Rail Africa [Quenched]

[cairnswk]

Yeah, sharpen the text in the legend. It is a bit smudgy. Maybe try another font?

Hi Cairns,

To further address nobodies issue with the legends text, I personally find them readable but not comfortable readable. I think it needs to be a good bit crisper to make it perfectly readable, I am worried that someone with lesser eyesight than myself (with my specs on) may begin to struggle with the texts readability. Also the I and J lines on the legends are of similar colour it took me a few seconds to realise what line was what, someone who is colourblind may be less fortunate.
Apart from that I like the difference in style on this map. It definitely feels African, at least to me.
Cheers,
gimil

thanks Guys. Does this help any.
I've changed the font completely and reworked the labels.
I don't have issue with the colours between the I J lines as they are distinctly different ends of the green scale and those lines and stations are marked on the map for the colour blind. I've even widened the ticket to make it better.

Click image to enlarge.

[natty dread]

Yeah, that looks a lot better

[isaiah40]

Yea! That's the ticket!! (pun intended). Much better cairns!

[ender516]

The text is much clearer. Care to reveal a trade secret and tell how you did it?

[cairnswk]

Yea! That's the ticket!! (pun intended). Much better cairns!

Yeah, that looks a lot better

The text is much clearer. Care to reveal a trade secret and tell how you did it?

Thanks guys,
This map is being worked in Coreldraw X4, but some of these things you whould be able to adapt for other software like PS.
I had to un-rotate the ticket...the rotation is set 6.7degrees -> back to zero.
The font before was Futura Md BT @2.6pts
Now the font is Lucida Sans Unicode @2.6pts
All the text had to be re-done because i had used kerning on the previous text to space it out more.
No change in the point size.
The ticket was widened by 8 pixels, as were the black background text boxes.
There are four seperate texts per line, the DEP-DEST text had to be re-set using grids so that it was just a little wider.
There was a layer that was sitting over the ticket 70% black at 65% fill transparency...it was sitting over the colours also.
I simply moved the black boxes and the coloured text above that transparent layer so that it stood out more, but the rest of the ticket didn't loose its musty effect from the that leyer. And you can see that musty effect ends just before the edges of the ticket.
Then group everything up again and rotate it back.
Hope this helps

And for anyone interested....a peak of the next one.
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282 ... a_V01S.jpg

[gimil]

That ticket looks much better cairns and those colours I was having issues with look more distinct with sharper text.

I think the ticket could do with being a little wider again. Just to give some space between those with longer names and their bonus numbers, but that is just a nitpick.

Good work cairns, keep on going strong!

[cairnswk]

That ticket looks much better cairns and those colours I was having issues with look more distinct with sharper text.

I think the ticket could do with being a little wider again. Just to give some space between those with longer names and their bonus numbers, but that is just a nitpick.

Good work cairns, keep on going strong!

Thanks Gimil, i think the ticket is wide enough and there is adequate space between the names and their bonus enough so that the bonuses can be recognised.
I still see some colour issues with that ticket that i'll fix though.

[ender516]

The ticket is much improved. Will you be posting that latest version to page 1, or are you going to fix the colour issues first? I'm not sure exactly what issues you are referring to, but I'm so impressed with the clarity that I don't much care. Very nice work.

[cairnswk]

The ticket is much improved. Will you be posting that latest version to page 1, or are you going to fix the colour issues first? I'm not sure exactly what issues you are referring to, but I'm so impressed with the clarity that I don't much care. Very nice work.

just a couple of colours in the ticket that i picked up aren't quite correct, and i didn't quite the translatio from coreldraw to .jpg of the capetown colour. see new version soon.

[cairnswk]

Version 17.

Click image to enlarge.

[cairnswk]

Version 4 of the XML is created:

http://bolonniy.com/CC/Rail_Africa_v4.xml

Changes:

Added 3 neutrals to ATV

AndrewB, some changes to the xml if you would please.
1. the neutrals on PRA have been removed.
2. LOS has been added to Ivory Coast line and YND & ACC moved.
3. TIP added to Gr Northern Line and BGZ moved as has TUN and ALG
4. New line names - can you check those please.
5. Adjusted bonuses for some lines.

This is finished as far as gameplay goes so you should be almost right to wrap up the xml.

[MrBenn]

I think this is the best-looking of the rail series. Nice job with it cairns

The only tiny things I can see worth commenting on, is that I'm not a fan of the font you've used at the edge of the ticket. I think a clean typeface (a Futura or Helvetica of some description) would fit nicely, and fit with the background graphical style too.

The other thing I'll mention is that the white edge around the continent might look a little better if it was ever so slightly beige rather than white?

Anyway, neither of these changes have any real significance to moving on...

[cairnswk]

I think this is the best-looking of the rail series. Nice job with it cairns

The only tiny things I can see worth commenting on, is that I'm not a fan of the font you've used at the edge of the ticket. I think a clean typeface (a Futura or Helvetica of some description) would fit nicely, and fit with the background graphical style too.

The other thing I'll mention is that the white edge around the continent might look a little better if it was ever so slightly beige rather than white?

Anyway, neither of these changes have any real significance to moving on...

Cheers MrBenn. I'll take note of those suggestions.

[the.killing.44]

équatorial -> Équatorial (?)

Just nitpicking, I like this one .

[cairnswk]

équatorial -> Équatorial (?)

Just nitpicking, I like this one .

That's OK. .44
équatoriale and malgache came out of the google translator like that.
If they should be different with caps?, i didnt' do French at High School...German was my thing.

[the.killing.44]

équatorial -> Équatorial (?)

Just nitpicking, I like this one .

That's OK. .44
équatoriale and malgache came out of the google translator like that.
If they should be different with caps?, i didnt' do French at High School...German was my thing.

Ha, 我学到中文。

I'm just saying that I do think proper nouns should be capitalized.

[cairnswk]

Please refresh to see changes on maps below...
1. Caps on those French names
2. continents outlines changed to cream
3. fonts changed on ticket sides, but the title font is called African so i'd prefer to keep it.

Version 17.

Click image to enlarge.

[isaiah40]

I think this is ready to get that GR stamp now!!

[ender516]

I think this is ready to get that GR stamp now!!

Seconded!

[natty dread]

Thirded

[MrBenn]

I think this is ready to get that GR stamp now!!

Errrr... It already does

[isaiah40]

I think this is ready to get that GR stamp now!!

Errrr... It already does

Er ...

[RedBaron0]

Ha, 我学到中文。

Wrong map.

Good job cairns, probably the most inviting looking of all the the rail series.

[MrBenn]

Final Forge

---The Rail Africa Map has reached the ‘Final Forge’ Stage. The map has passed rigorous gameplay and graphics examinations, and major concerns have been addressed. If you have any other concerns, please make your voice heard. If after a reasonable amount of time there has not been any objection or protest, the map will be deemed finished with the 'Foundry Brand' of approval and will be submitted for live play. As long as there is still discussion or posts that have yet to be commented on, the map will remain in Final Forge until said discussion has reached the conclusion that the map has reached its final and polished version.

Post questions and concerns if any.

[cairnswk]

Well, that is a surprise MrBenn. Thank you.
(i was expecting to wait a while longer in sticky)