Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Here is where the problem arises: zoom 3 in mixed terrain. Where the weather line runs through clear or between clear and a different terrain type, the dashed line is harder to see than a pure white line.

So, maybe make the weather zone boundary a continuous line for zoom 3 (or 1-3) when inland, and leave it dashed at sea, when adjacent to sea, and on borders ?

10th and last in the series.

Even at zoom level 5 here, the use of dashed lines for the weather zone boundary makes it hard to see. The dashed lines here are confusing to the eye.

I prefer the solid white lines when the weather zone is not overlapping another boundary line.

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Here is where the problem arises: zoom 3 in mixed terrain. Where the weather line runs through clear or between clear and a different terrain type, the dashed line is harder to see than a pure white line.

So, maybe make the weather zone boundary a continuous line for zoom 3 (or 1-3) when inland, and leave it dashed at sea, when adjacent to sea, and on borders ?

I see no reason for using dashed lines, other than where the weather zone boundaries overlie other borders. The thin white lines (solid) are easy to see and understand, without being overly intrusive visually. Using a mixture of some solid and some dashed seems to me to be likely to create confusion.

Also, when possible, I prefer simplicity in interface design. Dark blue sea area boundaries, maroon country borders, white weather zone boundaries, and a mixture of white/blue or white/maroon when they overlap. Easy to explain, which means it should be easy to understand/interpret for all players.

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

ORIGINAL: Froonp

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets

Here is where the problem arises: zoom 3 in mixed terrain. Where the weather line runs through clear or between clear and a different terrain type, the dashed line is harder to see than a pure white line.

So, maybe make the weather zone boundary a continuous line for zoom 3 (or 1-3) when inland, and leave it dashed at sea, when adjacent to sea, and on borders ?

I see no reason for using dashed lines, other than where the weather zone boundaries overlie other borders. The thin white lines (solid) are easy to see and understand, without being overly intrusive visually. Using a mixture of some solid and some dashed seems to me to be likely to create confusion.

Also, when possible, I prefer simplicity in interface design. Dark blue sea area boundaries, maroon country borders, white weather zone boundaries, and a mixture of white/blue or white/maroon when they overlap. Easy to explain, which means it should be easy to understand/interpret for all players.

I agree with Steve here.

Lars

Dotted lines look great, yes. I agree they should be full when not running along another border.

How about the weather overlays? I still like the idea about large and small waves for ocean/a weather system overlay.
There's not really any need to change any rules or explanations, it can all be explained with an example, like this:

rain: | <land rain graphic> | <sea rain/snow graphic>
snow: | <land snow graphic > | <sea rain/snow graphic>
storm: | <land storm graphic> | <sea storm/blizzard graphic>
blizzard:| <land blizzard graphic> | <sea storm/blizzard graphic>

ORIGINAL: Incy

Dotted lines look great, yes. I agree they should be full when not running along another border.

How about the weather overlays? I still like the idea about large and small waves for ocean/a weather system overlay.
There's not really any need to change any rules or explanations, it can all be explained with an example, like this:

rain: | <land rain graphic> | <sea rain/snow graphic>
snow: | <land snow graphic > | <sea rain/snow graphic>
storm: | <land storm graphic> | <sea storm/blizzard graphic>
blizzard:| <land blizzard graphic> | <sea storm/blizzard graphic>

Here are the weather zone boundaries in action, with non-fine weather.

As for the waves, I'll ask Rob to come up with something after he finishes the last 6 map segments. So, this might not get done until February.

China in snow and storm, zoom 3.

Same as before, zoom 4.

Africa in storm and blizzard, zoom 3.

Singapore to Batavia, storm and blizzard at zoom 5.

Here's a mixture. The weather zone boundaries help this make more sense. Snow in the north - which is Fine over desert and desert mountain terrain; Storm in the south, which is Rain in the desert and desert mountain terrain.

In this weather, Patrice leaves his 40' sail boat tied up in the harbor and takes the family to their skiing chalet in the Alps.

7th and last in series.

Ah, no, I've decided not to declare war on Russia this turn.

I find the weather zone boundaries really help here.

ORIGINAL: Shannon V. OKeets
In this weather, Patrice leaves his 40' sail boat tied up in the harbor and takes the family to their skiing chalet in the Alps.

Those weather effects & weather zone boundaries are very good looking to me.
I can't wait to have this version !!!! [:D]

The weather overlays are impressive.

Will the effects of typhoons and hurricanes be simulated as well? From http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/giangrec.htm : "On October 9, 1945, a typhoon packing 140 mph winds struck the the American staging area on Okinawa that would have been expanded to capacity by that time if the war had not ended in September, and was still crammed with aircraft and assault shipping- much of which was destroyed. US analysts at the scene matter-of-factly reported that the storm would have caused up to a 45-day delay in the invasion of Kyushu" which was planned originally for December 1 had the Pacific war not ended.

ORIGINAL: rtamesis

Will the effects of typhoons and hurricanes be simulated as well? From http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/giangrec.htm : "On October 9, 1945, a typhoon packing 140 mph winds struck the the American staging area on Okinawa that would have been expanded to capacity by that time if the war had not ended in September, and was still crammed with aircraft and assault shipping- much of which was destroyed. US analysts at the scene matter-of-factly reported that the storm would have caused up to a 45-day delay in the invasion of Kyushu" which was planned originally for December 1 had the Pacific war not ended.

The variability of weather is simulated by having it potentially change every two impulses. It is set at the start of a turn (by rolling a die) and reset (rerolled)after each player has moved once. What weather you get depends on the time of year (six 2 month turns per year) and the latitude on the world map (6 weather zones: Artic, North Temperate, Mediterranean, South Temperate, North Monsoon, and South Monsoon. The weather from the previous turn/impulse influences the new weather roll, so there is some smoothness built into the change in weather. That's not to say it might not be a drastic change, there's just a reduced probability of a drastic change.

To answer your specific question, Storm weather at sea simulates typhoons and will cause delays in operations. The chance of that occurring depends on Japan's latitude and the time of year.

Here are the first 4 pages of the tutorial on the weather. Let me know what you think of them.

These pages show screen shots of weather on the detailed and global maps.

The last 3 (or 4) pages of the weather tutorial will cover probabilites. I guess I'll show some numbers, but I do not want to do a full analysis of the weather probaility table.

4th and last in series. I still plan on asking Rob about different weather overlays for the all sea hexes. Something that shows rough seas for rain and snow and violent seas for storm and blizzard. That will wait until after he does the last 5 bitmaps segments of the world map's coastal and river/lake hexes.