We all know there are a variety of Risk sites out there. At least 10 that I know of. There aren't a lot of ways for one site to differentiate itself from another. You've got forums/community, site aesthetics, user interface, board quantity, and board quality.

The forums are in and the community will always be dynamic; its currently a great source of feedback and is very interactive with the site administration. The site aesthetics are pretty much fine, and probably ought not be weighted very heavily. Tom is constantly tweaking the UI to better meet the community's needs; this site already has the best UI for Risk sites on the internets -- hands down. Board quantity will either grow with time, or can be artificially boosted by allowing all manner of untested and unplayable tripe on the site, ala Warfish. The point Wargear has decided is where it will differentiate itself is board quality.

You can already see how some attempts to do so have affected the site. We have the review team, which makes a huge difference. We've eliminated the sharing of circle mode maps (note that we have not gotten rid of them, so people who want to dabble in casual map making still absolutely can).

The reasons for getting rid of circle mode have been argued at length here and elsewhere. The short of it, is that Wargear is distinguishing itself from other Risk sites by not having it. Also, it raises the bar one short notch in map making. There is a STRONG STRONG STRONG (ad nauseum) correlation between maps being circle mode and maps being awful in every other regard. If someone isn't willing to take 10 seconds with the brush tool in MS Paint to draw dots where they want their territories, then there is no reason to expect that they will take the time to make sure their continents offer fair gameplay, that they will test the board adequately to find missing/extra borders, that they will customize the cards and player colors, or that they will make any other attempt at providing something that a casual observer could recognize as good production value.

1560 and Warfare were redone to bring those maps consistent with the general vision and theme of the site. Tom asked me to draw it, and I was honored. Had the circle one stayed up, I wouldn't have said a thing.

For what its worth, here's the original image that a variety of sites have used to make this map:
http://bookreviewsbybobbie.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/europe1560_shepherd.jpg

Here's another site's version of it:
http://sillysoft.net/lux/maps/Europe%201560

And, the map has been removed from the Warfish site, so I can't show it for comparison.

All that said, next week I'll take a look at redrawing it again, using a hybrid fill/circle mode to both highlight how one can use fill to emulate circles, while also revealing more of the map underneath, for those of you who feel it would be cooler. If it works out how I'm imagining it now, I won't have any problem sharing it and asking tom to replace my current incarnation.

http://www.wargear.net/boards/designer/462

Eh? Can everybody live with this?

In the end, its Tom's call, as the whole project was basically contract work for him, but I'm nothing if not a people pleaser...

Cramchakle wrote:

http://www.wargear.net/boards/designer/462

Eh? Can everybody live with this?

In the end, its Tom's call, as the whole project was basically contract work for him, but I'm nothing if not a people pleaser...

  

Nice and Clean. I vote for this one.

That's excellent! Thanks Cram, sorry for all the hassle.

While you're working on the map, I think there's another border issue: there's no border btw. the uppermost territory in Austria and one of the blue territories. They share a very small border, but it does look like it's there. It should probably either be added or the visual should change so there's no border at all.

Thanks!

Cramchakle wrote: ...but I'm nothing if not a people pleaser...

Why am I laughing hysterically?

Anyway I've been such a jerk about this that I've forfeited any right to complain, which is fine because I think this last version is way cool.

IRoll11s wrote:

Cramchakle wrote: ...but I'm nothing if not a people pleaser...

Why am I laughing hysterically?

You should be. Well, after the last month or two, I think I've revised my Wargear persona enough that no one can really call me any names at all. The uber jerk character was too tiresome to keep up for long.

Anyway, I'm glad you all like the changes. Also, it should serve as a reminder that circle maps are obviously not gone.

*should have read rest of thread before replying - nothing to see here folks*

http://www.wargear.net/boards/designer/465

Changes are undergoing official review. Will be up soon.

Nevermind, took it a minute to update I guess.  Released I think.

Aaand... done.

I agree with Paul. 1560 was my favorite map before it became a fill map. To me, the map looks like a mess in fill mode.

I see now that Cram updated it and this version looks much better.

Though I think the territory borders are hard to see now.

Map looks great Cram. One question though: we seem to have deviated into two versions of 1560. Was this intentional? I now have separate rankings for the fill map and the new version just released. Just wanted to make sure this was intentional (I hope it wasn't, and it gets changed to be just one).

I didn't expect any such change, Bengal. Perhaps adding the border DavidNY asked about was too large of a change for the system. We'll have to wait for a ruling from above, I imagine.

Cramchakle wrote: I didn't expect any such change, Bengal. Perhaps adding the border DavidNY asked about was too large of a change for the system. We'll have to wait for a ruling from above, I imagine.

I'm wondering if this is similar to the Chutes and Ladders problem.  Both boards were Live prior to the Review system and then to make a new version and go to Review seems to messed with the whole thing (that or I click the Green Button too early and that somehow has affected the boards).

Europe 1560 rankings has been fixed up - there was a bug relating to Reviewing / Passing boards that previously had a Live version which has now been fixed.

Thanks Tom!

Just saw the new version of Europe 1560 that Cram has put together. Great job Cram, thanks!

Anyway, I've a couple of ideas in the pipeline, and as soon as I reduce my number of games to something manageable, I hope bring them to fruition (and look forward to all the constructive criticism...lol).

P.S.  Just who is (or was) "Cartographer" ??

paulharrow wrote:

P.S.  Just who is (or was) "Cartographer" ??

I assume/believe tom, just to have some maps out there, or at least an alter-ego of tom.

paulharrow wrote:

P.S.  Just who is (or was) "Cartographer" ??

Some questions are better left unasked...