The City Maps
The Asylum city map is coming along nicely, but it's gonna need another couple of weeks. I'll probably have a rough draft of it ready to post right at the end of the January. It's more than likely that it will go through a couple of versions.
I wanted to get some feedback. I want the city maps to be useful to gamers. So, I've got a few questions.
Detail
How much detail do you want?
Option 1 - A broad overview map with a minimum of detail showing just city districts, walls, bridges, gates and other main elements. This option only shows the locations of the largest and most important buildings (such as the King's castle, the Imperial palace, etc) and only the main roads.
Option 2 - Average Detail. Option 2 shows everything option 1 has but also adds minor roads, inns, taverns, guild halls, etc. In addition to big architectural elements it also shows the smaller ones like monuments, statues, parks, etc. Many other minior buildings are shown, but not labeled. Not every building is accounted for though.
Option 3 - Super detailed. This option shows everything. Every single building is shown on the map. Every shack, barrel, wagon, rain puddle, tree, bush and footprint are shown in exquisite and loving detail.
Style
Black and white line art?
Color, but simple flat color that is easy to read?
Realistic texture so that you can smell the wheat in the fields and hear the mud squish under boots? :)
It'll probably be somewhere between simple flat color and ultra realistic texture. This decision can greatly affect the overall look of the map and I just wanted to give everyone the opportunity to voice an opinion.
Breaking the Map up into Pieces
Depending on the level of detail, it might be necessary to break the map into pieces. That is, we start with a large overmap map, but break it with a grid and let you zoom in to specific grid coordinates. The size of the grid would depend on how detailed the map is. Option 2 would likely just break the map into a 3x3. Option 3 would break the map into a 8x8 or something like that. The need to break it up is so that we don't overwhelm your computer. We can't have graphics on the web site that are 20,000 x 20,000 pixels. Obviously. So, we will use some kind of grid system. Sound good? How big do you like the chunks? If we break it up, would you prefer each grid square to be 500x500 pixels or 1000x1000 or maybe even 3000x3000 pixels? I don't know how powerful your machines are. And I don't know what your preference is. 2400x2400 would allow you to print an 8x8 inch square at 300dpi. Again, it depends on how much detail you opted for in the first question.
Format
What format do you prefer? Are you comfortable with typical RGB JPEG files? Or would you prefer the Adobe PDF format? Or is there some other format you'd prefer?
Special Features
Would you like the option to download variations of the map? For instance, with or without gridlines? With or without labels?
Printing
Should each grid section print out on its own (with no white border or title) so that you can print them out on your home computer and assemble them all on the kitchen table? Do you think you might be doing that?
Anything Else
Is there anything else you'd like to comment on? Feel free. Make yourself heard. I'm plowing ahead with the map. But if you feel like you would like to offer up suggestions or opinions, now's the time. I'm interested to hear what you, as a gamer, would like in a map.
Alright then. Back to work I go. :)
As long as it looks good and has the essentials I'm happy, but here's what I think:
Detail
I agree with Bart. Option 2 is perfect.
Style
Somewhere between the last two options, as you said. But again I agree with Bart, if you want to do more, I'm all for it. It will only make it better.
Breaking the Map up into Pieces
I don't know. I don't really have any preference here, as long as I'm able to see it all in some way or another on the site. But I would very much like to have one whole version of the map available for download, that I could open in Photoshop (or soemthing similar) and print out how I like.
Format
I'd prefer JPG or BMP. Or some other similar format.
Special Features
A lable-less version would be cool, but not really necessary - just nice to have.
Printing
Depending on the scale you're thinking of it might be necessary to print out the parts individually. I'd sit down and glue at the table if I had to. Big maps are cool.
Detail
Option 2
Style
Simple color
Breaking into pieces
This doesn't matter, I break them down to 800x600 sections and print them on 8.5x11 paper. I then trim and tape together, then glue stick to a flat piece of cardboard.
Format
JPEG is fine, I use PNG sometimes
Features
With or without labels would be cool but not necessary.
Printing
See "Breaking into pieces" section
Nothing else
Oh yeah, thanks David