02-06-2018, 09:45 AM | #1 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
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Making Maps: Showing off and getting help
A while back I was thinking that I find most sci-fi war games to be too small in scale for my taste, and I realized that ogre was probably the scale I was looking for. I've just started to get into ogre, and I found the map program. Its awesome. I've started making maps representing real places. The first one is here, focused around Utah lake and Provo.
A few observations I made while making the map: Wow, the scale for the game is enormous! There are almost half a million people living on this map. The map demonstrates several odd things about Utah, such as where the desert is found, and just how crammed between the lakes, the deserts, and the mountains most of the people live. This map feels rather cramped, and it looks like GEV's and infantry will rule the day, perhaps supported by the occasional howitzer. Helicopters would be really nice for this scenario, if one house rules in rules for them. Even if you only use them as transports. A few questions: I'm not sure how to do mountains properly. Unfortunately, all the places I want to do first have mountains. I've got rubble defining the edges, and the big bald peaks are indicated with mountain symbols. I've tried to give the ranges shape using rubble lines to indicate ridges. How is the best way to do this? is it worth it? I've read that you should use rubble around forest to indicate a mountain, but some parts of these mountains are pretty bare. What's the best way to indicate mountains? I'm not sure how urban an area needs to be before marking it as city. On this map, dense suburbs are marked as city. Is that the correct interpretation? Is the map too small? I know this area well, and I found myself wishing I could include certain neighboring regions, like all of the northern city, and the fields to the south that make it possible to go around the lake. Is this a special case, am I thinking too epic in scale, or does ogre really like big maps? Is there anything else I did wrong, or could do better? Does anyone have any areas they'd like me to do next?
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Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one! |
02-06-2018, 10:03 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
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Re: Making Maps: Showing off and getting help
I pulled up Google Maps and zoomed in on the Provo area, then used the earth view image to compare to your map. Other than the intricacies of converting a real world built on squarish grids to a model world built on hexes, I think you have the general feel pretty well in hand.
Another site I use a lot for map research, really useful as you can draw lines on it for routes, and it gives way-point distances. https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php |
02-06-2018, 11:35 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Minnesota
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Re: Making Maps: Showing off and getting help
If the mountains are too rough for tanks to go there, represent them with craters.
Technically infantry should be able to operate in there, but that's an ongoing issue. |
02-07-2018, 12:40 PM | #4 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
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Re: Making Maps: Showing off and getting help
Representing mountains with craters just feels wrong.
On the other hand, I'm actually unsure what part of the mountains will stop tanks. some parts are sheer cliffs, while others are merely steep slopes. Can a tank go up a 60 degree incline? how steep is too steep? The north west approach to Fort Worth. This map was harder to assign many of the hexes for, but it also feels a lot more like a classic GEV map. You can see the scattered towns fade into the metropolis. Any thoughts on where I should do next?
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Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one! Last edited by ericthered; 02-07-2018 at 12:44 PM. |
02-07-2018, 02:25 PM | #5 | |
Join Date: May 2015
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Re: Making Maps: Showing off and getting help
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02-07-2018, 06:45 PM | #6 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Carrboro, NC
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Re: Making Maps: Showing off and getting help
I just use the mountain peaks for all mountains. Mountains are impassable for everyone.
It sort of straddles the line between a strategic display with icons, and an overhead view. After you play on it for awhile, it start to "feel" better. Very nice work by the way, and thanks for sharing! |
02-07-2018, 08:16 PM | #7 | |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Minnesota
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Re: Making Maps: Showing off and getting help
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Or more specifically--which hex is Saginaw? I want to know when my house gets blown up. |
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02-08-2018, 08:58 AM | #8 | |||
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
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Re: Making Maps: Showing off and getting help
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You're the creator, right? Great work! Would you be open to sending me the code? Its a nice program, I kind of want to add some new hex types, and see how it was done. Quote:
I intentionally chose an area that had lakes, cities, and farms. Sorry you can't blow up your house on this map! Of course, I suppose I could make a map focused on lake worth and the airport....
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Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one! |
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02-08-2018, 09:15 PM | #9 |
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Hex G1-1508
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Re: Making Maps: Showing off and getting help
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02-08-2018, 09:16 PM | #10 |
Join Date: May 2007
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