Conquer Club

Chinese Checkers [Quenched] May '07 re-opener?

Care to peruse completed maps? Take a stroll through the Atlas.

Moderator: Cartographers

Forum rules
Please read the Community Guidelines before posting.

Postby Coleman on Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:20 am

Yeah, hijacking a map making topic is a little rude.

Back on subject, I don't really see what the problem is with White as it is now, I guess it all falls under what you want this map to be. You obviously don't want white to be the all important feature of the map worth 10 bonus or something or you would have done that.

I would view the focus of the map to be taking and securing the colored triangles. Experienced players should see this map and know how to use white to secure triangles. Only the newer players would be going in the circular fashion you are afraid of I think. I would prefer it if things were just a simple +4 for triangles and leave it at that.
User avatar
Sergeant Coleman
 
Posts: 5402
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:36 pm
Location: Midwest

czech checkers

Postby EvilOtto on Tue Jan 16, 2007 6:49 pm

The new lettering/labels are much better, but there is still room for confusion. I've been trying to think of something better, but don't have it yet (something like naming the white periphery based on the colored triangle it is next to...).

My concern about playability is that some player(s) will start with much better placement than others (more armies in the outer triangles, more grouped) and will be able to jump on several of those +2 bonuses very fast... which will give them a quick edge on the +4, etc. I don't mind bonuses for small groups of countries, but they should be small bonuses or the game will be over in the first turn or two.

Also, one of the reasons to move into the white space would be to get your 12, 15, 18 country bonuses. If continent bonuses are too large then they lower the value of claiming more countries. I'd vote for small triangle +1 and large triangle +2 or +3.

Another thought: what if continents overlapped? So the small blue triangle is worth +1, full blue triangle is +2 and adding white A, C, H and I gives you +3? Of course White A would also be needed for the large purple triangle. (edit: I think Molacole posted this idea too).

For the graphics I'd kinda like to see something more muted like an old ink painting with the washed ink effect for mountains, etc... do a google image search for "Chinese painting" or something like that and you'll see examples of what I'm talking about. I could see the whole background being black and white (or toned like a brownish ink?) with only the board itself having bright colors?

Hope this helps. I'm looking forward to trying this one.
User avatar
Lieutenant EvilOtto
 
Posts: 132
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:39 pm
Location: San Francisco

Re: czech checkers

Postby oaktown on Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:22 am

EvilOtto wrote:My concern about playability is that some player(s) will start with much better placement than others (more armies in the outer triangles, more grouped) and will be able to jump on several of those +2 bonuses very fast... which will give them a quick edge on the +4, etc. I don't mind bonuses for small groups of countries, but they should be small bonuses or the game will be over in the first turn or two.


Yeah, I think going back to the straight +3 or +4 for a triangle eliminates some 'luck of the draw' factor.

EvilOtto wrote:For the graphics I'd kinda like to see something more muted like an old ink painting with the washed ink effect for mountains, etc... I could see the whole background being black and white (or toned like a brownish ink?) with only the board itself having bright colors?


I love this idea - gets back to the understated background I wanted to start with, and I can lose that stupid dragon. I really want to hang on the bright board, however - after all this is taken from a children's game. Again, later this week.

EvilOtto wrote:Another thought: what if continents overlapped? So the small blue triangle is worth +1, full blue triangle is +2 and adding white A, C, H and I gives you +3? Of course White A would also be needed for the large purple triangle. (edit: I think Molacole posted this idea too).


I'd love to see a map with overlapping territories - maybe a series of venn diagrams? Sounds like another map entirely though. Somebody other than I should take the idea and run with it.

Image
sample showing how three continents converge to make seven territories. this shit writes itself.
Image
User avatar
Captain oaktown
 
Posts: 4451
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:24 pm
Location: majorcommand

Postby singh on Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:13 pm

the idea seems good but i think white should definetly be a big bonus
Sergeant singh
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:36 pm

Postby Sargentgeneral on Wed Jan 17, 2007 8:59 pm

naw, i think the map is better with white not having a bonus.
Highest score: 1910
Highest rank: 188

Battle of the bands #1 champion: ACDC
User avatar
Lieutenant Sargentgeneral
 
Posts: 379
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 11:55 pm
Location: On Conquerclub, duh!

Postby oaktown on Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:23 pm

Image

Changes to this image:

The background image dates from the Song Dynasty, 12th Century - public domain, no copyright issues. Thoughts on the new look? Are the primary color triangles hideous against the subtle background?

The kanji in the center I like simply because it means "risk," but I could part with it if everyone things it sucks.

Having read the feedback both ways, I'm back to the straight bonuses for the triangles. I'm keeping the extra bonus for expanding across the map, since it means you're balsy and holding more borders.
Image
User avatar
Captain oaktown
 
Posts: 4451
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:24 pm
Location: majorcommand

Postby btownmeggy on Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:26 pm

I LOVE the background. It's a HUGE improvement.
User avatar
Corporal btownmeggy
 
Posts: 2042
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 1:43 am

Postby AndyDufresne on Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:29 pm

The background is interesting, but the clash I can't stand. I know you mentioned you would like to keep the bright feel, as it's a game...but I think...if you gave everything an old classic 'wood' feel...with faded painted colors...might fit better...and look like a nice theme piece.


--Andy
User avatar
Corporal 1st Class AndyDufresne
 
Posts: 24919
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 8:22 pm
Location: A Banana Palm in Zihuatanejo

Postby KEYOGI on Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:34 pm

AndyDufresne wrote:The background is interesting, but the clash I can't stand. I know you mentioned you would like to keep the bright feel, as it's a game...but I think...if you gave everything an old classic 'wood' feel...with faded painted colors...might fit better...and look like a nice theme piece.


--Andy


I agree.
Sergeant 1st Class KEYOGI
 
Posts: 1632
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:09 am

Postby btownmeggy on Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:36 pm

AndyDufresne wrote:The background is interesting, but the clash I can't stand. I know you mentioned you would like to keep the bright feel, as it's a game...but I think...if you gave everything an old classic 'wood' feel...with faded painted colors...might fit better...and look like a nice theme piece.


--Andy


I'd keep the triangles as the same basic colors, but tone them down in keeping with the background. Antique them a bit.

The contrast is a bit too... contrasting.
User avatar
Corporal btownmeggy
 
Posts: 2042
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 1:43 am

Postby oaktown on Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:45 pm

btownmeggy wrote:I'd keep the triangles as the same basic colors, but tone them down in keeping with the background. Antique them a bit.


Enough said... that's my next project. I knew the primary colors were in trouble as soon as I dropped in the new background.

(grumble) stupid evilotto and his classy looking riskopoly (/grumble)
Image
User avatar
Captain oaktown
 
Posts: 4451
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:24 pm
Location: majorcommand

Postby AndyDufresne on Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:50 pm

I think if you can touch up the triangles, give them a nice faded, old wood feel, like if the paint was painted on centuries ago...it'd really improve the visual quality.


--Andy
User avatar
Corporal 1st Class AndyDufresne
 
Posts: 24919
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 8:22 pm
Location: A Banana Palm in Zihuatanejo

Postby sully800 on Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:31 am

In fact you might be able to use the texture from the background or something similar for the triangles, and just fade the colors to match. I agree with everyone else- the new background is great but the board needs to match better.
User avatar
Major sully800
 
Posts: 4978
Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 5:45 pm
Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Postby oaktown on Thu Jan 18, 2007 1:56 am

Image

OK, toned down the colors. Some are lifted directly from the colors in the painting. Better, yes?

I'm still toying with ways to make the paint look more weathered. They've added a lot of features to Photoshop since I last used it in 1995! :o

In addition, I'm thinking about removing the center (Y) space entirely and allowing attacks directly across. This would further encourage attacks through the center, as there won't be a bottleneck, yet I also appreciate the fun of having a strategically valuable center space. Thoughts are welcome, as always.
Last edited by oaktown on Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Image
User avatar
Captain oaktown
 
Posts: 4451
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:24 pm
Location: majorcommand

Postby Coleman on Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:09 am

Red seems really bright compared to the others somehow. But beyond that I like it.

EDIT: After a bit that problem seemed to go away quickly. Still might not be a bad comment to consider though.
User avatar
Sergeant Coleman
 
Posts: 5402
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:36 pm
Location: Midwest

Postby Fitz69 on Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:06 am

I like this map. I still feel though that the white of the central area is a bit on the bright side. Prehaps tone it down a bit towards grey?
User avatar
Cook Fitz69
 
Posts: 196
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:46 am
Location: Sweden

Postby Marvaddin on Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:41 pm

I would like the dragon back, and another interesting picture, over a wodden table... this picture is like an artistic one, but doesnt fit well to a board of a world domination game, I think. Hmmm, maybe a battle picture would be great :idea:

And, although they are pretty obvious, the connections are almost invisible in some triangles.
Image
User avatar
Major Marvaddin
 
Posts: 2545
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:06 pm
Location: Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Postby Lone.prophet on Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:48 pm

could u turn it a bit so it doesnt look so stiff
Image
Captain Lone.prophet
 
Posts: 1467
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 4:37 pm
Location: Your basement Muahaha

Postby johloh on Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:13 pm

with the new background I find the text in the legend a bit hard to read because of the light text on the light mountains.

maybe its just me....
User avatar
Major johloh
 
Posts: 472
Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 12:58 pm
Location: San Francisco

Postby Guiscard on Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:25 pm

The new background is perhaps a little much. I thought the old dragon was OK, maybe try adding a new image to your old board?
qwert wrote:Can i ask you something?What is porpose for you to open these Political topic in ConquerClub? Why you mix politic with Risk? Why you not open topic like HOT AND SEXY,or something like that.
User avatar
Private 1st Class Guiscard
 
Posts: 4103
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:27 pm
Location: In the bar... With my head on the bar

Postby oaktown on Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:37 pm

Lone.prophet wrote:could u turn it a bit so it doesnt look so stiff


I could, but then it increases the map size without increasing the playing area. I also played with tipping the entire thing back and scaling it to give a sense of 3-d perspective, but I decided playability was more important.

As for the dragon, the more I looked at it the more I thought it was just too cheesey - I'm glad to see it gone. The feedback on the new color scheme/background has been more positive than nagative, but I'll keep checking in to see how the community feels.

Maybe I need another poll - anyone know why it is impossible to set an expiration date on the polls? I am certain that I set a two day limit on this poll (just as I was certain that I set the last poll for 3), and that was four days ago.
Image
User avatar
Captain oaktown
 
Posts: 4451
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:24 pm
Location: majorcommand

Postby DublinDoogey on Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:37 pm

I think that bringing the board down to the level of the background, like vertically lowering it into it... if that makes sense, might help the background and the board blend a little bit more.

Maybe you could put some crimson blood stains on it for those who don't think its battle-y enough, it can be someone's board that was pierced, fell on top of it, and died... hm, maybe not that's kinda morbid.

Anyway, I like it, especially with the toned down colors.
User avatar
Private DublinDoogey
 
Posts: 329
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:03 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Postby Enigma on Thu Jan 18, 2007 11:38 pm

i reaaalllly like the kanji on the board. its perfect. and the makeover lookes really nice- i really liked the old bright version so was apprehensive, but it works :)
johloh wrote:with the new background I find the text in the legend a bit hard to read because of the light text on the light mountains.

maybe its just me....

not just u, could you sumhow make an inset w/ the legend?
Do you need an excuse to have a war? I mean, who for? Can't you just say "You got lots of cash and land, but I've got a big sword, so divy up right now, chop chop."
Terry Pratchet
User avatar
Lieutenant Enigma
 
Posts: 367
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:23 pm
Location: Classified

Postby KEYOGI on Fri Jan 19, 2007 4:33 am

I like the new background and colours, but feel that red and purple don't really fit with the rest of the colours or background.
Sergeant 1st Class KEYOGI
 
Posts: 1632
Joined: Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:09 am

Postby EvilOtto on Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:43 pm

I like it, but agree the center white color stands out a bit; disconnected. The center should be the same texture to match the colored triangles.

I like the background. Sometimes war games should be a bit serene. This is the game the generals play far from the battle field.

I think it would look funny without the center spot... all those lines crossing in the middle would be confusing.
User avatar
Lieutenant EvilOtto
 
Posts: 132
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:39 pm
Location: San Francisco

PreviousNext

Return to The Atlas

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users