(Closed) My version of the 'Frontline' Mod

[Redmarkus5]

New thread started at tm.asp?m=2755516&mpage=1&key=&#2755528



I downloaded and installed the Frontline map mod, and it's a fantastic piece of work.

However, I do have a couple of issues with it, the keys ones being:

1. The use of Caps for town names.

2. A lot of towns being added to the map, which are not actually treated as towns by the game (a bit confusing) plus some in-game towns being moved on the map, thus now being treated by the game as swamp or woods, etc.

So, I have started work on an adaptation of the mod, only using in-game towns and a lowercase font. I've made a few other changes, but all kudos to Frontline for his work! Players will just have another mod to choose if they wish.

Here's a sample - all comments on the alternative approaches are welcome. I haven't yet decided whether I will add actual frontlines. I have been thinking that I need a Zoom 5 front line for each major phase of the war, rather than the details of each month... I'll give this some thought.

[Redmarkus5]

A bit less 'busy' and with port indicators that stand out when units are showing on-map. Should reduce the number of 'why did the enemy rout across the water' posts

[G Felzien]

I like it. One suggestion if I may... use the same spelling as in game. Easier when following AARs etc me thinks. I like the fonts. I would use this. Will this be one large single map?

[Redmarkus5]

Thanks.

Well, the point of the map is to supply 'German' spellings on-map to help people find locations that have German names in various histories, I believe. So, players will have both names available, one on the map and the other via search or mouse-over of the hex...

I will think about a second version with the original in-game names. It could be installed to the 'with hexes' folder, given another option that can be toggled in the game preferences...

[cookie monster]

Maybe you could highlight the pop 4 towns on the map

for there First Winter sheltering properties

[G Felzien]

Do the pop for towns not change based on the pop evacs during play?

[Redmarkus5]

Can you give me a list of towns that should be highlighted? Could use the help

Also, how about highlighting the factory locations, maybe like this:

[cookie monster]

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

Can you give me a list of towns that should be highlighted? Could use the help

Also, how about highlighting the factory locations, maybe like this:

Ive got it. Open up the game on Russian Turn One.

Open the CR. Go to locations tab.

Filter population.

You then have a list of 4 pop plus towns.

Factories look ok. I don't have a better idea. Most ideas would clutter the map too much, such as coloured hexes etc.

[Redmarkus5]

ORIGINAL: cookie monster

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

Can you give me a list of towns that should be highlighted? Could use the help

Also, how about highlighting the factory locations, maybe like this:

Ive got it. Open up the game on Russian Turn One.

Open the CR. Go to locations tab.

Filter population.

You then have a list of 4 pop plus towns.

Factories look ok. I don't have a better idea. Most ideas would clutter the map too much, such as coloured hexes etc.

Thanks, but I know that. I meant a list outside of the game that I can easily use to copy/paste from, such as Excel list. The game lists require me to alt-tab back and forwards twice for each town - and there are a LOT of towns...

[cookie monster]

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

ORIGINAL: cookie monster

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

Can you give me a list of towns that should be highlighted? Could use the help

Also, how about highlighting the factory locations, maybe like this:

Ive got it. Open up the game on Russian Turn One.

Open the CR. Go to locations tab.

Filter population.

You then have a list of 4 pop plus towns.

Factories look ok. I don't have a better idea. Most ideas would clutter the map too much, such as coloured hexes etc.

Thanks, but I know that. I meant a list outside of the game that I can easily use to copy/paste from, such as Excel list. The game lists require me to alt-tab back and forwards twice for each town - and there are a LOT of towns...

Maybe plot them on one of the planning maps which are available, and then edit the map file as you have them open

[cookie monster]

I notice you have a white background against your anchor.

If you opened a tga file with background as transparent then you could copy the anchor onto no background.

You could then copy visible and paste ONLY the anchor as a layer.

TGA will allow you to save with transparent background.

I dont know what image program you use but paint.net and gimp support this.

[Redmarkus5]

I'm using Paint.net and I have the names in one layer and the anchors in a third layer, with the base map image below. This way I can easily change a name or change the anchor images without messing up the original map.

I used transparency with the factory icon, but the white background around the anchors was deliberate - they don't stand out very clearly if you just display them as anchors. There were some shiny gold ones available online, but not to my taste...

[Redmarkus5]

Maybe it needs a thin black border around the white background?

[Redmarkus5]

How about this approach to indicating the larger towns (see Grodno and Byalistok down south)

[Redmarkus5]

with larger font as well, for emphasis

[carnifex]

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

Thanks.

Well, the point of the map is to supply 'German' spellings on-map to help people find locations that have German names in various histories, I believe. So, players will have both names available, one on the map and the other via search or mouse-over of the hex...

I will think about a second version with the original in-game names. It could be installed to the 'with hexes' folder, given another option that can be toggled in the game preferences...

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

Thanks.

Well, the point of the map is to supply 'German' spellings on-map to help people find locations that have German names in various histories, I believe. So, players will have both names available, one on the map and the other via search or mouse-over of the hex...

I will think about a second version with the original in-game names. It could be installed to the 'with hexes' folder, given another option that can be toggled in the game preferences...

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

Thanks.

Well, the point of the map is to supply 'German' spellings on-map to help people find locations that have German names in various histories, I believe. So, players will have both names available, one on the map and the other via search or mouse-over of the hex...

I will think about a second version with the original in-game names. It could be installed to the 'with hexes' folder, given another option that can be toggled in the game preferences...

I'm in the in-game names camp. Looking at towns deep inside Russia that have Germanized names doesn't seem right.

[goranw]

ORIGINAL: carnifex

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

Thanks.

Well, the point of the map is to supply 'German' spellings on-map to help people find locations that have German names in various histories, I believe. So, players will have both names available, one on the map and the other via search or mouse-over of the hex...

I will think about a second version with the original in-game names. It could be installed to the 'with hexes' folder, given another option that can be toggled in the game preferences...

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4
Thanks.
Well, the point of the map is to supply 'German' spellings on-map to help people find locations that have German names in various histories, I believe. So, players will have both names available, one on the map and the other via search or mouse-over of the hex...

I will think about a second version with the original in-game names. It could be installed to the 'with hexes' folder, given another option that can be toggled in the game preferences...

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

Thanks.

Well, the point of the map is to supply 'German' spellings on-map to help people find locations that have German names in various histories, I believe. So, players will have both names available, one on the map and the other via search or mouse-over of the hex...

I will think about a second version with the original in-game names. It could be installed to the 'with hexes' folder, given another option that can be toggled in the game preferences...

I'm in the in-game names camp. Looking at towns deep inside Russia that have Germanized names doesn't seem right.

Hi!
As I see it its not right or wrong. At least 50% of the used maps looked that way.
What we should have is also a Russian language map. But that is more difficult to achieve.
GoranW

[Redmarkus5]

I agree. I have been thinking about how to get Russian-looking names on the map. For example, if you use Google's Language Tools and translate 'Vilnius' to Russian, it gives you '(deleted - see below)' which would look good, but nobody would know what it said, unless they can read Russian. How many would use it?

So, maybe we just need the same English-German spelling, but with a different font?

Votes? Comments?

[Redmarkus5]

Actually the Russian it gave me was this.

[laska2k8]

is there a version ready to download and test ?

max