Map Idea

[mudkip201]

I've been trying to figure out how to make a good risk map of the US (broken down into counties). Any suggestions?

[natty dread]

Well, we already have an USA map like this:

Click image to enlarge.

And another:

Click image to enlarge.

Oh, and another:

Click image to enlarge.

So, if you want to make a map of the USA, it should be something different and unique from the ones we already have.

[Evil DIMwit]

I'd say breaking the map up into counties would be pretty unique. There are 3,143 counties in the United States, which would probably break the record for largest country map on Conquer Club.

[mudkip201]

I'd say breaking the map up into counties would be pretty unique. There are 3,143 counties in the United States, which would probably break the record for largest country map on Conquer Club.

Lol, well, if I was truly wanting to break that record, I might have suggested a map of the communes of France (there are 36,569 of them), a map of the (38,284) villages of Yemen, a map of the (41,000+) villages of Turkey, a map of the barangays of the Philippines (of which there are 42,045), a map of the muban of Thailand (74,000+ exist), or a map of the centros poblados of Peru (there are 84,000+ of them).

I've always wanted to make a risk map that could have 100+ players on it at once.


Any suggestions as to how I should get the map started?
That is, should I try to create my own map from scratch or take one from a site like wikipedia?

[Riskismy]

You should definitely not start from an existing CC map. It will only constrain your train of thought and I think it might be more difficult to work with graphically. In any case you have to show 'uniqueness' in both gameplay and graphics, and working from an existing map would be counter-productive in that regard.

Personally, I think there's plenty of maps of the US in its current form. How about a historical map in stead? Plenty of interesting periods to look into.

[mudkip201]

I was thinking that if the map is of all of the counties, I could make bonuses for controlling all of the counties in a CSA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Statistical_Area. This would create 125 bonus areas.
There could also be bonuses for controlling all of the counties in a state. (50 bonuses)
3,143 regions.
175 bonus areas.


OR

I could make bonuses for controlling all of the counties in a metropolitan area. (363 bonuses)
Don't forget bonuses for all counties in a state. (50 bonuses)
3,143 regions.
413 bonus areas.

[natty dread]

've always wanted to make a risk map that could have 100+ players on it at once.

Ok... are you wanting to make a map for CC, or just for your own fun to play with your 99 friends?

On CC, we currently only have 8-player games (excluding the yearly BR:s) so a map has no need to accommodate a 100 players.

Furthermore, we have size restrictions for maps, and even with supersize, cramming over 3000 territories on a map might be an impossible feat. The Hive is the largest CC map currently, and probably sets the limit as to territory density - it has "only" around 400 territories, and supersize is about 2x as large, so I'd say the absolute maximum amount of territories you can have on a CC map is around 800.

Anyway... if you need help on creating map graphics... I suggest getting GIMP, a free powerful graphics editor, and reading up on my GIMP tutorial.

[mudkip201]

've always wanted to make a risk map that could have 100+ players on it at once.

Ok... are you wanting to make a map for CC, or just for your own fun to play with your 99 friends?

On CC, we currently only have 8-player games (excluding the yearly BR:s) so a map has no need to accommodate a 100 players.

Furthermore, we have size restrictions for maps, and even with supersize, cramming over 3000 territories on a map might be an impossible feat. The Hive is the largest CC map currently, and probably sets the limit as to territory density - it has "only" around 400 territories, and supersize is about 2x as large, so I'd say the absolute maximum amount of territories you can have on a CC map is around 800.

Anyway... if you need help on creating map graphics... I suggest getting GIMP, a free powerful graphics editor, and reading up on my GIMP tutorial.

3: Damn.
Is there a reason to use GIMP over Inkscape?

[natty dread]

Is there a reason to use GIMP over Inkscape?

Yes. Inkscape is a vector graphics software. You can do some pretty neat things with it, and it's good for certain types of graphics, especially in applicaitons where flexible scalability is paramount. However, it also has a lot of limitations regarding stylistics... you are limited to the few fill / stroke types that inkscape offers.

GIMP is a bitmap graphics software, and since maps in CC are hosted in bitmap form, I believe you can achieve better results by using a bitmap graphics software from the start.

It's not an absolute requirement. There are several very nice CC maps that have been made with vector softwares. A good example is Woodboro, although some retouching was done with a bitmap software in that one... also, probably all of cairnswk's maps are made with vector graphics (Stalingrad, Das Schloss, etc.)...

However, if you choose to go with a vector graphics software, there are very few people in CC who can give you comprehensive advice on them. Whereas, with bitmap graphics, there is a lot more help available. Like if you use GIMP, I myself will be able to give you advice on using it. Although, if you are already a guru on creating vector graphics with Inkscape, and don't require help to create stunning graphics that meet the CC standards, then I guess you're all set anyway...

[mudkip201]

Of course, if there's no way to make a county map work, then I guess I could try to make a map of the metropolitan areas work. 363 areas.

Just not sure how the bonuses would work for that map.

[natty dread]

Of course, if there's no way to make a county map work, then I guess I could try to make a map of the metropolitan areas work. 363 areas.

Just not sure how the bonuses would work for that map.

Well, you can think outside the box... who's saying you have to create standard type, hold-this-area-to-get-that-bonus type bonuses?

There's a lot of very innovative bonus schemes already in CC maps. I suggest browsing around the maps page to get some inspiration.

[mudkip201]

Of course, if there's no way to make a county map work, then I guess I could try to make a map of the metropolitan areas work. 363 areas.

Just not sure how the bonuses would work for that map.

Well, you can think outside the box... who's saying you have to create standard type, hold-this-area-to-get-that-bonus type bonuses?

There's a lot of very innovative bonus schemes already in CC maps. I suggest browsing around the maps page to get some inspiration.

Did you have any particular maps in mind (to look at for inspiration)?

[The Bison King]

Dude's this guy is either multi, a troll, or a multi troll. He hasn't played a single game, and it's clear that he made this account just to start this thread. He joined the site 30 minutes before posting this thread.

[mudkip201]

Dude's this guy is either multi, a troll, or a multi troll. He hasn't played a single game, and it's clear that he made this account just to start this thread. He joined the site 30 minutes before posting this thread.

Your "proof" is flawed logic. Just because I joined this site 30 minutes before posting the thread doesn't mean that I'm a troll, multi, or multi troll.

[natty dread]

Dude's this guy is either multi, a troll, or a multi troll. He hasn't played a single game, and it's clear that he made this account just to start this thread. He joined the site 30 minutes before posting this thread.

Innocent until proven guilty... If he's a multi the multihunters will take care of it. Meanwhile I don't see any harm in advising him on mapmaking just like anyone else.

Did you have any particular maps in mind (to look at for inspiration)?

Just look around, play some games to get some experience.

There's generally five types of bonuses:

- Standard land area bonuses, like the ones in Classic: you hold a certain land area and get a certain bonus.
- Collection bonuses, where you collect certain marked territories and get a bonus based on the amount of those territories your hold.
- Resource pairs, where you pair up certain territories to get a bonus.
- Single territory bonuses: you get a bonus for holding a certain territory.
- Autodeploys: when you hold a certain territory, you get a bonus but it is automatically deployed on that same territory.

Some variations exist, but these are the main 5 types.

[The Bison King]

just sayin.... it's highly suspicious.

[mudkip201]

I am currently in the process of making a very rough draft for a map of the CSA's, MSA's (that are not part of a CSA), and μSA's (that are not part of a CSA).

I'm about halfway done.

[mudkip201]

I have a very rough draft finished. I don't know how to post the image on the forum, so I'm going to have to link to the file download of it.
http://www.mediafire.com/?xs3ab7mgaqfk6zt

[natty dread]

You can't post svg files. You have to convert it to png or jpg first. Then post the url of the file with [bigimg] tags around it.

[mudkip201]

Click image to enlarge.

Here you go.

I realize that a lot of areas will have to be enlarged, and some will have to be combined, but I'm hoping to try to stay as close as possible to the actual geography.

Thanks in advance for all comments. (Especially the encouraging ones)

[natty dread]

Ok, well, it's a nice picture, but other than that, there's not really much to comment at this point. You have a map with lots of territories there, and we both know you have to cut down the amount of territories...

As for how to proceed with that... first, you should decide the size of your map. If you go for supersize, the maximum for a small map is 1000x800 pixels. So I suggest you scale your map to that size, and see how many territories you can fit in - you have to be able to fit a territory name + 3 digit army number to each territory. A 3-digit army number is sized 24x12, so try fitting a square of that size to each territory, along with the territory name.

Hope you consider this encouraging enough... I'm not much for pep talks, I prefer to rather give out actual information that you can use... but, well... go for it!

[mudkip201]

Ok, well, it's a nice picture

Thanks... I guess.

You have a map with lots of territories there, and we both know you have to cut down the amount of territories...

True, true. I guess I was hoping that someone would give me ideas on how to expand (i.e. increase the number of counties of) some of the areas and combine others.

first, you should decide the size of your map. If you go for supersize, the maximum for a small map is 1000x800 pixels.

I am going for supersize. (Supersize me!)

A 3-digit army number is sized 24x12, so try fitting a square of that size to each territory, along with the territory name.

There is quite a bit of whitespace, and I can probably fit quite a few expansions of abbreviations here and there.
As for the army number, well... I'll take that into consideration once there are no more unused counties (i.e. not part of a playable territory).

I'm not much for pep talks, I prefer to rather give out actual information that you can use.

Good. I don't really like pep talks myself.

[WILLIAMS5232]

this gives me an idea to give you,

this kind of looks like a district map. not sure if it is or not. maybe just counties, but my idea is i think there are 4 or 500 representatives in the u.s. house of representatives, you could maybe flush out the heavily populated areas and put them down as one. then have every states house district a territory, with the state being a bonus, and of course you'd have 3 parties that you could give special bonuses. say hold 5 democratic zones for +1 then +1 for ever 2 more. same with republicans. and independents. that would give you some room to change up them bonuses since there are different number of party held districts. like make it paper rock and scissors. say since it's mainly republicans make an easy bonus to start but the democratic and libertarian would eventually topple the republicans. kind of like in a real election

anyway, just thought i'd throw that out there.

[mudkip201]

this gives me an idea to give you,

this kind of looks like a district map. not sure if it is or not. maybe just counties, but my idea is i think there are 4 or 500 representatives in the u.s. house of representatives, you could maybe flush out the heavily populated areas and put them down as one. then have every states house district a territory, with the state being a bonus, and of course you'd have 3 parties that you could give special bonuses. say hold 5 democratic zones for +1 then +1 for ever 2 more. same with republicans. and independents. that would give you some room to change up them bonuses since there are different number of party held districts. like make it paper rock and scissors. say since it's mainly republicans make an easy bonus to start but the democratic and libertarian would eventually topple the republicans. kind of like in a real election

anyway, just thought i'd throw that out there.

This isn't a district map. However, You did give me a good idea though. I could base bonuses off of political affiliations. If one holds all of the areas in one state in which the majority voted for one party in the 2008 presidential election, then one would get a bonus.

[mudkip201]

The help I need the most right now is on determining the boundaries of the territories