[Abandoned] - Russian Revolution

[Industrial Helix]

Pamoa - I could try sepia ink again, but it didn't stand out well again the background when I originally tried. Some grays had the same effect as well, they're appear near invisible.

You man the White army symbols? Sorry, it took me a minute to figure that out. But yeah, i could see that. I'll try using a stronger white under there.

@gimil - Hmm... is it the borders themselves in that they don't seem to look like actual borders? I'm not sure what I should do differently if I redrew them. Less arbitrary squiggles?

Or is it that they are pixelly or jagged? Should I zoom in more when I draw them?

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

[gimil]

@gimil - Hmm... is it the borders themselves in that they don't seem to look like actual borders? I'm not sure what I should do differently if I redrew them. Less arbitrary squiggles?

Or is it that they are pixelly or jagged? Should I zoom in more when I draw them?

It is that the free handed ones are much smoother with gentler curves. I think you need more squiggles.

[Industrial Helix]

Ah ahhh... right. Ok, I can do that. I want to create more zones of influence, rather than the actual provinces. For example, if in WWII the allies took Rome, it didn't mean they by default controlled all within the political area of Italy's borders. So basically, I'm using the provinces more like regions rather than peacetime administrative regions... if that makes any sense. But yeah, I'll make them a little more squiggly.

[gimil]

Ah ahhh... right. Ok, I can do that. I want to create more zones of influence, rather than the actual provinces. For example, if in WWII the allies took Rome, it didn't mean they by default controlled all within the political area of Italy's borders. So basically, I'm using the provinces more like regions rather than peacetime administrative regions... if that makes any sense. But yeah, I'll make them a little more squiggly.

I wasn't being critical of the layout of the borders, just how they have been drawn /

[ender516]

Sounds a bit like Jessica Rabbit: "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way."

[Augustus Maximus]

Personally I like the map just as it is now. I would like to check out the game play once it gets far enough along.

[Industrial Helix]

Ok, here's an update hitting most of the issues raised. I fixed the borders and added a prototype title... it isn't great, but at least I have something to work from now.

Click image to enlarge.

[Augustus Maximus]

The changes look good.

[ender516]

The Union Jack is obscuring the "B" in "British 6th Battalion".

[Industrial Helix]

Yeah, i saw that after I posted the image... it must be linked with another image on the map. I'll hit it up with the next update.

[pamoa]

my concern is about white armies on the map as reds and "green" are easy to find the white ones are invisible
maybe you should use the white you have in the Czech flag

[Industrial Helix]

my concern is about white armies on the map as reds and "green" are easy to find the white ones are invisible
maybe you should use the white you have in the Czech flag

Damn.... I forgot about that. Next update.

[Industrial Helix]

Update... I whitened the white armies as Gimil suggested and adjusted that pesky british flag.

Click image to enlarge.

[theBastard]

looking good.

maybe Baltics could be +2.
maybe you would add "city symbol" to the legend where you speak about Cities.

[Industrial Helix]

looking good.

maybe Baltics could be +2.
maybe you would add "city symbol" to the legend where you speak about Cities.

Yes to the city symbol.
As for altering the bonus for the Baltics, I don't want it to become a huge staging place for an attack on Poland and Ukraine. It wasn't like that in the war, and that's what I'm sticking to.

Thanks for the feedback!

[gimil]

Hi Helix,

Your new squiggly borders look much better that the old ones since I last popped in. The map feels better to look at now. I myself have no glaring major issues, but I do have alot of little issues with small details here and there. I won't burden you with them all, just some .

Firstly I don't like the railway lines, they interact with the borders to much and I feel they could cause confusion during gameplay. I would suggest making something more rail like, as cairnswk done in his rail europe, afria, usa and australia. Like this image and make them some shade of grey so they stand out from the border:



Also on many of you coastal/river borders you have these secondary lines, usually in the water (i.e. around crimea) which don't look right. I know what it is your trying to do, but it doesn't work. Plus with the amount going on in this map graphically I don't really think you need these extra squiggles across the map. I would suggest removing them altogether.

[theBastard]

Yes to the city symbol.
As for altering the bonus for the Baltics, I don't want it to become a huge staging place for an attack on Poland and Ukraine. It wasn't like that in the war, and that's what I'm sticking to.

Thanks for the feedback!

I understand your Baltics idea

agree with gimil about secondary lines - line under text Taurida...

the railway from Kharkov to Rostov would goes over north and cross border between Kharkovski and Don Cossacks because now it crosses border between Taurida and Don Cossacks - this border is short and railway a little cluttered it.

[Industrial Helix]

Well, as for the rails, I'm settled on them, though I took bastards suggestion. I also clone stamped out the extra water lines. Also included in this update is the small map.

EDIT: Ah crap, I forgot to put the city symbol in the legend. Next update then.

Click image to enlarge.

Click image to enlarge.

[Gillipig]

I miss colors! Think it's a good theme but there's too little passion and colors in the map!

[AndyDufresne]

I don't know whether it is the plethora of 888s or if it is dominant black color on the map, but my eyes say too much is going on in a densely clustered sort of way, and then I want to look away.


--Andy

[isaiah40]

I don't know whether it is the plethora of 888s or if it is dominant black color on the map, but my eyes say too much is going on in a densely clustered sort of way, and then I want to look away.


--Andy

If so, would having the cities down the side of the map be better (of course it would mean a few extra pixels), and less "cluttered" looking?

[Augustus Maximus]

I disagree about needing colours. This is very close to the appearence of maps from this period in history. I personally like the way it looks, it fits very nicely with the theme of the map.

[cairnswk]

IH. i haven't posted in here recently so i apologise...but i do agree with Andy about the intensity of the black.
I won't hold it against you , but i do prefer the colours from V7.
Can i ask if you have any basic xml done yet. If so, would you be able to put up a quick small map with the colours of the 88s or 888s on it to see how it would look on the drop, particularly the small version.

[Gillipig]

The center of the map hurts the eye! The thickness of the rail makes it very difficult to see borders creating a general confusion. I think the map is a bit too pale as well. I don't get the feeling of a war being fought but that's just my preference I guess!

[natty dread]

I still think you should make the rails weaker.

I mean, the rails will do their job as long as you can see which city connects which - they don't have to be a prominent element on the map. The borders, on the other hand, are paramount in enabling the player to visualize the connections between the territories, so I think they should be the stronger element.

But this is just my opinion...