Nordic Countries [Quenched]

[Gillipig]

Thanks beals. I also made another variant, where the hue is the same but the colour is darker on those bonus zones...

here it is, now to decide which one is better.

Click image to enlarge.

No please don't make middle Sweden look like that ! It really doesn't look good and even though I understand it's practical use, I still would have to condem it! Maybe strengthen the borders instead? But changing the colour doesn't look good!
Sorry to disrespect your idea like this but I just HAD to say it !

[Thomassaurus]

I don't really like the boxes around the islands, kinda makes it look like its not part of the map in my opinion.

[natty dread]

No please don't make middle Sweden look like that ! It really doesn't look good and even though I understand it's practical use, I still would have to condem it! Maybe strengthen the borders instead? But changing the colour doesn't look good!
Sorry to disrespect your idea like this but I just HAD to say it !

Hey, all cool. I'll go with the other one then.

I don't really like the boxes around the islands, kinda makes it look like its not part of the map in my opinion.

That's the whole idea, they're insets. The islands aren't actually in those locations, so they are put in insets. It's a common practice.

[Thomassaurus]

Ok. I knew what it was for I just thought it would look better. Anyway thats fine.

[natty dread]

Well I'm sorry but that's just something I'm not going to do. Without the insets it would look like the islands actually were in the places they are in, which is nowhere near geographical correctness.

[RjBeals]

your islands look fine. And so does the map. You can't please everybody.

[natty dread]

Thanks beals. Your compliments mean a lot to me.

Anyway, here's v42. I think I have the bevels nailed now. Redid some of them, tweaked blend modes & opacities.

Click image to enlarge.

edit:
Oh, and I also fixed the border between Hedmark & Jämtland, which was a bit hard to notice earlier. Should be clearer now.

Also, all the territory name and army circle locations have been optimized.

[Thomassaurus]

your islands look fine. And so does the map. You can't please everybody.

I think the maps pretty cool, the boxes aren't a big deal.

[jpcloet]

Looks solid, might be time to do a color-blind test.

[natty dread]

Looks solid, might be time to do a color-blind test.

Eh.. the colour blind test would be kinda irrelevant in this case, since colours aren't really the main thing differentiating the bonus regions here. There's the minimap, and the bevels that mark the borders of the bonus areas, so even colour blind should be able to figure out which territories belong to which bonus zones.

Besides, most colour blind people only have trouble with red & green colours, ie. telling which is which, and since there's no red on the map, it should be fine, mostly.

But if you have any colour blind friends who would like to comment on the map, I'm all ears.

[natty dread]

Ok, anyway, here's vischeck results:

[isaiah40]

I don't know how I missed this one , but a very belated congrats for getting your gameplay stamp!

There is a problem with the last one, but as it is the rare one there shouldn't be much of a problem.

[natty dread]

I don't know how I missed this one , but a very belated congrats for getting your gameplay stamp!

There is a problem with the last one, but as it is the rare one there shouldn't be much of a problem.

Thanks isaiah!

I agree, tritanope is extremely rare, and anyway you can see the bonuses from the minimap, so it shouldn't matter that much.

So what's next on the graphics list? Fonts, frames, army circles, anyone have problems with any of them?

[natty dread]

Redid some of the text (lower left corner & minimap). Also switched fonts for the minimap, I think this one looks better, but if anyone disagrees I'm willing to reconsider.

It seems, that since the old texts were made, the code for the text tool of paint.net was improved, so the new text looks much better (compare the text in lower left to previous version). It's nice when your graphics software evolves in sync with your skills

Anyway, v.43.

Click image to enlarge.

ps. there's another minor detail added to the minimap. Can you find what it is?


-- opinions wanted: --

- borders, territory name locations, army circle locations. Anything need changing? For clarity, aesthetics, other reason?

- fonts. All fonts legible, fitting to the theme?

- Minimap & inset frames. Current ones good or make new ones? Anything to adjust?

- anything else in mind? don't be shy now

[natty dread]

Ok well, here's the first small version. Also featuring an alternate frame for the minimap.

Click image to enlarge.

It turned out quite well, I think. I only redid all the texts. The army circles will need adjusting though - they're fine in the large version but since the numbers do not change size, well...

Oh and had to use a different font for the country names @ minimap - the font in the large version didn't scale down well.

[natty dread]

Oh, just one more thing...

Does anyone like this version with no sea glow better? I think it looks kinda neat, without the glow there's a nice sharp contrast between the land & sea. Also it'd work better in the small version...

Graphics gurus, please advise. Glo or no?

edit: decided to put both maps here, for comparison purposes.

No glow:

Click image to enlarge.

Glow:

Click image to enlarge.

[Gillipig]

To be honest natty I don't like that the squares don't look alike! I don't mind that some are green and some are grey and so on, but it would look better if they all had the same font and width! And I think that the minimap text looked better before. I couldn't see any difference between glove and no glove so for me both works !

[natty dread]

To be honest natty I don't like that the squares don't look alike! I don't mind that some are green and some are grey and so on, but it would look better if they all had the same font and width!

Yes, agreed. I will be making the inset frames the same width. I'll probably remake them alltogether. What do you mean by font? The frames don't have any text, except inside them (territory names) which are all same font.

Also, do you mean the minimap frame as well? Because I think that one should be kept thicker, to better separate it from the actual map.

And I think that the minimap text looked better before.

Hmm... do others feel this way also? I could go back to the previous font, but this one looks cleaner to me.

I couldn't see any difference between glove and no glove so for me both works !

Look at the shores of the land areas. Where the land meets the sea... Also, the river between fin & swe.

[Industrial Helix]

You know, I think the trironope version actually looks quite good. I like the subtle colors. While having two blues isn't going to fly, i think you can take some lessons from the desatuarated colors.

[natty dread]

You know, I think the trironope version actually looks quite good. I like the subtle colors. While having two blues isn't going to fly, i think you can take some lessons from the desatuarated colors.

You might have a point there, but I'm not sure if it's feasible to desaturatize (is that a word?) the colours any further... I could try it though.

Anyhoo, here's version 44, with updated inset frames, and compromise regarding the sea glow - glow is now smaller & less opaque.

v.44 large

Click image to enlarge.

v.44 small

Click image to enlarge.

[isaiah40]

I like the 'no glow' version. It gives the water a cold feeling (especially this time of year).

[natty dread]

I like the 'no glow' version. It gives the water a cold feeling (especially this time of year).

Did you check out the latest, with a very subtle glow? Do you think that could work or should I just scrap the glow entirely?

You see, the rivers & lakes look better with the glow... but if only they have it it looks odd... so I'm a bit puzzled again...

[isaiah40]

I like the 'no glow' version. It gives the water a cold feeling (especially this time of year).

Did you check out the latest, with a very subtle glow? Do you think that could work or should I just scrap the glow entirely?

You see, the rivers & lakes look better with the glow... but if only they have it it looks odd... so I'm a bit puzzled again...

Either the subtle glow or no glow, your decision. They both look good to me.

[natty dread]

Ok thanks isaiah. Then I'm going to go with the subtle glow for now, for the sake of the river & lakes. Without the glow they kinda look like holes cut into the land area...

Can you see anything else that should be fixed / changed?


I can think of one issue: sea routes vs. inset frames. Who should be on top? I keep switching them around cause I can't decide!

[natty dread]

You know, I think the trironope version actually looks quite good. I like the subtle colors. While having two blues isn't going to fly, i think you can take some lessons from the desatuarated colors.

how's this?

Click image to enlarge.

(no small version of this done yet, I wanted to gauge opinions first)