Baltic Crusades

[Industrial Helix]

Is there any way to make the paper shine through a little more on the North Sea? I think its overpowering the other colors of the map.

And on the small map, I think you can make the font size 2 pixels bigger and it will go a long way to improve readability.

Speakngof the text, around Thorn and Dobrin, you should get rid of the river lines so the text is set on an uninterrupted background. Same for Riga Ship... perhaps you could make it like:

Riga
Ship

and fit it in there between the connecting lines.

Move Riga so the name is on the land, not the river.
Scoot the Kokenbausen symbol and word up a tad so the river doesn't interfere anymore.
Same for kaunus, though you might have to change the line border a tad to accommodate the moved town.
Drodna, move the text right under the town.
Move the text Scalovia on the land.
In general, move the text off the connection territories, Pomerelia and Memelburg are the only ones I see.

I hope this list is all i have, i want to play this map so bad! But the graphics ought to do the map justice and its the little things that count. So let's hope those are all the little things we can find

[theBastard]

o.k. I did most of your notices. only two things are not done. enlarging the font - I increase size one times and I´m afraid there is not enough place. if I enlarge font again there will be much things as I edited by yours notices. and name Riga - there is not place in land, because Riga is separate region off Papal Legatus (Riga gives +1 bonus) and I´m afraid that if I move name Riga it will increase border between Riga and AB. of Riga.

eveyrithing else is done (if I good understand all things )

thanks for your big help and interest.

Click image to enlarge.

[Industrial Helix]

Looks good to me... where's the large version?

[theBastard]

Looks good to me... where's the large version?

great

here is large version

Click image to enlarge.

[Industrial Helix]

Did you work on the small version and then size up?

[theBastard]

no, I work on large map. small maps posted here are decreased.

[Industrial Helix]

Hmm... something about the text is making it quite fuzzy. Did you rasterize the text?

The gray fogginess of the map is kind of bugging me and I played with the levels and the saturation a little. I think you goal needs to be having the best possible range of tones, darks to lights, but to de-saturate a tad so as to see that the colors do not become too vibrant. Here's what I mean:

Click image to enlarge.

[porkenbeans]

IH is correct in my opinion. You have desaturated it to the point of muddyness. That is to say, All of the pigment on the page is grayed out, and all of the varying colors, are to much alike. This lack of contrast with a small "c", is evident in color, tone and value.

IH's illustration is headed down the right track. But there still needs to be a light/dark separation, between the land and water. The tonal value is pretty much the same and would benefit if they were made to contrast each other. One light, and the other dark. Also the overall texture needs to be knocked down in opacity. (way down).

[theBastard]

Helix it looks great. I did something with map. I also add contrats to sea and rivers and low opacity of overall texture.

pork, could you do any your wonder with this map?

Click image to enlarge.

[Industrial Helix]

yeah, that is an improvement. Using the levels, I think you ought to make the highlights stand out a bit more. After that, we can figure something out for the ocean.

[theBastard]

what you mean with "make the highlights stand out a bit more"?

the idea is simple: the first three connected Hanseatic towns give bonus. for next bonus player needs to have another three connected Hanseatic towns. but I do not know if this is clear... and there will be too much combinations - too much codding...

all yours ideas are welcome here

EDIT: hm, maybe add to legend "+1 for three connected in row by"
the possible combinations (ships must be owned because they make connections):
Thorn, Danzig, (Danzig ship), Konigsberg
Thorn, Danzig, (Danzig ship), Visby
Danzig, (Danzig ship), Konigsberg, (Windau ship), Windau
Danzig, (Danzig ship), Visby, (Visby ship), Reval
Konigsberg, (Danzig ship), Visby, (Visby ship), Reval
Konigsberg, (Windau ship), Windau, (Riga ship), Riga
Windau, (Windau ship), Konigsberg, (Danzig ship), Visby
Dorpat, Reval, (Visby ship), Visby

there is allways possible to connect in row only 5 Hanseatic towns. only one time is possible to connect 6. so only one time could be bonus doubled, but this will be hard I think - it needs to hold: Dorpat, Reval, (Visby ship), Visby, (Danzig ship), Konigsberg, (Windau ship), Windau, (Riga ship), Riga.

I need help how to explain in legend that:
1, it is not possible to combine Hanseatic town which allready gives you bonus with another Hanseatic town. example: player holds Dorpat, Reval, (Visby ship), Visby so he gain bonus +1. if he conquered (Danzig ship), Danzig he still have only bonus for the first three connected Hanseatic towns. so it is not possible to make another bonus from Danzig, (Danzig ship), Visby, (Visby ship), Reval. but if player lose Dorpat he can gain bonus for Danzig, (Danzig ship), Visby, (Visby ship), Reval.

2, holding Danzig, (Danzig ship), Konigsberg, Visby gives no bonus. this could be maybe explain as I wrote - change "+1 bonus for three connected" to "+1 bonus for three connected in row".?

[porkenbeans]

Re: Baltic Crusades - version 15

Postby theBastard on Sun Nov 14, 2010 6:49 pm
Helix it looks great. I did something with map. I also add contrats to sea and rivers and low opacity of overall texture.

pork, could you do any your wonder with this map?

I have an idea, but I need a layer with only the text and icons including ships and routes, cities and towns, trees ...etc. Full opacity, and turn off all effects such as glows and such. It needs to be a transparent layer with no background whatsoever. The only background on this layer can be the insets. But remember to turn off all effects, and at full opacity.

Then another layer with the crinkled paper. With full opacity and no effects.

[theBastard]

here are separate layers for you, pork

show

if anything more is needed just say.

[Evil DIMwit]

Would gameplay scheme be so much worse if you made it just +1 for 3 Hanseatic towns, regardless of connections? Not that I don't think connecting things is fun, but the other way would be a lot simpler to explain.

[theBastard]

Would gameplay scheme be so much worse if you made it just +1 for 3 Hanseatic towns, regardless of connections? Not that I don't think connecting things is fun, but the other way would be a lot simpler to explain.

yes, this is fine idea. everything simple is good... o.k. so +1 for three. thanks.

[porkenbeans]

Click image to enlarge.

The text within the inserts are of poor graphic quality, but are only to show that the text will fit.

[theBastard]

this looks great. just some notices:
1, I think delete trees at the coast...
2, please try to save legends as I did them. I mean legend of Land bonuses especialy.
3, some colours looks very similar (Estonia - East Prussia)
4, I more like when water has blue or similar colour
5, I do not like frames (of all map and legends)
6, I do not know but names of non playable areas (Great Novgorod, Holy Roman Empire...) do not fit with the map

you again show your great graphics skill . my notices are only small design things.

[porkenbeans]

this looks great. just some notices:
1, I think delete trees at the coast...
2, please try to save legends as I did them. I mean legend of Land bonuses especialy.
3, some colours looks very similar (Estonia - East Prussia)
4, I more like when water has blue or similar colour
5, I do not like frames (of all map and legends)
6, I do not know but names of non playable areas (Great Novgorod, Holy Roman Empire...) do not fit with the map

you again show your great graphics skill . my notices are only small design things.

1.)- X out the trees that you do not want.
2.) The contents of the legends needs to be reduced and streamlined as much as possible. Things like "added each turn" are NOT needed. My hopes are that you can reduce the amount of the text, and that would go to slimming down the bulk of all that "legend" action.
Like on Reconquista, you are trying to push new boundaries with complexity. I like that, but you must try to at the same time, make it easy to understand. Every time that you find yourself having to explain something in the legend, you are adding to the complexity. So ask yourself, is this necessary, or can it be cut. You know that something needs to be cut when you have more legend than map.
3.) Yes, I agree here. Some tweaking is in order.
4.) I can do that. However, With the overall desaturation of color, I thought that it looked best when I took out the "blue" water.
5.) The frames were just thrown in to show basic shapes. Once those shapes are finalized, the choice of frames can then be addressed.
6.) Yes, this too needs to be tweaked.

[theBastard]

my English is poor, so each help is very welcome.
but maybe I did not exactly explain what I mean with "save legend"as I did them. only save borders around Terra Mariana and Order State as it was. so not divide all legend as you have now.

and there will be also bonus for Hanseatic towns +1 for 3.

[porkenbeans]

my English is poor, so each help is very welcome.
but maybe I did not exactly explain what I mean with "save legend"as I did them. only save borders around Terra Mariana and Order State as it was. so not divide all legend as you have now.

and there will be also bonus for Hanseatic towns +1 for 3.

All of the text in the legends are only there to show the available space. You need to redo the legend text as you see fit. Keep in mind that I only have a very limited amount of wiggle room when it comes to changing the size and/or shapes of the boxes. So, see what you can come up with. If there are English corrections, I will be glad to help you. If you need me to change location or shape of the boxes, I can do that. Meantime, I will see about making the water blue. Also, remember to show me witch trees to loose.

[Industrial Helix]

I like a blue ocean and the current set up is too graphic intensive for a nonplayable area. It totally blows out the playable map.

The cheesy powerpoint graphics effect used for Greater Poland and the other non-playable areas has got to go.

Love, love, love what you did with the trees. Adds a whole lot more feeling to the map.

I really dislike the overlapped picture frames thing going on with the insets, ect. What's wrong with putting it all on one page?

Speaking of frames, the biggest frame looks a little cheap. Perhaps a lightly patterned border is best.

Do your colors match the legend? I'm having a very hard time matching things up.

The additional bonus regions, like Papal Legarus and Riga, are very difficult to find. You should make the added regions more distinct.

[porkenbeans]

Click image to enlarge.

[Industrial Helix]

The ocean looks a lot better, though increasing the white on the coasts is desirable.

Everything else I mentioned still stands though.

[porkenbeans]

I like a blue ocean and the current set up is too graphic intensive for a nonplayable area. It totally blows out the playable map.

OK, I added some blue. I think it looks good both ways, but that blue does kick ass.
I like the "graphic intensity". And, I think that it works exceptionally well with this map.

The cheesy powerpoint graphics effect used for Greater Poland and the other non-playable areas has got to go.

Yep, I agree. This was a last moment thing that I added before saving the file, and hitting the hay. I did not get around to polishing that up. But you can see the idea, (to differentiate from the "playable" text).

I really dislike the overlapped picture frames thing going on with the insets, ect. What's wrong with putting it all on one page?

What exactly is it that you dislike ?
There is a good reason why I chose to simulate separate "framed" pictures. It is because, well, first off, I hate insets to begin with. I feel that a map should try to have a certain amount of negative space, in the way of areas that are non-playable areas. In other words, a good map is one that does NOT cram insets into every non-playable area. You only end up with a map that is closed in, and crowded feeling.

I believe that no more than 10% of a good map should be allocated to insets. This map looks to be around 3 times the ideal 10%.

So, My idea was to give the map that needed "breathing" room. Consistently, I moved all insets to the bottom non-playable area. This allows for large swath of ocean to give the feeling of wide open space. The nautical lines helps to give interest to the area.

The reason behind the separate frames is, To help with that 30% inset problem. Having the insets on a different plain from the map is a must. It could be accomplished with big drop shadows, but I thought that the separate frames goes even a step further in creating separation from the map.

Speaking of frames, the biggest frame looks a little cheap. Perhaps a lightly patterned border is best.

The frames do need to be swapped out for better ones, but the overall theme and composition are much to my liking.

[natty dread]

Looking good!

Pork, just one small thing... why do you use transparency on your map graphics? You know all the maps are converted to JPEG when they go live and JPEG does not support transparency as far as I know...