What Afterwind's Cartographers NEED to Realize.

I once made a map, Utah's Ultimate Europe. It was, I admit, pretty inaccurate and bad but it was my first ever map. After a while ThomasMer (Hats off to you) made Europe AtWar. It was better in every way but I was extremely jealous. I started working on Ultimate Europe II. It was going to be pretty much the same as UE but larger. Ezzatam talked me out of it. Europe atWar was already the best a Europe map could get and it was pointless in making a new version of it. I used that time instead to begin work on 18th Century. From there I worked on 13th, 19th and 26th Centurys. It was a great idea and I now have a successful series.

Cartographers don't just take another person's idea and go through with it. Thomas worked hard on his map and he doesn't deserve me stealing attention away from his great map. Do what you want to do and be original. Stop cannibalizing each other and work together. If someone has an idea you want, HELP THEM! Collaborate!

Cartographers Now



Cartographer's if we Unite

"Teamwork"

Nah.

Personally I don't think teamwork is the problem here 3-5 cartographers could get together and make a great map but, the players these days always choose the play maps that are stuffy and role-play. There are some who play other scenarios/maps but the majority still play UN.

Right now there are about 16 different types of UNs almost(all) of them with different units and country division.

There are 2 scenario i consider great right now GGG(don't go crazy Tunder) and Ultimate WW1.

Geschrieben von Meester, 08.11.2013 at 23:51

"Teamwork"

Nah.

Personally I don't think teamwork is the problem here 3-5 cartographers could get together and make a great map but, the players these days always choose the play maps that are stuffy and role-play. There are some who play other scenarios/maps but the majority still play UN.

Right now there are about 16 different types of UNs almost(all) of them with different units and country division.

There are 2 scenario i consider great right now GGG(don't go crazy Tunder) and Ultimate WW1.

The UN spam is partly what I am addressing. I want cartographers to be original in their ideas and not just copy and paste another map and add maybe a feature or two. I don't see how anything else in your post is relevant to my topic about cartographers' philosophies.

It's hard to believe how lazy map makers are. Right now I can brainstorm how to make a scen with bio an cyber warfare.

Geschrieben von Guest, 09.11.2013 at 00:00

It's hard to believe how lazy map makers are. Right now I can brainstorm how to make a scen with bio an cyber warfare.

Then do it! We need original maps and original ideas.

Geschrieben von Utah, 09.11.2013 at 00:01

Geschrieben von Guest, 09.11.2013 at 00:00

It's hard to believe how lazy map makers are. Right now I can brainstorm how to make a scen with bio an cyber warfare.

Then do it! We need original maps and original ideas.

I suck. I suck horrible at borders, could you draw borders?

Geschrieben von Guest, 09.11.2013 at 00:02

Geschrieben von Utah, 09.11.2013 at 00:01

Geschrieben von Guest, 09.11.2013 at 00:00

It's hard to believe how lazy map makers are. Right now I can brainstorm how to make a scen with bio an cyber warfare.

Then do it! We need original maps and original ideas.

I suck. I suck horrible at borders, could you draw borders?

Practice makes perfect. Best advice I can give is to take it slow and try to get it in your mind it make it as accurate as possible. It helps if you look at lots of maps on your own time so you can really see how borders are supposed to look and such.

Geschrieben von Utah, 08.11.2013 at 21:33

Europe atWar was already the best a Europe map could get

I guess, I'm actually still a noob when it comes to map making, but I have to disagree with this. He indeed did a very good job there and put a lot effort in it, but just because a map is very huge doesn't mean it's necessarily better than if it's smaller. I guess that's a preference thing. I also think the map itself isn't really that beautiful/detailed. It gets very pixelated if you zoom in, has only a few colors and just doesn't really look that great. There are much better/bigger/more beautiful maps of Europe outthere on the net.

I don't want to talk down the map (I also was pretty impressed when I first saw it), but saying it doesn't get "better" than this, is not true, imo.

Geschrieben von Klabauter, 09.11.2013 at 00:26

Geschrieben von Utah, 08.11.2013 at 21:33

Europe atWar was already the best a Europe map could get

I guess, I'm actually still a noob when it comes to map making, but I have to disagree with this. He indeed did a very good job there and put a lot effort in it, but just because a map is very huge doesn't mean it's necessarily better than if it's smaller. I guess that's a preference thing. I also think the map itself isn't really that beautiful/detailed. It gets very pixelated if you zoom in, has only a few colors and just doesn't really look that great. There are much better/bigger/more beautiful maps of Europe outthere on the net.

I don't want to talk down the map (I also was pretty impressed when I first saw it), but saying it doesn't get "better" than this, is not true, imo.

But would you REALLY want to waste your time making an entirely new Europe map when the only thing wrong with EA is its visuals? You should instead use that time to do something no other cartographer has done.

Geschrieben von Utah, 09.11.2013 at 00:34

But would you REALLY want to waste your time making an entirely new Europe map when the only thing wrong with EA is its visuals? You should instead use that time to do something no other cartographer has done.

Just because there is one bigger map of Europe, and it's halfway well done, doesn't mean noone should be allowed to make other bigger Europe maps anymore. Europe is the most popular play ground here. To limit ourselves like this really wouldn't be good, imo. I think, everyone should just do want they want here as long as it makes them fun, but also always try to bring some originality in it. Just because you make another bigger map of Europe, doesn't mean you can't put some new originiality in it. You can make the boarders different (different century for different scenarios), for example, or you also can just make better boarders (the boarders in EA are pretty poor, imo).

I also for example, have a lot of fresh ideas for ww1, ww2 scenarios, etc. but just using an already existing Europe map is not what I want. How could I ever bring these ideas alive, without being unoriginal and using other peoples maps, if I wasn't allowed to make another Europe map, just because there already exists one?

Geschrieben von Klabauter, 09.11.2013 at 00:50

Geschrieben von Utah, 09.11.2013 at 00:34

But would you REALLY want to waste your time making an entirely new Europe map when the only thing wrong with EA is its visuals? You should instead use that time to do something no other cartographer has done.

Just because there is one bigger map of Europe, and it's halfway well done, doesn't mean noone should be allowed to make other bigger Europe maps anymore. Europe is the most popular play ground here. To limit ourselves like this really wouldn't be good, imo. I think, everyone should just do want they want here as long as it makes them fun, but also always try to bring some originality in it. Just because you make another bigger map of Europe, doesn't mean you can't put some new originiality in it. You can make the boarders different (different century for different scenarios), for example, or you also can just make better boarders (the boarders in EA are pretty poor, imo).

See now you are thinking in UN terms. Do you really want 12 different types of Europes? And also I meant that you shouldn't make a map of modern Europe. Of course you can still make an original European scenario. I just feel cartographers should spend less time trying to outdo each other and more time working together or at least making original maps.

Geschrieben von Utah, 09.11.2013 at 00:54

Do you really want 12 different types of Europes?

If the people who make these maps are talented and the map is constantly evolving, and is getting always more better and detailed, sure why not?

Geschrieben von Utah, 09.11.2013 at 00:54

I just feel cartographers should spend less time trying to outdo each other and more time working together or at least making original maps.

I'm not trying to outdo anyone. I just want to finally make an own map to be able to make own scenarios/units with it etc.

I made like 3 or 4 maps on my alt in your clan, still bad at map making because im focussing on playing but here is what i propose:
The UN spam is silly and un should be banned.
We should have a cartogrephers convention every once in a while to discuss and compare maps help each other etc...
tik and andartes should get along
like someone proposed in forums we need commanders that actually work.

Geschrieben von The Tactician, 09.11.2013 at 02:53

The UN spam is silly and un should be banned.

Not possible.

Geschrieben von The Tactician, 09.11.2013 at 02:53

We should have a cartogrephers convention every once in a while to discuss and compare maps help each other etc...

Now we just need people so use it.

Geschrieben von The Tactician, 09.11.2013 at 02:53

tik and andartes should get along

Good luck with that.

Geschrieben von The Tactician, 09.11.2013 at 02:53

like someone proposed in forums we need commanders that actually work.

http://atwar-game.com/forum/topic.php?topic_id=10641

Meester I appear in that SS <3.

Btw, why UN isn't banned? It's farming and everyone knows it. I've been playing for 2 years to get this rank 10 but now people just have to play UN like 1 or 2 months to get it. It's unfair

Geschrieben von Guest, 09.11.2013 at 09:28

UN It's farming and everyone knows it. I've been playing for 2 years to get this rank 10 but now people just have to play UN like 1 or 2 months to get it. It's unfair

Let them, rank means nothing. Just destroy the new rank 9's 10's without them using the 'you have upgrades' excuse.

Also people want to make maps, just because it has been done (and probably better) doesn't mean they should stop trying to create their own piece, even if it never gets played they may have enjoyed making it or whatever.

I know, but they don't deserve it.

Depends what is important to you, in terms of rank does it define your skill? 'Skill' is more important to me then any rank symbol or SP.

Same with map making, does the more plays make it a better map? Example my RTW map is the worst one I made but yet the most plays....

Geschrieben von b0nker2, 09.11.2013 at 11:28

Let them, rank means nothing. Just destroy the new rank 9's 10's without them using the 'you have upgrades' excuse.

I don't use it as an excuse, just saying that it does give SOME advantage, only very rarely do I encounter someone I would have beaten if we had the same upgrades.

I was referring to people who have made their higher rank due to scenario and UN play, I wouldn't put you into that category stickhammer, if you are worried by upgrades though turn them off. Regardless I see no problem in people making ranks from playing UN or scenarios, as much as I encourage 'competitive' play a small game like this shouldn't discourage a variation in game types.

Same goes for maps the more variation the better, why have only ThomasM's version of EU for example? Saying that it would be nice to reduce the clutter of maps somehow, the rating and featured systems are somewhat flawed would certainly like to see this improved as a way to highlight well thought out maps/scenarios.

All map makers should unite and make a new project. making a completely new competitive map and im not talking about our world and countries. i mean a new world with new countries and continents and don't put any unique units in it

Geschrieben von GOD 2.0, 09.11.2013 at 15:58

All map makers should unite and make a new project. making a completely new competitive map and im not talking about our world and countries. i mean a new world with new countries and continents and don't put any unique units in it

is impossible to have more than 1 collaborator, the map gets corrupt due to cache

Geschrieben von Guest, 09.11.2013 at 16:02

Geschrieben von GOD 2.0, 09.11.2013 at 15:58

All map makers should unite and make a new project. making a completely new competitive map and im not talking about our world and countries. i mean a new world with new countries and continents and don't put any unique units in it

is impossible to have more than 1 collaborator, the map gets corrupt due to cache

looks like were screwed then. we have more UN maps than competitive maps