13 Colonies Quenched!

[MrBenn]

You're so very nearly there - there are only two things that I can see as issues:

1. The legibility of the text on the small map could be improved - the script font you've got is really unclear at a small size - is there any chance you could find one that is slightly easier to read?

2. The legend box in the bottom corner with the two soldiers is a bit confusing. The red and blue don't correspond to anything on the map, when it looks like they might refer to the red/blue territories. I like the graphic you've used, but think it might make more sense to bring the two columns closer together, and have +1, +2 etc on the right?

[Industrial Helix]

Ok, This addresses most concerns. Special thanks to Killing for showing me how to make my lines smoother, it's def. gonna help in all my future projects as well.

The only thing I am hesitant to change is the small map font. I really don't want to break the link with the large map and I don't want to change the font overall as I think no font really matches the map quite as well as this one. The suggested Jefferson font is really cool, but I think its even more illegible at this size than the current font is. I really don't think it is impossible to read that small and I want to pursue it as is. Should this map ever get to Beta testing and there are large scale complaints, then I'll swap it out for something new. But I really think it is fine the way it is.

[bigimg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Shone/13Col13bonusesHOLDsmall-1.jpg[/bigimg]

[bigimg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Shone/13Col13bonusesHOLD-1.jpg[/bigimg]

[jefjef]

Ok. 1 thing been bugging me. The stars & stripes are just too dingy looking. Can ya brighten it up. Whiter whites - redder reds. Honor it with really good coloring. I think the legend would show up better too. (and that 3 still looks a little closed on the top loop.)

[the.killing.44]

美！C'est mon amour

[pamoa]

just a minor point
can you remove part of the hull of the ships
so they are in the water
not floating over it

[natty dread]

^ good point. Add some wave-like effect on the waterline too.

[isaiah40]

Anyway you can make those NY borders a little darker? I'm having a hard time deciphering where the territories are connecting. Other than that, looking good! Let's get this thing Gr'd!!

[jefjef]

That Boston ship keel does needs flattened out again IH.

Trouble seeing NY borders? huh.

Well please brighten the stars & stripes flag.

[Industrial Helix]

Ok, this should have implemented the changes you guys suggested.

For the flag, I didn't get too bright because the whole of the map has a faded look to it, I didn't want to lose that but I did saturate it and lighten it up a bit.

[bigimg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Shone/13Col13bonusesHOLDsmall-2.jpg[/bigimg]

[bigimg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Shone/13Col13bonusesHOLD-2.jpg[/bigimg]

[natty dread]

Looks great! The waves under the boats could use a tiny bit of smoothing though.

[isaiah40]

Looks great! The waves under the boats could use a tiny bit of smoothing though.

Smooth waves?? Isn't that like an oxymoron - smooth and wavy?

THank you IH, I can now see where that NY border goes a whole lot clearer Now where is that Gr stamp??

[isaiah40]

Looks great! The waves under the boats could use a tiny bit of smoothing though.

Smooth waves?? Isn't that like an oxymoron - smooth and wavy?

THank you IH, I can now see where that NY border goes a whole lot clearer Now where is that Gr stamp??

[natty dread]

Isn't that like an oxymoron - smooth and wavy?

No...?

[jefjef]

Nice! That did make the legend clearer too. Ship waves work.

Could ya open that 3 in the legend a smidgen? The top loop of it. Am I just nit picking?

[gimil]

Hi Industrial Helix,

Sorry I haven't said anything about this map sooner, but I haven't really been active.

I have to say that your map doesn't feel to me to be of an acceptable standard to be ready to move on with a graphics stamp. This seem n part the fault of the foundry who haven't given the map enough attention to raise the graphics standards. I don't think the theme you have is bad, but I do know that your image needs to be more refined to bring the theme together and tidy it all up.

If you like I can discuss things with you via MSN, skype or PM give you an idea of what I think needs done (I find it easier to discuss maps in these mediums). Alternatively I can give you advice on what I think needs done in a post later on when I have a little more time.

Sorry to bring this on you at such a late stage, had I been around I am sure I would of said it earlier. Sorry if I have upset or frustrated you by saying this.



Cheers,
gimil

[Industrial Helix]

Ok, not what I wanted to hear but... yeah. Gimil is helping me with some refinements. He mentioned the color saturation, which I upped though not to his recommendation. It doesn't look too bad without losing the rustic feeling I was going for. Also mentioned was the consistency of the interior borders, which, now mentioned, did need improvement. So I'm working on that atm.

Also, I'm looking for an alternative font to use and i need any and all possible suggestions:

One consideration is: http://www.fontspace.com/john-stracke/e ... 743-italic either in Italics or regular. I seems to fit the period, but I don't like how blocky the letters are. I'm still hunting for something else that will read small better than the current choice.

Other possibilities are:
http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/UglyQua
http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/Powell-Antique

I do like this one, which has more clarity and still the same hand written style, albeit 100 years after the Rev.
http://www.fontspace.com/jaz/lewiscarroll

This one is similar to what I've got, but perhaps more clarity:
http://www.fontspace.com/fontgrube/civitype-fg

Any and all thoughts are appreciated on this.

[MrBenn]

Of the fonts you listed above, I'd pick uglyqua or lewiscarrol; I think the others are either too blocky, or overly ornate.

Hopefully gimil will give you some good tips; the only thing I can see that has been missed, was a suggestion I made a while back about adding some parchment to the bottom-right so that the minimap looks less like an island, and more like an overlaid bit of map - particularly now you've got the soldiers illustrated there too

[the.killing.44]

http://www.dafont.com/1550.font
http://www.dafont.com/oldstyle-hplhs.font

Highly recomend the latter

[Industrial Helix]

[bigimg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Shone/13ColFONTsmall.jpg[/bigimg]

Ok, I swapped some of the fonts to UglyQua... I liked 1550 but at this scale it looks like a blocky version of uglyqua which does the job nice enough... Lewis Carrol looked nice when I saw it, but on this map it seriously makes it look like Alice in Wonderland.

Uglyqua fits the bill I think, I might roll with it and just cut my future problems when no one can read the font... though I really like the current font used. Stupid small maps

Now, while I'm here I'll show off the border redraw and color saturation changes... thoughts?

[bigimg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Shone/13Col13bonusesHOLD-3.jpg[/bigimg]

As for the parchment idea, I see your point, I just don't know how to fit in any more stuff on this map. I'll give it a try and see what I come up with.

[the.killing.44]

Make it even smaller, but nice. See what faux italics look like, if the font doesn't come with an italicized version.

[Industrial Helix]

Faux Italics didn't do a whole lot for me... I shrunk it down a tad more as suggested. It's def. more readable, but I think the style is gone. Function over form, right?

[bigimg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/Shone/13ColFONTsmall-2.jpg[/bigimg]

[the.killing.44]

I'd go even smaller, to be honest.

[cubfanpgh]

As long as you're doing the old-style type, you might want to consider using the "long s" ſ. It might be confusing, so it's a judgment call, but you should consider it.

[Industrial Helix]

killing - Go smaller? I dunno. I think as small as the mini-map is already pushing it. I'll give it a shot, but I think it might be too small.

cubfan... not sure what you're talking about. Can you explain more?

[jefjef]

Well if it is really a problem, which I don't think it is, you could use the parchment back ground with burnt edges to follow the contour. (Even have it as the Dec of Ind.)