Condensed Map Ideas

[Iliad]

Can you make it bigger? I just can't see it properly yet

He's using some sort of weird link set up that particular image host uses, here's a real picture set up:

I'd try to explain how I did that, but it's a load of trouble.

okay. I think graphics need a lot of work.

[ericwdhs]

Anyone?

[gimil]

it seems a little cramped and plain. also theres no ledgends

[ericwdhs]

it seems a little cramped and plain. also theres no ledgends

Well it's supposed to be cramped since people have asked me to make it like World 2.1 and cram as much stuff in as I can. (Another version on a Classic scale will be made.) Also, this is only a draft to let people have a general idea of what it will be like. It's plain and has no legend because it's a draft but I have space for that reserved in the upper left and bottom right.

[gimil]

a good iead would to make a republic/empire continent and have speacial bonuses for rebel plantes like hoth.

[ericwdhs]

a good iead would to make a republic/empire continent and have speacial bonuses for rebel plantes like hoth.

Well a Republic/Empire continent would be huge. Besides, the players are the factions fighting for control of the galaxy. Mapping factions out on the board doesn't make much sense in that respect. I am also already giving bonuses for planets like Hoth, Yavin, Endor, etc.

EDIT: Oh and another reason you might consider it plain is the fact that I don't want to use any Lucasfilm images in case that's copyright infringement. I still have a lot more to add though.

[Risktaker17]

It looks pretty much exactly like the other space one. You have to give it a completely new look. Your right this is only a first draft.

[yeti_c]

What's the difference between thin and thick lines?

Unknown should be called "outer rim"

C.

[Kaplowitz]

I like the idea, but there is already a space map, do we need two?

[mibi]

Wheres chewbacca?

[ericwdhs]

It looks pretty much exactly like the other space one. You have to give it a completely new look. Your right this is only a first draft.

Well I don't want to get away from making the map as visual as possible. I don't want to shrink the planets to dots or convert them to boxes so they'll have to remain that size and there isn't really any other way to connect them together other than some type of line. The final visual style will be much different however so don't worry.

What's the difference between thin and thick lines?

Unknown should be called "outer rim"

C.

The difference is detailed somewhere above. As for the "Outer Rim" thing, there's one problem with that. That's not the Outer Rim. In Star Wars, half of the galaxy is unexplored. That area is called the Unknown Regions. If I were to include the Outer Rim as a continent, it would arc across the entire edge of the map and be insanely difficult to protect. As for the Core Worlds, they're in a nice centralized location, so they'll be added in as a continent.

I like the idea, but there is already a space map, do we need two?

Well, this map has been requested several times, but it's a different locale so it shouldn't really matter. That'd be like asking if it's necessary to have a Europe map because there is already a map from Earth in play.

Wheres chewbacca?

Though the resolution will be nowhere good enough to see it, he'll be a little brown dot on Kashyyyk. If you want an image of him for the background, I suppose I could make a photo-realistic painting of him (something I don't do very often because it takes forever) or you could guarantee me that it's not copyright infringement to use an image of him (and while we're at it, all of the other characters). Even then, I'm not sure where I'd stick him.

[Guiscard]

I'm afraid at the moment this is a pretty poor effort...

A Star Wars map is one which a lot of people would be really interested to play, and it requires a really good treatment. At the moment all you have is a galaxy background and loads of green dots. Nothing (other than the names) makes it particularly attractive or even 'themed', as it were. The colours look pretty standard, the lines are confusing...

I think to make the best of the theme you need to bring in details like the rebellion, the death star... Make more of key planets that people know of, such as Tatooine and Coruscant...

As someone said earlier, basically this is, at the moment, a less attractive space map with star wars names applied!

I really hope you can make a great map with this theme now the copyright restrictions have been relaxed, but if you can't I'm afraid you're gonna come under heavier criticism than most map-makers because a lot of people would love a Star Wars map!

[ericwdhs]

I'm afraid at the moment this is a pretty poor effort...

A Star Wars map is one which a lot of people would be really interested to play, and it requires a really good treatment. At the moment all you have is a galaxy background and loads of green dots. Nothing (other than the names) makes it particularly attractive or even 'themed', as it were. The colours look pretty standard, the lines are confusing...

I think to make the best of the theme you need to bring in details like the rebellion, the death star... Make more of key planets that people know of, such as Tatooine and Coruscant...

As someone said earlier, basically this is, at the moment, a less attractive space map with star wars names applied!

I really hope you can make a great map with this theme now the copyright restrictions have been relaxed, but if you can't I'm afraid you're gonna come under heavier criticism than most map-makers because a lot of people would love a Star Wars map!

I say again this is a draft. I do not like the colors either, but they separate out all the positions for you guys to get an idea of where everything is. I do plan on making it look great but I want to decide on gameplay mechanics before I start doing graphics. All the movie planets will be in there and most of them will provide some type of bonus for retaining them but don't criticize the look of the map because I have no intention of keeping that look.

Also, this is a World 2.1 type version. There will be a Classic type version.

[mibi]

I'm afraid at the moment this is a pretty poor effort...

A Star Wars map is one which a lot of people would be really interested to play, and it requires a really good treatment. At the moment all you have is a galaxy background and loads of green dots. Nothing (other than the names) makes it particularly attractive or even 'themed', as it were. The colours look pretty standard, the lines are confusing...

I think to make the best of the theme you need to bring in details like the rebellion, the death star... Make more of key planets that people know of, such as Tatooine and Coruscant...

As someone said earlier, basically this is, at the moment, a less attractive space map with star wars names applied!

I really hope you can make a great map with this theme now the copyright restrictions have been relaxed, but if you can't I'm afraid you're gonna come under heavier criticism than most map-makers because a lot of people would love a Star Wars map!

this man speaks truth.

[cosmin]

work on it a bit and then but up a update on it do can people could really comment on it.

ps. find another photo host the maps arents put up right

[Hotdoggie]

Can you make it bigger? I just can't see it properly yet

He's using some sort of weird link set up that particular image host uses, here's a real picture set up:

I'd try to explain how I did that, but it's a load of trouble.

okay. I think graphics need a lot of work.

Please read the thread. i need feedback on the territory amounts, territory sizes, the continents, the bonuses and things along those lines. Once these things are sorted out i will spend my time on the aestetics.

[ericwdhs]

work on it a bit and then but up a update on it do can people could really comment on it.

ps. find another photo host the maps arents put up right

Yeah, I plan to, but not for a week at least. I'll probably focus on a four or five planet section and get the graphics near done in several different styles so people can decide what looks best.

Are the thumbnail links not working or do you want me to put up the whole images here? On second thought, I'll go ahead and change that right now.

[Coleman]

If you want to hear something I've learned read on, if not skip to the red O...

People respond a lot better to maps if they look almost finished when you first post them, or at least playable when you first post them. I'm not saying what you are doing isn't going to work, it will, but you are going to get lots of annoying comments until it looks better. That's just the way people are in here.

O I'm assuming you plan on all the green circles to become planets similar to the space map we already have. Do you need help hunting down fan art and actual art of what these planets are supposed to look like?

[Optimus Prime]

You might take into consideration looking in the front of one of the current "New Jedi Order" books at a bookstore. They have a really recent map on planet locations and such. It might help out with layout, names, continent boundaries, etc.

[Optimus Prime]

Something based on THIS:
http://img175.exs.cx/img175/6198/galaxymap17sl.jpg

Would be perfect if you ask me. It would work perfectly after the right modifications for a World 2.1 style map.

[ericwdhs]

If you want to hear something I've learned read on, if not skip to the red O...

People respond a lot better to maps if they look almost finished when you first post them, or at least playable when you first post them. I'm not saying what you are doing isn't going to work, it will, but you are going to get lots of annoying comments until it looks better. That's just the way people are in here.

O I'm assuming you plan on all the green circles to become planets similar to the space map we already have. Do you need help hunting down fan art and actual art of what these planets are supposed to look like?

I don't skip stuff.

Okay, I'll keep that in mind from now on but I wish I could present developmental drafts here for the purpose of getting gameplay suggestions without everyone focusing on how they look.

Yes, all the green circles will be changed to how the planets are actually supposed to look. I have access to most of the planet images I need right now (Wikipedia/Wookieepedia is a great source and even partial images can be filled in) but if I can't find an image of a particular planet, I'll probably post it here. If no one can provide me with anything, I'll create an image based on the planet's supposed terrain type. I want to make sure I don't get bashed by any fans on this map.

You might take into consideration looking in the front of one of the current "New Jedi Order" books at a bookstore. They have a really recent map on planet locations and such. It might help out with layout, names, continent boundaries, etc.

Already done. I have several accurate maps to look at that go into far more detail than that map does. As for continents, I want to stay away from having too many of those because it will just push the game more toward land style warfare. Space is mostly empty space so there is no real front line, just a collection of dots that are easy to get around. That's why bonuses on this map will depend less on where you are and more on what you have and movement along the Hyperlanes is somewhat different. (And for those of you not familiar with the Expanded Universe, the Hyperlanes are part of canon and not something I contrived to change up gameplay.)

[ericwdhs]

Something based on THIS:
http://img175.exs.cx/img175/6198/galaxymap17sl.jpg

Would be perfect if you ask me. It would work perfectly after the right modifications for a World 2.1 style map.

Yeah, I have that map. That's sort of what I'm going for (though having all that squeezed into 600 pixels across and still readable really scrunches everything up). I have to point out however that I don't trust that map completely since some planets are not in their true location. Kamino and Rishi for example are actually a little closer to Hutt space according to most canonical sources while some other planets are not on the Hyperlanes they are supposed to be. (I try to compromise when canon disagrees.) Also, some strategically important planets are omitted like Denon on the intersection of the Hydian Way (red on that map) and Corellian Run (yellow) and Recopia (used by the New Republic to attack the Core Worlds).

[ericwdhs]

This came off the top of my head so if one planet I haven't listed clearly fits into one of these groups (I want at least 3 or 4 for each one) or you have some other suggestion, please speak up.

Resource Bonuses:
2 Planets of One Category: +1
3: +3
4: +6
5: +10
6: +15

Troops (yellow): Kamino, Geonosis, Kashyyyk, Mandalore ...
Fleets (orange): Corellia, Kuat, Fondor ...
Superweapons (red): Endor, The Maw, Byss ...
Force-sensitives (violet): Coruscant, Yavin IV, Ossus, Dantooine, Korriban, Alpheridies (all very valuable)
Political (blue): Coruscant, Alderaan, Denon ...
Commerce (green): Muunilinst, Neimoidia, Eriadu, Yag'Dhul, Brentaal IV, Corellia (these are mostly on Hyperlane intersections and will be very hard to keep but they are very valuable)

I'm also considering adding Sanctuary Planets that automatically give +1 bonuses (denoted by a plus sign):
Yavin IV, Hoth, Naboo, Mustafar, Polis Massa, Dagobah, Bespin, Tatooine, Manaan, Mon Calamari, Rakata Prime... (There needs to be quite a few of these in comparison to the above bonuses so the chances of getting an amount even to your opponents are greater.)

One question: Can anyone tell me where Alpheridies is? I know it's in the Expansion Region but that's it...

[xamnglc]

How can I improve?

[ericwdhs]

Well, I suggest that your first step be to base the territories off of actual geographical regions and figure out your continents from that. You should go for about twice the amount of territories you currently have.