Rorke's Drift. [QUENCHED]

[Bruceswar]

maybe you need white letters... I am struggling to read it.

[koontz1973]

maybe you need white letters... I am struggling to read it.

Here it is with white letters. How does it look now? Can it be read? As I said, I know what it says so it is hard for me to judge. There was also a white shadow on the original. I have turned that off for the original. How does that read?
White letters version.
[bigimg]http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/6800/whiteuz.jpg[/bigimg]

I have not changed the image on the first post till this is sorted.

Edit: Changed first post to show most current draft and the white font is going to be used. Edited this post to only show the white version.

[Bruceswar]

White is much better and easier to read.

[koontz1973]

[bigimg]http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/6175/ccv4.jpg[/bigimg]

Version 4.

Things changed in this version.
Major change to legend.
Size, font, layout, filled.

Territ lines made slightly thicker.
Light iButho made smaller for the legend. Added a new attack route because of this.
Moved Hook and 593 Jones into the courtyard.
Made Williams a five neutral so it is the same as the other first line British.
Closed of attack route because of this.
Changed font and colour of Zulu king names. Easier to read now.
Changed title legend. Made smaller.
Redid brown elephant grass so it now all matches the legend.

[koontz1973]

Version 4.1
[bigimg]http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/5933/cc99.jpg[/bigimg]
Minor changes.
Moved an army circle to make more centred.
Added to legend the last thing missing.
Added to sand bags in out post.

[koontz1973]

Not current version. Experiment which needs feedback on.

All I have done is coloured the territ numbers to match each kings iButho. These are typical Zulu colours taken from traditional dress.
Does this work?
If yes, which colours do and do not work?
If no, OK.
[bigimg][/bigimg]

[natty dread]

I can't read any of the territory numbers. Coloured text on coloured background is rarely a good idea.

[koontz1973]

Thanks natty. Things like this to a new map maker are invaluable.

[natty dread]

I mean, don't get me wrong.. it's not that it can't work at any circumstances... but if you want to use coloured text on coloured background, you need to make sure the contrast between the text & background is high enough... for example, the text needs to be significantly brighter than the background, or if your background is bright, then the text needs to be significantly darker... other tricks can also be used, like shadows, glows, outlines etc.

But all this is something that you will get a better grasp on with experience.

[koontz1973]

I mean, don't get me wrong.. it's not that it can't work at any circumstances... but if you want to use coloured text on coloured background, you need to make sure the contrast between the text & background is high enough... for example, the text needs to be significantly brighter than the background, or if your background is bright, then the text needs to be significantly darker... other tricks can also be used, like shadows, glows, outlines etc.

But all this is something that you will get a better grasp on with experience.

I tried the higher contrast and shadows, while changing it. Making the territ numbers larger and smaller to see how that looked. Saw which one was best for each of the regions and went with that one.

I want to put names in but am having trouble getting the right font and size for it. It looks OK at the current size but I am just worried that when scaling it down for the smaller version, it will become unreadable.

Sod it, going to put names in and see what you all think. Post that tomorrow.

[koontz1973]

Again, not the current version.

Second experiment for tonight. Added names to the territories.
Does the white work?
Does the light blue work for the 2 rivers areas? Without the W and Rb to identify the rivers, a colour of symbol needs to be used to identify them.

Has anyone got a good font for the territs?

If this is the best way to go then there needs to be changes in the legend. This will be included if and when I go down this route.
[bigimg]http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1346/namesx.jpg[/bigimg]

[natty dread]

Ok... when you use the text tool in GIMP, you should enable "Antialiasing" and "Hinting" in the tool options (there's 3 checkboxes right below the font & size selection). Your current text looks like you have antialiasing turned off, which makes the text all pixelated.

[koontz1973]

Here is version 5.
[bigimg]http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/7722/789cb.jpg[/bigimg]

Things changed from version 4.
Named all warriors.
Changed legend to explain changes.
Added artwork for the river warriors as now the are now called W & RB.
Moved some territ lines to accommodate names.

[koontz1973]

Ok... when you use the text tool in GIMP, you should enable "Antialiasing" and "Hinting" in the tool options (there's 3 checkboxes right below the font & size selection). Your current text looks like you have antialiasing turned off, which makes the text all pixelated.

Had mine turned off for some reason. Went back through them all and turned it on.

[koontz1973]

[bigimg]http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/2717/zxcvbnmi.jpg[/bigimg]
Things changed.
Changed font size to make names fit better.
Lightened up title.
Added background to title to make it stand out better.
Added a missing territ line at the top.
Rearranged legend.
Redid British names to the same as Zulus (font and size).

[koontz1973]

[bigimg]http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/466/35436436436849638469348.jpg[/bigimg]

Just changed the font.

How is it?
Is there anything I have missed now?

[natty dread]

The labels for the Kings still look pixelated.

[koontz1973]

The labels for the Kings still look pixelated.

Fixed.
[bigimg]http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/1691/nnnrt.jpg[/bigimg]
Any other problems spotted?

[natty dread]

Ok, then...

The borders could use some consistency: for example that red line that surrounds the central area, at most parts it functions as a border, but then in Lindelani it suddenly goes through a territory. Fix it so that the red line replaces the border between Bongani/Lindelani.

Similarly, there's a black border between Wandile / Sihlengosethu, but not between Sihlengosethu /umm.. that territory that's missing a label.

And Thembinkosi... has a black border with Mandla, but no border/only the sand bank with Sakhile.

Consistency is key to readable gameplay. Make it so that if one elements represents something in one part of the map, it represents the same in all parts. Also the placement/leaving out of elements like borders, etc. should be consistent across the map.

Then some other things: the impassables are not very noticeable around the center - especially the walls between the central gray area and the surrounding areas. Using thin walls as impassables is ok to an extent, but you need to make sure they stand out from their surroundings. Also, remember that you'll also need to make a small version, which is usually 75% of the size of the large, so if something is really thin, it is likely to be invisible on the small...

[koontz1973]

Thanks natty, will get right onto those things. Been staring at it for so long now and never noticed some of the things you mentioned, some I did but I take your point on consistency.

[isaiah40]

One thing that IMO needs to be is to tone down the background texture some. Right now it seems to glare at me, especially the gray area.

[MrBenn]

Hey, this looks like a nice draft - you could use a Victoria Cross or two on the map somewhere

[koontz1973]

Thanks for the feedback guys, always helpful for a new map maker. Here is version 5.1 which I believe fixes all the points that you have raised.

Ok, then...

The borders could use some consistency: for example that red line that surrounds the central area, at most parts it functions as a border, but then in Lindelani it suddenly goes through a territory. Fix it so that the red line replaces the border between Bongani/Lindelani.

Similarly, there's a black border between Wandile / Sihlengosethu, but not between Sihlengosethu /umm.. that territory that's missing a label.

And Thembinkosi... has a black border with Mandla, but no border/only the sand bank with Sakhile.

Consistency is key to readable gameplay. Make it so that if one elements represents something in one part of the map, it represents the same in all parts. Also the placement/leaving out of elements like borders, etc. should be consistent across the map.

Then some other things: the impassables are not very noticeable around the center - especially the walls between the central gray area and the surrounding areas. Using thin walls as impassables is ok to an extent, but you need to make sure they stand out from their surroundings. Also, remember that you'll also need to make a small version, which is usually 75% of the size of the large, so if something is really thin, it is likely to be invisible on the small...

Fixed all points but not happy with so many bushes at the top of the picture. How does it look?

One thing that IMO needs to be is to tone down the background texture some. Right now it seems to glare at me, especially the gray area.

I am still not happy with the big grey slab in the middle but I have broken it up some. Will keep experimenting on changing that. I have turned of the texture/grunge to all of the map. It has helped I believe.

Hey, this looks like a nice draft - you could use a Victoria Cross or two on the map somewhere

Thanks.
Had one in earlier versions. Added it back to the top. Have tried to place them in the centre with the 11 British but it comes over as unrecognisable. Alternately it can go into the legend but I would rather not incress the size of the legend just to accommodate it. Having it in the title is a good compromise I believe,

[bigimg]http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/6301/completeddraft.jpg[/bigimg]

Other small fixes include moving names, army circles around.
Toned down some colours.
Fixed borders where they over lapped.

[koontz1973]

One of the aspects to this battle was that the Zulu's had rifles which they took form the British in a previous battle. I am trying to figure out how to incorporate this aspect to the map. One option is to use another image of a Zulu (like the king and spear thrower) and give them an attack range of two/three. It would be nice to hear opinions on this. Will it work and which territs to use for them to give a more varied game play.

EDIT: This is the picture that I want to use.

[thenobodies80]

Everything on the map (including the legend) makes me think that warriors are those identified with this icon -->
In this case, what are the warriors within the line of 150 yards? Maybe you mean all the regions outside the english outpost, but within the red line, lose 1 troop per turn?