California [Quenched]

[The Bison King]

[bigimg]http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/6892/californiapro2.jpg[/bigimg]
Here's a taste of the next version (I'll do the small soon)

I changed a lot of the territory names that were disused. I re-imported the LA inset so that it looks less pixelated. Also thanks for that sunset image I dropped that in there and it actually looks really good.

[The Bison King]

[bigimg]http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/6892/californiapro2.jpg[/bigimg]

[bigimg]http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/9550/californiapro2small.jpg[/bigimg]

I also added a warming filter to the palm tree.

Oh, and I moved Yosemite.

[saxitoxin]

I hate to jump in on the eleventh page and I haven't read the whole thing so forgive me if this was already broached, but, in regards to this comment by someone...

the names that are on this map are not of the period. While a pick axe may seem cliche, it does reflect the period. I do not see anything that reflects the 1800's. If you were to make Tahoe "The Ponderosa" then you would be headed in the right direction.

... could the cities just be turned into the Missions instead?

For example, Mission La Purisima Concepción replaces City of Lompoc, Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá replaces City of San Diego, etc.

BTW - this is an Über-Fantastico map!*

( *be better if Saxi's house were an objective but c'est la vie )

[The Bison King]

Those names are a little complicated and would be hard to fit don't you think?

[saxitoxin]

Those names are a little complicated and would be hard to fit don't you think?

just use font-face Courier 3

[Victor Sullivan]

Those names are a little complicated and would be hard to fit don't you think?

just use font-face Courier 3

Lol saxi. Though it is nice to see you in the Foundry. I must say, TBK, I'm honestly still not feelin' it quite yet, and the bad part is I'm not sure what can be done to fix it... I'll let you know as soon as I know.

-Sully

[The Bison King]

Ack!!! somewhere along the line I left off the cities on Monterey and Sacramento. I'll have to add those back into the next version.

[natty dread]

Ok, improvement has been made on the insets, but they're still not quite right. The bonus area borders appear blurry. Also the colouring has some white spots... and the territory borders have some holes in them (SFV) and go over the bounds (Orange).

I don't know if you have the borders drawn on the hand-drawn picture, but if so, then you have a problem. If not, then it's an easier fix, you just need to redraw the borders.

Also, in the inset areas on the main map, the territory borders appear pixelated.

Then, some other issues:

- the font. It's just not working for me. I recommend exploring some other fonts (check out dafont.com) although this is just my personal opinion.

- the background and the playable area need to be more distinguished from each other. You could add some drop shadow on the land area, to raise it from the background. Or you could make the background darker, and slightly less in-focus. Either solution should work, it's up to your personal preference which way you'll go.

[Vlasov]

Picky detail: Napa Valley, not Nappa Valley

[Teflon Kris]

Just a random interjection to say that the background is really cool on this map.



Would it be cool to tilt the map?

Anyway, looking forward to this one.

[Willy!]

WOW what a visually appealing map! Very nice work, Bison King.
However, I have one small issue. There are way too many cities in the Central Valley! I would eliminate Modesto and Fresno as cities and put them into the inset maps so that the city bonus is harder to obtain. Other than that, I am really looking forward to this map!!!

[Kevin707]

Awesome map!! I can't wait to play it. I was super excited when I found there was a San Francisco map and this is just as cool!

Two minor things I see...
Napa Valley isn't spelled right, you have it with two p's. Also, San Fernando Valley is written in Bakersfield in the inset, but I am guessing that is to allow room for the troops.

[RedBaron0]

I think you're starting to get there, I've got some nitpicks though.

-Borders in some areas are pixelly. Mosty on the main map in San Fran and LA, both large and small.
-Font looks terrible, especially on the small map. Function over form here, the swirly font is nice, but pixelly, and when shrunk just looks.... awful.
-Text is overlapping borders in a couple spots and getting lost. Mostly in the insets, Yosemite too. You can just erase the border just below the letter so the letter becomes more readable.
-I REALLY hate the stars, they are taking away from the map. Anything you can come up with that might fit better? Maybe a small icon of the Golden Bear?

[saxitoxin]

Maybe a small icon of the Golden Bear?

YES!

I don't know if it should be in place of the stars or not but that is a good point, there is no Bear on this map. There cannot be a California map without the Bear. In fact, while we're at it, could the palm tree be replaced with the image of Athena Guarding the Bay? Since this is likely to be the only California map on this site I think it should either be very somber in its treatment of California symbology or very jocular (like with Schwarzenegger bursting out of one corner or something). While the map is graphically beautiful I think the Palm Tree is kind of like putting a picture of a Taco on a Mexico map.

I do want to reiterate, however, that this is a beautiful map and I look forwarding to losing on it a lot.

[Vlasov]

I agree with Saxitoxin and almost everything said above by others -- but I still think there should be some low (brown) mountains placed around the southern San Joaquin Valley/Bakersfield regions and also north/east San Diego, just to be more geographically correct. It wouldn't change the gameplay much.

[The Bison King]

[bigimg]http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/223/californiaupload.jpg[/bigimg]

[bigimg]http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/1262/californiasmallupload.jpg[/bigimg]
Ok this is version 2.2 which addressed some of the earlier comments, about border cleanness and spelling. I also added a shadow behind the main shape.

[The Bison King]

I have one small issue. There are way too many cities in the Central Valley! I would eliminate Modesto and Fresno as cities and put them into the inset maps so that the city bonus is harder to obtain. Other than that, I am really looking forward to this map!!!

I wouldn't make them insets but I am considering removing a few cities at this point.

Also, San Fernando Valley is written in Bakersfield in the inset, but I am guessing that is to allow room for the troops.

Correct.

-Borders in some areas are pixelly. Mosty on the main map in San Fran and LA, both large and small.

Yeah I've been working on that, it's been an uphill battle.

-Font looks terrible, especially on the small map. Function over form here, the swirly font is nice, but pixelly, and when shrunk just looks.... awful.

Really?? I rather like that font, I thought it looked good, definently not "awful"

I recommend exploring some other fonts (check out dafont.com) although this is just my personal opinion.

Natty_dread, you have brought up Dafont now on every single map I've worked on. I am aware of Dafont, in fact it's where I've been getting all of my fonts from since the first map I worked on. (where else do you think I would get that spiffy font with the palm tree's in it)

-Text is overlapping borders in a couple spots and getting lost. Mostly in the insets, Yosemite too. You can just erase the border just below the letter so the letter becomes more readable.

Gotcha.

-I REALLY hate the stars, they are taking away from the map. Anything you can come up with that might fit better? Maybe a small icon of the Golden Bear?

What! ok well here I just flat out disagree with you. The star's are totally integral. Their Hollywood stars like on sunset boulevard. Maybe I should make them a little smaller than they are now though, to be less intrusive. I'm all about adding the bear but the stars stay.

I don't know if it should be in place of the stars or not but that is a good point, there is no Bear on this map. There cannot be a California map without the Bear.

Yeah I'll try and find a home for him... I just don't know where to put it.

(like with Schwarzenegger bursting out of one corner or something).

hmmm....

While the map is graphically beautiful I think the Palm Tree is kind of like putting a picture of a Taco on a Mexico map.

ouch Saxi. You cut me deep.

I still think there should be some low (brown) mountains placed around the southern San Joaquin Valley/Bakersfield regions and also north/east San Diego, just to be more geographically correct. It wouldn't change the gameplay much.

I think you're probably right about that.



Ok, well clearly I have a lot to consider here for my next draft. I'll try and come up with the next one sooner than I did the last one.

[Victor Sullivan]

Agree with natty on dafont.
Disagree with reducing the cities in Central Valley.
Palm tree looks nice.
That is all.

Sully

[The Bison King]

Agree with natty on dafont.

what? that it is a website? I know already. Why do people feel the need to keep reminding me?

EVERY SINGLE FONT ON CELTIC NATIONS WAS DOWNLOADED FROM DAFONT

The word "California" is a font I downloaded from Dafont.

Disagree with reducing the cities in Central Valley.
Palm tree looks nice.

Good to know.

[jefjef]

The game map appears to be slightly tilted in relation to the border. Noticeable at top and bottom.

[saxitoxin]

The game map appears to be slightly tilted in relation to the border. Noticeable at top and bottom.

earthquake

enhances realism

[The Bison King]

The game map appears to be slightly tilted in relation to the border. Noticeable at top and bottom.

If you're referring to the straight line at the bottom not paralleling the edge of the of the image, that just how the state is shaped.

[jefjef]

I'm aware of the geography but for game map appearance I see it as an enhancement to do away with the slight top tilt. I've looked and looked and looked and the top left seems to be a greater distance compared to the top right.

[Victor Sullivan]

Agree with natty on dafont.

what? that it is a website? I know already. Why do people feel the need to keep reminding me?

EVERY SINGLE FONT ON CELTIC NATIONS WAS DOWNLOADED FROM DAFONT

The word "California" is a font I downloaded from Dafont.

Disagree with reducing the cities in Central Valley.
Palm tree looks nice.

Good to know.

No, "da font" as in coolspeak for "the font". Get jiggy with it, TBK, you ain't diggin' the jive vibe I roll with?

[The Bison King]

I'm aware of the geography but for game map appearance I see it as an enhancement to do away with the slight top tilt. I've looked and looked and looked and the top left seems to be a greater distance compared to the top right.

give me a break, are you serious? fine I'll tilt the map a quarter of a centimeter to make you happy.