Re: RAIL ASIA [1.11.12] QUENCHED

[Gilligan]

These coordinates seem okay to me...How bout everyone else?

XML http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/11/14 ... Final3.xml

Small 88

Click image to enlarge.

Large 88

Click image to enlarge.

Figured I'd tackle this one before Salem's Switch, so I'll go center those guys now.

[natty dread]

Actually, I think the problem is the map image itself. Seems like there's inconsistencies in the sizes of the boxes... it looks to me like they are not "hinted" properly, they don't align to the pixel grid the same way, and this causes very small inconsistencies in them and makes some coordinates look skewed...

Maybe cairns could fix this?

[cairnswk]

Actually, I think the problem is the map image itself. Seems like there's inconsistencies in the sizes of the boxes... it looks to me like they are not "hinted" properly, they don't align to the pixel grid the same way, and this causes very small inconsistencies in them and makes some coordinates look skewed...

Maybe cairns could fix this?

Are you talking about the centering?

[Gilligan]

Actually, I think the problem is the map image itself. Seems like there's inconsistencies in the sizes of the boxes... it looks to me like they are not "hinted" properly, they don't align to the pixel grid the same way, and this causes very small inconsistencies in them and makes some coordinates look skewed...

Maybe cairns could fix this?

Are you talking about the centering?

I think so.

[natty dread]

Are you talking about the centering?

I mean, the stations seem to be slightly different sizes on a sub-pixel level, so that the army numbers don't align with them the same way. It seems that the stations aren't "hinted", ie. they're not consistently aligned with the pixel grid.

If you moved all the stations so that they all align with the pixel grid, and made sure they were all exactly the same size, then the coordinates could be centered consistently in them. Just make sure that the upper left corner of each "army box" is aligned so that it's coordinates are full pixels, for example 160,0 x 154,0 - not 160,2 x 154,6. And then make sure the rectangles are all the same size if they aren't already.

This way, the number centering can be made consistent on the entire map, on both versions.

[Gilligan]

Posting the XML as an attachment per cairns' request

[cairnswk]

Posting the XML as an attachment per cairns' request

Thanks Gilligan, been waiting for this, I'm onto it.

[cairnswk]

Gilligan, I've just changed TAI Tayshet to the TAY Tayshet on both map and xml...

[cairnswk]

Files deleted and re-posted below...

[cairnswk]

Files deleted and posted below.

[natty dread]

Are the coordinates already centered on that latest XML?

[cairnswk]

Are the coordinates already centered on that latest XML?

yes natty. all the above 88 images are of the latest xml
let me know if you think any are off -centre.

[natty dread]

Oh, one thing, sorry I forgot to mention this... Harbin is spelled as Habin on the XML. Unless there's a place called Habin that I'm not aware of...

As for coordinates, the large map looks good to me. On the small there's a few fixes I can see:

HBN, SAP, OSA - all look like they should be moved to the left
Both KHI, ADE, TLV, VOG - 1 px to right?
THR, KHI K - 1 px up?

[cairnswk]

Oh, one thing, sorry I forgot to mention this... Harbin is spelled as Habin on the XML. Unless there's a place called Habin that I'm not aware of...

As for coordinates, the large map looks good to me. On the small there's a few fixes I can see:

HBN, SAP, OSA - all look like they should be moved to the left
Both KHI, ADE, TLV, VOG - 1 px to right?
THR, KHI K - 1 px up?

Harbin fixed in XML.
Here is the new 88 small below

[cairnswk]

I've added a little colour inside the terminal domes, small effect and not quite the same as the original RAIL USA map.

Click image to enlarge.

Click image to enlarge.

http://www.peeje.com/files/358854253/Ra ... inal_5.xml

[natty dread]

Well, since the coordinates look fine to me now, and no one else is complaining... I see no reason to hold back the stamp, so I'm giving it with the caveat that if the CA:s or foreman find some coordinates that I've missed, you'll be expected to fix them...



Enjoy!

[cairnswk]

...


Enjoy!

Thank you !

[cairnswk]

Final files.

Click image to enlarge.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282 ... a_V27S.png
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282 ... a_V27L.png
http://www.peeje.com/files/358854253/Ra ... inal_5.xml[/quote]

[DiM]

i'd say this has decent graphics ... if we were in 2007
look at rail usa. you went downhill from there and i have no idea why.

[cairnswk]

i'd say this has decent graphics ... if we were in 2007
look at rail usa. you went downhill from there and i have no idea why.

To start, i didn't do the graphics on Rail USA. widowmakers did. you yet make another fool of yourself.

[DiM]

i'd say this has decent graphics ... if we were in 2007
look at rail usa. you went downhill from there and i have no idea why.

To start, i didn't do the graphics on Rail USA. widowmakers did. you yet make another fool of yourself.

hmm then it's clear why it all went downhill.
good job managing to come close to widowmakers' graphics from 2007... even if you're 5 years later. maybe by next year you'll finally manage to make something better. though it's doubtful since you've already admitted to going for quantity over quality.

but don't worry your pretty little head if you can't manage to improve your graphics, or even the gameplay. the standards are different for you so you'll be cut a slack once again.

[koontz1973]

good job managing to come close to widowmakers' graphics from 2007...

Not even close to widowmakers graphics from 2007. This is by far a better map graphics wise.


Great job cairnswk, even though I never really liked the rail series.

[Gillipig]

i'd say this has decent graphics ... if we were in 2007
look at rail usa. you went downhill from there and i have no idea why.

To start, i didn't do the graphics on Rail USA. widowmakers did. you yet make another fool of yourself.

hmm then it's clear why it all went downhill.
good job managing to come close to widowmakers' graphics from 2007... even if you're 5 years later. maybe by next year you'll finally manage to make something better. though it's doubtful since you've already admitted to going for quantity over quality.

but don't worry your pretty little head if you can't manage to improve your graphics, or even the gameplay. the standards are different for you so you'll be cut a slack once again.

Wow DiM you're starting to sound like natty! (not a good thing )
I don't understand your criticism, cairnswk is obviously great at map making. If his graphics were doomed not good enough, then you'd have to shoot down at least 90% of all the maps that are being made today! Rail USA doesn't look very good I have to say that, but to compare this map to rail USA graphic wise is very far off!

[thenobodies80]

About the current standard diatribe...please never forget to understand what software people use to develop a map...I'm of the opinion that cairnswk has his own style, we can recognize his maps easily, many of them have a simple graphics, that most of time is mixed with a great great gameplay (i think i don't have to name some maps in this case) that some mapmakers can only hope to develope. I can't understand how it can be said that cairnswk is someone who looks at quantity....he is a creative person who produces lot of maps, but I can count no more than 4 or 5 maps that I wouldn't to have in the current roster (although I don't play all his maps). Yes, his style is not for everyone and i think he is well aware of this, but i think it works for the type of maps that he produces.
DiM on what basis (objective) you can judge this map not par to the standards if ultimately these standards are not written somewhere and the only judges of them are the CAs as written in the guidelines? Not trying to push the discussion in this direction, just pointing out.

Personally, the only thing i personally "dislike" is the title...if I look at the map it pops out too much and I'm forced to look at it every 5 seconds. Don't know if this is a good thing while people is playing the map. But maybe it's just me.

Nobodies

[DiM]

About the current standard diatribe...please never forget to understand what software people use to develop a map...

this is the second or third time i heard this excuse. i've never taken it seriously but now that you mention it i'm starting to wonder.
wtf is this? since when did the software used become an excuse for poor graphics? if i have only mspaint should my crappy maps be accepted just because my software can't do miracles?

ok, not everybody should be forced to buy photoshop but gimp is free and it can produce really great graphics. look at natty's eurasia which looks awesome and is done in gimp.

excuses like "my software is not good" or "my skill sucks" are lame. great free software is available and the skills are there to be continuously improved. if you really can't evolve and it comes a time when you're left behind compared to the standards then it's time to give up and go to landgrab.

I'm of the opinion that cairnswk has his own style, we can recognize his maps easily, many of them have a simple graphics,

having a style is not that good especially when that style is simple and spread over 30+ maps. it's ok to make a few maps share the same style especially when they're in the same series. but other than that it's actually kinda annoying to have dozens of maps that look virtually identical.

i designed my piglandia map in such a way that it's sort of like a template. i can easily go and in 2 moves switch it from a pig to a sheep a horse or a dragon. same style different map. assuming the map wasn't about a pig but rather about something accepted as good and interesting, would it be ok to produce 30 maps using that template?
it's as easy as finding 30 different islands and adjusting them for my template. i wouldn't spend more than 30-40 minutes per map including drawing the borders and adding the names.

should i do this? apparently it's ok and if somebody says the gfx is not nice i can simply say my software can't do better

he is a creative person who produces lot of maps,

i agree with the bolded part but his creativity has dwindled a lot in the past years. there used to be a time when he was challenged to do better and better maps with better and better graphics but at some point nobody bothered to say anything and his style and technique stopped improving. and after a while when some people dared to step in and comment he had become so accustomed to being left alone he started bullying those that dared to comment negatively. and if bullying did not work he either ignored those that commented or he vacationed his maps for months until the protestors would give up and he was free to have his own way.

anyway, if you all consider that this map is truly showing 5 years worth of improvement over the rail usa map then it's clear there's nothing i can do about it.
sadly in the long run this map will prove to be another fiasco played for a couple of thousand games and then abandoned.
but hey according to cairns the number of games is not important. so the fact that most of his maps are the least played maps of this site is not relevant.
i'd say constantly being at the bottom of the rankings for close to 5 years with almost 30 maps actually says that something is wrong.
but who am i to judge? maybe it's for the better like this. i mean somebody has to be at the bottom, right?