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Topic: To all map creators; Terrain menu

kaputtnik
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Posted at: 2015-02-01, 20:12

While making maps i think often about remodel of the terrain menu. This is because i use all terrains from the former world types and have to switch between them to find an appropriate terrain, which is not very intuitive. I think the main thing i have to know is what kind of type the terrain is (buildable, mountain, dry and so on). The main focus should be, in my opinion, the type of terrain, not of it is formerly known as "Winter" or "Wasteland". So here is a screenshot of my resulting thoughts:

terrain menu

  • 2 Tabs for buildable terrains (where buildings could be placed) The tabs are related to the terrain color (which is shown as the background, ie. the first tab shows only greeny and yellowly terrains)
  • One tab for mountain terrains (where mines could be placed)
  • 1 tab for Water terrains (including iceflows)
  • 1 tab for dry terrains
  • The last tab in this screenshot are acid terrains, but i will turn it into "unpassable" terrains

Before i work further, i want to hear your opinion about this face-smile.png

Edited: 2015-02-01, 20:15

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Tibor

Joined: 2009-03-23, 23:24
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Posted at: 2015-02-01, 20:26

I think the redesign is due, there is no sense to adhere to former 4 worlds division.

This particular division to groups looks good to me.


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einstein13
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Posted at: 2015-02-01, 22:45

For me: I like old style. There is not so much terrains, so I basicly remember what terrain is for what purpose. I like to change the "climate type" not "usage".

But If you change the layout, I will used to it... face-smile.png


einstein13
calculations & maps packages: http://wuatek.no-ip.org/~rak/widelands/
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Tibor

Joined: 2009-03-23, 23:24
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Posted at: 2015-02-02, 22:08

Einstain, newcomers 2 years from now will have no idea what 4 worlds were, and will see no logic in current divisioning...

Edited: 2015-02-02, 22:25

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einstein13
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Posted at: 2015-02-02, 22:42

Tibor wrote:

Einstain, newcomers 2 years from now will have no idea what 4 worlds were, and will see no logic in current divisioning...

Good point face-smile.png But still you have some problems: there is an ice on Greenlands (desert land, like lava) and ice on Icelands (very good soils to build). It has to be unified better than now, then you can bring your feature face-wink.png


einstein13
calculations & maps packages: http://wuatek.no-ip.org/~rak/widelands/
backup website files: http://kartezjusz.ddns.net/upload/widelands/

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wl-zocker

Joined: 2011-12-30, 17:37
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Posted at: 2015-02-02, 23:48

I agree that a redesign according to the type of the terrain is necessary. I also like the categories kaputtnik chose.

The snow in the former Greenland world (now called "Summer" - snow in summer?) is hard to distinguish from the snow-like terrains in the winter tab, which behaves completely different (arable etc.). Seems like we need fifty shades of white to make a visible difference between all those terrains face-smile.png


"Only few people know how much one has to know in order to know how little one knows." - Werner Heisenberg

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kaputtnik
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Posted at: 2015-02-03, 00:23

einstein13 wrote:

Tibor wrote:

Einstain, newcomers 2 years from now will have no idea what 4 worlds were, and will see no logic in current divisioning...

Good point face-smile.png But still you have some problems: there is an ice on Greenlands (desert land, like lava) and ice on Icelands (very good soils to build). It has to be unified better than now, then you can bring your feature face-wink.png

With the new categories this problem is fixed i think. One ice is in the buildable tab and the other one is in the unpassable tab.


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einstein13
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Posted at: 2015-02-03, 01:27

kaputtnik wrote:

With the new categories this problem is fixed i think. One ice is in the buildable tab and the other one is in the unpassable tab.

I don't understand: how is it fixed?! I have two terrains called "ice". there is no difference between them, only unpassable/ buildable. For new map developers it will be very confusing!

This is my point: we have to sort, rename, maybe erase and bring some new terrains to do such a feature. Today we have them sorted by climate. It is logic for old maps. But there are many duplicates of names and/or used images.


einstein13
calculations & maps packages: http://wuatek.no-ip.org/~rak/widelands/
backup website files: http://kartezjusz.ddns.net/upload/widelands/

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kaputtnik
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Posted at: 2015-02-03, 11:50

einstein13 wrote:

I don't understand: how is it fixed?! I have two terrains called "ice". there is no difference between them, only unpassable/ buildable. For new map developers it will be very confusing!

Sorry if i wrote ambigous. It is not fixed but clearer i think.

This is my point: we have to sort, rename, maybe erase and bring some new terrains to do such a feature. Today we have them sorted by climate. It is logic for old maps. But there are many duplicates of names and/or used images.

Yes, duplicates. But in my opinion the current state is more confusing. The only way to find the difference is to look at the grayish minipics on each terrain (or the tooltip). My proposal makes the difference clear with the tabs.

| | :-:|:-: Tab1:| Tab2: tab1 | tab2 Tab3: | Tab4: tab3 | tab4 Tab5: | Tab6: tab5|tab6

Some of the Tabpics/minipics(grayish on terrains) aren't satisfying yet. But Displaying the same picture for Tabs and those grayish minipics will bring more clarification.

If you have any ideas, especially for the water and dry tab, please let me know. In case of "dry" i will try to make an "treeless" image, because "treeless" is the word in tooltips for those terrains.


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staustelladam

Joined: 2011-11-24, 22:33
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Posted at: 2015-02-16, 12:00

In earlier builds I used to create my own worlds, by bringing in aspects of the four existing worlds. I like the idea of dividing them as kaputtnik has done, at least in principle. But I also keep reading about a "one world" build with all/most terrains in one place. I have build 18 installed, and it is still using the four main worlds, and each time I download an unofficial Tino build (that is compatible with Win 32) I can't get it to install. Are there any plans for an interim official build, say 18.5, with the new world, or is it a case of waiting until build 19? Thanks.


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