Quad Cities Map [Quenched]

by **ironsij0287** on Wed Aug 10, 2011 2:46 pm

Update with a "blurb" added.

Click image to enlarge.

by **Victor Sullivan** on Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:06 am

Nice. I like it.

-Sully

by **jasholz** on Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:36 am

used to live in davenport
cant wait to play this one

by **AndyDufresne** on Thu Aug 11, 2011 9:05 am

Blurb is nice. If you can edit it and cut it down a little more, it might be even better.

--Andy

by **ironsij0287** on Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:36 am

AndyDufresne wrote:Blurb is nice. If you can edit it and cut it down a little more, it might be even better.

--Andy

I agree. Let me work some editing magic to it.

by **ironsij0287** on Tue Aug 16, 2011 12:15 pm

Small Map

Click image to enlarge.

Large Map

Click image to enlarge.

- Edited text blurb
- Created small version
- XML also updated to fit new map both Large and Small version.

by **AndyDufresne** on Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:19 pm

What if the blurb text was edited more, to something like this:

"The Quad Cities actually consists of five neighboring cities flanking the Mississippi River in Iowa and Illinois in the Midwestern United States.

Before WWII, the area was know as the 'Tri-Cities,' and as the cities and area grew in population, it became known as the 'Quad Cities.' Population continued to grow, however, and 'Quint Cities' was a proposed name to adjust to the developing cities. However, 'Quad Cities' had become known well beyond the area, thus leaving the curious case of the 5 member cities making up the 'Quad Cities."

Or something like that, to cut it down more.

--Andy

by **Victor Sullivan** on Wed Aug 17, 2011 4:23 pm

Meh, I don't think it's really necessary to cut it down, I like the blurb, and it fits (in theme and spacial-ly).

-Sully

by **AndyDufresne** on Thu Aug 18, 2011 4:03 pm

Victor Sullivan wrote:Meh, I don't think it's really necessary to cut it down, I like the blurb, and it fits (in theme and spacial-ly).

-Sully

I like the blurb too---there is just so much information that makes it difficult to read at its size, and it seems like there is some extraneous information in it as well.

--Andy

by **Victor Sullivan** on Thu Aug 18, 2011 6:44 pm

AndyDufresne wrote:
Victor Sullivan wrote:Meh, I don't think it's really necessary to cut it down, I like the blurb, and it fits (in theme and spacial-ly).

-Sully

I like the blurb too---there is just so much information that makes it difficult to read at its size, and it seems like there is some extraneous information in it as well.

--Andy

I suppose you have a point with the small version. Perhaps have a shorter blurb for the small? Or would that be too "un-uniform"? I am, at least, a fan of those maps that have sort of "Easter Eggs" when you upsize to the large. Like I think Celtic Nations has a poem on the large version.

-Sully

by **ender516** on Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:57 pm

Both Celtic Nations and England have a poem visible only on the large map.

by **ironsij0287** on Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:46 pm

So do I keep it on the large and nix it on the small?

by **DiM** on Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:12 am

i say keep it on both. i can read it perfectly on the small maps and if somebody can't then he/she can simply switch to the large to read it. it's not like that's the most important text on the map and needs to be visible from across the room.

1. if you remove it from the small and leave it on the large then the small map remains with an ugly empty space there.
2. if you remove just a part of it from the small and leave the full text on the large then the people who only use small maps will never see the full story.
3. if you remove part of the text from both large and small then interesting info will be lost.

by **ironsij0287** on Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:38 am

DiM wrote:i say keep it on both. i can read it perfectly on the small maps and if somebody can't then he/she can simply switch to the large to read it. it's not like that's the most important text on the map and needs to be visible from across the room.

1. if you remove it from the small and leave it on the large then the small map remains with an ugly empty space there.
2. if you remove just a part of it from the small and leave the full text on the large then the people who only use small maps will never see the full story.
3. if you remove part of the text from both large and small then interesting info will be lost.

Yeah, I agree with all of this.

by **Victor Sullivan** on Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:10 pm

With point #2, that's precisely what I think is cool! I think you should go with 2.

-Sully

by **ironsij0287** on Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:22 pm

I'm fine with how the blurb is right now on the small map, and I think removing more text from it will degrade the explanation.

XML: download/file.php?id=221

Small Map http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a193/ ... 2small.jpg

Click image to enlarge.

Large Map http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a193/ ... sk3_02.jpg

Click image to enlarge.

by **thenobodies80** on Wed Aug 24, 2011 1:06 pm

.....I must agree with the people who thinks that the text on the small version is really small :-k

by **ironsij0287** on Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:31 pm

Increased opacity and font size of the text blurb. Does that make it a little more clear?

by **cairnswk** on Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:50 pm

ironsij0287...the story text on the small map is good for me now.
But there are three things that i beleve can be improved upon, and i know you've probably been over them with others...but IMHO it would help improve the map greatly
1. the river name texts needs to be slightly brighter/bigger so that is legiable, evne though it is superfluous to gameplay
2. the stort text on the large map needs increased size or opacity so that it is more legible...i say this because those who still cannot read the small map text will be able to read it on the large map
3. i do wish you would decrease or get rid of the inner shadow of the citys' outside border...i am sorry to say this but is simply makes the map look grubby.
Other than that it is well improved on where it was last time i commented some weeks ago.

by **ironsij0287** on Thu Aug 25, 2011 10:04 am

cairnswk wrote:ironsij0287...the story text on the small map is good for me now.
But there are three things that i beleve can be improved upon, and i know you've probably been over them with others...but IMHO it would help improve the map greatly
1. the river name texts needs to be slightly brighter/bigger so that is legiable, evne though it is superfluous to gameplay
2. the stort text on the large map needs increased size or opacity so that it is more legible...i say this because those who still cannot read the small map text will be able to read it on the large map
3. i do wish you would decrease or get rid of the inner shadow of the citys' outside border...i am sorry to say this but is simply makes the map look grubby.
Other than that it is well improved on where it was last time i commented some weeks ago.

1. I'll work on those. I've been wondering about them tooo.
2. easy fix, consider it done.
3. I decreased once already. I'll play around with it again and see how it looks.

by **ironsij0287** on Thu Aug 25, 2011 10:41 am

Updated map.

XML: download/file.php?id=221

Small Map http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a193/ ... 1small.jpg

Click image to enlarge.

Large Map http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a193/ ... 1large.jpg

Click image to enlarge.

Changes in v.7.3.1

- increased opacity and font size on Story Text in bottom left to make them more legible.

- changed river labels to new font and style to make them more legible

- Changed inner shadow around whole region, reducing opacity and switching from multiply to color burn, thus making it appear less "grubby" and dull.

by **hoschke118** on Mon Aug 29, 2011 4:05 am

I'm not sure why, but I just read through almost this entire thread. I've got nothing to add at this stage. It looks great and I can't wait to play it. Also, I'm so glad you kept the gameplay simple.

by **cairnswk** on Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:18 am

For me, ironsij8287, the maps look a whole lot better now.

by **pamoa** on Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:23 am

I must say you have now a good simple city map
as it says simple is not easy
one point you can improve is the Vandruff Island colour
as it is very narrow and you have emboss effect on it
it is hard to tell if it is part of Rock Island or Blackhawk
especially if you think their will be an army counter all over it
what you have to do is to make the red a little bit stronger
so it would be more certain it is part of Blackhawk