[Abandoned] Phantasia Altitudinis

[koontz1973]

koontz, nice start
just something i noticed on the graphic side...
if you've got marshland on the coast...should there be an edge to the coastline there...the terrain would dip to the sealine wouldn't it?

They are also commonly zoned into lower marshes (also called intertidal marshes) and upper or high marshes, based on their elevation with respect to the sea level.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_marsh

Honestly, I have no idea how it would effect the mashland being on top of a cliff. That would all depend on the height of the cliffs would it not? Having the three villages next to the coast (Ora, Iuxta Mare and In Alto), previously I wanted to add the sea routes in using the same style of vessel as Vertex/Austrum but needed the room for the legend, so I had always thought of the cliffs to be not in any way high.

What would be your suggestion if any?

[dolomite13]

How much do your decays actually decay every turn? ..... I assume a rather large number that's not worth mentioning. As I understand the xml you can set it to decay and amount like 100,000 if you want and that would pretty much cover it. I have seen 30,000+ troops on a territory once. But I don't think their is an easy way to say that a territory decays down to 1 regardless of the number. But I could be wrong.

Why is Mines ==assaults==> Mons one way? and the same question for In Alto and Tumulosus.

+1 for every 6 connected regions seems like it will be rather difficult to code the xml for. I like the idea that you could have 6 territories across the board and not have a bonus. But you may want to reconsider this as you move to xml.

All of the images on the map are soooooo small. I think it may work out better to make your working file a higher resolution like 300dpi and shrink the map to its small size. That way when its time to save it out at a larger size it will look even more fantastic and you will know that all the buildings are completely identifiable at the smaller size. I am now doing that will all maps going forward after Krazy Kingdoms because that was so difficult to get right at the small size.

For the winning condition I almost feel like you should add a sea port to it so they would need to hold "Lord Corelio", "Turris Duo", "Turris Union", and one of these three (In Alto, Iunta Mare, Ora).

I love the script font but it is not all that readable. I believe you can find a decent script style font that is more readable than that one on dafont.com

Just my 13 cents worth

=D13=

[ViperOverLord]

From a strictly aesthetic p.o.v. this map looks great.

And w/o having really studied the game play dynamics, I do like that there appears to be nuances.

[koontz1973]

Why is Mines ==assaults==> Mons one way? and the same question for In Alto and Tumulosus.

In the centre you have the last castle ruled over by Lord Corelio, who is a brutal man. So the whole idea behind the map is to destroy him. Hence the one way attacks from Mines to Mons (secret passages used by rebels) and from In Alto to Tumulosus is the only path up the mountain but too dangerous to come back incase Lord Corelio has spies watching. I hope that answers the question, it is all part of the story for this land.

How much do your decays actually decay every turn?

Extremely high. I believe the xml will read 99999 max but with the size of map, I doubt troops will get over 100000.

+1 for every 6 connected regions seems like it will be rather difficult to code the xml for. I like the idea that you could have 6 territories across the board and not have a bonus. But you may want to reconsider this as you move to xml.

It is the same for Vertex and Austrum but for them it is only four connected but within a bonus region. This map does not have bonus regions so I needed to make the connections longer so players cannot get huge bonuses until the end game. Also, unlike Vertex/Austrum, this map has a few small bonuses to fight over (towers, farms, villages). As for programming it for the xml, it is very easy to do but it just makes the bonus part of the xml slightly longer than normal but not too long.

The other reason for the bonuses as they are is (and the reason I refer to those maps) Vertex and Austrum. This map is set within the same world as those two. My plan is to keep making maps based on that world zooming in and out of different parts of it.

For the winning condition I almost feel like you should add a sea port to it so they would need to hold "Lord Corelio", "Turris Duo", "Turris Union", and one of these three (In Alto, Iunta Mare, Ora).

Winning condition now includes a village (not posted the image yet).

I love the script font but it is not all that readable. I believe you can find a decent script style font that is more readable than that one on dafont.com

A cross from Vertex/Austrum. It works on those maps so it will stay here as well. I just need to tidy it up and is on my list.

Version 3.

Click image to enlarge.

[dolomite13]

I love the script font but it is not all that readable. I believe you can find a decent script style font that is more readable than that one on dafont.com

A cross from Vertex/Austrum. It works on those maps so it will stay here as well. I just need to tidy it up and is on my list.

I have trouble reading it there as well. Must just be me. No worries.

=D13=

[koontz1973]

I love the script font but it is not all that readable. I believe you can find a decent script style font that is more readable than that one on dafont.com

A cross from Vertex/Austrum. It works on those maps so it will stay here as well. I just need to tidy it up and is on my list.

I have trouble reading it there as well. Must just be me. No worries.

=D13=

A few said that over that text as well. I do not think it is the font or size but because I have it at that slant. I will look again for a better font as I do like the slant to it. Makes it more unique.

[dolomite13]

I love the script font but it is not all that readable. I believe you can find a decent script style font that is more readable than that one on dafont.com

A cross from Vertex/Austrum. It works on those maps so it will stay here as well. I just need to tidy it up and is on my list.

I have trouble reading it there as well. Must just be me. No worries.

=D13=

A few said that over that text as well. I do not think it is the font or size but because I have it at that slant. I will look again for a better font as I do like the slant to it. Makes it more unique.

I like the slant. I have trouble with it at all sizes and orientations. I must just have a mental block against script

=D13=

[koontz1973]

dolomite, I have made the text here slightly darker. It makes it a lot easier to read and want to see if this helps you before I go about changing all of the text to another script. Just remember, all of the region text is Latin so it is not meant to be read unless you are a doctor.

Would you be happy for me to leave it like this?

Click image to enlarge.

[dolomite13]

dolomite, I have made the text here slightly darker. It makes it a lot easier to read and want to see if this helps you before I go about changing all of the text to another script. Just remember, all of the region text is Latin so it is not meant to be read unless you are a doctor.

Would you be happy for me to leave it like this?

Oddly that is so much more readable... its odd how making it slightly darker can make all the difference. I checked it on 3 different monitors and my laptop just to make sure and its good across all of them now.

=D13=

[koontz1973]

dolomite, I have made the text here slightly darker. It makes it a lot easier to read and want to see if this helps you before I go about changing all of the text to another script. Just remember, all of the region text is Latin so it is not meant to be read unless you are a doctor.

Would you be happy for me to leave it like this?

Oddly that is so much more readable... its odd how making it slightly darker can make all the difference. I checked it on 3 different monitors and my laptop just to make sure and its good across all of them now.

=D13=

Excellent. That makes my life so much easier. And thanks for that. Any other points you want to raise before I push for a stamp?

[dolomite13]

I don't think either of these should hold up the Draft or Gameplay stamps but would probably need to be looked at before a Graphics stamp...

Honestly a dotted line up into the mountain and across the mountain for the two one way connections (similar to the look of a sea route but with an arrow on one and showing direction) and a small path from Mons that ends at the mountains would do a lot to show that connection. Right now your only clue is to read the legend and locate the territories on the map but on the map the only visible clue is a single tiny tunnel entrance.

The little black smudges (I can't tell what they are supposed to be) for Cecidit and Tritus are a bit close to the trees and hard to find them without getting my face up against the screen.

=D13=

[koontz1973]

Honestly a dotted line up into the mountain and across the mountain for the two one way connections (similar to the look of a sea route but with an arrow on one and showing direction) and a small path from Mons that ends at the mountains would do a lot to show that connection. Right now your only clue is to read the legend and locate the territories on the map but on the map the only visible clue is a single tiny tunnel entrance.

Will see what I can come up with. Not liking the idea of an arrow but will make sure it is very clear without having to read a legend.

The little black smudges

Destroyed castles. Not really meant to be anything more than an icon but will make them a bit larger and use this size for the small map.

[koontz1973]

Calling this version 4. The destroyed castles are now in the process of burning. The symbol is a lot larger and should be easier to see considering they decay all troops. Been looking into the arrow/routes situation for the one way attacks. I cannot find one I like so unless anyone has an idea on how to do it without destroying the artwork, I will remove the one way attacks from the map and find a different game play to use instead.
Version 4.

Click image to enlarge.

[Aleena]

I like the addition of the castles on fire...

[cairnswk]

koontz, nice start
just something i noticed on the graphic side...
if you've got marshland on the coast...should there be an edge to the coastline there...the terrain would dip to the sealine wouldn't it?

They are also commonly zoned into lower marshes (also called intertidal marshes) and upper or high marshes, based on their elevation with respect to the sea level.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_marsh

Honestly, I have no idea how it would effect the mashland being on top of a cliff. That would all depend on the height of the cliffs would it not? Having the three villages next to the coast (Ora, Iuxta Mare and In Alto), previously I wanted to add the sea routes in using the same style of vessel as Vertex/Austrum but needed the room for the legend, so I had always thought of the cliffs to be not in any way high.

What would be your suggestion if any?

Yes you are correct about the marshes. I had not thought about the internal (non-tidal) ones.
if they were along the coast i would expect they were tidally influenced and would either lower the top of the cliff to the sea-level or give them a waterfall as you've done with near "InAlto", or give them a river that leads somewhere. A mixture of terrain might be nice.
Anyway, mute point really if you don't want to change it

Now about the glow around the forests...is that meant to be shade or grasslands?

[koontz1973]

or give them a river that leads somewhere.

This idea I like. Not needed but I have set myself an ideal on this map and this would fit in with that ideal.

Now about the glow around the forests...is that meant to be shade or grasslands?

Both. All the forests have the grassland (different from what is in the open) beneath them with the shading going to the right and top of them like the mountains. The reason for the different grassland would be because you get different types of grasses/flowers/bushes within forests.

[koontz1973]

Sorted out my one way attacks. Added two new symbols to show these. Legend now complete. Worked out my starting numbers (a very bad 29). But reinforcements are not normal so the number is OK. 1-15 regions 3 armies only, 15+ 5 armies. This is very similar to the knights idea and it works well on that map.
Neutrals are now on the map.

Click image to enlarge.

[dolomite13]

Looking better =)

Under the one way attacks... you may want to put the name of those territories as well. As you use the same city icons elsewhere on the map. Unless you intend for Ora to be able to one way assault Tumulosus.

=D13=

[koontz1973]

Looking better =)

Under the one way attacks... you may want to put the name of those territories as well. As you use the same city icons elsewhere on the map. Unless you intend for Ora to be able to one way assault Tumulosus.

=D13=

This is my intention at the end.

Trying to get the one way attacks onto the map without adding too many new symbols or a line/arrow. I had to do this for Mines and Mons though. So all of the town icons will attack the rebel tower.

[dolomite13]

Looking better =)

Under the one way attacks... you may want to put the name of those territories as well. As you use the same city icons elsewhere on the map. Unless you intend for Ora to be able to one way assault Tumulosus.

=D13=

This is my intention at the end.

Trying to get the one way attacks onto the map without adding too many new symbols or a line/arrow. I had to do this for Mines and Mons though. So all of the town icons will attack the rebel tower.

I see ... I think I like that =)

=D13=

[koontz1973]

I see ... I think I like that =)

I aim to please.

[DearCyrus]

Did you draw your mountains "by hand"? They look fantastic. I do find your artistic font in the legend to be a bit hard to read though. Maybe it's just me?

[koontz1973]

Did you draw your mountains "by hand"? They look fantastic. I do find your artistic font in the legend to be a bit hard to read though. Maybe it's just me?

Mountains are by hand like all of the symbols. I only cheated with the forests by making a huege one and cropping where I needed it.

As for the text, you are not the first and while resistant to this change, I aim to please.

Click image to enlarge.

[DearCyrus]

I am sensing a pattern here...

[koontz1973]

Simple changes whilst I wait.

Click image to enlarge.