Lunar War [GP, G, X] files on p.1

[isaiah40]

It was just a thought that's all.

[natty dread]

Well I looked at some moon maps, and there's a crater named "Firmicus" (I think) that's quite squarely between Spumans & Crisium. I think with a little shuffling of lables & stuff I could fit it in there. I'm not opposed to doing it, it could actually be quite good, making BR2 less isolated...

[natty dread]

Ok here's the version with Magnus & Serenitatis with 3 neutrals each, and crater Firmicus (with 2 neutrals) added between Spumans & Crisium.

Click image to enlarge.

Isaiah, what do you think about the crater?

[ender516]

Does adding the crater mess up the territory count, with regards to "magic numbers" for fair starts?

[natty dread]

Does adding the crater mess up the territory count, with regards to "magic numbers" for fair starts?

what are you talking about, it's a conquest map...

[ender516]

Never mind, reflex question.

[isaiah40]

I think that crater will work. I also think that it adds to the game play IMHO.

[natty dread]

I think that crater will work. I also think that it adds to the game play IMHO.

I agree.

So, is this all? Is the gameplay stamp-worthy now?

[Teflon Kris]

Nice work guys - it's taken a lot of fiddling but the gameplay balance is getting there.

[natty dread]

After thinking about it, I've decided that we should be changing the rockets to shuttles/spaceships.

There was earlier some argument against it, based on the fact that rockets are currently the only viable way to get to space.

However, I've started to think shuttles/spaceships would make more sense. Firstly, the big rocket part is only used to get outside earth's gravitational field, after which it is discarded and the shuttle does the rest of the travel. So it would make no sense to have rockets hanging around near the moon - and after the addition of the missile bases which can attack the "rockets" it wouldn't make sense to think the rockets as being down at earth waiting for being launched. Rather, they are ships that have already been launched, and are now hovering at orbit.

The second reason is, this map is placed 100 years in the future! Do you think we will still be using huge rockets when we are mining Helium-3 from the moon? Of course not. We'll have shuttles with ion propulsion and stuff like that.

Thus, if I hear no viable counter-arguments, I'll be changing the rockets into shuttles/spaceships.

[Evil DIMwit]

Right, I think this has been stickied and settled long enough. Ian was going to give this, but in his absence, enjoy:

[natty dread]

Wow, thanks evil! Thanks also to ian, wherever he is. The stamp is much appreciated

Now we can get crackin' on the visual side of this map. I know there has been lots of controversy and heated opinions about the somewhat unorthodox style of representing connections on this map.

Although I personally think the map is quite clear as it is, I might be biased in that I'm one of the developers of the map... The poll results told me that about 1 in 5 have serious trouble with reading this map. So I'm open to all suggestions about improving this.

Before you jump on this though, let me note right now that I am not willing to change the craters into territories with borders - there's just no viable way to do this. Believe me, I've wracked my brain trying to figure out a way to do this so that it would make any sense, but all attempts of mine have failed. The main problem being, craters being holes in the ground and thus not having any recognizable borders that could be used.

The best solution that I can personally see, would be to make both the seas and craters uniform in style. Thus players could see craters as "small and round sea territories", this would make them actually have borders - although small ones, except in case where they only border other craters or other singular territories - in these cases they could be seen as islands on a normal geographical map.

I have been thinking of this solution for a while, but have put it back since I wanted to wait for the gp stamp, so that I'd know I won't have to change any connections. So now that we have it, stay tuned for an improved version of Lunar...

[natty dread]

Ok, here's a preview on the next graphical overhaul... This is not ready yet, but since I'm too tired to keep working on it tonight I'll just post what I have so far:

Click image to enlarge.

I'm thinking of specifying in the legend that "Moon surface is impassable except via assault routes". This will help the players to perceive the craters as "islands" in a "sea" of moon surface, I hope.

IH, if you're reading this, I hope you like it, because this is as close to territory-border-connections as I'm going to get on this map.

[isaiah40]

Right, I think this has been stickied and settled long enough. Ian was going to give this, but in his absence, enjoy:

Yes finally!

I'll make my comments on it when you have a more complete image done.

[ender516]

If you are getting rid of the rockets, keep in mind that your vehicles should be suitable for transfers to and from lunar orbit, not earth orbit. So more like the Apollo LM and less like the flying brickyard Shuttle.

[natty dread]

If you are getting rid of the rockets, keep in mind that your vehicles should be suitable for transfers to and from lunar orbit, not earth orbit. So more like the Apollo LM and less like the flying brickyard Shuttle.

They should be able to transfer from both, being that they would be used to transport troops and helium-3 between the earth and the moon.

The likely design would use a blended wing body for maximizing efficiency in traveling the earth's atmosphere, and it would likely use dual propulsion with rockets or jets for traveling in the air and ion propulsion for traveling in vacuum.

But I'm not going to get too creative here, I'll probably just draw some shuttles so people will recognize what they are... they're going to have to fit army circles & flags in them anyway so it's not like I can make them overly complex

Yes finally!

I'll make my comments on it when you have a more complete image done.

Neat. I hope you like the more dark & sinister style I went for... I figured since we're fighting a war in the moon the graphics shouldn't be all happy-happy-joy

[natty dread]

Ok, full update, complete graphical overhaul - again.

I give you version # 23. Enjoy.

Click image to enlarge.

btw. I cba to do the XML for this map, so if anyone is willing to do it without receiving a medal for it (2nd medal goes to isaiah) let me know. You will get credits on the map of course.

[isaiah40]

Meh on the title font. go back to the NASA style font as it fits with the theme better IMO. Instead of Troop Assignments it should read Troop Deployments. Overall it is much clearer, especially the legend area. I'd say Final Forge it!!

Ok so I'm biased

Edit: Just noticed, the attack routes that are in the lighter areas are a smidgen hard to see. Can you 1) put a black outer glow on them or 2) change the color of all of them to say black with a slight white outer glow?

[natty dread]

Meh on the title font. go back to the NASA style font as it fits with the theme better IMO.

Waah! But I like the new title

...the reason I changed it was because I thought the nasa font wouldn't fit the new graphical style anymore. Perhaps if I tried the new font in all caps? Then if you still don't like it I'll try the nasa font again...

Instead of Troop Assignments it should read Troop Deployments. Overall it is much clearer, especially the legend area.

Ok so I was going to put Troop Deployments there, but then I thought it might confuse people as deploy is a game term...

I'd say Final Forge it!!

Ok so I'm biased

Calm down man, we just got in the graphics shop

Edit: Just noticed, the attack routes that are in the lighter areas are a smidgen hard to see. Can you 1) put a black outer glow on them or 2) change the color of all of them to say black with a slight white outer glow?

I want to keep the assault routes uniform to prevent confusion so I'll try #1.

[natty dread]

Ok, so here's two alternative titles:

Title A:

Click image to enlarge.

Title B:

Click image to enlarge.

[isaiah40]

Instead of Troop Assignments it should read Troop Deployments. Overall it is much clearer, especially the legend area.

Ok so I was going to put Troop Deployments there, but then I thought it might confuse people as deploy is a game term...

Well if you think about it, troops get deployed right? What do others have to say about it? Troop Assignments or Troop Deployments?

[natty dread]

Well if you think about it, troops get deployed right? What do others have to say about it? Troop Assignments or Troop Deployments?

Yeah, I guess so. Either works for me.
Anyway did you look at the title images? A or B?

[isaiah40]

Well if you think about it, troops get deployed right? What do others have to say about it? Troop Assignments or Troop Deployments?

Yeah, I guess so. Either works for me.
Anyway did you look at the title images? A or B?

'A' with the date in the same font (since I forgot to mention it).

[natty dread]

Ok.

I was thinking, for the Troop assignments problem, I could change the tab to "Mission Objective" since it says what you get when you capture certain territories, and, well, there's the objective in it...

[natty dread]

Ok here's the next version. I did a lot of little tweaks - can't remember them all, but the legend should now be very clear. I'd say the legibility of the map has improved significantly.

Click image to enlarge.

Oh, and if anyone is interested in doing the XML let me know. Medals are all taken but will get your name on the map!



...oops, just noticed I forgot 2 connections from frac base... :p