1982 [Quenched]

[Flapcake]

I understand your point.

colors: Black always goes with every ohter color, the ligth blue looks gay (have nothing against gays) but its a war map not a love parade

Suggestion, go with black background in all text frames, then differend colors text, mehh your icons are somewhat black, is it necessary to explain what the impassebles are ?
ohterewise army green for the frame with icons

[koontz1973]

The trees and mountains not so much, but the mines are normal impassables, so they have to be explained. The icons for mountains and trees needs to change since they have a new style. I will think of something tonight.

[natty dread]

natty mentioned Arms race. I understand what he wants but both maps are different in lots of things. This legend has far more info in it.

Look, the current legend you have is... unacceptable. Quite honestly, it looks like something you did in 5 minutes with the rectangle selection tool + the text tool. It does not fit the style of the map, it does not look like something "real"... It doesn't look like it belongs in the same image as the playable part of the map.

The brown frame between all the text boxes is way too simple and bland. Size is no excuse, look at again the legend of Arms Race... the "frame" of the legend, the thing that has the screws, takes very little space compared to the actual legend. Yet it manages to look like an actual piece of equipment, with a few simple things. Try to do something similar, in that you'll have something that looks like a dashboard or a frame between monitors, and not a simple 5-minute rectangle-selection job.

And the text boxes themselves - same thing, they're just rectangles of solid colour. What you should do is give them a surface, maybe like a glossy one... a texture of some kind? Try out different things, experiment with them, heck, google for tutorials for gimp and peruse them for ideas...

[DiM]

i haven't looked at this in a while and i'm digging the style that you're aiming for with the whole radar screen thing.
a few thoughts in random order:
1. there's a strange line on the left side: http://gyazo.com/af20ec6cf0cf0299e9ecd84072efa8a9.png?1325264284
2. the forests and mountains are too glowy. if anything should have a slight glow, it should be the various points of interest you have on the map (ships, mines, subs)
3. increase the size a bit (50px should do) and add a border and go for a metal frame radar console thing (and also add some grain cover on the screen, or some scan lines)


or if you want one other style you could go for would be to turn the image into an aerial photo and make the scene like an open folder with the photo on one side and some notes (with the legend) spread around.

[koontz1973]

i haven't looked at this in a while and i'm digging the style that you're aiming for with the whole radar screen thing.
a few thoughts in random order:
1. there's a strange line on the left side: http://gyazo.com/af20ec6cf0cf0299e9ecd84072efa8a9.png?1325264284
2. the forests and mountains are too glowy. if anything should have a slight glow, it should be the various points of interest you have on the map (ships, mines, subs)
3. increase the size a bit (50px should do) and add a border and go for a metal frame radar console thing (and also add some grain cover on the screen, or some scan lines)


or if you want one other style you could go for would be to turn the image into an aerial photo and make the scene like an open folder with the photo on one side and some notes (with the legend) spread around.

Hi DiM, thanks for popping in.
Strange line is gone.
The mountains and forests are all I really want to be highlighted. Looked at lots of images and they all seem to show the high ground as highlights. Someone before suggested the ships, arrows etc etc and it turned out to green glowie, if you get my meaning. I placed a green layer over the image to give it a green tint and that seemed to work better than trying to highlight to many things.
I have added a border around the image that matches the legend and am now looking for a style for that. I really do not want to increase size unless it become absolutely necessary.

As for the photo idea, it is on my to do list but for a different map.

[koontz1973]

New image.

Click image to enlarge.

natty, do not get me wrong here as I do value your opinion on my maps but please take into considerstion one thing. If you look at the post made by DiM and the ones made by Flapcake. They have both given constructive criticism and ideas on how to proceed. All you seem to do to my maps is
"Do not like that, change it"
"Still do not like it"
"Nope, still not there"
This is all I here from you. you say to look at the Arms race map and I did.
3 black flat screen.
Different coloured texts
Small boxes surrounded by a large border. I have large amounts of text with small borders.
How to fit a square peg into a round hole? I am more than open to hear your ideas and will be very happy to add them to the map.

[natty dread]

natty, do not get me wrong here as I do value your opinion on my maps but please take into considerstion one thing. If you look at the post made by DiM and the ones made by Flapcake. They have both given constructive criticism and ideas on how to proceed. All you seem to do to my maps is
"Do not like that, change it"
"Still do not like it"
"Nope, still not there"

Are you reading my posts? I've been giving plenty of feedback on what exactly is wrong with the legend. I can't hold your hand all the way of the process... I can't do your graphics for you. All I can do is try to point out to you where the problem (as I perceive it) is, how you fix it is up to you.

This is all I here from you. you say to look at the Arms race map and I did.
3 black flat screen.
Different coloured texts

Please don't get hung up on one single thing I say, take it in context. I'm not saying you should emulate the arms race map exactly. I'm just using it as an example, I could use any number of maps as an example here, the main point I'm trying to make is this:


The way your legend is drawn is too simplistic, it doesn't fit the style of the rest of the map. You need to make it look REAL. What I see you doing is simple, solid colours, lines and dots, something that you could just as well do with MS paint.

This is the main point, and the main problem. You need to step up the graphics of the legend. I don't want to bring up arms race again, so I'll just use some other map, let's say... Clandemonium. Now, don't take this literally like you have to do the exact same thing as on that map. I could pick any map with a legend of this type. But look at the legend on Clandemonium, it has a feeling of a "real" surface, it looks REAL. It looks like an actual metal dashboard, it's not just a rectangle of solid colour with lines and dots, instead it looks like actual metal. THIS is what you need to strive for, to make your legend look REAL.

Can you dig what I'm saying, bro?

[Flapcake]

The frame: This is surely the right way, it's very 80's style. I think you should stick with the style.
I really like the rivets and the rounded corners, there is also something marine in to it.

according to the headline then your radar is 30 years old, so with a little rust and patina on it will come to look very real

[DiM]

just a quick something to get inspired. i think this has a more real feel to it.
i made the metal back look like metal, kept the rivets idea but made them natural, not just black dots. added depth to the screens instead of keeping them flat and also drained the image. added some dials and stuff to further enhance the feel. also worked on saturation/levels/contrast/hue/etc.
if you want the psd tell me and i'll upload that. it's easier than explaining every little detail of what i did

Click image to enlarge.

[natty dread]

^ Now that is what I'm talking about. Something like that is what you should try for.

[Flapcake]

You have read my mind

[koontz1973]

Very good DiM, now where are the aircraft? An essential part of the GP. Also it seems a little dark compared to the navy grey that I wanted. But I do like the idea. Will give it a go.

[koontz1973]

Click image to enlarge.

Been playing around.

DiM, I like the look you gave it but I have my doubts about it. The screen is to dark for my liking and some of the names, territs are obscured. It would also be nesscery to add army circles to the whole board because of the grey 88's. Not really in keeping with a radar image are they.
The brown you chose for the borders is to brown. No navy as far as I know uses brown for coverings and if it is rusted, then it should be in dry dock and not in a war zone.
The dials as I have said before are wasted space. They may look nice but I see no reason for them to go on apart from decoration.

[koontz1973]

More effects.

Click image to enlarge.

[natty dread]

Getting better... the aircraft squares don't quite look right yet. Maybe the bevel is too thick on them.

[Flapcake]

Getting better... the aircraft squares don't quite look right yet. Maybe the bevel is too thick on them.

or goin the wrong way, make them go downwards instead, will give an impresion of the frame being on top

[natty dread]

Well, if the aircraft squares are supposed to be small screens, then they should be convex, not concave. Flat screens weren't invented in the 80:s...

[Flapcake]

Well, if the aircraft squares are supposed to be small screens, then they should be convex, not concave. Flat screens weren't invented in the 80:s...

true

[koontz1973]

They are supposed to be buttons or counters on the console.
Hows this. You might have to look hard as it is only 1 pixel wide.

Click image to enlarge.

[DiM]

here's the psd file. the layers aren't labeled and there are no folders for better organization cause i made it in a rush.
http://www.mediafire.com/?6pb2uulf4smm1uo

[koontz1973]

Thanks DiM. Think I managed to replicate it a different way. As I said, I do not want it as dark as your image, but it is coming along.

[DiM]

Thanks DiM. Think I managed to replicate it a different way. As I said, I do not want it as dark as your image, but it is coming along.

you have 3 adjustment layers in the psd file. hide them and the image will be much lighter.

[natty dread]

Thanks DiM. Think I managed to replicate it a different way. As I said, I do not want it as dark as your image, but it is coming along.

you have 3 adjustment layers in the psd file. hide them and the image will be much lighter.

Koontz is using Gimp, and gimp doesn't have adjustment layers. I don't know how exactly gimp reads adjustment layers in psd files, possibly they get applied on actual layers or ignored alltogether.

[koontz1973]

Thanks DiM. Think I managed to replicate it a different way. As I said, I do not want it as dark as your image, but it is coming along.

you have 3 adjustment layers in the psd file. hide them and the image will be much lighter.

looking at them right this second. Well not really, looking at the keyboard typing this out, but yes, am looking at them.

[DiM]

Thanks DiM. Think I managed to replicate it a different way. As I said, I do not want it as dark as your image, but it is coming along.

you have 3 adjustment layers in the psd file. hide them and the image will be much lighter.

Koontz is using Gimp, and gimp doesn't have adjustment layers. I don't know how exactly gimp reads adjustment layers in psd files, possibly they get applied on actual layers or ignored alltogether.

get photoshop it's better and it can also be free