by nhulbert on Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:21 am
For me, any maps that are an eyesore just to read all of the rules, followed by a headache trying to remember and apply all of them, take a bit of the fun out of it. I definitely like when new elements are implemented into maps but it is really a killjoy when it lacks clarity and simplicity.
I greatly dislike that the Napoleon map and Das Schloss have some elements that are not clearly marked, like the names on the Das Schloss parachutes lining up the wrong troops, or the Napoleon map having an entire region that cannot be attack by artilery for no apparent reason.
There are also some maps, such as cricket or baseball, where it seems like you first have to have knowledge of how the actual sport works in order to understand what is connected with what. Another thing that I can't stand about Das Schloss is that you have to try to figure out what all of the German words mean yet the directions are actually in english (I.E. Helicopter > Hubschrauber, etc.)
In addition, another thing I really can't stand is when you can't tell when countries are included in a region because the colors are not contrasting enough. There are many maps that I have had this problem with but the biggest one that I currently remember is the Napoleon map. When you look at the key and try to see how much each region is worth, it is almost impossible to tell which colors are which for sure because some of them are only off from each other by a shade.
Lastly, the biggest thing is that maps need to be cleeeeaaaarrrrly marked so that you don't run into situations like where you waste a turn trying to take someone out, only to realize there is one tiny thing that you can barely see that prevented you from going all the way, whether it be how countries are connected, colors, placement, or even sometimes names not making sense.
These are all elements that, when done right, definitely make a map far more enjoyable for me.