Circus Maximus [Quenched]

[rocksolid]

All right, sports fans, sorry for the delay...



There are no territory names. The pop-up attack box would just have countries like Inside-A, Middle-A, Outside-A, Inside-B, Middle-B, etc. My main concern is that people won't understand this, though I think it should be pretty obvious. Whaddayou guyses think?

I'd also like opinions on all the little charioteer graphics around the course. I could litter the whole map with these things, but I'd like to keep it below 12, if even that high. Which of the ones in there right now work best? I don't intend on keeping them all, but picking the best ones and doing variations on them around the course.

I tried putting directional indicators from territory to territory showing explicitly which could attack each other, but it became an unholy mess. I also wanted to stagger the territories so that the inside track had 12 territories, the middle 16 and the outside 20, so that you're actually going faster if you're on the inside, but it became very difficult to indicate which territories could attack which. Now, it's very minimalist, with only the explanation in the legend in the middle. Is it clear which attacks are possible from the words "directly forward and diagonally forward"?

[AndyDufresne]

---On visual appeal, it feels like an old race. I particularly like the horses and racers near the top...they kind of blur and blen and give you the feel of the race. Dislike that black shadow one.

---The white text seems to stand out too much. Perhaps look into some old style font, maybe something with a greek or roman feel.


---On game play notes... I wholeheartedly hate the lettering name system. Are there no other routes you can go down for names? These ruffle my briches more than the "directional area" continents. Look for some creativity.

(If only it didn't take so much effort and time to post so little!)

--Andy

[Jota]

I can't get behind the territory names, unfortuantely. It seems like there ought to be something you could do that would be thematically appropriate -- "starting gate", "first bend", "home stretch", "finish line", etc... There would probably be enough space if you wrote them around the outside of the track rather than the inside. (And it would be extra clear if you wrote it in both places.)

I like the chariot at the bottom and the ones at the upper left best, although it'd be nice if the latter were less blurry. I think the number you have now is just about right: it gets the feel across without being cluttered.

I had suspected that it would be too difficult to graphically depict the diagonal connections :) The concept might be confusing to players new to the map, but they'll probably get the hang of it after a few turns.

I do think that the map as a whole might be slightly improved if you used fewer countries, though. Maybe twelve per lane, for a total of thirty-six -- or even ten per, for thirty. Fewer countries would lead to a quicker game, which seems appropriate to the feel you're going for.

[reverend_kyle]

you cant just do the letter thing that would suck.

[rocksolid]

Edited the text appearance in the legend, Andy, changed the image...does that help?

I kind of liked the simplicity of the letters and the way they didn't clutter the map - I would really like to avoid having to write anything in the sand of the course, just for aesthetic reasons, so the inside-middle-outside directionality appeals to me, even though I'm a big enemy of East Whateverland in geographical maps. I also liked the way the letters would make it clear which territory followed which. Maybe if each letter were replaced by a word starting with that letter? Names of Roman emperors? D could be Domitian, C could be Caesar, etc.

I think you're right about the number of territories, Jota. It'll be an arseload of tedium, but bringing it down from 48 to 30 could speed up games - a game will go faster if there's 90 armies populating it at the start rather than 144.

[reverend_kyle]

I kind of liked the simplicity of the letters and the way they didn't clutter the map - I would really like to avoid having to write anything in the sand of the course, just for aesthetic reasons, so the inside-middle-outside directionality appeals to me, even though I'm a big enemy of East Whateverland in geographical maps. I also liked the way the letters would make it clear which territory followed which. Maybe if each letter were replaced by a word starting with that letter? Names of Roman emperors? D could be Domitian, C could be Caesar, etc.

thats better.

[rocksolid]

And again...



Once again, preferences on the charioteer graphics are helpful. Right now the dark horse in the lower left is last in the polls - the proverbial "dark horse", if you will.

[reverend_kyle]

And again...



Once again, preferences on the charioteer graphics are helpful. Right now the dark horse in the lower left is last in the polls - the proverbial "dark horse", if you will.

the letters could have stayed but in the drop down had roman kings is what i think would be best. Eitherway it loosk great. So we can attack diagonal forward at any time?

[Hoff]

i'm getting pumped to play this map.

[Jota]

The names are an improvement over the letters, but I still think that it'd be nicer with something that actually described that part of the track. They could probably fit right where the current names are now. Some thoughts:

1. Starting Gate
2. First Bend
3. Opening Stretch
4. Second Bend
5. Middle Leg
6. Long Leg
7. Third Bend
8. Home Stretch
9. Final Bend
10. Finish Line

But I suppose I could live with the names that exist, if necessary. As an aside, though, does it really make sense to include both Imperivs and Ivlian?

Oh, and I like the visual style of the map, especially now that it's spread out more. But I'm slightly concerned that the spectators look a little bit like a close-up of a carpet.

[rocksolid]

Jota - Do you say Ivlian because the J looks like an I, or because it should be an I and I'm cheating? It's supposed to say Jvlian.

I'm not too fond of the parts-of-the-track toponomy - I don't think it would make it any clearer which parts of the map are being referred to, as most people don't seem to know which is the back stretch and which is the home stretch, etc. But thanks for the suggestion.

Hmm...dismayed about the crowd...maybe it's the power of suggestion, but after your comment, when I think "carpet" and look at them, they do look like some kind of carpet, even though it's an actual crowd shot. Maybe I'll find something else.

[rocksolid]

A different crowd...



I personally prefer the previous one.

[wacicha]

thats a nice berber

[rocksolid]

I like this crowd a little better.

[Jota]

Do you say Ivlian because the J looks like an I, or because it should be an I and I'm cheating?

The latter: if the second letter is being written as a V rather than a U, then it seems that the first letter should be written as an I rather than a J, for consistency.

I'm not too fond of the parts-of-the-track toponomy - I don't think it would make it any clearer which parts of the map are being referred to, as most people don't seem to know which is the back stretch and which is the home stretch, etc.

I wasn't mentioning it so much for clarity (I don't think it would be any more or less clear than the emperors), but rather just because they seemed more fitting. But I'll be content to just not have A, B, C, D, etc.

[rocksolid]

Of covrse yov're right, Iota, bvt I was hoping no one wovld know...wovld make it very difficvlt to have an alphabetical name following I if I covldn't vse a 'J'.

I don't think there are any K names, so I'd have to jvmp to L.

[howie]

I really like this idea would love to play it

[qeee1]

I like the first crowd. Well the first one posted on this page. I could have been perfectly happy with it, was its carpetyness not pointed out. Still I think it's the best of the three.

Like I said before not sure if the map will work, but I'll give it a shot anyway. Actually despite my pesimism I'm kinda looking forward to it.

Also I think your naming method is probably the best.

[reverend_kyle]

the last crowd is the best. They all sort of look like carpet though.

[Risk_06]

The first crowd's best. Other two look like snow.

[AndyDufresne]

Well lets see...


---I'd have to say the first crowd is looking the best. But keep experimenting, with color, maybe even texture. Explore all viable options.

---Is there something you can do with the charioteer in the middle area? Perhaps making it look like it was not pasted into said area? Have you explored other grahpic options for that region?

---I'm rather torn on the naming system. I like both yours and Jota's idea. But I will say, for the turns, can you warp the text to fit around the curve, and keeo the feeling of that speeding around the track?


--Andy

[rocksolid]

Good eye on the names in the curves, Andy. I was being lazy and trying to cheat out of warping them.

Here's the fan-favourite first crowd with some anti-carpetesque tweaking.



As for the charioteer in the middle - the legend, not the dude in the foreground who will probably disappear - this was my favourite part of the map! A beautiful image of what I assume is an old marble sculpture, beautifully photographed against a black and brown background that I lovingly extended...I know it's a bit surreal against the sweaty sandiness of the map, but I'd really like to keep it. I have explored other graphic options - there's a really famous piece of Greek pottery with a chariot image on it...



...but I far prefer the sculpture. Maybe if I messed with the dark donut around it...I really don't want to fade it.

[HighBorn]

it looks great... i really like the pottery picture.. i think it would look great...

[rocksolid]

Legend altered...

[AndyDufresne]

Well lets see...

---Just to throw these out there for you to look at (if you hadn't already)../

Charioteer One
Charioteer Two

---I like your experimentation with changing the visuals, keep looking into that, could be something quite unique. Also, have you considered maybe adding a charioteer's helmet for more deco (if needed)?

---Still something I don't like about the middle text, maybe too plain for me, but surely nothing too bad.

---And it feels like some of the outer ring text is faded in dust while others are dark as night.

Edit: ---And I know you've spent some time on the title, but have any other names crossed your mind? Perhaps like 'Hippodrome', to give it more of an authentic, ancient feel?

--Andy