I've been disappointed with the available maps for Dominions 3. Once I figured out how easy it was to actually construct the maps, I decided to do just that.
Here is my first map, submitted for your approval. More will be forthcoming.
33 Land + 7 Sea
Last edited by VALIS; October 3rd, 2008 at 09:26 AM..
Reason: added land/sea count
Yes. It is very easy to copy an image off of the web and plop some white pixels on it. I don't know what uncreative maps you have been playing on, but I find the selection to be rather rich in creativity. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
You might find the community more receptive and open minded if you left out the insults and simply presented your work as an alternative. More flys with sugar and all of that.
Have you seen the complete map list here, or had a look at the map and mod browser? There are loads of imaginative and interesting maps!
I have. I looked at the 56 maps available here. I downloaded some of them. I found very few maps that were made for smaller games. A lot of the maps were not very aesthetically pleasing IMHO. I found fewer that presented interesting tensions in the map design with any sort of choke point setups.
So I'm making my own. I'm starting with some creative ideas, I'll move forward with some more map-like ones soon. In a month or two, when I'm settled and have a scanner, I'll draw some of my own.
If it's so easy to do it, why aren't there more maps? Dominions has been out a long time.
Last edited by VALIS; October 3rd, 2008 at 09:39 AM..
It's good news that you will be making more maps and possibly drawing your own.
However I don't think your comments so far have been very fair, especially considering the two maps you've put up so far don't represent any graphical work whatsoever.
You ask "if it's so easy to do why aren't there more maps?", but you're the guy saying it's easy to do. When I was updated older maps I found just resizing graphics and rebalancing terrains and province qualities/names took hours. I know for a fact people like Pashadawg spend a lot of time working on their maps, made basically from scratch, making sure they're of high quality.
The warhammer map of the Old World for example, are you saying that was easy to do? If you find it easy I eagerly await the amazing maps you'll doubtless produce.
/me fails to detect any amount of sarcasm in Sombre's post could be it's not there or my sarcasmmeter has just blown up cause it went over the top
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Want a blend of fantasy and sci-fi? Try the total conversion Dominions 3000 mod with a new and fully modded solar system map.
Dragons wanted? Try the Dragons, Magic Incarnate nation.
New and different undead nation? Try Souls of Shiar. Including new powerfull holy magic.
In for a whole new sort of game? Then try my scenario map Gang Wars.
It's good news that you will be making more maps and possibly drawing your own.
However I don't think your comments so far have been very fair, especially considering the two maps you've put up so far don't represent any graphical work whatsoever.
You ask "if it's so easy to do why aren't there more maps?", but you're the guy saying it's easy to do. When I was updated older maps I found just resizing graphics and rebalancing terrains and province qualities/names took hours. I know for a fact people like Pashadawg spend a lot of time working on their maps, made basically from scratch, making sure they're of high quality.
The warhammer map of the Old World for example, are you saying that was easy to do? If you find it easy I eagerly await the amazing maps you'll doubtless produce.
Thanks for the comments.
I understand I didn't have to make the woodcut. Found art somehow seems to still be regarded as valid in the art community, even if the artist didn't design or build the piece themselves. It's the finding of and the displaying of that give it value. I know you mean it didn't require *much* graphical work. There was some minor work required.
It was Ballbarian who said "Yes. It is very easy to copy an image off of the web and plop some white pixels on it." I didn't say it was easy. I just agreed. All Andy Warhol did was photocopy some photos of a soup can. That was easy. I was just wondering why if it's easy like Ballbarian said it isn't done more often.
You say it's not (and with good reason). I thought about providing individual names on the hair map based off a bunch of words about hair, but I didn't because it would have taken too much time (natch). I probably will at some point.
I'm not saying the Warhammer map was easy. I'm saying it's unoriginal and copyrighted. I mean, I'm glad it's there to do. I'm glad someone took the time to do it. It was probably a lot of work. Where are the original *fantasy* maps, is all I'm wondering. A battle across the planes, or the clouds, or in the treetops. None of that, just 'copyrighted map/copyrighted map/map from an older game/map from an older game/map made with crappy mapping program'. I'm not slamming them all. :-) Some are quite nice.
I just don't understand why I can increase the map total available on this site by 5% in one day years after the release date of this game. :-)
It's good news that you will be making more maps and possibly drawing your own.
However I don't think your comments so far have been very fair, especially considering the two maps you've put up so far don't represent any graphical work whatsoever.
You ask "if it's so easy to do why aren't there more maps?", but you're the guy saying it's easy to do. When I was updated older maps I found just resizing graphics and rebalancing terrains and province qualities/names took hours. I know for a fact people like Pashadawg spend a lot of time working on their maps, made basically from scratch, making sure they're of high quality.
The warhammer map of the Old World for example, are you saying that was easy to do? If you find it easy I eagerly await the amazing maps you'll doubtless produce.
Thanks for the comments.
I understand I didn't have to make the woodcut. Found art somehow seems to still be regarded as valid in the art community, even if the artist didn't design or build the piece themselves. It's the finding of and the displaying of that give it value. I know you mean it didn't require *much* graphical work. There was some minor work required.
It was Ballbarian who said "Yes. It is very easy to copy an image off of the web and plop some white pixels on it." I didn't say it was easy. I just agreed. All Andy Warhol did was photocopy some photos of a soup can. That was easy. I was just wondering why if it's easy like Ballbarian said it isn't done more often.
You say it's not (and with good reason). I thought about providing individual names on the hair map based off a bunch of words about hair, but I didn't because it would have taken too much time (natch). I probably will at some point.
I'm not saying the Warhammer map was easy. I'm saying it's unoriginal and copyrighted. I mean, I'm glad it's there to do. I'm glad someone took the time to do it. It was probably a lot of work. Where are the original *fantasy* maps, is all I'm wondering. A battle across the planes, or the clouds, or in the treetops. None of that, just 'copyrighted map/copyrighted map/map from an older game/map from an older game/map made with crappy mapping program'. I'm not slamming them all. :-) Some are quite nice.
I just don't understand why I can increase the map total available on this site by 5% in one day years after the release date of this game. :-)
Well, since you are quoting me and twisting what I said out of context, I should point out that in your initial post (before you edited it) you did say that it was easy. I was being sarcastic and in the future I will be sure to use that handy, dandy quote button when responding to you. I was actually glad that you had edited the initial post in what I took as an effort to take my advice and tone down the sour statements as related to the community contributed maps. I am sure that I could have worded my post a little more diplomatically and with less sarcasm, but your comments hit a nerve. I know and appreciate how much work it is to create a map. Even a map where the graphic already exists. I hate to think about how many hours I have spent drawing borders and assigning neighbor connections, etc. Let alone how much time and effort have gone into the original art of many of the community's map authors.
Regardless, I appreciate and look forward to your future contributions and hope that all of this does not dissuade you.