USA 2.1 [10 Mar 2013] Beta Baby!!

[cairnswk]

Isaiah40...i registered my negative sentiment for this map initially, but then i guess if the community wants another rail map, then you can have this one.
I applaud you for attempting this, but the current version to me is very intense and kinda squashed. I know you are still drafting it, but is there any chance you could heighten it more so that all the aspects in each state aren't too squashed. I think you have plenty of room there.

[isaiah40]

Isaiah40...i registered my negative sentiment for this map initially, but then i guess if the community wants another rail map, then you can have this one.

Thank you Master cairns!

I applaud you for attempting this, but the current version to me is very intense and kinda squashed. I know you are still drafting it, but is there any chance you could heighten it more so that all the aspects in each state aren't too squashed. I think you have plenty of room there.

This is exactly what I am doing now! I am working at keeping the top for the legend area, you know the 68 bonuses have to go somewhere, so I am pushing everything down. This means that the map won't have the shape of the US, but close to it.

[ManBungalow]

It doesn't need to look like the USA map pack, remember...

[isaiah40]

It doesn't need to look like the USA map pack, remember...

Yea, I know, I just want to get close "Ya know what I mean Vern?"

This is taking a little longer than expected, but I'm almost done rearranging, and I must say it is looking better. Hopefully in a couple of days as time permits I'll get a new update up!

[Victor Sullivan]

Yeah, I know those time permits are hard to get. I always forget my damn Social Security card...

-Sully

[RjBeals]

Why don't you use call-out lines for those little areas, and have the circles/labels off the sides of the map.
Like I did with USA.

[isaiah40]

Why don't you use call-out lines for those little areas, and have the circles/labels off the sides of the map.
Like I did with USA.

I don't see how that will help with this map, but I will play around and see. For know here is version 5.

Changes made:
Moved the states around a bit and enlarged them.

Things to do:
Add in legend and bonus values.
If I have room, add in Alaska and Hawaii

Click image to enlarge.

[koontz1973]

Nice. Very nice.

Thanks for adding some 888s to the map, as least I can see the size comparison.
I love the background, is that the final one or are you going to play with it some more?

isaiah40, I am going to suggest this now (incase you decide to do it) and it really is up to you, but the map looks really messy, beautiful but messy (going to be great for 1v1 speed games ).
I know that you have spent a lot of time copying over the map packs and arranging them, but it might be nice to have the states separated equally. Some are almost touching while others have lots of room. Some have weird cut outs with the neighbouring states do not have the matching part (like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing).

If I have not made sense, then I can post an example and if you do not want to do it then OK, I am still going to play this a lot. I really need a new BIG map.

[natty dread]

Sorry but I have to say... this is a mess. Something needs to be done graphically to simplify & unclutter this.

Firstly, I'd suggest moving away from the "jigsaw-puzzle" look of the original maps. The style works for the smaller, simpler piece-of-usa maps, but not for this one... by which I mean, remove the "gaps" from between the states, replace them with normal border lines. Second, the highway connections... try a simpler, sleeker style for them... something less cluttery, maybe make them thinner and remove the thick strokes... and the army circles can be made smaller and simpler.

All in all, I think you need to move away from the style of the original map pack, and maybe consider looking into other map projections, that could give you more space... the map has potential, but in it's current incarnation, I don't see it as a very user-friendly map...

[isaiah40]

I know that you have spent a lot of time copying over the map packs and arranging them, but it might be nice to have the states separated equally. Some are almost touching while others have lots of room. Some have weird cut outs with the neighbouring states do not have the matching part (like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing).

I agree that some of the states don't match up with the ones next to them, I'll get to that in time (like graphics as this doesn't affect gameplay). As for the other states that have lots of room between them, well that is so the army numbers aren't overlapping each other and the territory names. I am going to play around with it some more and try dj's suggestion to see how it works.

As for the background, I'm looking for other backgrounds to use.

Sorry but I have to say... this is a mess. Something needs to be done graphically to simplify & unclutter this.

Hey it's a work in progress!!

Firstly, I'd suggest moving away from the "jigsaw-puzzle" look of the original maps. The style works for the smaller, simpler piece-of-usa maps, but not for this one... by which I mean, remove the "gaps" from between the states, replace them with normal border lines.

See response to koontz above.

Second, the highway connections... try a simpler, sleeker style for them... something less cluttery, maybe make them thinner and remove the thick strokes... and the army circles can be made smaller and simpler.

The interstates only have a 1px stroke on them. I could try going with a 3px size for them. I am also looking at removing a couple of the interstates to "unclutter" the map as well.

All in all, I think you need to move away from the style of the original map pack, and maybe consider looking into other map projections, that could give you more space... the map has potential, but in it's current incarnation, I don't see it as a very user-friendly map...

As I have mentioned I expect this to have an extended stay here in the drafting room, but I am looking at other ways to get this done!

[Gillipig]

Darn isaiah some of the coffee I was drinking went down my lungs when I saw this map. USA meets Hive and I like it!! Brilliant idea that continues on the same road as the smaller maps focusing on different parts of US. You'll have a hard time with the legend though. There are so many bonuses that need to be displayed. Also are you going to have a roof on the territory bonuses or just continue on as usual? 100 regions gives 33 troops or a fixed amount?

[porkenbeans]

Sorry, but I do not have the time right now to read the entirety of this thread. But, I thought that I would offer up my first impressions that only a set of "new eyes" can provide.

Yeah, there is certainly a whole lot going on, (not a bad thing necessarily). I think that if you experiment with a drop shadow on the roads, you can visually clear things up a bit.

Good luck on this one friend, you have a nice start here.

[isaiah40]

Darn isaiah some of the coffee I was drinking went down my lungs when I saw this map. USA meets Hive and I like it!! Brilliant idea that continues on the same road as the smaller maps focusing on different parts of US. You'll have a hard time with the legend though. There are so many bonuses that need to be displayed. Also are you going to have a roof on the territory bonuses or just continue on as usual? 100 regions gives 33 troops or a fixed amount?

I hate it when soda goes down the wrong way! Anyways I haven'
t given a lot of thought about the territory bonus just yet, but that is an idea that is well worth looking into! I was thinking of just having a mini-map split apart with the bonuses on it. That will save room and should be easier to decipher what bonus is what.

[Gillipig]

I was thinking of just having a mini-map split apart with the bonuses on it. That will save room and should be easier to decipher what bonus is what.

That's probably the best idea unless it's so small we can't see it clearly enough. Maybe you could do a sketch off it just to make sure it's possible to see the bonuses on the mini map? As I recall it it's around 50 different bonuses and the mini map may well be so cluttered that it'll be hard to make sense of it!

[Bruceswar]

the more I look at this map... The more it looks very cluttered.

[ironsij0287]

Just a thought. But maybe tone down the colors of the states to a rather muted palette of 4-5 colors. That might help it look less messy and also make the highway colors pop out more.

[porkenbeans]

Just a thought. But maybe tone down the colors of the states to a rather muted palette of 4-5 colors. That might help it look less messy and also make the highway colors pop out more.

Yes, darker muted colors. this and the drop shadow on the roads. This will lift them up from the map, thus helping to give it separation.

Also, unless you were to make this map larger, I would just go ahead and loose the territs that are not on the highway system. This will De-clutter things a bit.

[koontz1973]

Just a thought. But maybe tone down the colors of the states to a rather muted palette of 4-5 colors. That might help it look less messy and also make the highway colors pop out more.

Yes, darker muted colors. this and the drop shadow on the roads. This will lift them up from the map, thus helping to give it separation.

Also, unless you were to make this map larger, I would just go ahead and loose the territs that are not on the highway system. This will De-clutter things a bit.

isaiah40 has to have the colours the same, if not very close to the same as the map pack, same goes with the territs not on the highways, or this is not the map pack mega map. It might be cluttered, it also might be somewhat hard to read, but that is one of the biggest things going for this right now. Why have supersized maps if the mapmakers cannot use the space to its full potential.

[porkenbeans]

Just a thought. But maybe tone down the colors of the states to a rather muted palette of 4-5 colors. That might help it look less messy and also make the highway colors pop out more.

Yes, darker muted colors. this and the drop shadow on the roads. This will lift them up from the map, thus helping to give it separation.

Also, unless you were to make this map larger, I would just go ahead and loose the territs that are not on the highway system. This will De-clutter things a bit.

isaiah40 has to have the colours the same, if not very close to the same as the map pack, same goes with the territs not on the highways, or this is not the map pack mega map. It might be cluttered, it also might be somewhat hard to read, but that is one of the biggest things going for this right now. Why have supersized maps if the mapmakers cannot use the space to its full potential.

Well something needs to be done. You can still keep to the original colors, just Tweak them a bit. Do the drop shadow as I suggested on the highways. You will be surprised at how making them in relief, will help this situation out. Make the highways contrast with the rest of the map by making one dark and the other light. Highways=light Territs=dark.

[isaiah40]

Okay this is just a preview of what I'm doing. It looks less cluttered to me. This is actual size of everything on the small.

[koontz1973]

Nice and it is clearer. One question though looking at this.

Highways 90 and 80 run next to each other with territs placed on both (Goshen, Cleveland etc). Are these placed on both or either one?

[isaiah40]

Nice and it is clearer. One question though looking at this.

Highways 90 and 80 run next to each other with territs placed on both (Goshen, Cleveland etc). Are these placed on both or either one?

Both.

[isaiah40]

New version, hopefully it is less cluttered looking. I am currently working on the color scheme. I am working on doing the colors for each region. The Southwest bonus is done and I am working on New England.

Interstates have been reduced, along with the circles and stars. The circles are currently at 18x18, the smallest I can go on them.

Click image to enlarge.

[Victor Sullivan]

Wouldn't Southwest include New Mexico? As far as colors go, I don't think that should be as high on you priorities list as the legend, tbh.

-Sully

[isaiah40]

Wouldn't Southwest include New Mexico? As far as colors go, I don't think that should be as high on you priorities list as the legend, tbh.

-Sully

Actually to get the legend done I need the colors done first. The Rocky Mountain bonus area colors are going to be changed, so yes NM will be different.