Large Middle Earth queries

[redrum]

@alkexr Oh ok. If the other bugs are just minor XML changes, I'm glad to add them in real quick as well.

[Cernel]

@alkexr Since I can imagine you lost a few hours over this thing, maybe this can help someone else in the future:
https://github.com/triplea-maps/the_pact_of_steel/pull/11

@redrum @LaFayette to merge.

p.s.: It also adds the description for a related property that I'm not seeing; so, I'm assuming it was never added?

[alkexr]

Err... did I say mid-june? I meant july... oh well. Seems I'll have more work next week than I thought...

[Hepps]

@alkexr if you are planning on re-envisioning this map.

I might suggest giving a few things some consideration.

With the wild myriad of different things going on, much of this map seems over whelming when trying to play it. Some visual cues could really enhance the experience.

Here is a quick mock up of an idea...

[alkexr]

@hepps I'm not (yet!) able to draw discernible pictograms of this size. But if you draw one for each special/ability/support, I'll put them on the unit images. These could also replace most of the text in tooltips. But I don't think numbers are that necessary to show on the map. The pictograms will be a nice cue as to what the unit is for, but if you want really detailed information like exact att/def/mov stats and such, well that's what consulting the tooltips is for. Aslo this many numbers would be rather overwhelming on the map, especially in areas where there are like 6 unit types per territory, not 2.

Also, I see that the beautification process is getting somewhere - this new Mindoullin is definitely not the northern dwarven lands you showed us before

If we indeed do decide to go down this path, then it's definitely not going to be done by mid-june. But then I would also improve territory names, add lotr-specific music, establish the means for procedurally generating tooltips (yeah that's a tough one), and two important gameplay changes:

• removing invisible crossings around the Undeeps and Tolfalas
• a big one that I've so far been reluctant to do: simplifying the territory effect mechanics while roughly keeping the magnitude of effects

[Hepps]

@alkexr Yup. I generally add more info than less as it is easier to remove things than it is having to go back and add them.

But I think I may have gotten on a roll yesterday.

I believe I have everything you would need. Just say the word and I will customize the entire unit list.

the Territory names are pretty straight forward as well... there are a lot of them... but it isn't terribly difficult to do.

[alkexr]

@hepps Don't bother with territory names. I can now procedurally generate them with like... 5 clicks? But If you feel like doing the units, I would appreciate it. Also, if you have ideas for better production / unit production pictograms, don't hold yourself back

[Hepps]

Here are the icons... perhaps it is best if you implement them as I am not sure how you would like to use them.

[alkexr]

Development of 1.3 version on github: https://github.com/triplea-maps/large_middle_earth/tree/version-1.3
For the first time, I will use github during development, not only for uploading the finished work. You can track the progress, download "unstable" versions for testing, give feedback or even contribute directly.

[redrum]

@alkexr Wish I could up vote your post more than once. Though now you'll have to teach all the other mapmakers how to

[Cernel]

@hepps While not currently possible, aside from making an entire mapskin for it (which would anyway require going through the menu to click), it would be probably better if the user can switch between plain units and units with those things beside. My guess is that the best would be those details showing only for the units in the territory you have the mouse over.
Also better considering them while having an 1 magnitude stack number.

[Hepps]

@cernel Sure it possible. All you would have to do is to create 2 separate unit lists and put a user action in at the beginning of the game to decide if you want to use the unit set with icons... or without.

[alkexr]

@hepps Don't forget to add a unit set for every language, too.

Actually, with unit icons it wouldn't be unreasonable. I mean the details, not the languages.

[Hepps]

@alkexr Yeah it would be pretty easy given that most of it is just cut and past. You would probably only have to write like 5 new lines in the XML.

[Hepps]

@alkexr said in Large Middle Earth queries:

@hepps . Also, if you have ideas for better production / unit production pictograms, don't hold yourself back

You mean something like this?

[redrum]

@hepps Looks pretty good. Only drawback of the anvil is that the orange number doesn't pop out that much for the orange players.

[Hepps]

@redrum That's ok. the Dwarves don't really stand a chance anyways.

[Hepps]

Perhaps this?

[alkexr]

@hepps It's not intuitive to me why anvil is unit production and gold is PUs. Also, the orange numbers are a bit weird.
The background is just sooo cool tho. At this point I'm not entirely sure my plain font generated names can match this visual quality.

[redrum]

@alkexr I'd actually say most people associate PUs with money/gold/etc and unit production with hammers/anvil/etc. I think some of it is just other TBS games but it also makes some sense since you are 'collecting' PUs and then using that to determine where to 'produce/build' units/structures.

@Hepps Its definitely better with the background. I kind of like it and feels pretty intuitive to me. Its definitely much easier to comprehend and notice than the existing symbols.