[Abandoned] Guatemala

[Industrial Helix]

Not really, the borders are still bumpy and pixelated.

[jleonnn]

Yeah I agree... I'll make the borders thiner again and use the blur this time

[thenobodies80]

If you want to have better borders you should try to draw them using the path tool .
First of all chose a 2px brush then select the path tool. Now draw your border (need a bit of practice but when you've got it's not so difficult), then when you have your path ready go in the tool box and select the path tool option label, then click on the "stroke path" button. In the new window select "stroke with a paint tool" and then select paintbrush, confirm everything. It's not the easiest way but it works if you find hard to draw them freehand.

Now some other thoughts:
I think you should use the space in a different way, try to move the main title outside Peten. Then you should try something different as filler for the text of your title, since the flag is almost invisible. Moreover, find a better order/aesthetics for the legend because now it looks a bit a mess.
Try to find better colors for text of both oceans, now they are more visible than the playable part of the map.
I'd like to suggest to add a sort of small map to localize this state in the world, being a small country, not everyone knows its position in the world. In addition you'll have something more to fill all the empty/unused space that there's on your map right now.

Add more Mayan feeling could also nice, even though your visual representation doesn't go exactly in that direction.

A small final thing, i know that gameplay was already stamped and maybe my suggestion comes a bit too late, but if you want, you should think to add a couple of territories to your map, increasing the number of region to 24. Peten is very large for example, split it with a simple northwest peten, south peten and northeast peten? or use a couple of important cities for this department? for example La libertad looks the most populated city in this department, or Flores that is an important turistic location (tikal), Dolores is a medium size city in the southern part, or Poptun. However, this choice probably would cause some changes to the values of the bonus so i'll ask to my gameplay colleagues if it is a valid option.

[Evil DIMwit]

A small final thing, i know that gameplay was already stamped and maybe my suggestion comes a bit too late, but if you want, you should think to add a couple of territories to your map, increasing the number of region to 24. Peten is very large for example, split it with a simple northwest peten, south peten and northeast peten? or use a couple of important cities for this department? for example La libertad looks the most populated city in this department, or Flores that is an important turistic location (tikal), Dolores is a medium size city in the southern part, or Poptun. However, this choice probably would cause some changes to the values of the bonus so i'll ask to my gameplay colleagues if it is a valid option.

Hardly too late. Actually, adding a couple of territories to Petén sounds like a fine idea. It would probably merit raising Norte's value to 3.

[jleonnn]

k, I will do it.

[Industrial Helix]

The borders look better, but a little black glow effect would help them out as well.

Salola, jalapa and Santa Rosa need to be moved so their names don't touch the borders.

[RjBeals]

the borders look pixily
ocean labels look really bad
bonus colors look nice.
land textures look good.
the ocean texture looks bad. I can't tell what the imposed image is.

[jleonnn]

version 8

I did the blurring... I don't think this is much better tho...

Click image to enlarge.

[RjBeals]

I suggest starting over with the borders. Don't blur the pixel borders- it will never work out nice.

[natty dread]

While you redraw the borders, fix the border between Petén & El Quiche - it is too hard to see. You need to make it more noticeable.

[thenobodies80]

A small final thing, i know that gameplay was already stamped and maybe my suggestion comes a bit too late, but if you want, you should think to add a couple of territories to your map, increasing the number of region to 24. Peten is very large for example, split it with a simple northwest peten, south peten and northeast peten? or use a couple of important cities for this department? for example La libertad looks the most populated city in this department, or Flores that is an important turistic location (tikal), Dolores is a medium size city in the southern part, or Poptun. However, this choice probably would cause some changes to the values of the bonus so i'll ask to my gameplay colleagues if it is a valid option.

Hardly too late. Actually, adding a couple of territories to Petén sounds like a fine idea. It would probably merit raising Norte's value to 3.

[Industrial Helix]

When you draw them, make sure you zoom in like 800% or else they'll end up pixelated.

[jleonnn]

thnx... I already updated it... I thought I posted... I'll do it again then

VERSION 8

Click image to enlarge.

[natty dread]

You still need to redraw the borders.

[jleonnn]

ya k

[natty dread]

There's a trick I use to draw smooth borders. I'm not sure if it works on other graphics softwares though...

What I do is I first create a "mask layer", which is a layer with a solid land area drawn without anti-alias, ie. it contains only two pixel values - 0 alpha or 255 alpha, all in one colour. This mask layer can be used then to select the land area with the magic wand - this is why the no-anti-alias is important, so the magic wand will always select the same area.

Now when you have your land area selected, go to the layer where you want your borders drawn, and apply a selection outline effect - not sure if your software has this effect, that's why I said I'm not sure if this works for you... invert selection and apply the outline again. After the outline is drawn, you apply a drop shadow effect to it, with 0 widening and 1px blur. Then just adjust the opacity and you're done.

[jleonnn]

thnx! I'll try

[jleonnn]

I think I'll just re-draw the borders...

[RedBaron0]

It happens... a lot. I redrew the borders on Japan what seems like about 1000 frick'n times. (Thanks MrBenn... ) I'd like to tell you I figured it out in GIMP... but Photoshop pretty much got me over that hump. :/

[jleonnn]

lol... Too bad I have no photoshop. Do you have at least advice?

[RedBaron0]

Nothing more than what's already be suggested. The path tool gave the best lines I got using GIMP.

[jleonnn]

Is there any free download for photoshop?

[RedBaron0]

There is a free 30 day trial.

https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?product=photoshop

[jleonnn]

thnx, I think I'll just use it for the 30 days

[thenobodies80]

30 days are a short period of time. Even if Photoshop gives better results is possible to draw some good borders (and do a map) with gimp, see my previous post about the path tool.
You should also think to add the 2 regions as previously suggested to increase the territory count to 24 that is much better for a fair start.
Then i've noticed that some territories have wrong names on your map, search on the web (wikipedia for example), there're many informations you could use to improve your map.
You should try a different use of space....move the map on the right and use the upleft corner for the title and some arts, then leave some space on the right to place , in the top right corner a small legend for abbreviations and impassables, and in the lower one the legend for bonuses.
Redraw the lake on the map, it looks like a part of the atlantic ocean.

But first of all pratice with your graphics software, do it do it again and again....time will give you the results.
Anyway, today I'm completely blocked at home by a strong stiff neck, i'll try to give you some materials to start with....check your inbox