Official: Central America Competition - complete!

[djak.]

I don't have the graphic skills to make a map nearly as nice as any of these, so take the cons as being from someone who admires your work but who's a stickler for play usability.

1) 35%
Pros: Nice clean design, the globe is better than all those compass roses.
Cons: Colors are not distinct enough, especially on the bonus map. Weird font for the bonus description box, AND WHY SCREAM USING ALL CAPS?

2) 70%
Pros: Readable and clear.
Cons: Colors a bit too harsh for continuous play.

3) 35%
Pros: Pretty, and a clever twist to not have north be straight up.
Cons: Wastes screen space with the border. Wastes lots of screen space with the huge title and pyramid. No bonus map making it hard by having to look at the shield shapes or know where the countries are relative to each other vs typical cardinal directions. The countries in the north west (top of map, not top left) are all squished up. The borders make the countries float and not actually touch the ones they border.

4) 40%
Pros: Nice clean design.
Cons: Too uniformly green - "continents" should be different colors to easily distinguish them. Would be more usable if steering wheels are replaced with attack route dotted lines.

5) 80%
Pros: Clean and perfectly usable map - the colors are not going to grate after continuous play.
Cons: The attack route from Copán could be better if the all attack routes had closer dots like entry1 or a straight line like entry6. The bricks detract a bit from the bonus map.

6) 30%
Pros: Pretty, and the flags are great.
Cons: WHY SCREAM USING ALL CAPS for country names? Too little contrast with the white country names. No bonus map. The compass rose is wrong.

[oaktown]

3)... No bonus map making it hard for color-blind players who have to look at the shield shapes or know where the countries are relative to each other vs typical cardinal directions.

I don't think everything about #3 is perfect, but as a colorblind player who has trouble with many CC maps I really appreciate the shield shapes. The inclusion of a mini-map (which often have their own color issues) is not nearly as important to me as having some kind of distinction on the map itself... differentiated borders, texture distinctions, or in this case unique army shields.

[djak.]

3)... No bonus map making it hard for color-blind players who have to look at the shield shapes or know where the countries are relative to each other vs typical cardinal directions.

I don't think everything about #3 is perfect, but as a colorblind player who has trouble with many CC maps I really appreciate the shield shapes. The inclusion of a mini-map (which often have their own color issues) is not nearly as important to me as having some kind of distinction on the map itself... differentiated borders, texture distinctions, or in this case unique army shields.

Thanks for pointing this out, I'm not color blind so my take on this was wrong - I'll edit my 2 map posts.

[saaimen]

Cons: Wastes screen space with the border. Wastes lots of screen space with the huge title and pyramid.

What??? A map is supposed to look good. It's not supposed to be 'only as large as necessary'. The title and frame make it look like some map painting hanging from a wall. As does the canvas texture on the background. That part's of what makes this map this map... You would rather see this map without the border and with a smaller title because of screen space issues? What, you playing CC on an iPhone ?

AND WHY SCREAM USING ALL CAPS?

I believe you read Twill's posting guidelines a bit too well. Using caps in your posts is pretty annoying, but on a map it's a free choice that might give the map the look you want it to have.
Besides, you didn't really look well. The font used in #1's bonus box is Digital, like the red numbers you see on Coke vending machines and stuff. I never saw lower case on a Coke machine, did you? And on map #6, the font looks the same in caps/non-caps, but there is a size difference. So he did use both capitals and lower case.

[djak.]

Cons: Wastes screen space with the border. Wastes lots of screen space with the huge title and pyramid.

What??? A map is supposed to look good. It's not supposed to be 'only as large as necessary'. The title and frame make it look like some map painting hanging from a wall. As does the canvas texture on the background. That part's of what makes this map this map... You would rather see this map without the border and with a smaller title because of screen space issues? What, you playing CC on an iPhone :lol: ?

No, at home my resolution is 1440x900 which is fine; but I also check from work where my resolution is 1024x768 on a laptop, and there even the small version of maps like The forbidden city needs to be scrolled. I prefer playable maps to frilly edges and that's how I vote.

AND WHY SCREAM USING ALL CAPS?

I believe you read Twill's posting guidelines a bit too well. Using caps in your posts is pretty annoying, but on a map it's a free choice that might give the map the look you want it to have.
Besides, you didn't really look well. The font used in #1's bonus box is Digital, like the red numbers you see on Coke vending machines and stuff. I never saw lower case on a Coke machine, did you? And on map #6, the font looks the same in caps/non-caps, but there is a size difference. So he did use both capitals and lower case.

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying: should I not vote against and point out that, for me, all caps is annoying and reduces map legibility?

[e_i_pi]

Only you can prevent forum fires

[the.killing.44]

WHY SCREAM USING ALL CAPS?

BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER ON A MAP. 27 out of the 98 Live/Beta maps (excluding #ed ones/ones like Conquer 4) are in CAPS, and it just goes with the map. That really shouldn't be a con in my book.

.44

[Jumentum]

#3's revamp wins in a landslide victory! only thing is the pyramid could be a little better, maybe slightly less fuzzy?

though i do like #5's small bonuses map in the bottom left.

[Bruceswar]

I am very sorry to say. The best 2 maps are in 3rd and forth place. How is the green meanie in 2nd? Ugh... YUK...

[gimil]

I am very sorry to say. The best 2 maps are in 3rd and forth place. How is the green meanie in 2nd? Ugh... YUK...

Funnily enought bruce, the community say the best maps are first and second place

[saaimen]

Funnily enought bruce, the community say the best maps are first and second place

Spot on

[Tisha]

I am very sorry to say. The best 2 maps are in 3rd and forth place. How is the green meanie in 2nd? Ugh... YUK...

.. i voted for that one Bruce..

i love it

[oaktown]

I am very sorry to say. The best 2 maps are in 3rd and forth place. How is the green meanie in 2nd? Ugh... YUK...

I think you just proved that there's no accounting for taste.

Personally I love #3 - I voted for it in round 1, and I'm glad to see how far it has come for round 2. All are excellent entries and any of them would make fine maps, but in my opinion #3 features a look that we don't already have on a CC map.

[madmom]

Well, I personally like something about all of them, but if I'm going to be looking at a map for any length of time, it's easier looking at map #5. (#2 takes a close 2nd) But like I said, each map is unique and well done! So, kudos to all of you map makers!

[samuelc812]

I'm finding it hard to believe No.5's sudden surge in votes, No.3 has been leading for the whole time, it better win and not get it snatched away by No. 5 Only just over an hour until voting closes

[the.killing.44]

I'm finding it hard to believe No.5's sudden surge in votes, No.3 has been leading for the whole time, it better win and not get it snatched away by No. 5 Only just over an hour until voting closes

Ja-son Le-zak! Ja-son Le-zak! Ja-son Le-zak!
(Only this time I want Bernard to win … although that was incredible)
Anyway, #3 better not lose this!

.44

[el-presidente]

Personaly, I just really don't like 3. It is hard to look at. I changed from 4 to 5 because I didn't want 3 to win and 5 was my second favorite.

[oaktown]

less than an hour, and we're tied? weird.

[edbeard]

3rd round runoff?

[ZeakCytho]

If the vote stays this narrow (and in all honesty it should with only an hour and change left), I'd say a runoff is the most fair resolution.

[the.killing.44]

Wow #3 is down by 2 now

.44

[samuelc812]

People who voted for Maps 1, 2, 4 and 6 know they can't win so change your vote to 3 as it is surely the next best thing

[the.killing.44]

Took the lead! C'mon, how do you turn down an update like that?

.44

[saaimen]

People who voted for Maps 1, 2, 4 and 6 know they can't win so change your vote to 3 as it is surely the next best thing

[herschal]

We need a runoff. One map shouldn't get thrown away just because it got one less vote than another one.