The VotG Map

The VotG Map

  • It is fine as it is.

    Votes: 71 54.2%
  • It is too dark.

    Votes: 41 31.3%
  • It is so dark it needs re-doing.

    Votes: 19 14.5%

  • Total voters
    131

Whizbang1963

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It's dark and there is some "bleed" in the graphics, but not enough to warrant a complete redo in my opion. YMMV
 

Barryrk

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A bit too dark, but not unplayable- I just have to look closer. Doesn't require replacement IMO. (but if sometime down the road a reprint becomes available,I'd buy it).
 

AZslim

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I do want to add to this that I think the artwork is really great. Don did an awsome job, it's clearly the shading of the print that's dark.
 

Michael R

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I find that the overall dark hue makes is difficult too easily tell a gutted building from one that is not gutted. The railway cars are problematic as well, but I forget exactly why; I haven't played with them for a few months.
 

SamB

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I believe the map is almost unplayable. (really - maybe my eyes aren't as good as yours...)

Its a beautiful map. It's a shame it has such poor contrast. In some ways, I'd prefer a map with garish contrast that was easy to see the rail cars, etc. to what we have.

I would definitely buy a new map if it was better.
 

JimWhite

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I voted too dark...but like others said...it's still playable. Although I would not hesitate to purchase a re-done version.
 

jwb3

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I find that the overall dark hue makes is difficult too easily tell a gutted building from one that is not gutted. The railway cars are problematic as well, but I forget exactly why; I haven't played with them for a few months.
Because the railway tracks are dark grey with little hatchmark lines across them (the ties), while the boxcars are dark brown with little hatchmark lines across them (the roof ridges). Because the map is so dark, when I look at both types of artwork I see the "dark" instead of the color, making it difficult to tell where one stops and the other starts.

Meanwhile, the tanker cars came out almost exactly the same color as the level 1 Open Ground artwork, so they also tend to blend together.


John
 
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I had mine enlarged to 167%. That did a lot to clarify some issues, but they also improved the contrast, so that also helped. In my opinion the small size of the hexes (for the counter density) was a MUCH BIGGER ISSUE than the "darkness" of the print.
My advice: Get your map enlarged! You'll love it!
 

sswann

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It is way too dark for old eyes. Only with a bright light and a magnifying glass can I tell the difference between trains and whatever that is with/next to them. For me it was so bad that I would not buy it since I would get eyestrain from it.

ps. The building art work is the worst of any building in ASL-dom.
 
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'Ol Fezziwig

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...ps. The building art work is the worst of any building in ASL-dom.
As much as I hate to disagree with a MARINE, I'm sorry, the CG buildings in CH!'s Berlin module are the fugliest buildings _ever_.

An unfortunate blight on an otherwise good product.
 

Blackcloud6

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I'm sorry, the CG buildings in CH!'s Berlin module are the fugliest buildings _ever_.
Well, so were the real ones. Berlin was not the prettiest of cities, esp. in 1945 after USAAF and RAF urban renewal.
 

'Ol Fezziwig

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Well, so were the real ones. Berlin was not the prettiest of cities, esp. in 1945 after USAAF and RAF urban renewal.
I'm talking the artwork; it isn't enough of a turn-off that I'd ditch my copy, but I don't care for the "unitexture" of the building art. I'm sure once covered in counters of myriad hue and shape, that'd diminish into play of the game itself but as a stand alone piece of map art, I say ":kotz:".

I really prefer the BRV <and VotG> style artwork over the impersonal coldness of computer graphics *in this case*.

I know you are involved with CH! as a playtester <kudos for this, btw!> and I know full well the closeness any perceived criticisms hit on projects with personal involvement, but this is neither a slam on your or other playtesters efforts, nor one on CH!

Less-than-stellar maps are legend throughout wargaming <Ruweisat Ridge, Blood on the Snow, Cassino, Napoleon at Leipzig, They Shall Not Pass...> but few rise to the point of unplayability; I don't think the BFotTR map reaches that point, either.
 

Tork

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A bit of a conflict between ugly and functional. The ugliest buildings in HASL history were on the original BdF map. However, they were extremely functional and you knew exactly where the building edges were.

The playtest VotG map had slightly larger hexes, and a reddish tinge that we were told would be fixed in the final version. Ralph got many thanks for his printing job on that map--well done indeed.
 

sswann

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As much as I hate to disagree with a MARINE, I'm sorry, the CG buildings in CH!'s Berlin module are the fugliest buildings _ever_.

An unfortunate blight on an otherwise good product.
My apologies! Not having the CH Berlin map, I did not know. :OHNO:
 

Blackcloud6

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I know you are involved with CH! as a playtester <kudos for this, btw!> and I know full well the closeness any perceived criticisms hit on projects with personal involvement, but this is neither a slam on your or other playtesters efforts, nor one on CH!
Fez: I didn't take your comments as slight at all, but thanks for your kind words.

My response was something I actually felt :that the map purposely portrays the nazi capital as cold, impersonal, gray and what not. My USAAF comment was a bit glib but hey, they did turn the place into a mess...
 

Tork

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Technically the Russians put more tonnage of explosives into Berlin than both RAF and USAAF combined, so the renewal was a cooperative affair...
 

Honza

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My response was something I actually felt :that the map purposely portrays the nazi capital as cold, impersonal, gray and what not. My USAAF comment was a bit glib but hey, they did turn the place into a mess...
Thats how it comes across in the scenario I'm playing right now. The City is big, brash and desolate. Makes for interesting ASL combat. See my AAR on "Gotterdammerung" in the appropriate section.
 

'Ol Fezziwig

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Thats how it comes across in the scenario I'm playing right now. The City is big, brash and desolate. Makes for interesting ASL combat. See my AAR on "Gotterdammerung" in the appropriate section.
An excellent read, btw, I recommend everyone take a peek at the ongoing AAR.
 

prymus

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Too dark for me.But I must qualify that by adding that I am taking 3 different medications that each have the side effect of blurring vision.I have also taken quality colored pencils to the outlines of the gutted buildings and railcars to change the contrast a bit.This has helped immensely.I won't say the map needs to be redone,but I would purchase a new higher contrast map if one were made available.
 
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