Barringtons

[HistoryProf]

Do the developers use the Barringtons Atlas to create the campaign map? By that I mean, scan it and adapt it to some paint-type program, or do they use the USGS sat. maps or some other technology?

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Oh, definitely, but we don't do it for every pixel of the map. I'd say something like equal parts barrington and google earth. We wind up using them a lot like this:

https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4558/problem5cq4.th.jpg (https://img218.imageshack.us/my.php?image=problem5cq4.jpg)

or

https://img521.imageshack.us/img521/1329/landchanges16tu7.th.jpg (https://img521.imageshack.us/my.php?image=landchanges16tu7.jpg)

The map does rotate a bit more though at places near the edges, or become more exaggerated to make it flat. Town locations, and province and town names are definitely locked for EB1 though. We'd consider changes for EB2 at this point - and we already are debating a number of map changes for EB2 now inside the team forum.

[HistoryProf]

Well since you mentioned it, Pergamon is a bit too far north in EB1, historically being (I think )only 1 degree north of Mytilene. I'm sure you've heard some complaints about Messina and Rhegium (they were almost directly across the strait), but I could imagine it'd get crowded if it were so. Perhaps you could use Croton instead of Rhegium?

Also, I always thought if you used Larissa instead of Demetrias, that would free up some room to put Chalcis where it belongs, due north of Athens, and not north-east such as it is in EB1.

Lastly, being Basque, I thought Vellika was an odd choice considering Tarraga or Pamplona would be somewhat east and therefore free up some crowding around Asturias, and also close the gap between Vellika and Burdigala.

Just some thoughts.

[Tellos Athenaios]

No the reason for Messene & Rhegion would've to be found with the existence of a landbrigde (to stimulate the AI to conquer Sicily; specifically if it is SPQR) -- or in other words the immediate limitations of the RTW engine.

You will find this to be the case with some cities in the Greek Mainland as well-most notably the location of the Akropolis of Athens outside the stratmap city of Athens.

[I Am Herenow]

Teleklos Archelaou, why are the Sauromatae are pink in that second picture?

[Teleklos Archelaou]

It's just an old screenshot - from map development stage. Quite old.

[Rodion Romanovich]

But a pink faction would have been fun ~:)