Rail Africa [Quenched]

[ender516]

Okay, I still get 74 places to put troops, as follows:

Code: Select all

ABA : Ambanja : Madagascar
. 01 ABA_O
ABJ : Abidjan : Cote D'ivoire
. 02 ABJ_D
. 03 ABJ_G
ACC : Accra : Ghana
. 04 ACC_G
ALG : Alger : Algeria
. 05 ALG_B
ATV : Antananarivo: Madagascar
. 06 ATV_O
BAM : Bamako : Mali
. 07 BAM_F
BEC : Bechar : Algeria
. 08 BEC_D_E
BGZ : Banghazi : Libya
. 09 BGZ_B
BRK : Brazzaville-Kinshasha : Dem Rep of Congo-Congo
. 10 BRK_H_I
CAI : Cairo : Egypt
. 11 CAI_A
. 12 CAI_B
. 13 CAI_C
CPT : Capetown : S Africa
. 14 CPT_M
. 15 CPT_N
CSB : Casablanca : Morocco
. 16 CSB_D
. 17 CSB_B
DJB : Djibouti : Djibouti
. 18 DJB_H
DKR : Dakar : Senegal
. 19 DKR_B
. 20 DKR_F
. 21 DKR_G
DSM : Dar Es Salaam : Tanzania
. 22 DSM_K
. 23 DSM_M
DUR : Durban : S Africa
. 24 DUR_N
FTN : Freetown : Sierra Leone
. 25 FTN_G
GOA : Goa : Mali
. 26 GOA_D
. 27 GOA_F
HRE : Harare : Zimbabwe
. 28 HRE_J
KMP : Kampala : Uganda
. 29 KMP_A
KNG : Kananga : Dem Rep of Congo
. 30 KNG_I
KTM : Khartoum : Sudan
. 31 KTM_A
KTO : Kuito : Angola
. 32 KTO_H_J
LSK : Lusaka : Zambia
. 33 LSK_M_J
LUB : Lubango : Angola
. 34 LUB_L
LVS : Livingston : Zambia
. 35 LVS_M
LXR : Luxor : Egypt
. 36 LXR_A_C
LYN : Laayoune : Western Sahara
. 37 LYN_E
. 38 LYN_B
MDU : Mogadishu : Somalia
. 39 MDU_K
. 40 MDU_F
MOU : Moundou : Chad
. 41 MOU_J_H
MPO : Maputo : Mozambique
. 42 MPO_K
MYA : Mbeya : Tanzania
. 43 MYA_A
. 44 MYA_I
. 45 MYA_M
NDJ : N'djamena : Chad
. 46 NDJ_F
NIA : Niamey : Niger
. 47 NIA_D_F
NOU : Nouakchott : Mauritania
. 48 NOU_B
NRB : Nairobi : Kenya
. 49 NRB_K
NYL : Niyala : Sudan
. 50 NYL_F
. 51 NYL_J
PRA : Pretoria : S Africa
. 52 PRA_J
. 53 PRA_K
. 54 PRA_L
. 55 PRA_M
. 56 PRA_N
PSN : Port Sudan : Egypt
. 57 PSN_C
PTN : Pointe-Noire : Congo
. 58 PTN_I
. 59 PTN_J
PLZ : Port Elizabeth : S Africa
. 60 PLZ_N
QLM : Quelimane : Mozambique
. 61 QLM_K
RBK : Rabak : Sudan
. 62 RBK_A
. 63 RBK_F
. 64 RBK_H
. 65 RBK_J
. 66 RBK_K
SWK : Swapokmund : Namibia
. 67 SWK_L
TLR : Toliara : Madagascar
. 68 TLR_O
TUN : Tunis : Tunisia
. 69 TUN_E
. 70 TUN_B
WDH : Windjoek : Namibia
. 71 WDH_H
. 72 WDH_L
YND : Yaounde : Cameroon
. 73 YND_G
. 74 YND_J

Oh well, 74 it must be. It'll all come out in the xml, i'm sure.

I thought it important to straighten out, since knowing the possible drops is important to gameplay discussion.

[cairnswk]

...
I thought it important to straighten out, since knowing the possible drops is important to gameplay discussion.

Well at this time i don't want to spend anymore time on this, i'm happy if you have 74.

[thenobodies80]

Although, as you know, i'm not a fan of this type of maps, there is something in this one that attracts me.
I'm of the opinion that Rail Africa is the best map of your rail series and also that it is certainly ready for the main foundry.



onward and upward!
thenobodies80

[cairnswk]

....
onward and upward!
thenobodies80

Thanks thenobodies80

[cairnswk]

Interesting that there is almost a three-way tie at present

[cairnswk]

Votes anyone???

[cairnswk]

3 way tie 4 days out - needs a break away result, please.
Sorry to keep bumping.

[ender516]

I've already voted, but when it is this close, I would say it is at the artist's discretion.

[cairnswk]

I've already voted, but when it is this close, I would say it is at the artist's discretion.

Mmmm...voting has moved a bit.

[cairnswk]

Result of voting shows a preference for the traditional lines.

Version 10

Some changes:
1. change of background colours and insertion of some terrain indicators.
2. split of MOU station and add BGU
3. Change to colours on RBK station to align with CPT station...the pink and green combination didn't look right
4. Biggest change is movement of the large hub from Pretoria to Capetown. This has been done because on previous verions the slope of the PRA station footings crossed paths and didn't work with the rest of the design...it seemed at cross purposes.
In order to recotfy that, the Capetown station lent itself more to the design slope of the background lines and RBK footings.
so, some changes around the CPT station to work that in better.
5. Change of destinations on ticket.
6. Insertion of the lines resutling from voting.
7. Addtion of the Asian continent in background.



[bigimg]http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/cairnswk/RAIL%20AFRICA/_rail_africa_V10L.jpg[/bigimg]

[thenobodies80]

Poll Result

Which type of rail lines would you prefer?

A. Cairnswk originals for this map - black and colored bars.........7........28%

B. Traditional two lines with sleepers.................................11........44%

C. WMs Single line with sleepers.......................................7.........28%

Total votes : 25

[Night Strike]

A lot of good changes with this update. The traditional rails do look better on this new background than they did on the previous one.

The only issue I see at the moment is the stations at RBK have changed order since your previous versions. I think if you leave the A in its position, then clockwise go K, H, J, F; that will fit with the direction of the rails.

Again, good update.

[The Neon Peon]

Very good update, I love it.

Some gameplay...
- La Madagascan and El Pharoad Exp are 3 territories, 2 borders and worth 2 troops? 1 troop seems more reasonable, although I think the neutral on C-CAI will need to be moved then. I don't think it makes it worth 2 troops. Way too easy to take and hold.
- The Desert Exp is also overpowered in my opinion, only two defending territories and worth 3 troops, I would reduce it to 2.
- SA Blue Line needs to be raised to 3 in my opinion. Firstly, this would follow the general pattern of 1 troop less than the amount of territories in the bonus you have, and secondly the neutral and the Capetown territory make it difficult to take and hold.

Graphics...
What is the "s" infront of "AFR1800"?

Good map, keep 'em coming.

[cairnswk]

This is the bonus structure that my spreadsheet obtains.

CONTINENT.....Ters.Def..Att...Ngh..Bonus
Nile Liner........5.....4.....9.....8.....5
Gr Nor Exp.......8.....5.....7.....6.....6
Pharaoh Exp.....2.....2.....3.....3.....2
Sahara Express.3.....5..... 7.....4.....5
Continental......7....5......7.....6.....6
Ivory Exp........5.....3.....4.....4......3
The Inlander....5.....5.....13.... 7.....6
the Equatorial..3.....3.....5.....4......3
the Viper........8.....8.....13...10.....9
East Coaster....7.....5.....8.....8..... 6
Desert Express.4.....2.....5.....4.....3
Victoria Falls Ex.5....5.....11....7.....6
Blue Line........4.....3......5.....5.....3
the Algerian....2......3.....4.....2.....2
la Mdagascan...3..... 3.....2.....2.....2
DupStations 7
Total 78

A lot of good changes with this update. The traditional rails do look better on this new background than they did on the previous one.

Good

The only issue I see at the moment is the stations at RBK have changed order since your previous versions. I think if you leave the A in its position, then clockwise go K, H, J, F; that will fit with the direction of the rails....

Because the colours are more eye-catching that the rail positions, i have electred to go with colours that compliments the color scheme, rather than have neon purple and green sticking out like sore thumbs.

Very good update, I love it.

Good.

Some gameplay...
- La Madagascan and El Pharoad Exp are 3 territories, 2 borders and worth 2 troops? 1 troop seems more reasonable, although I think the neutral on C-CAI will need to be moved then. I don't think it makes it worth 2 troops. Way too easy to take and hold.
- The Desert Exp is also overpowered in my opinion, only two defending territories and worth 3 troops, I would reduce it to 2.
- SA Blue Line needs to be raised to 3 in my opinion. Firstly, this would follow the general pattern of 1 troop less than the amount of territories in the bonus you have, and secondly the neutral and the Capetown territory make it difficult to take and hold.

I have re-worked the bonuses on the spreadsheet...see if you come up with the some again.

Graphics...
What is the "s" infront of "AFR1800"?

Dollar sign. Fixed V11 below.
ADA - Adis Ababa added. Gotta feed the Ethiopians



[bigimg]http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/cairnswk/RAIL%20AFRICA/_rail_africa_V11L.jpg[/bigimg]

[captainwalrus]

Why is the M line all messed up in the bonus key?

[cairnswk]

Why is the M line all messed up in the bonus key?

CW. it's the font...it splays the foot of the M outward rather than leave it vertical

[cairnswk]

Is there something else player want to see on this map?

[ender516]

Why is the M line all messed up in the bonus key?

CW. it's the font...it splays the foot of the M outward rather than leave it vertical

Initially, I didn't see anything particularly wrong with the M line, but once I started looking, I noted that many of the lines seem to have the text bouncing up and down relative to the baseline (N and O lines being fairly obvious). Closer examination shows the M line jumping too, but the contrast is lower with the red text, so it is not as glaring. Is this an artifact of rotating the text by something less than 90 degrees? Perhaps if you constructed the rail pass unrotated, then converted the whole thing to a bitmap or some such thing, then rotated it, the text would stay lined up. Of course, it might affect the clarity, so I leave it to you.

Am I getting ahead of the game here? Are you looking for a graphics stamp or a gameplay stamp right now?

[cairnswk]

Why is the M line all messed up in the bonus key?

CW. it's the font...it splays the foot of the M outward rather than leave it vertical

Initially, I didn't see anything particularly wrong with the M line, but once I started looking, I noted that many of the lines seem to have the text bouncing up and down relative to the baseline (N and O lines being fairly obvious). Closer examination shows the M line jumping too, but the contrast is lower with the red text, so it is not as glaring. Is this an artifact of rotating the text by something less than 90 degrees? Perhaps if you constructed the rail pass unrotated, then converted the whole thing to a bitmap or some such thing, then rotated it, the text would stay lined up. Of course, it might affect the clarity, so I leave it to you.

I understand what you are saying...and i'll look into the up and down thing of the text.
I don't want to convert the ticket on its horizontal construction into a bitmap as, yes, that will affect clarity and the overall look of the image. At this point it is producing an image in .jpg that is 300dpi, and i an really happy with that. so i'll t least check it anyway.

Am I getting ahead of the game here? Are you looking for a graphics stamp or a gameplay stamp right now?

No, you're not getting ahead of the game, and as i am still not happy with this, i thought i'd throw it out there for suggestions as to what some others might think wo-uld make this look more like a map with the flavour of Africa.
Suggestions?

[captainwalrus]

At this point it is producing an image in .jpg that is 300dpi, and i an really happy with that. so i'll t least check it anyway.

Unrelated to the map, what does dpi stand for?

[danfrank]

At this point it is producing an image in .jpg that is 300dpi, and i an really happy with that. so i'll t least check it anyway.

Unrelated to the map, what does dpi stand for?

possibly dots per inch

[cairnswk]

At this point it is producing an image in .jpg that is 300dpi, and i an really happy with that. so i'll t least check it anyway.

Unrelated to the map, what does dpi stand for?

Dots per inch...it's the printing standard.
Most places (well here in Australia anyway, i don't know about elesewhere) won't print or publish some things like photos unless they are 300 dpi. This gives a very sharp quality to print images as opposed to 72 dpi for the web as the standard.

[cairnswk]

Any more input to this map?

Current Version 11



[bigimg]http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s282/cairnswk/RAIL%20AFRICA/_rail_africa_V11L.jpg[/bigimg]

[The Neon Peon]

I think we should just skip final forge and quench it right now. Everything on the map is done, which is why no one is commenting. I don't understand why this map has so few stamps.

[SultanOfSurreal]

I think we should just skip final forge and quench it right now. Everything on the map is done, which is why no one is commenting. I don't understand why this map has so few stamps.

Pretty much agreed, I see nothing to keep this from at least getting dual gameplay/graphics stamps.