work. I wish I could one day be able to produce something like this...

2. your signature....with the 2009....seems out of place in consistent with the map design.

That's what I said a few posts ago!

About the numbers on the minimap, I would suggest trying a very subtle white outer glow or outline on them...

[porkenbeans]

I agree with everything cairns said.
Red, this map is such an improvement over the old one, I just can't say enough about it. It is beautiful...period.

The drop shadow on the legend is just right. Are you going to put it on the large Island as well ? I sure hope so.

Gotta tell ya, I was so disappointed when the project seemed to stall, and the graphic concerns were brought up. I thought that you had taken it as far as you could. Then I turn around and see this.

I have complimented others on their maps before, and told them that it was one of the best maps that I have seen, but this map tops them all.

[jefjef]

WOW. This sure changed. Like the parchment. If you go with it I wouldn't use drop shadow on the main map. You'll want it to appear to be drawn on the parchment like it is.

How about using one of the other seals. A black wax may fit really well. Also you could customize your own wax seal & put your RB0 sig in it.

You have a mountain in middle of Niigato that kinda sticks out & don't really need to be there.

[porkenbeans]

WOW. This sure changed. Like the parchment. If you go with it I wouldn't use drop shadow on the main map. You'll want it to appear to be drawn on the parchment like it is.

How about using one of the other seals. A black wax may fit really well. Also you could customize your own wax seal & put your RB0 sig in it.

You have a mountain in middle of Niigato that kinda sticks out & don't really need to be there.

Love the idea about the seal. but not the one about the drop shadow. Take a closer look at the small japan. It looks utterly awesome. Either way it goes, they should both be the same.

[cairnswk]

RedBaron0...when i did the Egypt Trilogy, i didn't put my name in english on the maps...
I used a cartouch written in the egyptian hieroglyphs for my signature...
just a creative suggestion on the side to get youre mind thinking what is possible....

[RedBaron0]

MrBenn stamped my map...

I love the stamp MrBenn, but wax wasn't really used in Japan, wax stamping is mainly a European thing. Stamps I've seen in Japanese are basically in red ink like this:



I can fiddle with my signature, the top left might be the best spot since it'd be on the sun, but I'll look at it some see what I can do.

The drop shadow on the legend is just right. Are you going to put it on the large Island as well ? I sure hope so.

you mean the second island of Oki-shoto as a part of the mini-map?

I'd love to try and put my name in Kanji on the map... I did once, in a very early version



The text next to the legend is RedBaron0 in Kanji...

All goes good with this next round of fixes, I'll get the small map in order and we should be good to go first week of December

[porkenbeans]

MrBenn stamped my map...

I love the stamp MrBenn, but wax wasn't really used in Japan, wax stamping is mainly a European thing. Stamps I've seen in Japanese are basically in red ink like this:



I can fiddle with my signature, the top left might be the best spot since it'd be on the sun, but I'll look at it some see what I can do.

The drop shadow on the legend is just right. Are you going to put it on the large Island as well ? I sure hope so.

you mean the second island of Oki-shoto as a part of the mini-map?

I'd love to try and put my name in Kanji on the map... I did once, in a very early version



The text next to the legend is RedBaron0 in Kanji...

All goes good with this next round of fixes, I'll get the small map in order and we should be good to go first week of December

I am taliking about the little Japan that is the legend has a drop shadow. The large Japan that is the play area does not. I think that the drop shadow is perfect. The play area should have that same effect.

[samuelc812]

Click image to enlarge.

Great improvement mate

Well Done

~Sam

[ender516]

I think the new look is just fine, but I didn't really have a problem with the old one. And as far as the drop shadow goes, if this is a parchment, nothing should have a drop shadow.

[jefjef]

I think the new look is just fine, but I didn't really have a problem with the old one. And as far as the drop shadow goes, if this is a parchment, nothing should have a drop shadow.

The play map should deff be part of the parchment. The bonus map looks great with the shadow and is completely acceptable.

Hey RB you are correct that the japanese mainly used Ink seals. Red and Black. You should turn your sig into a seal.

[ender516]

I think the new look is just fine, but I didn't really have a problem with the old one. And as far as the drop shadow goes, if this is a parchment, nothing should have a drop shadow.

The play map should deff be part of the parchment. The bonus map looks great with the shadow and is completely acceptable.

Hey RB you are correct that the japanese mainly used Ink seals. Red and Black. You should turn your sig into a seal.

I may have overstated my position. I do agree completely with both of your statements. I guess I meant to say, for consistency, nothing should have a drop shadow, rather than adding it to the play map to match the mini-map. But I am not in this case a slave to consistency.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

[RedBaron0]

You know I deleted the drop shadow around the islands entirely by mistake... I edited the island in the top corner so it is entirely on the map. And I deleted it with full intention to readd it, I just forgot... I'll take the shadow off the mini-map and see how that looks. I can easily change it back if that works better with the shadow.

I'm working on a nice red stamp that works a couple of things into it, and I think it will be quite pleasing.

[RedBaron0]

Click image to enlarge.

Okay, hopefully these are the final questions before I take this down to the small map.
Drop shadow yes or no on the map and mini-map?
Stamp? (the red one) and signature? These are kinda together, the kanji text right of 日本 is translated to RedBaron0.
Other nitpicks?
Anything I missed???

[The Neon Peon]

I prefer the old title, no preference on the drop shadow. I think the problem I have with the title is because it's too bright compared with the rest of the map. Perhaps make it black?

Just my thoughts.

[Industrial Helix]

Perhaps desaturate the title a little more though not to the same point as the map colors.

[jefjef]

Gotta be the ugliest red I've seen. Try the Japanese sun red. Bet it will look good. Like the flag in the 9.6 version. but You certainly can't go wrong with a heavy black.

[porkenbeans]

Yeah, too much bright neon on that red on the stamp.
Maybe you could put up both version of the with, and without, the drop shadow.

[natty dread]

Drop shadow yes or no on the map and mini-map?
Stamp? (the red one) and signature? These are kinda together, the kanji text right of 日本

I'd say no drop shadow. Looks very clean and simple without it, very japanese.

Stamp also looks great. It fits. I wouldn't change anything about it... The colour is fine, it very much looks like a real stamp. But if you must, I guess you could reduce the opacity just a bit, to blend it in with the background...

In fact, in my honest opinion, everything looks perfect just as it is now. I wouldn't change a thing about the map now.

[RedBaron0]

The red is the Japanese red

I'll try black and a couple of other things too.

[RedBaron0]

Black stamp version, and 2 choices between drop shadow and without.

Wit:

Click image to enlarge.

Witout:

Click image to enlarge.

Bonus point to the person who recognizes what wrong here and why it makes sense to me at least...

[MrBenn]

You've lost your army circles... although I don;t think you necessarily need them on this map.

The stamp looks alright - although part of me thinks a dark red (the colour of the background of your forum sig) might work better than the black with a red outline.
In my mind, the ink stamp looks a bit too computer-generated (ie the lines are too perfect and straight); I don't know whether it's becasue I'm thinking of the slight blotching that appears on a rubber-ink-stamp; but there should be some imperfections, for sure - to fit with the aged theme.

Your getting closer and closer to completion - keep up the good work

[natty dread]

Sea of japan needs something though... just an empty space there looks odd. Although it might look better with the numbers on...

[jefjef]

I see diff between the red on the flag and the red u used. And that is not a basic black either. Red hue? yuck

Sea of Japan? It's fine. Just missing the circle.

[ender516]

Sea of japan needs something though... just an empty space there looks odd. Although it might look better with the numbers on...

Perhaps a small junk or other ship of the Japanese navy? If you are controlling the Sea of Japan, I think you need someone on station.
I like the black ink on the stamp better than the red, but perhaps an oxidized red would be better still? Does anyone know what types of inks were/are in use in Japan for such things?