US Midwest

[b]Summary (English, bullet-pointed)[/b] We are presenting a map that Bischop and I developed together. It is a map of the Midwest United States. The goal is to expand the number of maps set in the USA, because: We have many players from the United States and the Western world. But we currently have very few American-themed maps. Most of the existing maps are Europe-based. Therefore, we wanted to increase the number of maps located in the U.S. One of these new U.S. maps is the Midwest United States map. We have already created a rough draft of the map, but it is far from complete. To describe the current development status, I will focus on two aspects: Gameplay description Design description [b]Gameplay Concept – Summary (English, bullet-pointed)[/b] 1. Initial Version (my original favorite) [spoiler][img]https://i.imgur.com/KfuARK4.jpeg [/img] [/spoiler] We initially drew all Midwest U.S. states as regions. Some states were split into two parts: to increase the total number of regions to create smaller regions in both the east and west of the map, for symmetry This was my early design intention. Bischop disagreed with some of the small regions. His version removed certain small regions. 2. River Layout Differences We had different views on how the main river should run. My version vs. Bischof’s version: In the northern area (I think western Minnesota), the river is cut differently. The Red River is shorter in his version. Apart from that, the river differences are minor. [spoiler][img]https://i.imgur.com/oYXqTKg.jpeg [/img] [/spoiler] 3. Re-evaluation of the first design After thinking about it for a longer time, I decided to discard my initial draft. It has too many small regions that are: easy to capture easy to hold Our website already has many maps with this structure (small or medium regions). Bischop preferred larger regions that take longer to capture. And I go woth it. 4. Design Direction: Moving toward larger regions Example extremes: Bulgaria map → too many very small regions, easy to take Roman Empire map → fewer regions, many territories, very hard to hold With the Midwest map, I want a course correction: fewer, mostly original U.S. state regions regions should have many territories inside capturing a region should take longer but unlike the Roman Empire map, regions should still be relatively easy to defend (not overwhelming) 5. Avoiding artificial splits I do not want to split U.S. states into two just to increase the number of regions. Instead: keep the regions authentic 6. Example of the new design approach Regions = real U.S. states. Territory boundaries: based on real county borders but counties are grouped together into territories this means the borders are partly authentic and partly creative, depending on how counties are clustered The exact number of territories per region and the territory shapes are still negotiable. [spoiler][img]https://i.imgur.com/zod342c.jpeg [/img] [/spoiler] [b]Design Concept – Summary (English, bullet-pointed)[/b] 1. Current status The layout/outlay is essentially finished. The color design is not final. I have experimented with several color ideas. Below are some drafts you can look at; you can tell me which direction you prefer, and I can continue from there. These are only flat colors, not textures. Opacity is also not adjusted yet — all of this can still change. MANY PICS: [spoiler] [url=]https://imgur.com/a/QXTUZrq [/url] [/spoiler] 2. Goal / Next steps At this stage, the priority is the gameplay, not the final design. Once the gameplay foundation is solid, the color scheme and the style direction can be refined.

[I deleted a few erroneous posts at Dima's request]

@@Dima your posts are a bit confusing. Basically, the work isn't ready to be shown yet. The Midwest map is my idea and my project: my role is game designer, your role is graphic artist. The same system Aero and I used to create the Italy map. Of course, each of us can give suggestions to the other, but there's no need to tell our discussions. In any case, I will never allow you to freely extend the rivers without respecting geographical reality. All the geographical research is mine (you didn't even know where to start), unfortunately I haven't managed to finish my draft yet. My original draft was this: [spoiler=Midwest U.S. (draft)][img]https://i.ibb.co/QLkm5TR/Midwest-US-Draft.jpg[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=Region names][img]https://i.ibb.co/Swz91DwT/Midwest-US-Regions.jpg[/img][/spoiler] [spoiler=Main rivers][img]https://i.ibb.co/VcpHk4Zn/Midwest-Rivers.jpg[/img][/spoiler] @@Dima: your graphic work is still pretty undefined: colors, fonts, textures? No attempt to draw the forest, quite ugly worm-shaped rivers... The diagonal title is nice, but tell me where you want to put the mini-map? In some of the versions proposed it's hard to distinguish the land from the lakes. However you are the artist, you should be able to chose the colors you want to use, you can't post so many versions completely different one from another. [b]Let's say that when we have a more concrete update we will publish it, for now everything is still very undefined and confused.[/b]

Hmm, well, the design ideas I proposed were just some ideas I had and wanted to share—nothing is fixed. I also wanted to finalize the gameplay first, and then continue with the design/graphics. Anyway, since you are back to this map: are the rivers shown in your draft the final version? If so, then I can already draw them. I suggest we create a schedule/time frame for what needs to be done first, second, etc. I think it would make the map-making process clearer. You know, I have my routine, you have your routine, but here we are working jointly. I would say: you give me a final result on the [b]river flow, [/b]and the [b]territorial divisions[/b] ([i]maybe you could consider using the territory borders I made—they mostly have the same adjacencies as the ones in your draft, but have straight lines just like real US counties and visually fit the straight regional lines[/i]). Then I would draw it and start with the visuals, and along the way we can still fix/discuss things. P.S.: Bishop, I clearly knew where to start, and in fact I have already drawn the first concept design of the map and finished all the regions and territories, check oir conversation from page 1. Anyway, since you are back, we can continue and will post a new image once we have made some progress.