Paris - V10 (May 28) (pgs. 1 & 9) - FEEDBACK PLEASE!!

[Flapcake]

I'm using GIMP, and I think what I'm going to do is redraw the map following natty's GIMP tutorial

It was just what I had in mind then it cant go wrong, is a very useful tool

[sempaispellcheck]

Version 3, finally! I am sorry about the delay, and I hope you find it worth the wait!

Small:

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Large:

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If anyone has any advice on how I can get illustrations of my landmarks into GIMP (preferably without having to draw them out), 'twould be appreciated.

Also, I realize now that I made the army circles too small. That will be fixed in the next update.

[Flapcake]

Hi sempaispellcheck

First one thing thats not about the map, whats easy for every one is that you post the images on the last page aswell as the first, you already have sayd in the headline that you have V3 at pgs 1 & 2, what is the correct way to put it then we dont have to look at both pg 1 and ---> to see what is written and the image (hope i made my self understandble)

Now your new update about the blurness, much better, its just about gone (hurray ) You got all seperate colors for bonuses now, thats good.

I certainly see an improvement in you map but you have some things you need to sort out.

The outer border, its very rough and pixilated, did you use a pencil tool ? use a brush ( 3 pix for outerborders) I have my brush for borderlines set with 90% transparency, it gives a softer look. ofcourse it depend on how the image appears (soft vs. hard)

The armycirkles, same rough and pixilated, I think you can skip the cirkles in the territories and keep the ones for Ligne, but they are also rough and pixilated.

Innerborder from Montmartre/Gare du nord to La villette, delete the littel piece that crosses over

The flag for bagground is much better, the "red" side just seems kind of "pink" to me

I like your improvements and you are on track for a very nice map, keep it up

Flap

[DoomYoshi]

Here are some graphics I found. I searched :

Code: Select all

sacre-couer paris icon

and it gave the image. Some are stock photos or free-use, others are not. I am only including them here so you can get an idea of what is possible to find on the web.

[sempaispellcheck]

whats easy for every one is that you post the images on the last page aswell as the first

Done.

Now your new update about the blurness, much better, its just about gone (hurray ) You got all seperate colors for bonuses now, thats good.

I certainly see an improvement in you map

Thank you. I worked hard on this update, and I'm glad to hear that it shows.

but you have some things you need to sort out.

Of course.That's why it's in the Drafting Room.

The outer border, its very rough and pixilated, did you use a pencil tool ? use a brush ( 3 pix for outerborders) I have my brush for borderlines set with 90% transparency, it gives a softer look. ofcourse it depend on how the image appears (soft vs. hard)

I did use a brush - 9 px fuzzy circle at 0.50 scale, as natty suggests in his tutorial. I'll try a smaller brush for my next version and see how it works.

The armycirkles, same rough and pixilated, I think you can skip the cirkles in the territories and keep the ones for Ligne, but they are also rough and pixilated.

If you think I can skip them, I probably will - that way the XML won't give me as much of a headache with centering and all that. I'll work on the ones for the Métro - maybe use a smaller brush or something. I have to make them larger anyway, so that might help.

Innerborder from Montmartre/Gare du nord to La villette, delete the littel piece that crosses over

Sure. That's an easy fix.

The flag for bagground is much better, the "red" side just seems kind of "pink" to me

To me, too. I'll fix that.

I like your improvements and you are on track for a very nice map, keep it up

Flap

Thank you!! And thanks for all the feedback, it really helps.

[sempaispellcheck]

DoomYoshi -

You are amazing. That is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. Thank you so much.

[sempaispellcheck]

OK - Here it is: Version 4.

Small

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Large

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Changes: Fixed flag background so red didn't look pink, redid bonus borders and removed outlines on army circles to fix pixelation, and FINALLY figured out how to add landmark illustrations - many thanks to DoomYoshi for that last.

[nolefan5311]

Have you thought about making the background look more like a waving flag, like ?

I think it adds a nice little touch to it.

[sempaispellcheck]

I have, actually, but I went about it the wrong way when I tried it, so I gave up.
Now that I think I know how to do it, I'll try again.
V4.1 to be posted shortly.

[sempaispellcheck]

HERE we go.

Version 4.1:
Small

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Large

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Changes: Replaced flag background with WAVING flag background.

[sempaispellcheck]

At the risk of sounding impatient (which I am ), about how far is this map from its Draft stamp?

[isaiah40]

For the flag, I think it would look better and cleaner if you do what Flapcake did with the Danish flag on his Denmark map.

[sempaispellcheck]

My whole idea has been that the French flag would be the background for the map. I can't use water like Flap does - Paris is landlocked, and it's not like a country or a state where it borders 4 or 5 other places - Paris has a LOT of suburbs, and they all have fairly long names (Issy-les-Moulineaux, for example).

[koontz1973]

I think the three big issues right now for me are these...

The current flag background is not very nice, isaiah40 idea of using the same thing as Flapcake on Denmark should really bring the map to life.Not with the water or on a small scale, but covering the whole of the maps background. (Look at the style)

The images you have for the landmarks are so so. None of them fit the map as it is, all of them have different orientations and all are drawn different ways.

The amount of text for such a small map is overbearing. Try to cut some if not half out. Should be able to do that simply.

koontz

[sempaispellcheck]

Oh! My apologies, isaiah, I misunderstood you. I'll find a better flag.

The images were the best I could find. I'll look some more and find better ones.

I'm assuming you mean the text at the top? Aw, I liked it. I thought it was funny. Oh well. I can cut it.

[isaiah40]

isaiah40 idea of using the same thing as Flapcake on Denmark should really bring the map to life.Not with the water or on a small scale, but covering the whole of the maps background. (Look at the style)

No, I meant on the small scale like on Denmark. If you do have it covering the whole background, then you will need to subdue it so that it is barely visible. Just enough that you can see it, and just enough that it doesn't detract from the playable area.

[koontz1973]

Oh! My apologies, isaiah, I misunderstood you. I'll find a better flag.

Look below.

The images were the best I could find. I'll look some more and find better ones.

Why not draw them yourself. That way you do not have copyright to deal with.

I'm assuming you mean the text at the top? Aw, I liked it. I thought it was funny. Oh well. I can cut it.

Thats right, the text. Some of it can stay and some you will need, but see what can be cut without losing the flavour.

isaiah40 idea of using the same thing as Flapcake on Denmark should really bring the map to life.Not with the water or on a small scale, but covering the whole of the maps background. (Look at the style)

No, I meant on the small scale like on Denmark. If you do have it covering the whole background, then you will need to subdue it so that it is barely visible. Just enough that you can see it, and just enough that it doesn't detract from the playable area.

Did not mean to put words into your mouth. But you are right. A barely there map would be best. Why not something like nattys London with an image as well?

[sempaispellcheck]

Why not draw them yourself. That way you do not have copyright to deal with.

Because I can't really draw. I could try, but they would be barely recognizable, if at all.

If you do have it covering the whole background, then you will need to subdue it so that it is barely visible. Just enough that you can see it, and just enough that it doesn't detract from the playable area.

Meaning reduce the opacity? I can do that.

[sempaispellcheck]

Why not something like nattys London with an image as well?

Because it would make the landmark illustrations redundant.

Or should I scrap the landmark illustrations and go with that?

[happy2seeyou]

I like the layout, not sure about the flag in the back gound when there are random bright colors on the map. Also, the wording on the top is hard to pay attention to. Maybe the flag could be lighter, like the state flags in the "Great Lakes" map (flags are more muted but still seen). Also, maybe fix the legend on the side a lil. Great job so far though

[sempaispellcheck]

the wording on the top is hard to pay attention to.

Yeah, I've cut a lot of it. I put it in because I thought it was funny, but it's not really necessary.

Maybe the flag could be lighter, like the state flags in the "Great Lakes" map (flags are more muted but still seen).

I'll try that in my next update.

Also, maybe fix the legend on the side a lil.

How? Can you be a bit more specific?

Great job so far though

Thanks!

[happy2seeyou]

Also, maybe fix the legend on the side a lil.

How? Can you be a bit more specific?

ND with the auto bonus doesn't need to be explained that it is not apart of any other bonus. If you figure out your background flag, you can have the legend without an eyesore of a large white box. Also, you could make their fonts in the legend more bold with the font being the appropriate color of each bonus (Africa, London, Montreal, San Francisco..) OR... have a mini diagram with the bonus numbers large on them (Japan, Kingdom of Denmark, Land and Sea..)

Make the fonts less like you are typing a paper for a report.

Do something cool with your name on the bottom and get rid of the "mapmaker:", if your name is on it, they know who made it.

Do you really have to state what places start as a neutral?

Try making the bridges better, instead of a straight line use a thicker curve.

I'll leave you alone for now.

[sempaispellcheck]

ND with the auto bonus doesn't need to be explained that it is not apart of any other bonus.

Do you really have to state what places start as a neutral?

I did that so that people in the foundry would know, but I guess I can just put that stuff in the first post.

Good suggestions, man. Thank you for those - I should have some fun working on them.

[happy2seeyou]

ND with the auto bonus doesn't need to be explained that it is not apart of any other bonus.

Do you really have to state what places start as a neutral?

I did that so that people in the foundry would know, but I guess I can just put that stuff in the first post.

Good suggestions, man. Thank you for those - I should have some fun working on them.

Anything that doesn't really need to be on the map but you want the foundry to know can just be posted in your first post.

I look forward to seeing your updates

[sempaispellcheck]

Version 5:
Small - 600x540

Click image to enlarge.

Large - 800x720

Click image to enlarge.

Changes: Better flag background with reduced opacity, cut unnecessary text (even though I liked it ), revamped legend (bye bye, white box), cool new sig (people may not get it, but that's OK), and new landmark illustrations.

Still to do: Experiment with fonts (I've been using GIMP's default (Sans) for convenience, but apparently that's too academic). Any advice on this would be GREATLY appreciated.