Sol System Map

Ok I can do that, it's on my home computer, and there are no dividing lines right now other than ringed planets. So it might be a bit of time before I can get it to you.

I'm glad you are trying to work out the game play before doing too much work on the graphics. I have looked through the comments (I apologize in advance if I repeat anything that has already been said) and agree that this site needs a Solar system map (I can't remember who said that..). I'm not entirely sold when it comes to the graphics, I'm not sure how much work you planning on doing or have left but to me it will require a lot more because right now the map feels a bit "childish" and too simple compared to the location you have chosen. I'm not saying this to be mean but you should also keep in mind the [url=http://www.dominating12.com/forum/?cmd=topic&id=589]standards[/url] that you have to meet. Again, I don't know how much work you are planning on doing but right now, the thing that stands out the most is the Asteroid belt. It is shown in 3d while the rest of the map is in 2d. The planets need more texture and a bit of depth, same goes for the background because right now, everything looks a bit..flat... There is more to say but I will wait until your next update. Nicely done so far.

Well I was scorned for my texture earlier. This flat version was made flat by request. from http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/4675429.jpg to http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/4684180.jpg High standards are great, and I get it's a dark site. Removing inner shadows, and hand drawing some depth will help with the flat look. If it's not over bearing, real images of the planets can be used as texture, but gameplay and clarity come first imho.

Don't do any extra work with the territory dividers they are on a layer you have anyway. Just send the file and I'll make them for you. Don't do any other graphic work yet either until I clean up the edges etc. Like I told you earlier about the 3D look of planets, I will put the shadows on for you too, which will give the globe effect.

Those dividers don't work anymore, the map has been completely revamped, cut out every single planet and moon and repositioned, lines don't align now. In fact they were all erased so I could use the dashed white lines. That and they didn't match up with anything anymore. The only real work to do is tracing Earth Continents, that takes forever. Mask to path or mask to vector does not work well at this resolution, so it has to be done by hand if you want it to look good. I really need to find my mouse.

[spoiler][img]http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/4687788.jpg[/img][/spoiler] Ok ignoring the graphics, how does this play? Took out the glow, redrew some stuff that was bugging me. Can add graphical or take graphical stuff away, and aeronautic is helping me with that. But I think this could be played to see what work needs to be done first.

[spoiler][img]http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/4691327.jpg[/img][/spoiler] Ok this is probably the best I can possibly make.

There is a solid color layer for each planet and moon now so colors can change easily. There is a layer for each object shadows, and a layer for each object real photo texture overlay. Took my sweet time and did it right. Now how do we test phase this bad boy? (Note I have to put "Leeward Belt" back in) Ps - sorry Matty no dead end territories anymore.

[quote=cbt711 - Feb 7, 04:20 AM]Ps - sorry Matty no dead end territories anymore.[/quote] I am happy to say that you are wrong, I could find one ;) Aren't they supposed to be called North Saturn and South Saturn (or Nothern Saturn and Southern Saturn) instead of Saturn North and Saturn South? I like the earth, but it's clear to see that the sea has the same texture as the land. Not sure if you want that. The colour of venus is very pale. Yellow is hard to get right. I would still like it if the asteroid belt whould grow a bit wider when approaching mars from the left, and a bit smaller when approaching mars from the right. I would move the eastern rings territory circle a bit to the left and a bit up, and the one from uranus major a bit down-right. I like the overall look, and love it how the asteroids are not not cut off from the sun anymore :) I would still ike colour difference for territories, but if you don't, at least make the earth colour differences less big ;)

@Cbt711 - Is the Halley comet a territory or not? Otherwise we have to take off 1 territory somewhere. Your game-play changes are too drastic from one step to the other. We asked to not exagerate with dean-end territories not to remove them all. 1 or 2 are okay. I'am not counting that Cronus actually is but that seems unintentional, and I don't think you had to move the divider on saturn ring so much, plus as it is now it is not very clear if E. Ring is bordering with S. Satun or not. This kind of short forms that I am using with the meaning of 'eastern' and 'southern' are default for the site, you can use them where the map is too much crowded by names. The Asteroid belt got a totally strange shape, 1st after passing Mars it becomes trice thicker, 2nd it is cut off behind the Moon. Colors don't look very beautiful, specially the yellow and orange, but I don't know... But basically I liked better the childish version that was more funny for me, but it looks like Fendi doesn't like it. Also in the new version Jupiter seems to have lost its real flattening. I was suggesting to change a bit the placement of the planets like [url=http://i1354.photobucket.com/albums/q700/Photo_Bishop/D12SolareSystem02_zps1637b4af.png]THIS[/url] in order to avoid Jupiter system borders to be reducible but, sorry, I had no time to post. But even most important that was to avoid a big area lockable into 2 territories and also to provide a west-east connection to the map. But I don't think my idea is okay because still one big 2 borders area has survived and I don't know how to change that. In the 1st version with removed ports there were 3 big areas with 2 borders, maybe there was more equilibrium! Honestly we have plenty of maps with this size, since I think we can allow this one to have a different game-play but still some arrangements is needed. Let me say also that aeronautic and I were working on another map and I would prefer now to go ahead with that. EDIT: Every times I post just after Matty without reading his posts. Sorry... just coincidence! But basically I agree with what has been said.

I don't like dead end territories - seems like a cheap tactic isolating one weak troop, and those people will time out to spite you half the time anyway. They aren't on the original map for a reason. Now they screwed up Australia on the original, but they got a lot more right than wrong imho. You can't reduce Jupiter's borders to 2 any more with the line on Mars / Rover Terr. splitting Phobos. You can't split the map east to west with 2, or north to south with 2. I get it's a bunch of changes, but I think it will play really well. And we can try it with Cronos dead ended and without if you guys REALLY want a dead end territory, but I think it would be better to move the Rings border somewhere more obvious so you know for sure where you can attack or not. @Bishop, you said "Gulp! Cloth made planets! That was unexpected... It looks a bit weird to me, really I was imagine you to use real pictures but I didn't consider the color problem!" Now you say you like the kid looking one? Well, I had to redraw everything, and split them into about 200 layers or so to get the realistic look, some shading, and colors all separated. Halley's comet is not playable, just for show. Leeward Asteroid Belt is missing its text. @Matty - I would have to add another layer for every territory to make each color a little different. Could be done. Didn't plan on it until gameplay was solid because changing borders changes that shading and is a PAIN. Aeronautic made a much better looking asteroid belt. Took the color out, and made Mars 3 instead of 5. It looks good, but not sure it would encourage people to ever want Mars... ever. 4 territory borders for 3 points, no thanks personally. @Vexor / Fendi / Cireon: Is this getting anywhere? Thoughts?

When I'm doing bad I sometimes go into a dead end territory myself and then ask a player to defend me from others killing me - they really have lots of uses :) It is up to you if you want one of course, if you personally hate them than you should remove them, it's your map after all. You have a good point on waiting with changing the colours per territory. There is a formula from Vexer somewhere to pick the right bonus for mars, but 3 does seem to be too low :) http://www.bluemelon.com/photo/4675429.jpg This one doesnt have cloth, but looks a bit childish (which is nice). But I like the idea of this one as well.

Oh yeah, the "same texture" over ocean and land on Earth is a texture of clouds. So it was on purpose. Tried to make each planet so that you could see the real planet from space in the texture. Also noticed NO planets are truly round. So I had to trim or skew every one of them to a round shape. Thought that was interesting. Makes sense though. On Mars, I think it needs the asteroid belts to reduce borders, or to have inclusive territories to defend. Without the asteroids, it's 5 territories, 4 borders. Ouch. Saturn could be 5 instead of 6, but only because you can reduce borders occupying Callisto. Really it's 6 to induce more fighting for it. 5 borders, 10 territories.

Here is an intermediate version, which is still pending cbt711's texture overlays and new stars, plus any changes he made to gameplay in the meantime.[spoiler=Solar System 3a][img]http://www.the-inkstore.co.uk/map_resources/Sol-Rev-3a.jpg[/img][/spoiler]

It's looking good. I think Mars system should be +4, the other bonuses are okay for me. I like the new asteroids but they are not red anymore, they are brown now. Are you proposing them to form another region? In case can be Mars +3 and the Belt +1 (discontinued region!), but it's a bit weird and hard to make it clear in the mini-map. I definitely think it must stay like a unique region, as normal. The rings divider should be moved on the left, if you want a dead-end the Red Spot was the most beautiful for me. By the way there are also many territories bordering with only 2, since they are quasi-dead-ends with similar effect in game play but less extreme, that's okay for me not to have any dead-ends. Or also to have 1, up to you. And please call them just 'W. Rings' and 'E. Rings' just because the tag 'Eastern Rings' is covering all the image of the rings that was nice to see, plus that's overcrowded by names, actually it is touching 2 circle markers, can be confusing. The white vertical line at the end of the Belt (on the right side) should be removed I guess and also the divider between Zeus and Olympus shouldn't overlay the Leeward belt outline. The new Sun doesn't look so nice, I liked better the previous. You are doing a good job guys. Aeronautic if you want to go ahead with this it's okay for me, Italy can wait. Also because I am not sure I will be on so much for the next days or week.