Tert Naming Question

[Minister X]

If I make a map with terts named with unique initial letters (Abacus, Bamboo, Cambric, Davida, etc.) on the large map, on the small map can I use just that initial letter (A, B, C, D etc.)? I'm assuming just the initial letters show in the log. Does that cause unacceptable confusion?

Alternatively, can the small map employ just the first three letters (Aba, Bam, Cam, Dav, etc.) without any legend referencing the full name?

[iancanton]

neither the large nor small map need to use the full names, although it's thematically helpful to show them. rail usa and rail europe are good examples of three-letter abbreviations being used on both sizes of map in conjunction with the game log displaying the abbreviation followed by the full name.

ian.

[Dukasaur]

neither the large nor small map need to use the full names, although it's thematically helpful to show them. rail usa and rail europe are good examples of three-letter abbreviations being used on both sizes of map in conjunction with the game log displaying the abbreviation followed by the full name.

ian.

Although, it should be pointed out that those abbreviations are part of the reason why those maps are unpopular with the players.

In general, not only should the name be on the map, but I think even more importantly, it should be a name that's easy to remember.

If I make a map with terts named with unique initial letters (Abacus, Bamboo, Cambric, Davida, etc.) on the large map, on the small map can I use just that initial letter (A, B, C, D etc.)? I'm assuming just the initial letters show in the log. Does that cause unacceptable confusion?

In a case like Abacus, Bamboo, Cambria etc., I think if at all possible I would make the short names Aba, Bam, Cam etc., rather than just A, B, C. People are more likely to enjoy a game if the places are easy to remember and identify with. Real-world maps get around this by using names of countries, cities, etc., that we already know. Imaginary or abstract worlds have to tap into something else. Rhyming is good -- something with names like Ram, Bam, Cam, Ham would actually work very well.

[Minister X]

I thanks you both for the useful replies.

In the Drafting Room I have a map up tentatively named "Fictivia"; my question here was spurred by that map. The map name and the six continent names are meant to sound more or less like Latin but as I said there I'm not wedded to any of these names.

Now this may be a moot issue since that map has been up a few days and gotten zero comments, so maybe the graphics just aren't appealing, but who knows... maybe it's the names that aren't appealing. I doubt that too many CCers speak Latin!

The map has castles that are points of bombardment, but those could easily be replaced by cannon, jet planes, ICBMs, or catapults. The region depicted would seem to be about the size of a modern city or feudal fief. Maybe a civil war battlefield in size. Agricultural land is prominent.

Given these starting points, and in light of what you've both written above, can someone suggest a "theme" for this map - preferably a title name and some idea for all the other names? (I guess it would make the most sense to do so there.) I'll certainly give this a lot of thought but as I've said elsewhere I'm no poet. I'd lean toward something feudal but that may not resonate best with CCers.

Thanks again (and in advance).