DiM wrote:i have received the pm and have come to comment. unfortunately my post will probably not suit your taste but you asked for it

anyway, first of all i repeat my problem from the earlier post, the usage of real photos and the copyright issue.
i see you have removed the windows logo but you stil have the windows sidebar the icon for nero burning rom, etc. that's copyright infringement.
also if i'm not mistaking the usage of a real keyboard photo is also copyright infringement.
plus the photo looks bad. look at the top of the keyboard, it's al smudgy and blurry, probably from when you cut it from a bigger image.
that being said i also think the map is really cramped because of the usage of a photo and the big legend.
what i'd do is draw a keyboard and add a one line legend like this:
any key can attack any other key. form a word and you get + for each letter in the word. for a list of words visit any english dictionary.
of course it would be a HUGE xml to code in absolutely all the words in the english dictionary.

Hmm, It's a moments work to remove the whole task bar entirely. It was only there for the look. It may as well go. It'll even make the map a little shorter

or I could space the text out a tiny bit more.
Now every key is its own layer... I haven't done anything with the background shell of the keyboard, but if I make a layer out of it, and then restroke it, and all the keys, I'm going to get the effect you're looking for? I'd be stupid not to use the -entire- layout and setup, and try and create the exact same image, except it'll look more created, and less real.
This is the only map of its kind on CC. It's the only technology map using things that would be right in front of everyone right now. Give it a bit of leeway. Do the graphics look real? Sure they look a bit generated... we're not trying to deny reality here. Yes this is a photo of a keyboard that's been shopped up real nice. I am a retro gamer, and I've always been one who prefers gameplay over graphics. I don't need a game to blow my mind away... just be reasonably usable.. and I've been starting at these images pretty steadily for several months and I'm not crazy yet...
Surely using a photo that is publically posted on the internet, is not watermarked or otherwise owned, and especially since all the work on that image has been done in australia. Technically when I brought the image onto my computer, I broke it's US copyright... but we don't recognise that here in Aus

So it's my image. I've done all the work on it, someone else just did point - click - upload... sheesh.
Tacktix. - a 2D keyboard? why would you suggest a reduction in the quality of graphics? I don't see how that would alter the playability of the map, or be a positive change. There are very few smudges on this image

some stamping, sure, and that can be cleaned up with reasonable photo editing. But does it have to be perfect? it's better resolution than reality anyway

Marvaddin - I appreciate the notice of effort

. I think it will have nice appeal. As long as the gameplay is reasonably sound, and I think we've done a fair bit to ensure that it will be, it is a map that some people will like, and others will not. It's a specialist one, but it offers an interesting and different angle on gameplay that may appeal to some. So while I appreciate you think it sucks... give it a chance for those of us who want to play it.