Fun with Editor and graphics

[Uxbridge]

And in the Far East, in China, Japan is ready to start it's drive inland.

[fulcrum28]

does this counter mod include a new map? i see the forest seem bright green, never seen before.

[Uxbridge]

The map is not new. It contain what is basically the old vanilla, and probably mostly changes made by Welk (not entirely sure). There were some things I didn't like, so it tried to better them to my taste. The roads are brighter and doesn't align so closely to the rail lines, taking out the impression of the two being entangled. As you said, I tried to do the forest areas much brighter, making them easier to see. Same goes for mountains and hills, so that you can now follow the Chinese valleys much easier. I also made the dragon's teeth-like fortifications, wanting them not to stick out as much, but still easy to recognize. Lastly, I changed the rather large symbols for oil and resource.

[PeekingDuck2]

Want map. Want counters. [:D]

[Uxbridge]

Mostly done with them now. But I have to figure out how to make the middle zoom work; how to convert the bigger map and counter files to smaller ones without everything getting distorted.

[Uxbridge]

Figured it out. The units should in fact be distorted, whereas I tried to make them the same proportion as in the highest resolution. But it will take some time to have this done. Don't know when that will be and I'm off for a one week holiday on Saturday. Do you want them as they are at present, with the zoomed out part still with the look of the former map? In that case I can fix it for you if you act as test pilot for them. [:D]

[PeekingDuck2]

I'm mainly interested in your map. I'm currently making my own counters, but would love to have yours in any state. I'm fairly handy with PS so might be able to help with the different resolutions (ie, lower res for zoomed out) versions. What DPI are you using?

And btw, thanks in advance for your work. Having an aesthetically pleasing game makes it loads more fun IMO.

Cheers,
Peek

[Uxbridge]

I figured out the problem with the low-zoom map and it was easier to make the chnges than I thougth. I will zip the scenario and put on Dropbox for you.

[Uxbridge]

Made some update on the map also. Road and railways have been sticking in my eye for some time. I finally decided to better my earlier, thick khaki roads, and went for the railways too. It's tricky. One doesn't want them to stick out too much; at the same time they should be visible in the background without any visual effort of the beholder. After many disappointing trials with black and white, which made the map look like a fish-net, I settled for grey and beige on black, giving the map a slight resemblance of the to me wellknown GMT-maps.

Compare this with the sample some posts earlier.

[Uxbridge]

Western Europe, where rail and road runs together.

[Uxbridge]

Off for a short holiday.[:)]

[BillRunacre]

Hope you have a great time, and these maps look good! [:)]

[PHalen]

Good job Uxbridge!
I really like those winding roads that add flavor to the map!

[Uxbridge]

Holiday is fine, thanks. [:)]

Except for the fact, obviously, that I want to return to the game, playing and moddinh.

At first I thought the roads had the appearance of cables, but as soon as I started to play, the improved visibilitty made me think more about the importance of them.

[Uxbridge]

Back home again. Time for some serious gaming.

And a bit of modding. I had some ideas about the railways again.

[Uxbridge]

An extra outline made the railways stick out more. Note Hanoi-Kunming rail-line. But I'm not sure if it is too much. [&:]

[Uxbridge]

Had a slight set-back yesterday, but a rather amusing one. Some years ago, someone pointed out that the Stuka symbol in the game we played at the time (can't remember which it was) had a strong resemblence to a witch on a broomstick. Once he had discovered this, the image was firmly rooted in his mind and he was unable to see the Stuka anymore. Suddenly being aware of this, I began to see this witch too.

Now, that episode largely forgotten, some days ago the flying lady made her return, as I was suddenly aware of her sitting there on my German tactical counters. Dismayed, I began to search Google for some replacement, that I could alter the counter to something less evil. It failed utterly. I discovered that it was not only the counter that had the witch appearance, she began to show up in the actual war photos as well. That was when it dawned upon me at last, that a Stuka, being constructed the way it was, will always look like that when presented in this recognizable angle. And using any other angle just didn't present that nice "attacking" feeling.

So there she is still, sitting on the broomstick, on her way to some wicked mischief. Suppose we just have to get used to each other. [:)]

[Uxbridge]

Finally came around to fixing the HQ's. They were constantly a pain in my eye with their crude flags, and for a long time I figured I had to live with it. Now it struck me that I could simple remove everything in the flag-file, making it transparent, and then draw the new symbol directly on the HQ counter. Quite happy with the result.

I'm also now trying the entire scenario out, it's name being Glowing Horizon.

[Uxbridge]

I wasn't quite happy with the look of urban hexes. Once I began to see the cities and towns as behives, the thought preyed on my mind. Again, I decided for a GMT-game look, and simply made them circles and stars. They're now much easier to spot.

[Uxbridge]

And in the east.