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

Honza

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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.
That is an interesting idea! To highlight the railcars and gutted buildings. Coloured pencils is obviously the best way to go. I have outlined faint crestlines in the past with ball point pens - but coloured pencils are a much better solution, thanks. :thumup:
 

Honza

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There... I've used coloured pencil to outline the railcars and gutted buildings on one of my VotG maps. I used Burnt Carmine for the Railcars and Black for the Gutted Buildings. Here is what it looks like:
 

Robin Reeve

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Jan,
About the buildings, you seem to have pencilled the partially rubbled buildings.
How would you proceed about the gutted ones?
It seems you blackened the exterior of the still standing walls : wouldn't that create a problem with LOS?
For gutted buildings, would it not be better to blacken their inner parts?
 

Honza

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Jan,
About the buildings, you seem to have pencilled the partially rubbled buildings.
How would you proceed about the gutted ones?
It seems you blackened the exterior of the still standing walls : wouldn't that create a problem with LOS?
For gutted buildings, would it not be better to blacken their inner parts?
Hi Robin,

My mistake! I meant that I had pencilled the partially rubbled buildings, not the gutted ones. The gutted ones don't seem too bad to me. I may leave them as they are. Otherwise I would pencil in the inner parts.
As for LOS of the partially rubbled buildings, I was very careful so any inaccuracy will be only by a millimetre or so. I can always check the other map if the LOS check is in doubt.
 

Honza

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I went back and re-checked the gutted buildings and decided I would use a pencil to highlight them too. Here are the results:
 

SamB

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I went back and re-checked the gutted buildings and decided I would use a pencil to highlight them too. Here are the results:
Doesn't outlining the buildings in pencil CHANGE the LOS?

If I wanted to draw my own map...

or

Perhaps a paint by number map?
 

jwb3

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Well, I voted that "It's too dark" but doesn't need redoing... but if we're all going to start taking colored pencils to it to solve the problems, I may have to change my vote! :(


Randy, you said:
That did a lot to clarify some issues, but they also improved the contrast, so that also helped.
Do you mean that the people at the printing shop improved the contrast? Do you have any idea what settings they used?


John
 

Honza

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Doesn't outlining the buildings in pencil CHANGE the LOS?

If I wanted to draw my own map...

or

Perhaps a paint by number map?
Hey Sam, I did not outline the *buildings* - I just highlighted some of the shades within their outline.

I'm a bit worried now that I've highlighted the partially rubbled building 'walls' that it in fact may change the LOS. Only marginally of course - so I hope it won't affect play too much. The other map can be used for LOS references if need be.
 

'Ol Fezziwig

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Hey Sam, I did not outline the *buildings* - I just highlighted some of the shades within their outline.

I'm a bit worried now that I've highlighted the partially rubbled building 'walls' that it in fact may change the LOS. Only marginally of course - so I hope it won't affect play too much. The other map can be used for LOS references if need be.
Is LOS truly considered cast in stone on each map? Would any such 'alteration' really have such a profund effect on play" Doesn't the ASLRB specifically address individual map LOS quirks?

BTW, I really like the effect of the highlighting in the examples shown; would there be a way to coat the highlights to prevent smudging?
 

Honza

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Is LOS truly considered cast in stone on each map? Would any such 'alteration' really have such a profund effect on play" Doesn't the ASLRB specifically address individual map LOS quirks?

BTW, I really like the effect of the highlighting in the examples shown; would there be a way to coat the highlights to prevent smudging?
Thanks Fez, that is reassuring.

Smudging can be prevented by playing with the map under plexiglass. Otherwise the map lies dormant in a safe place where hopefully it won't be vulnerable to smudging. There is such a thing as Artists pencil/pastel fixative which prevents smudging, but there is no way I'm going to spray my VotG map with fixative! It would *probably* be okay to do it, but one never knows.
 

Manilianus

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It's cool. Look at the SG map, she's darker, but still is OK for me. Well, Band Of Heroes maps were darker and also were OK.

They're clear, and that matters.
 

jwb3

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Is LOS truly considered cast in stone on each map? Would any such 'alteration' really have such a profund effect on play" Doesn't the ASLRB specifically address individual map LOS quirks?
I suspect that in this day of computer-drawn, printed-from-file ASLSK-style maps, LOS will be considered more and more cast in stone... and the part of the ASLRB addressing individual map quirks will become less and less relevant.

Pity... I always kind of liked that part of the game.


John
 

Honza

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I suspect that in this day of computer-drawn, printed-from-file ASLSK-style maps, LOS will be considered more and more cast in stone... and the part of the ASLRB addressing individual map quirks will become less and less relevant.

Pity... I always kind of liked that part of the game.


John
I don't believe I have ever read or found that bit in the ASLRB about the individual map quirks. I'll have to see if I can find it.
 

jwb3

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I don't believe I have ever read or found that bit in the ASLRB about the individual map quirks. I'll have to see if I can find it.
Urrrmm... It occurs to me that there might not be such a bit in the ASLRB. I looked in a couple of the most likely places and didn't find it, so I may be thinking of something from the SL series rules -- or from somewhere in the vast SL series Q&A -- or some random article in The General. I hope you haven't put much effort into trying to find it! :shy:


John
 

'Ol Fezziwig

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Urrrmm... It occurs to me that there might not be such a bit in the ASLRB. I looked in a couple of the most likely places and didn't find it, so I may be thinking of something from the SL series rules -- or from somewhere in the vast SL series Q&A -- or some random article in The General. I hope you haven't put much effort into trying to find it! :shy:


John
You're probably right <and I'm too lazy right now to check> but with boards from the SL era, particularly considering the release of Turning the Tide, in circulation, the caveat still has viability even if printing processes have _vastly_ improved.

Still and all, does anyone really think-even on HASL maps-the LOS is absolutely true?
 

Honza

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Urrrmm... It occurs to me that there might not be such a bit in the ASLRB. I looked in a couple of the most likely places and didn't find it, so I may be thinking of something from the SL series rules -- or from somewhere in the vast SL series Q&A -- or some random article in The General. I hope you haven't put much effort into trying to find it! :shy:


John
I have not looked yet, but I'll take your word for it. I certainly don't remember such a passage in the ASLRB.
 

ASLSARGE

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Back on topic...I voted "too dark" but not totally unplayable. Just difficult to readily discern what is in certain hexes/areas with these tired old eyes even with a 100 watt lamp shining down on the map. I would not expect MMP to reprint it, but disappointed none the less. I've only played a couple scenarios out of it, then put it all back in the box on the shelf. Maybe someday I could get the local large format print shop to scan it and lighten it up for me. That would really help a lot.
 
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