Sol System Map

I just read theBisshops comment, not sure why I missed it before, but he is right.
Mars is blocking north from south with just two territories .

Maybe we could make the asteroid belt not be part of mars (just neutral territories).


Also I don't like the thicker lines as they are now.
They make it really clear what is connected to what, but look bad.


Oh, that autumn leave is very autumny-leave like. That's not bad on itself, just saying it, not sure if you did that on purpose or by accident.


I like what you did to purple, it's still the best region in play, but not overpowered anymore.

I have to admit that it is getting really nice! Congrats.
Now really I'm having the feeling that I am watching one of the best map of the Solar system I have ever seen.
But still there are a lot of things that I would change.

1. The thicker lines between regions is not necessary nor beautiful. I think you should always use the same line. Regions are well distinguishable, don't worry.
2. The white line around the asteroid belt is weird. I think you can draw it black as the others. The white luminescence that you provide around the asteroids must get a black line pretty visible on it.
3. The Moon should completely cover the asteroid belt for 2 reasons. 1st it doesn't make sense to have a part of the Belt that is visible but not playable. 2nd you must keep the door open to the option to draw a connection line between Luna and Neptune, because one region in the middle blocking the passage way (Mars system) will be surely a subject to discuss about. You have no problem to enlarge the Moon a bit, being the object closest to the observer.
4. I know you will hate me for this but I am a bit maniac with the proportions. I think Pluto must be smaller. It actually is the second smallest object represented here, apart from the Martian moons and the asteroids, only the Uranian moon should be smaller than Pluto. Plus is supposed to be the object most far from the observer. I would make it large as the moons are if it is not too much job.
5. I think the color are very nice but probably the Sun should be more white than yellow/red just to give more balance being close to the yellow/red planets, but I am not sure about this. The mini-map should be moved a bit from the corner in my opinion, getting a little portion of the Sun visible around it.
6. Maybe some little amendments to the gameplay... At the moment I don't have a clear idea but I think the Mars problem should be solved adding a connection line or re-opening the spaceports option, I suggest 3 in the 3 biggest regions.
7. I would really like to see how the planets look without adding any textures. Just as the Moon is. Earth is very beautiful as it is but some of the other planets are a bit weird for me, especially the vertical shades. Please, could you show it once without added textures just to make a comparison?

Thank you both so much for the feedback.
I can easily ditch the thick lines.

I can color select the white lines and paint them black around the asteroid belts no problem.

Instead of making the moon larger, I think I can just cut down the asteroids above it, then either erase the ones to the right, or make them not Red.

As for the textures, it's personal preference as Bishop hates the vertical lines but Matty thinks the outer planets are the best looking.

I agree Pluto should be a little smaller. Since scale is absolutely ignored in almost every way though, it might still be larger than most moons because let's be honest: Hasn't Pluto been through enough?

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For connectivity:
Since Voyager 1 just passed Pluto, I could draw dotted lines from Earth to a satellite to voyager 1 to Pluto.

I could just draw a dotted line with no explanation or reason other than game play.

I could make Luna 1 territory instead of two - Put in Hailey's comet as a green territory between Neptune and Luna.

I could reintroduce space ports.

I'm thinking just the dashed line at this point. There is some serious (random in my opinion since they are basically dashed lines) hatred against ports in the community I have found from this experience.
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PS - Atumn leaf was unintentional, supposed to be the big red storm on Jupiter.

Just provided a version with names, because I fear that many cannot understand what we are speaking about:
NAMES
Mars System didn't seem very appropriate, for the moment I have fun to call it 'Red Zone'.

And also I tried to represent the changes that I suggested. Just 'badly done' but it was to explain it better.
Suggested changes
(I think I have gone a bit too far changing the size of Pluto and the Moon, a middle way could be better - Also the Sun doesn't look so nice but I still think something more white)

About connectivity the idea of Voyager1 doesn't sound bad... but I don't know... Keep the doors open!

It's not really hatred against ports, it's just that they are used very often in new maps, and they are a bit a "too easy" solution.
So if you can come up with something else that works well, then do that, because it shows you have skills.

The point in using dashed lines is that long dashed lines are ugly (even worse: lots of dashed lines that cross), so ppl are discouraged to use them

Also, domination games and ports give a weird type of game (sometimes).


Oh, I stopped giving comments on maps, but when I saw your idea (and Italy) I thought them to be too awesome ideas not comment on. You're doing absolutely great!!!


You could try to make the texture on purple a bit less obvious (maybe the beehive on yellow as well).
Just to see what it looks like.

Almost done. Do I have to put the circles in or is that done by the site?

I don't like long dashed lines for no reason, so I threw in Hailey's Comet. It turned out awesome. It's not playable, just for show.

So Mars is no longer blocking half the system.
I moved Asia and North America apart so it was obvious you can't attack across them.
I did a lot of touch up work in earth, washed out the texture on outer planets, added point values. Made the sun more "sun like", added title, moved the mini map off the corner, and blended the mini map with dark fade instead of light fade.
Also shrunk Pluto, and made all borders black, non white. Also redrew asteroid belt to not skew around Luna.

I think this is it, unless I'm supposed to add the circles myself. Soooo what now?

@cbt711 - I think you must read this:
http://www.dominating12.com/forum/?cmd=topic&id=589
there you can find and download the circle file and add them by yourself.

Now that I see the map with the territory names I think there is too much luminescence effect. I think names should be not cursive at all. Plus I think white would be better than black because it can match with the dark background without using luminescence. In case you can use shade for the lighter planets. The title can stay cursive and black for me.

I like the comet. I like the changes in game-play but still I don't like that Juppiter can reduce the borders occupying the Red region. I would like Olympus and Zeus to be merged in 1 territory but then I don't know where to add 1.

I like Phobos and Deimos smaller but about Pluto probably you exagereted a bit. Mine was just an example but I had said you to make a middle way. Btw okay, this is a minor issue.

You probably messed up with names in the Ringed Planets region. Check them please. Also I like the names that you found out for the regions maybe they can stay on the minimap. Just suggested red Zone for the Mars system but I don't knoew if you like it. Not sure there is room enough in the minimap though.

I just came up with a new idea derived from your proposal to add Voyager1 as territory. Why not to add a space-probe in that empty space between earth and sun? Just as a non-playing decoration.

I tried white first, it just looked plain bad. For some reason the ball I made a much cleaner text. Also went through like 20 fonts. Not sure what other one to use without it being just plain and boring or too busy. I can tone down the luminescence some, but not much. The middle of Saturn needs a new name, as it obviously is not eastern rings. I used Greek equals or other mythology for names. I'll call it Saturn minor, Saturn belt, or look up some other mythology and name it something related (as long as it is not already one of saturns moons, ie Titan)

I don't like to remark on the graphics side of maps, but nobody seems to have mentioned it and I have no doubt that Vexer will jump on it.
I know planets are not perfect circles, but at least to the human eye they are and the edges seem crisp and defined, however these seem like they have been worked by hand and in some cases look like "cardboard cut outs". It would help your images, even at this early stage, if you overlaid a marquee and cleaned up the planets edges.
The Saturn rings also seem to have lost their perspective and I think it's the territory dividing line that runs vertically through it that causes it, perhaps you could have a line that gets thicker as it comes toward you or offset the line to the right as if running from the centre of the planet (invisibly of course), but it definitely needs to thicken in perspective.
I also notice that with Saturn, there is a line ringed around it as a territory divider, which is also out of perspective to the rings and the globe shape of a planet. The same with Jupiter, any lines that circumnavigate, have to show the perspective of the planet.

Of course I don't know at what stage of the graphics you are, but this line made me worried that you had finished with the graphics etc and were going for the final stages:

Just one more thing if I may. I would add a dark grey space haze over the whole planet area and reduce the opacity to that which makes everything well visible, but not bright. Of course the text and circles would have to be above that 'haze' layer.

I see what might be causing the mis-shaped planets, the outline.
Do you know about the "Stroke" tool in Photoshop? It gives a perfect outline to any filled layer to the thickness you decide.

Where is this stroke tool? All I could find was stroke path, so I had to hand draw ever single path. I love the level of standard you guys have for these things, but I might be nearing the end of my motivation.

Like the lines follow the superimposed graphic of each planet, hence Saturn and Jupiter's circumnavigating lines not matching each other. Each planet obviously sits on its own slightly different axis.

Mars moons are not supposed to be round if that was what stuck out to you. If it was any of the others, then I must say good eye. I used tangent propagation around each planet, and I thought they were round to the visible eye.

The odd line of the northern equatorial line on Jupiter was for gameplay to separate Ganymede from Western Belt, so it's slightly off the planet curve, but overall it has a perspective tilting nothern lines up and southern lines flatter or down to make it look massive. Since I had no room to actually make Jupiter significantly larger than everything else, I tried an optical illusion instead. 

The Saturn ring divide was done so straight and geometric for the sake of a different look. I realized I was being rather redundant with borders and needed something more rigid and geometric now and then.

PS - sorry older versions are now broken links, I cleaned up my blue melon account, not thinking about the random linked images earlier in this thread.

http://abstractfonts.com

@Bishop, my fonts are limited on my laptop, but I can get any of these that say free, unlicensed. What would look good?

And if I darken it with a gray masking layer, maybe darken or opaque at a 30-40% clip, then maybe white would work. Just sucks editing 42 fonts individually , then editing their layer blending properties one at a time. C'est la vie.