Lunar War [GP, G, X] files on p.1

[natty dread]

You know - I look at the map and I can't see what borders what... There are craters with connections - then seas and flags that have no connections... Is that because you have only drawn on a few of the connections?

If craters are inside a sea or on the shore of one, they are connected to that sea territory. Otherwise they are connected by connecting lines.

[natty dread]

As for the bonus system, how about this:

+2 autodeploy on each rocket

+1 for any 2 rockets

+2 for any 3 landing sites of the same country

+5 for all 6 landing sites of the same country (US or Russia)

+6 for all 6 landing sites of any 2 countries (the other countries)

This would give different advantages to each country: US and Russia can take any 3 out of 6 landing sites and get a bonus, while the other countries are limited to a certain 3 landing sites. On the other hand, the other countries get 1 troop more for holding 2 sets of 3 landing sites.

[natty dread]

Version 7K.

Click image to enlarge.

Lots of changes in this one...

PS. Could a mod please take down the poll? The extra countries have already been added, so the poll has served it's purpose.

[franny911]

OOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!! ME LIKES!!

[natty dread]

Thanks! If you have any suggestions or criticisms, don't hesitate to post them!

On the to-do list as of now:

The territory font and colours needs to be reconsidered. Some have complained that especially the crater names are a bit hard to read at some places.

Bonus structure of the rockets and landing sites needs to be fine-tuned, and considered how to best word it in the legend. Isaiah is in charge of the gameplay side, so he can figure it out... I think the bonuses for the craters, seas and bays are fine for now, although if anyone has any critique towards them, please post your thoughts.

Some other minor tweaks may be in order... but I'll let you (yes, I mean you, the one reading this) to be the judge of that.

[natty dread]

OK, I had an inspiration and did lots of changes again... got a little carried away with I guess. I'm not sure if it's an improvement, just wanted to try all kinds of things with the map. If it looks awful don't hesitate to tell me...

Version 8:

Click image to enlarge.

[ender516]

I like the background/decoration of the legends, because it organizes it, and makes it look a bit like the displays of a computer screen. Now the whole map is like a cockpit view while approaching the moon. You might want to extend that imagery and make a border for the whole map which suggests the frame of a viewport and such equipment as might appear around the pilot's position. The rockets as they don't quite fit that concept, but you could put them in a polar orbit of the moon, and even convert them to space stations.

I don't like the new territory font, though, it is harder to read than the old one.

Did you change anything else? A blink comparison seems to say you didn't.

[natty dread]

The rockets as they don't quite fit that concept, but you could put them in a polar orbit of the moon, and even convert them to space stations.

Do you think tilting them sideways would suffice? That way it'd kinda look like they were heading to moon... Could add some tail flames... etc.

I don't like the new territory font, though, it is harder to read than the old one.

Yeah, kinda figured it... form follows function, so they need to be changed again.

Did you change anything else? A blink comparison seems to say you didn't.

Signatures

[ender516]

The rockets as they don't quite fit that concept, but you could put them in a polar orbit of the moon, and even convert them to space stations.

Do you think tilting them sideways would suffice? That way it'd kinda look like they were heading to moon... Could add some tail flames... etc.

Yes I suppose that might work, but don't bother if you don't go all the way with the cockpit viewpoint.

[natty dread]

Yes I suppose that might work, but don't bother if you don't go all the way with the cockpit viewpoint.

Yeah... I don't think we will. Too much stuff around the edges would take the focus away from what is most important, the moon. Also there isn't much room... The rockets, title, etc need to fit, so it would make the map too crowded... as it is now, it effectively gives the feeling of space, of vast nothingness in all directions... I'd like to preserve that aspect.

The screens in the lower edge, they can be kept, since they give a nice futuristic feel. I'll have to see how Isaiah feels about them though... but, as for me, the more I look at them, the more I'm starting to like them... kinda cool...

[ender516]

Yes I suppose that might work, but don't bother if you don't go all the way with the cockpit viewpoint.

Yeah... I don't think we will. Too much stuff around the edges would take the focus away from what is most important, the moon. Also there isn't much room... The rockets, title, etc need to fit, so it would make the map too crowded... as it is now, it effectively gives the feeling of space, of vast nothingness in all directions... I'd like to preserve that aspect.

The screens in the lower edge, they can be kept, since they give a nice futuristic feel. I'll have to see how Isaiah feels about them though... but, as for me, the more I look at them, the more I'm starting to like them... kinda cool...

I suspected a lack of room would kill my idea, but I thought it worth mentioning. I'd say we are in complete agreement here.

[RedBaron0]

Poll Results:
============================================================================

No, the current countries are fine.-----5 36%

Yes, more countries please!-----------9 64%

Total votes : 14

============================================================================

[isaiah40]

Sorry natty, been busy. Yes I love what you have done with the legend area at first site (love at first site?). Yes we need to change the territory font way to hard to read, also the landing site names seem blurry.

One major concern is how are the numbers going to look on the landing sites? I'm thinking it is going to be hard to see the numbers. If they are I suggest using flags on poles to mark those sites.

[natty dread]

Sorry natty, been busy. Yes I love what you have done with the legend area at first site (love at first site?). Yes we need to change the territory font way to hard to read, also the landing site names seem blurry.

One major concern is how are the numbers going to look on the landing sites? I'm thinking it is going to be hard to see the numbers. If they are I suggest using flags on poles to mark those sites.

Hmm... flagpoles?

I'll try to come up with something. I'll also search for some fonts to replace the territory names with.

[fumandomuerte]

Can you change some craters to Helium 3 mines? That isotope could be a future reason for a war to start between powerful nations

[natty dread]

Can you change some craters to Helium 3 mines? That isotope could be a future reason for a war to start between powerful nations

Heavy isotope of helium?

Cosmochemist and geochemist Ouyang Ziyuan from the Chinese Academy of Sciences who is now in charge of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program has already stated on many occasions that one of the main goals of the program would be the mining of helium-3, from which operation "each year three space shuttle missions could bring enough fuel for all human beings across the world."

I'd say it sounds like a great idea, but it's up to Isaiah really.

They would need to be placed so that every starting point has a (nearly) equal chance to grab these mines after start.

[natty dread]

How's this for He3 mines?

Click image to enlarge.

Fonts are yet to be fixed...


Here are a few options for a new territory font. Which one is the easiest to read?

[ender516]

How's this for He3 mines?

Click image to enlarge.

Fonts are yet to be fixed...


Here are a few options for a new territory font. Which one is the easiest to read?

Nice iconography for the ³He mines (note the position of the atomic weight, but He-3 is okay too). Strictly from the point of legibility, my preference (numbered top to bottom) is font 4, then 3, then 1 and 2 about the same, since they both do a poor job of distinguishing "A" from "R". I'm also not big on all caps, and font 3 seems more artsy than sciency to me, not sure why. Font 4 has the advantage of being clear and compact at the same time.

[natty dread]

Well, I did a version with font 3, although it can still be changed to font 4 if there are issues with it.

The thing I like about this font is that it fits real good while still being legible. One less abreviation = good. Although I have yet to update the legend...

Also moved the Magnus He-3 mine into Walter, so that EU can't attack it directly from the landing site.

Click image to enlarge.

[isaiah40]

In the legend for the craters instead of "Each 4 craters ..." How about "Every 4 craters ..."? To me it just sounds better.

No need to change the font in the legend, as I think the font there fits in with the 'computer' panels better.

[natty dread]

In the legend for the craters instead of "Each 4 craters ..." How about "Every 4 craters ..."? To me it just sounds better.

No need to change the font in the legend, as I think the font there fits in with the 'computer' panels better.

No, what I meant was if we go with this font I need to remove the "Aris. = Aristillus" from the legend since with this font the Aristillus label fits well in the image.

I'll change the text for the craters though. It does sound better that way.

[ender516]

Sorry, but when you put it on the map, I like that new font even less than I did in the sample. The shadow or glow or whatever seems to eat the tops of the letters, especially on the crater names, so it may have something to do with the colour. I'd like to see font 4 on the map, but I'm afraid that because it is a lighter weight font and somewhat condensed horizontally, that text effect may do even more damage to it. Also, just to nudge a bit again, I recall reading somewhere that in general, mixed upper and lower case is more legible than all upper case.

[natty dread]

Sorry, but when you put it on the map, I like that new font even less than I did in the sample. The shadow or glow or whatever seems to eat the tops of the letters, especially on the crater names, so it may have something to do with the colour. I'd like to see font 4 on the map, but I'm afraid that because it is a lighter weight font and somewhat condensed horizontally, that text effect may do even more damage to it. Also, just to nudge a bit again, I recall reading somewhere that in general, mixed upper and lower case is more legible than all upper case.

Oh well, no big deal, I'll do another version with font 4 to see how it compares.

[natty dread]

here with font 4

Click image to enlarge.

[fumandomuerte]

Mmm I was about to pick font #4 until I saw your map showing it... Can we propose you other font options? I did that to RedBaron0 with the Japan map =P