Nordic Countries [Quenched]

[isaiah40]

No, no no! Just the edges, just a smidgen so they look more on the map. But it's your call, and if no one else thinks they need that then ...

[natty dread]

No, no no! Just the edges, just a smidgen so they look more on the map. But it's your call, and if no one else thinks they need that then ...

Yeah, the 1st mountains only had blurred edges. I don't think it would work for the map. The style of the map is very much about sharp, defined lines and shapes. If you look around the map, there aren't many places with blurred or smooth transitions between colours, all the edges between colours are pretty well defined. The outer bevel around the land is probably the only exception.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the feedback and suggestions. I really do... but at this point, it seems like the suggestions are starting to go around in circles - gimil asks me to make the mountains lighter, I do it, and along comes Tacktix and asks me to make them darker... this, I think, is usually a pretty good indication that a map or visual element of a map has reached an optimal stage, where all that's left is subjective opinion about different options. In which case it falls on the mapmaker to decide which option to use.

[TaCktiX]

Sorry about that. From habit I don't look back through anything since the last update. Didn't mean to make you edit in circles.

[kiwi3]

i have played nordic countries map several times. i have enjoyed the gameplay. i like the revamped graphics. I think that the enhanced colors will increase the gameplay and make it more attractive to those seeking maps to play.

[Victor Sullivan]

Things look Okey McSmokey to me.

-Sully

[natty dread]

Ok, since we're close to finish, I saved the images as png:s - I don't want the jpg artifacts to accumulate...

Also redid the sig again, it was a bit chunky.

Click image to enlarge.

Click image to enlarge.

[gimil]

Wow your image seems to look fresher as a PNG, remember though that lack tends to resize images before uploading maps. Otherwise he will end up with huge amounts of used bandwidth.

[natty dread]

Wow your image seems to look fresher as a PNG, remember though that lack tends to resize images before uploading maps. Otherwise he will end up with huge amounts of used bandwidth.

I know. But if I save it as JPEG, and then lack compresses it into a smaller JPEG, then the JPEG artifacts from the first conversion accumulate - it's like taking a photo-copy of a photo-copy... by saving it as a PNG, then letting lack do the conversion directly from it, there will be less quality loss and artifacts.

Yes, maybe the difference is minute, but since we're forced to have our work converted into low quality JPEG:s, every small thing helps.

[gimil]

Wow your image seems to look fresher as a PNG, remember though that lack tends to resize images before uploading maps. Otherwise he will end up with huge amounts of used bandwidth.

I know. But if I save it as JPEG, and then lack compresses it into a smaller JPEG, then the JPEG artifacts from the first conversion accumulate - it's like taking a photo-copy of a photo-copy... by saving it as a PNG, then letting lack do the conversion directly from it, there will be less quality loss and artifacts.

Yes, maybe the difference is minute, but since we're forced to have our work converted into low quality JPEG:s, every small thing helps.

Fair play!

[sannemanrobinson]

Looking sublime Natty. What is the glow above Aland and Bornholm?

[natty dread]

For the army numbers. Blue numbers won't show up too well without them. If this suggestion ever goes through, I can remove the glows.

[isaiah40]

Just noticed one little thing:

Can you move Helsinki down about 2 px and to the left about 2px. You need to place Uusimaa horizontal and up and to the right a few px to fit the 888 in there. this is only on the small. I believe the names will be covered by the 888's. So fix this and baring anything else, I've moved this and give you this again.

[natty dread]

Nope, they aren't.

Click image to enlarge.

...wow. The JPEG loss of colour depth is really noticeable with the army numbers... I don't know why we bother sometimes, doing all these maps with clean, vibrant colours, when the JPEG format invariably turns them into grey, drab mush...

[isaiah40]

Then we're good to go then!

[natty dread]

Yay, my 3rd graphics stamp for this map! Thanks isaiah

[isaiah40]

Your welcome! Now get the new images posted along with any minor XML changes and we can send them up to Lack!

[natty dread]

XML: http://www.fileden.com/files/2010/2/7/2 ... ordic1.xml
Large: http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/1918/nordic10.png
Small: http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/8246/nordic10s.png

[natty dread]

I don't have to submit an XML check, do I? The gameplay wasn't changed, coordinates only...

[thenobodies80]

No,you don't.
Just test it with XML Tester (the validator , not the inspector).
I tried to download your file to test it myself, but your link doesn't work. I'll try again tomorrow....stupid fileden!

[natty dread]

nordic1.xml

Or you can just download it from here.

(24.41 KiB) Downloaded 713 times

[Evil DIMwit]

It's kind of strange that the forests are so close in color and texture to Denmark.

[natty dread]

It's kind of strange that the forests are so close in color and texture to Denmark.

Fortunately, Denmark doesn't have any forests.

[OliverFA]

Hello. Have been checking this XML. Have a concern about it.

You a continent, North Norway, which gives +3 armies. You have Svalbard, that gives an additional army. Then in the XML you have a continent called "Norway & Svalbard" that has North Norway and Svalbard as components, gives +4 armies and overrides North Norway.

But... You also have a continent called Norway that has North Norway and Sout Norway as components, gives +9 and also overrides North Norway.

I am not sure that this double override will work. Honestly have no idea how the engine works, but at least it triggers an alarm in my head. Depending how the engine is programmed, "North Norway and Svalbard" could override North Norway and make impossible for the full Norway continent to be triggered.

I will ask the right people about this issue and see what's the answer.

In the meantime, a minor nitpick. I think that Aland would look better in the small map if it was moved a little bit to the left.

[Victor Sullivan]

Well, if North Norway & Svalbard and Norway override North Norway, one would receive +13 for holding Norway and Svalbard, it seems. There would have to be an additional continent, Norway & Svalbard, that overrides North Norway & Svalbard and Norway. I would think it should already be there, since only the coordinates changed, I thought.

-Sully

[DiM]

this map is perfectly functional as it is now and since nothing except army coords has changed i suppose the xml check is moot