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				Quad Cities Map [Quenched]
				
Posted: 
Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:20 pm 
				by ironsij0287
				
 
 
    
    
Huge thanks to thenobodies80 for the awesome reworking of this map (v7).
XML done by MrBenn.
Latest Version of the map as of 9/19/11
Quad Cities v7.03.3
- Click image to enlarge.
 
- Click image to enlarge.
 
 Version 7.03.1 (8/25/11)Version 7.02 (8/16/11)Version 7 (7/6/11)Version 5 (5/19/11)Previous Version 4/1/11Previous Version 3/8/11Previous Version 2/7/11Previous Version 2/1/11Previous Version 1/26/11Previous Version 1/18/11Previous VersionArsenal Island will always start as a Neutral 3 and be an Auto +1 bonus once held. 
 (9/19/11)
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:19 pm 
				by Industrial Helix
				I love the gameplay of this already... are you planning on a standard gameplay map? The big thing that needs to be resolved is the bonus system, if there is one to be had.
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:28 pm 
				by TaCktiX
				Gameplay-wise it looks similar to Vancouver, just bigger.  A few considerations:
- With the mostly large areas, getting the blue area will be overly competed for.  Perhaps split another area like the bottom left tan or the bottom right yellow to make the "small bonus" more spread across the map for those No Spoils games.
- A lot of the regions are really small and you'll have difficulty sticking in both a name and the army numbers.  The middle peninsula is the biggest offender, but you've got a lot of cramp.
- Use the Vancouver similarity to your advantage.  Look at some of the issues the map ran into 
(thread here) and pre-empt them.
As for using ArcGIS, you are a very brave, brave soul.  I find Photoshop MUCH easier to use, but work mandates that what we use there.
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:38 pm 
				by ironsij0287
				Thanks for the suggestions.  The crampness in the center has been a concern of mine as well.  Adding a small bonus region in the SW corner wouldn't be too hard to do.  I can give that a shot.
Perhaps I should give the names for these regions on the map so it's easier to explain certain areas better.
As far as ArcGIS, I've used that software for almost a decade now as my profession has been as a GIS/Mapping Specialist.  Photoshop is the one I fumble with as I have less experience there.
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:42 pm 
				by Arama86n
				Welcome to CC and good luck with the map 

 We can always use another map-maker!
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Mon Nov 15, 2010 4:47 pm 
				by ironsij0287
				OK I added a new small bonus region in the SW corner as well as consolidated a few of the smaller subregions to make things less cramped.  I try to post the new draft on here late tonight.
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Tue Nov 16, 2010 10:36 am 
				by ironsij0287
				OK here's the latest draft.

 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Wed Nov 17, 2010 4:28 pm 
				by Industrial Helix
				Firstly, what you need are bonus values. 
Secondly, the map is quite plain and we'll need to get an idea of what you want the final product to look like when you're done with photoshop and whatnot. 
What I'd like to see, though its not holding you back, would be some greater divisions indicating the four cities. Some sort of map of the Mississippi with a square indicating where this map is would also be good.
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Wed Nov 17, 2010 4:41 pm 
				by ironsij0287
				Industrial Helix wrote:Firstly, what you need are bonus values. 
Secondly, the map is quite plain and we'll need to get an idea of what you want the final product to look like when you're done with photoshop and whatnot. 
What I'd like to see, though its not holding you back, would be some greater divisions indicating the four cities. Some sort of map of the Mississippi with a square indicating where this map is would also be good.
Yeah, bonus values are the next step.  Plainness so far is due to just working on the layout of the countries.  Once I had that pretty well established I was going to work on gussying it up.
A little inset map showing it's location on the Mississippi would be no problem at all.
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:41 pm 
				by pamoa
				go to this 
forumand use one of the spreadsheets available
it will calculate you a first bonus repartition
personally I prefer the Oaktown's one
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:19 pm 
				by ironsij0287
				pamoa wrote:go to this 
forumand use one of the spreadsheets available
it will calculate you a first bonus repartition
personally I prefer the Oaktown's one
 
Thanks.  Oaktown's I couldn't access so I used a different one.
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Sun Nov 21, 2010 2:31 am 
				by pamoa
				a second point you should check now
is the size feasibility
on the small version of the map ( 630 width x 600 height )
put the 
armies symbols you can find 
hereand check if you can do it on every territory
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:38 am 
				by ironsij0287
				pamoa wrote:a second point you should check now
is the size feasibility
on the small version of the map ( 630 width x 600 height )
put the 
armies symbols you can find 
hereand check if you can do it on every territory
 
YIKES!  I went through and tried placing the 888 symbols on the map.  Needless to say it was pretty disastrous.  I've got to go back and rework some of the boundaries, probably consolidate some of the regions a bit.
But hey, it's a learning experience.  Certainly not discouraged yet.  

 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Mon Nov 22, 2010 1:03 pm 
				by pamoa
				yeah text and armies positioning can be painful
together with full legend placement
but its worth the effort
you have then a solid base for discussion
and you are sure your map is feasible
enjoy some graphic torture
keep the spirit of your map
but don't hesitate to move the boundaries
and for the inset
maybe give you a bit more space than going full height
so you will find some place left or right
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Mon Nov 22, 2010 1:56 pm 
				by ironsij0287
				Yeah I made my map dimensions square so I now have some more white space to work with for the inset and legend.
Going back to the drawing board I came up with a color scheme I like even better now.
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:20 pm 
				by ironsij0287
				Here's where I'm at now.  I've listed the troop bonuses.

 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:41 am 
				by Industrial Helix
				Maybe bust light green down to 1. 
Add some labels and name the regions as well.
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:01 am 
				by ironsij0287
				Industrial Helix wrote:Maybe bust light green down to 1. 
Add some labels and name the regions as well.
Bumping down to 1, no problem.  Adding some labels and army graphics is the next step.
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:05 am 
				by pamoa
				your map can be 30 pixel wider
maybe you can use this space
you also have to choose
between a list of regions name with bonus
or a minimap with bonus and name on the main map
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:18 pm 
				by ironsij0287
				
How'd you spend Thanksgiving?
"Oh you know, stuffing my gaping maw with turkey and side dishes until my stomach couldn't take any more.  Oh and I made some serious headway in my QCUSA map for Conquer Club."
I'm pretty amp'd with how this came out thus far.
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:16 pm 
				by phantomzero
				Glad to see a new mapmaker on here.  Keep up the good work.  You've got a good start.
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:21 pm 
				by Industrial Helix
				Graphics are a bit weak but I think its a fair start.
The map can only be 630 high and 600 wide. Your map is 630x630, so adjust that as well. 
In the meantime we'll sticky this and see what comes.
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:58 pm 
				by ironsij0287
				Industrial Helix wrote:Graphics are a bit weak but I think its a fair start.
The map can only be 630 high and 600 wide. Your map is 630x630, so adjust that as well. 
In the meantime we'll sticky this and see what comes.
I'm not sure how exactly the graphics are weak.  I wanted to keep things rather simple.  I'll crop to comply with size constraints though.
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Fri Nov 26, 2010 7:22 am 
				by pamoa
				Industrial Helix wrote:The map can only be 630 high and 600 wide. Your map is 630x630, so adjust that as well. 
 
 sorry to remember you about this helix but
OFFICIAL how to make a map handbook wrote:1.SMALL MAP: WIDTH up to 630 px; HEIGHT 600 px
 
			 
			
		
			
				Re: Quad Cities Map
				
Posted: 
Fri Nov 26, 2010 5:04 pm 
				by TaCktiX
				I would say that considering the program you're using, that's just eye popping, and light-years beyond your first draft.  If you keep on working like this we'll have to upgrade CC to display maps in stereoscopic 3D just so your map has the full experience. [/hyperbole]
In any case, very good job taking our criticism and improving the entire map.  Not all mapmakers are as receptive, sadly.