New Maps and what they should include...

[Cobra412]

Okay I understand that on all the airfield maps, port maps and the vh maps that everything should be labeled in someway or another.  What does everyone feel about the factories and such?  Should they be labeled or just the overhead photos of them?

[Rolex]

Thanks for doing the ones you've done so far. There's a z-buffer problem with my vid card or I would do some myself.

If I could suggest a few things aside from your question here:

1. All maps should be oriented so North is at top.

2. The label colors should be high contrast (light gray or off white)to terrain without underlines. Another idea is to use different label colors to label ammo, fuel, ack etc.

3. In my opinion, the most clear and functional clipboad field maps I've seen for AH1 were done by Easycor (sp?). Rather than using screenshots, he produced drawn maps that were excellent. Now... if I could just find them again...

These are only suggestions...

[jodgi]

Cobra, about the labeling...

I think using symbols to describe what things are would be best but it is a challenge to come up with intuitive symbols.

I have some old AH1 maps, downloaded from netaces, that I printed out and used before I got used to the base layouts.
These maps used the most basic shapes to identify things, and It worked great. I had to look twice at first, "what did that triangle mean, again?". But once you know the meaning of the symbols, our eyes and brain catch up a lot quicker.

If looking for fuel; you will be able to find the fueldrum symbols much faster than any letter combination.

To sum it up, our visual sensory system find symbols more intuitive than letter combinations. When searching for specific items on a map, we will find the symbols faster than letter  combinations. We are also more prone to overlooking things when using letter combinations.

Examples:
FH: a small single engine plane
BH: a simple B17 symbol
VH: a tank
Fuel: a drop (like a child would draw a raindrop)
and so forth...

[Cobra412]

Rolex,

I never thought about ensuring the maps were at a northly heading.  I'll have to check and see if they are or not.  If not I can go back and start over.  It's no biggy it's actually rather easy.

I kinda figured the whole high contrast thing would come into play.  I know for myself it's an eye sore to have the high contrast colors.  I have to change my icons to a duller shade because of this.  I can make several maps with different colors for the labeling.

I wish I could do the whole drawing thing but for me it's not my best area.  I figured with the original photos it would make it easier for folks to use them.  Being able to see particular roads ect for reference when at a distance from the field.  I know this is how i judge my heading to the field so I only have to make minor adjustments when I get closer.

Jogdi,

I thought of using symbols and actually have alot of symbol fonts for this very job.  When I started though it seemed alot of them were getting corrupted when I would lower the resolution.  They became very hard to read and seem to break apart.  Thats even with me making them vector objects so they didn't lose much shape when made smaller.  I can look into it more and see what I can do.

With me being in the military I function off of acronyms on a daily basis.  This is why I chose the route I did with the whole lableing issue.  For me it is easier to take 2 or 3 letters and immediately assign them to an object.  My electronics background may be the cause for all of this.  Looking at circuits constantly makes this the most effecient way for myself.  I came to find out what others think and try to incorporate their ideas into it.  I can even make multiple setups because I saved basic templates for the fields.  They are completely blank but ready for their labels.  I would just need ideas for them.  

The ones I've currently made will be going into a binder setup with target assignment breakouts.  They'll be laminated and set in a binder for reference.  Below each field I'll have an excel type setup for flights in the missions.  That way on the fly they can jot down their target assignments with out having to remember them.  They can quickly highlight each one with a grease pencil and if it's destroyed or not indicate it right off the bat.  That way if there is another mission inbound for clean up they can know exactly what's is left to take care of.  

I'm also going to break out the strat targets into grid style boxes.  That way they are easier to reference.  If squads go the extra mile and find the weak points that take down multiple areas with one strike they can indicate that on these.  That way they always know where they need to hit and almost any new guy with decent skills can hit the area with a quick look of his/her map and drop references.  

Thanks again for the input guys.  It's really appreciated.  I'll do my best to get out some examples and see what folks think.

[Cobra412]

Anymore suggestions?

[straffo]

If it can help some years ago I did make some field maps
(the color where inspired by the toy of my 2 years old daughter )

something like that : http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/33_1086042610_flak.gif