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I'm looking for (board)game map styles that people generally find attractive and effective. In particular 2D abstracted (and hexagonal) styles, not "real world" visuals with little trees, roads etc. Rather styles that represent terrain types with abstracted icons or patterns.

Which games (names and/or screenhots/photo's please!) do you think presented their map in a nice, memorable way?

As I am oid (HA!HA!), I fell in love with the original AH squad leader mapboards graphics! I like the way the Time of Fury map looks also.

JTS American Civil War 2D [not a board war game, but with a board game look]

[edit: attached a sample screenshot; drastically shrunk; hope it looks decent]

depend on your budget, there are tons of boardgames out there and what kinda wargame/roleplaying games are you looking for?

Latest SPI games (The Next War for example)

I 2nd Squad Leader! When I opened that box up on Christmas day 1978 I was blown away by the graphics... It made other games at that time seem bland by comparison.

I prefer map styles where it's easy to see the terrain content in a single glance, that are colourful and non-repetitive.

Good examples:
Board Game - Squad Leader
Computer - Commander - Europe At War / Panzer Campaigns.

Command - Europe at War is nicer than Panzer Campaigns as PC is tiles which are repetitive. Still, they get the job done.

Bad Example:
Battlefields: E.g. Korsun Pocket. Now that's a good game, but sometimes it's difficult to see the content of a hex from a single glance. The map is, however, pretty.

Screenshots or links to examples would probably help Lukas as he may not know the games you're talking about and often there are multiple versions or similar games so confusion is easy!

Hi Lukas,

GMT's Mark Simonitch has a great reputation for creating very clear, abstract 2D map art

Example from his Ardennes '44 game :

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/1813359/ardennes-44

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

ORIGINAL: baloo7777
I like the way the Time of Fury map looks also.

Didn't ToF have several map display modes? Would be useful to know which specific one you are referring to.

ORIGINAL: RisingSun
depend on your budget, there are tons of boardgames out there and what kinda wargame/roleplaying games are you looking for?

The reason I'm doing this inquiry is because we are about to start on the boardgame mode map visuals for Order of Battle - Pacific. It would be useful to establish a style that is generally favored.

This style will be used in the strategic overview map, scenario preview thumbnails and the optional "board game style" display mode.

ORIGINAL: Everyone Else

...

Thanks for all the suggestions. Most seem to have terrain types clearly distinguished by (low saturation) colours and simple patterns. Quite similar to what I had in mind.

More suggestions are still welcome to confirm this is the right way to proceed or disprove it altogether [;)]

Original: Lukas
Didn't ToF have several map display modes? Would be useful to know which specific one you are referring to.

Checked my settings...TOF Map set to Normal in preferences with city and sea zones named. Tried to see if I could take a screen shot, but can't figure it out.

World In Flames is by far the most beautiful & functional combination IMHO. Im drooling over the new one too & will acquire it on my next check-

ORIGINAL: baloo7777

As I am oid (HA!HA!), I fell in love with the original AH squad leader mapboards graphics! I like the way the Time of Fury map looks also.

ORIGINAL: Rodwonder

I 2nd Squad Leader! When I opened that box up on Christmas day 1978 I was blown away by the graphics... It made other games at that time seem bland by comparison.

Agree, agree! Squad Leader/ASL were, and are, works of art. [8D]

Love the map for Bloody April by GMT Games.

Also Streets of Stalingrad

Clash of Arms Battles from the Age of Reason series





...and La Bataille series

And not hexagonal but beautiful, Von Riesswitz Kriegsspiel [&o]

ORIGINAL: RisingSun
depend on your budget, there are tons of boardgames out there and what kinda wargame/roleplaying games are you looking for?

ORIGINAL: Lukas
The reason I'm doing this inquiry is because we are about to start on the boardgame mode map visuals for Order of Battle - Pacific. It would be useful to establish a style that is generally favored.

This style will be used in the strategic overview map, scenario preview thumbnails and the optional "board game style" display mode.

I been doing the samn thing here also, working another project, but coming very slow. Trying to get good maps going by using 3D render and landscapes and there so many islands and bases in the Pacific.

Clash of Arms Battles from the Age of Reason series

That's a cute style [;)] A bit too cartoony for what I'm looking for, but interesting to see none the less.

Love the map for Bloody April by GMT Games.

Those dashed lines are railroads?

ORIGINAL: Lukas

Love the map for Bloody April by GMT Games.

Those dashed lines are railroads?

Yes. Double and single line railroads depending on the dash style.