West Indies

[img]http://oi67.tinypic.com/24wg0ab.jpg[/img] [spoiler=West Indies 1820-30's][img]http://oi67.tinypic.com/eg5vgh.jpg[/img][/spoiler] Here's my latest development of the West Indies map that I have been creating in the [url=http://www.dominating12.com/forum/?cmd=topic&id=1803&page=16]map dabble[/url] thread. Gameplay standard gameplay (no special). Map size:Medium Number of players: 3-6 players Number of territories:42 Number of regions:6 Theme that it was working with has been somewhat settled on is 1820's - 30's timeframe, regarding place names.... with a pirateY, treasureY map papery style...Ahoy! That timeline being close to the last days of piracy still, and the fight for independence. South and Central America winning their independence..around this era...[url=http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?groupid=237&HistoryID=aa23>rack=pthc]reference[/url] Critique away.

I don't know how the copyright things are, because this map seems to be based on another central america map (not the one that is published here). But then, I don't know whether they just look alike or really are based on eachother. Gameplay seems to be fine. Not sure on the purple colour with respect to the purple territory circle. Maybe that region can be a bit more red and a bit less purple. My main problem is though that the background looks like an old piraty-cart. But the foreground, the territories and all, they look, I don't know, not very pirate like. The problem is that I don't really know how to improve it. Maybe some more or a different texture or something. Not sure :S

[spoiler=img without circles] [img]http://oi66.tinypic.com/2czc1ac.jpg[/img][/spoiler] When i started this, I wanted to see if I could help out with maps on the list, world double, west indies, and I know that the member who proposed his map of the [url=http://www.dominating12.com/forum/?cmd=topic&id=1995&board=43]RISK The West Indies[/url] JS243, did not have photoshop and wasn't so keen to pursue it anymore, even though there was some interest in it. He followed through with turning it into a personal game board though. His version had RISK wording, which was the copyright issue maybe. He didn't have a problem with my version based around his outline. http://www.dominating12.com/forum/?cmd=topic&id=2306&board=43 [quote=JS243 - Aug 5, 01:04 AM]Good detective work Hoodlum, you found me! I was already in the final stages of making my board game when I discovered D12. Unfortunately the requirements were really strict on this site and it was asking too much work to make it fit the rules so I didn't bother. But the West Indies map plays great! It has a good flow for 3-4 players. I'm hoping my Ancient Greece map works out. I want it to work for 4-5 players or at least give weaker players a chance to stick around and not get eliminated so quickly. I like your East Indies map. I'm glad I could help you out.[/quote] [quote=JS243 - Aug 5, 01:08 AM]Awesome version of the west indies too! I had considered the route from Jamaica to Honduras or Nicaragua. How does it play online?[/quote] I did use the same regions/territories for the draw, using d12 dimensions so that at least perhaps he could work with that if he came back, but he was keen on moving forward with another project [url=http://www.dominating12.com/forum/?cmd=topic&id=2306&board=43]ANCIENT GREECE[/url] ANCIENT GREECE (and surrounding areas)

Puebla tag and territory circle could use some jiggering. Two suggestions. Move the tag up to under nuevo santander. Or play a little with the borders and widen them in the south to include some of the Mexico territory. I think that would be an acceptable alteration. I do agree with Matty about the purple. But... sometimes things look better on an actual game than they do on these mockups. I mean if you put a yellow circle in Bolivar it's probably gonna be hard to see. But if you hold the majority of the region, it shouldn't be a problem. I don't think you can really make the regions pirate-y. Maybe add a few effects, like burn marks, smudges, or tears... An X marks the spot deal. Little gimmicky things to play it up. The title looks a little too pacific paradise rather than pirate-y too. Although I love the palm tree!! When the font is smaller for the tags though, it looks good. Don't care for the border around the edges. Gameplay is solid. Movement across the map is fluid. However, there's going to be some issues with chokepoints in the center. People won't be able to move if you have build up in the blue and purple regions. Purple region is better with the different connections. But if you block off Santiago and Nicaragua you'll stop all flow across the board. Not that that should really ever happen, but would be interesting to play in fog with stacks in your back forty. Might consider adding connection lines between Costa Rica/El Salvador and The Bahamas/Haiti. Or not, it's probably fine as is.

I'll let you guys discuss Game-Play some more until it's sorted, but a tiny bit of input in the meantime... [quote=naathim]Don't care for the border around the edges.[/quote] I think the reason it looks strange is because it has an inner shadow, if you remove this it will not only make the map rim more distinguished, it will help with the overall look of the map, because that shadow is giving the map a weird raised (bevelled) effect.

Some ideas. [spoiler][img]http://oi64.tinypic.com/dw6tsp.jpg[/img][/spoiler] frame edited. connections added, moved around label for Puebla, and a few other labels. I like the creative palm tree for Indies, but yeah I think it kind looked soft for a pirate theme.. attempted to mean theme it up. Re-coloured greater antilles, tried red, couldn't get the right tones to blend. this is what I ended up with. Not sure what to do about the land...different texture..add pirate theme stuff, was thinking something on the lines of brethren coast map, but that idea outta my skill range.. got lost for creativity. resorted back to special game play similar to east indies map. x marks the spot / treasures... Treasure references https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Island http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/malagana-treasure-gold-and-greed-lost-civilization-plundered-003600 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Coast

I'm kind of rethinking the connection between bahamas/haiti... I'm just not sure. It might be too much connectivity lol. Hopefully somebody else will weigh in. I do think the El salvador/costa rica connection is beneficial to gameplay. I like the treasure thing. Adds something to it. The title looks a little too busy now. Might just have to stick to one or the other. Again, I like the palm tree, but the pirate crest in the middle might be more appropriate. Either or should be fine though. Maybe you could just darken the image a little? That might lend it a more pirate-y flair? IDK, just an idea.

Minor edits. Without the bahamas/haiti connection..skull image darkened a little. few pixel fixes -lesser Antilles [spoiler=skulls n x's][img]http://oi66.tinypic.com/2en98xd.jpg[/img][/spoiler]

Are Santiago and Haiti connected? In my opinion they should... The curved lines are a bit countereffective, they don't look realistic (ex. Santiago-Jamaica). But may be because they are a bit too squary. I would try more separated and rounded dashes (the proportions seem fine) Personally I don't think that the treasures add to the map. Especially because of the concept, once you find a treasure, there is nothing left. Also the red crosses are too red I'd say. On the frame, it looks weird because it has no defined borders, and the colors merge quite well with many parts of the map.

oops - yup santiago-haiti are connected. accidental deletion.

[spoiler=Pirates][img]http://oi64.tinypic.com/2im8izm.jpg][/img][/spoiler] There isn't an option to make dotted lines in PDN, dunno why. I remember having to blur it/overlay techniques for the Philippines map. I tried the same thing with this attempt, but it kept looking too blurry.. so I didn't do that, but with this size I tried, the dashes don't seem square to me..any better?. Could try deleting every second dot to space it out? Red x's were colour changed to a deeper red. For a pirate theme map, It only seems expected to have an x marks the spot on a map, so having it as part of special gameplay seems a convenient thing to do as it also helps out with the piratey thing. Also having used this special gameplay for East Indies and also having it for West Indies seems cool. In East Indies, it's a sneaky bonus that goes un-noticed. I think it will be played the same in this one maybe.. un-noticed, or maybe not as un-noticed, but it could bring some sort of extra gameplay dynamic. Sneaky or Aggresive Pirate play! I asked my young daughter what she thought this kind of map was,,"it's a pirate map".. "How can you tell?". "The skull and the red x's"

Yeah, I think I remember having the same issue with PDN and dotted lines, it's all dashes. I think I like the longer dashes better though... I really wish people would come back from their holiday vacations to comment on gameplay! lol. I still feel like there's an issue with the Greater/Lesser Antilles. It's just very linear. It's not sitting right with me, even though I'm not really seeing any real harm it'll have. Didn't particularly care for the Bahamas/Haiti fix. It seemed to jumble things up too much. The only other suggestion I can come up with is Puerto Rico/Bahamas. But I think you end up with the same issue. Hopefully somebody will allay my concerns. Caps placement will just have to be careful. I wasn't clear when I suggested darkening the image. I meant the overall image, not the pirate icon. The title still looks too busy. It's gonna have to be one or the other. I suggest keeping the tree and moving the pirate image down, lightening it up and using it as a background for the red x's? Just little pokes and prods. All in all it's fantastic! I think you could publish it as is and it'd be more popular than the current Central America map (which I hope will be retired once this is published).

Hey! Why would you retire that map? It looks like everyone wants maps down these days, and each one want different ones out! I mean, the gameplay is way different to this one. Should we retire one of the Europe maps? Also, I see no point on adding the date to the map. I'd say that this could result in "Olmecas didn't were there in 1820" or "Pirates age was way before 1820" comments and it's just cluttering the title area in my opinion. Also, the extra bonus being apart from the minimap will be missed by many.

Eh. You're probably right Psymon. It's a good little map by itself. Just seems pretty rough compared to this one. And since it is very similar in design, thought it might be better to let it retire gracefully. But it is fun gameplay with the ports.

[spoiler=Treasure Map][img]http://oi67.tinypic.com/2m7yyyo.jpg[/img][/spoiler] A lot of combinations with placements tried, skull, title, special game play. Psymon makes a good point and it should be by the inset. Got rid of the circa. Put a Black film over the whole image at 15 opacity to make it darker. Perhaps some capital placements might help with knowing whether another connection is needed. From a graphics point of view, it might look extra busy with the special game play repositioned there. Skull + Signature in the corner. Tried to keep the skull for themesakes, I think they work together.