Italy

Here is a new version of mountains, they are hand drawn and made to look embossed on the map. I have only done the top half of the range, to see what the feedback is?
I need these mountains finished before I can move on to the Territory Dividers and Tags, so urgent feedback please!

They look weird, at the bottom of the mountains there are stripes in all directions.
For the back part of the mountains that's not even nescessary, as the perspective on the mountains makes these invisible from our point of view anyways.
For the front part they could be alot shorter maybe?

I think that looks amazing! Those lines are realistic as mountains erode where water runs down them, and that's exactly what it looks like.
Typical Mountains from space look ^

Yes, the fact is that this is a map not an image from satellite. I think we can do something much more simple than that, specially if we want this to look like a real game board. But honestly I also think we can wait to do mountains so having the time to think what kind of mountains are suitable for this map.

Aeronautic please skip the mountains and go on with the rest. I can't see anymore this map at this primordial stage! If you need the mountains done only for fitting the circles, well then you can just draw the mountain area so that you will know where the circles can stay. Texts can also overlap the mountains a bit, I can't see any problems on that.

They don't look exactly like they're from space - they have perspective as well, I think they look really really good.

Though I agree the mountains look good I'm afraid they don't fit with the map. They look real while the map is drawn. How about if you shorten some of the longer stripes and play around with the colours, making it a bit more brownish or something a long those lines.

Okay I will try that.

I will also hold on that and get the dividers done for The_Bishop to work more on gameplay.

I have done the dividers and tags.

I have also put a new version of mountains on it.

Wow, thanks Hero, great job! Now I can see it taking form.

Also, I like the mountains! They are so realistic.

I would say they should have a bit more contrast with the rest. Can be turned light grey-brown maybe? I think something sufficiently lighter compared to the regions or something sufficiently darker, I don't know.

I think the colors of the regions are not definitive. Usually in the D12 maps every region has its own color since I think they cannot stay as they are now. Too many equal colors and so next each others. The contrast with the mountains can also be given playing with the region colors and textures.

Also I can see some small problems to fit territory names. I forgot to suggest to change Caltanisetta with Enna, (easier!). Actually that territory is formed by Enna + Caltanisetta since you can choose the name you prefer.
Also Isernia is usually shorten as IS (no dots)
And Campobasso as CB (no dots) In this case I think it can be useful. Or you shorten both or any.
But really as you did it with the white lines is not bad for me.

There are also a couple of very small amendments in game play regarding the sea connections and port locations. But I will send you a private message for this.

But wait... Too many things! For the moment I am waiting to see the second part of the mountains...

Okay, I was reluctant to do them until the okay was given on the ones I did, so as not to undertake unnecessary work.

Okay then! next stage, more mountains, different region colours for all & amend / abbreviate some name tags. Then, you should have tested the gameplay letting me know exactly where you want the ports etc. and we can get this baby 'tarted' up and ready for the bosses.

The mountains look a bit greenish.

Nice job on the territories!

Aeronautic wait to shorten the tags. In my opinion they can also stay as they are. Mine it was just a suggestion how to arrange them in case someone don't like them as they are.

Go with the mountains! please : )

I have a bit of a problem with the mountains, I need to blend the region colours in with them or they'd look way too contrasting no matter what design. Seem as you requested colour changes for the Regions due to same colours replicated, I have to get the okay on the Regions first. I have however, done a new adjustment to them in the northern part according to the suggestions,
I will need you to check the lesser contrast "sufficiently lighter compared to the regions" and shorter 'stripes', brown and grey addition (colours played around with) and hand drawn overlays to rid the 'real' look?
I have also put a black outline on the name tags to give more contrast and readability.
I will put version 8 & 9 together below for comparison. If need be, it is all saved as layers on version 8 so that I can just go back the way it was and start from there.

I notice one major thing. The text looks pristine in Photoshop but in PNG, quite blurred. I will try a JPEG on gas mark 12 and see if it makes a difference?!
There you go... slightly improved, but it's the upload and download that seems to be killing the file!

I liked the mountains as they are in version 8, without blending them with the surrounding regions. And watching them better it seems they already are sufficiently darker compared to the regions.
Also, Fendi had told to reduce the stripes (fringes) in the previous mountains version not in this one.
In few words they are okay for me, don't change them, just add the second piece.

I like the improved readability of the tags in version 9. But still I suggest for caution to keep the old saved in case they might fit better with the final style of the masterpiece ; )

As for the colors, I would say that I am not convinced. Maybe they are changed too much. Let say you could just for example 4 brown regions, you can make them to be 2 light brown and 2 dark brown, then 4 greens, 2 dark and 2 light, or even change the tonality of course, just couples of regions with same colors, not 1 per color, and without modify too much the color scheme as it was in version 8. Just suggestions but really I would like to re-watch it tomorrow, now I am very tired, I am going to sleep and my eye doesn't see properly.

Also there are almost no texture for me. And also colors are very uniform apart the darken outline around the boundaries. They should be a bit more darkened and lightened here-and-there and a bit more textured for example with thin stripes.
You can watch the other maps of the site for reference.

And also non-playing area and sea should be textured as well. I think is better to add every effect in a different layer but I am not sure, you are the designer. Once the map will be more textured might be more easy to choose what colors look better.