Matrix Games Forums

The map scale in SC:ACW is far larger than I've seen in other games in the series. Even with the campaign map, it's hard to get a picture of all your forces. I don't know you address it but as a player I feel lost and it's not fun having to scroll the map just for situational awareness. I know that you can move up and down in your view of the map but it just doesn't seem to work in terms of gameplay as it does in other SC games. It may just be me.

There has been some suggestions to make either additional zoom levels and/or make the furthest out zoom more useful in terms of information.

redrum68 wrote: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:09 pm There has been some suggestions to make either additional zoom levels and/or make the furthest out zoom more useful in terms of information.

During beta testing I suggested the strategic map (the most zoomed out one) have the names and borders of states on it. I am not American and my geographical knowledge of the country is not great.

As regards the OP I would agree that the map is too large. I would prefer it if the scale was doubled or even tripled. Also the scrolling of the map seems excessively slow.

I hope you are right because for me the game is not really playable.

IslandInland wrote: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:56 pm

redrum68 wrote: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:09 pm There has been some suggestions to make either additional zoom levels and/or make the furthest out zoom more useful in terms of information.

During beta testing I suggested the strategic map (the most zoomed out one) have the names and borders of states on it. I am not American and my geographical knowledge of the country is not great.

As regards the OP I would agree that the map is too large. I would prefer it if the scale was doubled or even tripled. Also the scrolling of the map seems excessively slow.

+1 would love to see this. Would make it much easier to navigate the large map

It's very playable for me...but I'm using a 40" monitor. After 2 months of play, it just came natural to mouse right to where I needed to go.
Still, both State borders on the overview map would be nice as was suggested many times in beta. Another Zoom level also was suggested frequently. The latter would be a lot of work...but the former shouldn't be.

Hi,
I just played few hours, and got similar impressions. I wouldn't say map is too large, I would say it is hard to navigate. I am not American, and while I more or less know the East Coast and gulf of Mexico, I got lost when look in the interior. Also I am confused about the Indian tribes, It took me considerable amount of time to reckon which one is which. It is important to know where the purchased units will appear. That was kind of nightmare to find.
State borders would make it easier, or, as I am not American, just put on strategic map Rivers that you can sail, and mountain Ranges, as Appalachians and Rocky Mountains, so I could quick reckon which theater I am looking at.
Cheers
Jazon

Jazon wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 9:48 am Hi,
I just played few hours, and got similar impressions. I wouldn't say map is too large, I would say it is hard to navigate. I am not American, and while I more or less know the East Coast and gulf of Mexico, I got lost when look in the interior. Also I am confused about the Indian tribes, It took me considerable amount of time to reckon which one is which. It is important to know where the purchased units will appear. That was kind of nightmare to find.
State borders would make it easier, or, as I am not American, just put on strategic map Rivers that you can sail, and mountain Ranges, as Appalachians and Rocky Mountains, so I could quick reckon which theater I am looking at.
Cheers
Jazon

LoL
I could of said the same thing about your mod SC-WW1 mod 'Polish-Soviet War' and that beautiful if daunting map you designed
I know that region pretty well but my gosh some of those Polish and Ukrainian names that have 18+ letters caused some meltdowns with my narration in the letsplays I did in our match haha.

Joking aside, yeah I agree, the zoomed out continental map here could use some love.
The major rivers, state borders, and mountian terrain are needed...and it was mentioned alot in beta.

Btw...remember when you were trying to figure out how to work out navigatable rivers for the Polish-Soviet War mod? It was the Dniepr and Pripyat that needed to be done so we could fight on the rivers with gunboats. As soon as I saw these major rivers and how they were designed, I remember you musing about that and the difficulty in working something in that would work. Looks like it's in the editor now.

The Major, i.e. navigable, rivers are on the War Map though, so I am a little confused here?

These are what I use to help guide me as to where the action is.

BillRunacre wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:10 pm The Major, i.e. navigable, rivers are on the War Map though, so I am a little confused here?

These are what I use to help guide me as to where the action is.

No it was I that was confused when riffing with Jazon about navigable rivers at 1am hah.
What I meant to say was I agreed with him (and was mentioned in beta) about superimposing State borders and maybe some basic terrain flourishes on the War Map.

btw I contacted Ray (Unfortunate Son) about designing a facsimile of this idea to see what would work. He's got the game and is already digging in the files. He's got the top of the line art software since that's his job: 'Digital Artist Wizard'

Hi,
Bill, Old Crow, Mea Culpa, of course navigable Rivers are on the strategic map. I beg my pardon. However Appalachians and Rocky Mountains ranges could be there as well maybe? And desert? Marked by some color? Because for me, as for now, in my mind I divide the map vertically, from left to right: New Mexico (Breaking Bad land), Indians Desert, right Mississippi, left Mississippi, Appalachians (West Virginia), Virginia - Washington/Richmond Area. I don't know if it is as it should be, my mind just needed some organization in this vast territory.
Also, I might be wrong is there a hot key for "next unit"? I would really could use it, I am playing against AI, and already lost some opportunities, just because forgot to move some folks.
Cheers
Jazon

So far, I'm loving the map. Mainly because it encompasses those vast areas outside of traditional ACW games--which usually don't show much north of the Mason-Dixon line or west of Arkansas.

Jazon wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 9:48 am I am not American, and while I more or less know the East Coast and gulf of Mexico, I got lost when look in the interior.

I must confess I get a bit lost when scrolling down in Mexico. I guess I'll be learning my Mexican federal states.

OldCrowBalthazor wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 11:55 pm

BillRunacre wrote: Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:10 pm The Major, i.e. navigable, rivers are on the War Map though, so I am a little confused here?

These are what I use to help guide me as to where the action is.

No it was I that was confused when riffing with Jazon about navigable rivers at 1am hah.
What I meant to say was I agreed with him (and was mentioned in beta) about superimposing State borders and maybe some basic terrain flourishes on the War Map.

btw I contacted Ray (Unfortunate Son) about designing a facsimile of this idea to see what would work. He's got the game and is already digging in the files. He's got the top of the line art software since that's his job: 'Digital Artist Wizard'

Something like this.

I say that the map is just fine. Maybe make it easier to navigate.

Use the strategic map to click where you want to go or take the mouse to the edge of the screen to move it. The game has the same three views of other SC game and I don't think is that large compared to SC: World at War. I think it's not reasonable to say the map is too big; for the scale of the units, it's not big enough.

[/quote]I could of said the same thing about your mod SC-WW1 mod 'Polish-Soviet War' and that beautiful if daunting map you designed
I know that region pretty well but my gosh some of those Polish and Ukrainian names that have 18+ letters caused some meltdowns with my narration in the letsplays I did in our match haha.[/quote]

Ah, thank you, I really put my heart in this map, and now I can believe how long was it to design this map for ACW. That must have been weeks...Right now I play AI, and increase my USA geography knowledge. Pretty amazing finding towns named Dresden or Cairo in US
Anyway I hope after we all finish our ACW fever (which I enjoy a lot!) we might get back to Polish-Soviet War one day. I also wanted to finish my mod about WWI eastern front, but recently I am just really busy.
Cheers all and see you on American Civil War battlefields!
Jazon
PS
Can't wait to see Unfortunate Son's counters on this game! This guy is talented!

I don't find the map unlivable. I would echo the call for a better strategic map. One that shows the frontlines would be useful.

Jazon wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:54 pm

I could of said the same thing about your mod SC-WW1 mod 'Polish-Soviet War' and that beautiful if daunting map you designed
I know that region pretty well but my gosh some of those Polish and Ukrainian names that have 18+ letters caused some meltdowns with my narration in the letsplays I did in our match haha.[/quote]

Ah, thank you, I really put my heart in this map, and now I can believe how long was it to design this map for ACW. That must have been weeks...Right now I play AI, and increase my USA geography knowledge. Pretty amazing finding towns named Dresden or Cairo in US
Anyway I hope after we all finish our ACW fever (which I enjoy a lot!) we might get back to Polish-Soviet War one day. I also wanted to finish my mod about WWI eastern front, but recently I am just really busy.
Cheers all and see you on American Civil War battlefields!
Jazon
PS
Can't wait to see Unfortunate Son's counters on this game! This guy is talented!
[/quote]

Hi Jazon in case you haven't seen this check out this thread... https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/view ... 0&start=20

Actually, the map seems just fine — given the myriad of skirmishes all over the place during the Civil War, one needs a fairly large map to accommodate all the battles, large and small. A World at War map with this many hexes would have been nice.