USA 2.1 [10 Mar 2013] Beta Baby!!

[Gillipig]

Too many symbols in Alaska! I suggest you make it look like the other bonuses without any helicopters. Make 1 connection to the mainland through boat and 1 through airplane. Same thing in Hawaii. I think that would make it fair and not as messy.

[koontz1973]

Have to agree with Gillipig on the symbol overload. Remove the helicopters and use the roads.

As for cross map movement, if you want it, use D.C. (still a +1 auto I presume) with something like all airports connect to D.C. So right now you get, Honolulu, Anchorage, Los Angeles and D.C. all connecting. Should make for some interesting moves.

[cairnswk]

Have to agree with Gillipig on the symbol overload. Remove the helicopters and use the roads.

Are there any roads in that part of Alaska? that warrants the removal of the helicopters.

For symbol overload...i tried to find New York and couldn't see it for that highway symbol.
i'd like to see the highway symbols removed unless you plan on using them for bonuses. i think they're too much extra on such a cramped map.

As for cross map movement, if you want it, use D.C. (still a +1 auto I presume) with something like all airports connect to D.C. So right now you get, Honolulu, Anchorage, Los Angeles and D.C. all connecting. Should make for some interesting moves.

How about NYC to Chicago to Seattle and Newark to Atlanta to SFO as well.

isaiah40, i was concerned about the size of the army circles and checked them and you've done well at 18px there, but the stars come in at 16px and that might be a squeeze.

I must say you're doing this project extremely well and i'm amazed that it is all fitting in. i like that you've included Alaska and Hawaii also.

I have an issue with the bright colours of the States...they are very bright and will perhaps need some opacity cover later.

i also think this map shouldn't be in drafts still, we all know what you map intentions are and right now you're developing gameplay as well as still putting it all together...so i say it could do with a Draft Stamp and a move!

[isaiah40]

Too many symbols in Alaska! I suggest you make it look like the other bonuses without any helicopters. Make 1 connection to the mainland through boat and 1 through airplane. Same thing in Hawaii. I think that would make it fair and not as messy.

Well considering there are no roads going from Fairbanks to either Nome or Barrow, this is the most logical solution.

Have to agree with Gillipig on the symbol overload. Remove the helicopters and use the roads.

As for cross map movement, if you want it, use D.C. (still a +1 auto I presume) with something like all airports connect to D.C. So right now you get, Honolulu, Anchorage, Los Angeles and D.C. all connecting. Should make for some interesting moves.

See above. I'm not too sure about having an airport on D.C.. I think it would that player too much of an advantage with the +1 autodeploy.

Have to agree with Gillipig on the symbol overload. Remove the helicopters and use the roads.

Are there any roads in that part of Alaska? that warrants the removal of the helicopters.

See above.

For symbol overload...i tried to find New York and couldn't see it for that highway symbol.
i'd like to see the highway symbols removed unless you plan on using them for bonuses. i think they're too much extra on such a cramped map.

Yes I will be using the Interstate system as bonuses as well.

As for cross map movement, if you want it, use D.C. (still a +1 auto I presume) with something like all airports connect to D.C. So right now you get, Honolulu, Anchorage, Los Angeles and D.C. all connecting. Should make for some interesting moves.

How about NYC to Chicago to Seattle and Newark to Atlanta to SFO as well.

I was thinking of Chicago and JFK. Atlanta would be good, giving a player an opportunity to get to the southeast. Newark well I think I'll leave that one out. SFO, to not make the map any more cluttered, how about if I just leave that one out. So that would mean you would have 6 airports all connected to each other, thus making cross map travel a little easier. I like this!

isaiah40, i was concerned about the size of the army circles and checked them and you've done well at 18px there, but the stars come in at 16px and that might be a squeeze.

I must say you're doing this project extremely well and i'm amazed that it is all fitting in. i like that you've included Alaska and Hawaii also.

I have an issue with the bright colours of the States...they are very bright and will perhaps need some opacity cover later.

Thank you!! With the stars, I think that with the numbers on them, you will still them and know that they are stars. I posted a snapshot earlier with the 888's on the circles and stars earlier to show that everything was fitting in. As for the bright colors of the states, I was trying to stay with the colors from the map pack, but with everything going on, I have to redo the colors. I'm leaning on the brighter colors for the states and the darker colors for the interstates and secondary highways. If I go for slightly darker/subdued/desaturated colors for the states, then I would go with brighter colors for the highways. I think that bright states and dark highways is the ways to go here, as I can use black for the secondary highways with a slight outer glow, which won't conflict with any of the interstates.

i also think this map shouldn't be in drafts still, we all know what you map intentions are and right now you're developing gameplay as well as still putting it all together...so i say it could do with a Draft Stamp and a move!

Yea well since I can't do it myself, I just have to wait for one of the FA's to do it.

[isaiah40]

Okay, finally finished off all the highways and the legend area - though it still needs work. Separated Alaska and Hawaii out and placed them in their own bonus region. Started adding in the interstate bonuses.

Click image to enlarge.

[Gillipig]

The road bonuses adds another element strategy wise but also makes it harder to get a quick view of the map. I like it because it allows for more complicated strategy but I'm not sure if the casual cc'er is going to like it. If you want this map to be a good and frequently used 8 player escalating map I suggest you remove the road bonuses. Simplicity is sometimes underrated. Personally I like the mix between road bonuses and normal territ bonuses just like Thyseneal.

[Gillipig]

Too many symbols in Alaska! I suggest you make it look like the other bonuses without any helicopters. Make 1 connection to the mainland through boat and 1 through airplane. Same thing in Hawaii. I think that would make it fair and not as messy.

Well considering there are no roads going from Fairbanks to either Nome or Barrow, this is the most logical solution.[/quote]
It doesn't have to be 100% accurate if it improves the gameplay or graphics of the map. And it's not like people are going to feel outraged that roads that doesn't exist have been drawed out. Try to not have too many symbols. This map is complicated enough already with it's pure size, the addition of Hawaii/Alaska and the road bonuses.
sorry for my double post lol

Edit:
Can't see a reason as to why this map is still in the melting pot!?

[Peter Gibbons]

Possible solution the the Alaska helicopter/graphic issue...

Note that Anchorage and Juneau are connected by a dotted line. You never say whether that's an air or sea route. And I think it works perfectly. My solution would be as follows:

Make each connection a dotted-line, thereby indicating it's not a traditional road connection, but not specifying what it is or cluttering it with graphics:

Barrow-Nome
Barrow-Fairbanks
Nome-Fairbanks
Anchorage-Juneau
Juneau-Seattle

I think the last one is very important. Given that Anchorage-to-Juneau is a dotted line, I really think the connection to Seattle needs to be the same. Otherwise, people are going to miss it (I almost did, and I knew you had inserted it!).

[Flapcake]

why has this cool map not been stamped yet?

You can not stamp it yourself at the request of the community ?

[Gilligan]

The road bonuses adds another element strategy wise but also makes it harder to get a quick view of the map. I like it because it allows for more complicated strategy but I'm not sure if the casual cc'er is going to like it. If you want this map to be a good and frequently used 8 player escalating map I suggest you remove the road bonuses. Simplicity is sometimes underrated. Personally I like the mix between road bonuses and normal territ bonuses just like Thyseneal.

Disagree...The original map pack had highway bonuses, it would be weird for this to not. Besides, I think it adds a good element to the gameplay and fits in quite nicely.

[chapcrap]

I think this is looking pretty good the way it is. I would keep all the current symbols. I think at the bottom left, where it explains the Honolulu connection, I think it would be to say all *airplane picture* connect.

Other than that, I think it looks good. A lot of the highway bonuses will be difficult to hold because of their length.

[isaiah40]

I think this is looking pretty good the way it is. I would keep all the current symbols. I think at the bottom left, where it explains the Honolulu connection, I think it would be to say all *airplane picture* connect.

Other than that, I think it looks good. A lot of the highway bonuses will be difficult to hold because of their length.

Thank you. I could put in the bottom left or under the mini-map this:

[Airport Symbol] connects the followings cities: Honolulu HI, Anchorage AK, Los Angeles CA, Chicago IL & New York NY.
[Heliport Symbol] connects the following cities: Fairbanks AK, Nome AK and Barrow AK.
[Ferry Symbol] connects the following cities: Juneau AK, Anchorage AK and Seattle WA

Would this work? This would match up with the mini-map so people can see where the state is and look there.

[dowian2]

[NOTE: I'm not a mapmaker, and I rarely post in the foundry. This is purely from a player's perspective.]

I love the idea of this map. I like some of the Map Pack, and dislike some of it, but this is a brilliant idea. However, the shape of the states is killing me right now. The map is easy to read, but very rough geographically - just not my preference. I understand you can't be perfectly accurate, but the shapes of my two home states (MN and IA) is painful.

Just my two cents.

[thisisausername]

Can anyone tell me why Goshen Indiand is on this series of maps? I grew up in northern Indiana and Goshen is a tiny little town that is only not insignificant because of a menonite college there. Where as South Bend is right next door and and is the fourth biggest city in the state.

[Gillipig]

Will there be bonuses for number of total territs held? 3 for 1, 4 for 12, 5 for 15.

[isaiah40]

Can anyone tell me why Goshen Indiand is on this series of maps? I grew up in northern Indiana and Goshen is a tiny little town that is only not insignificant because of a menonite college there. Where as South Bend is right next door and and is the fourth biggest city in the state.

Goshen is on the original Great Lakes USA map pack, so it is on here as well.

Will there be bonuses for number of total territs held? 3 for 1, 4 for 12, 5 for 15.

I haven't decide quite yet. I was thinking of having a max of like 15, but need more input on it.

Will have an update sometime this next week.

[koontz1973]

I haven't decide quite yet. I was thinking of having a max of like 15, but need more input on it.
Will have an update sometime this next week.

Never really liked the idea of max reinforcements because if this comes down to a 1v1 random game, it is too sodding hard to get anywhere in the early rounds.

If you did reinforcements as 1 for every 5 territs then in a 1v1 games you start with 16 (1 more than your max) which seems high but with 244 territs, is not that many. You would then need to take 6 before the second player loses 1. Then in a 8 player game, you get 6, which is nice for this size of map, (having to lose 5 before a lose of troops). At least this way, you give players a chance and a reason to get aggressive and not hold back and try for the bonuses.

[Industrial Helix]

Been thinking about moving this one on...

But, The route bonus, imo, should go up where the other bonuses are and, I think it should state specifically the amount of the bonus. Currently it reads "Hold all cities along for a bonus." I mean the bonus could be pancakes for all we know (and I'd be pretty cool with that). but instead of getting me all worked up for whatever I hink the bonus should be, you should specify presumably, the number of troops. That way a player doesn't spend 58 turns capturing these roads with pancakes in mind only to get 40 troops... not worth it imo, I'd take the pancakes over 40 troops in any game.

[isaiah40]

Been thinking about moving this one on...

But, The route bonus, imo, should go up where the other bonuses are and, I think it should state specifically the amount of the bonus. Currently it reads "Hold all cities along for a bonus." I mean the bonus could be pancakes for all we know (and I'd be pretty cool with that). but instead of getting me all worked up for whatever I hink the bonus should be, you should specify presumably, the number of troops. That way a player doesn't spend 58 turns capturing these roads with pancakes in mind only to get 40 troops... not worth it imo, I'd take the pancakes over 40 troops in any game.

Yea been tied up with RL recently, I still have to finish the Interstate bonus part.

[isaiah40]

I'm hoping to get another update this weekend sometime.

[isaiah40]

Finished adding in the bonuses for the interstates.

Things to do: A whole lot of stuff!!

Click image to enlarge.

[MoB Deadly]

Keep up the great work, I cant wait to play this

[Industrial Helix]

Welp, I see what I wantedto see, upward and onward

[moved]

[ViperOverLord]

I love it the concept and application. I wonder about the bonus structure though. It seems like bonuses could rack up fast and make for a lot of one sided games.

[isaiah40]

I love it the concept and application. I wonder about the bonus structure though. It seems like bonuses could rack up fast and make for a lot of one sided games.

Any suggestions for the bonuses? One suggestion was to have it +1 for every 5 territories, while another was to limit the reinforcements to a max of like 15. So you would get a max of 15 plus whatever bonus you hold.