New Fog of War makes the map harder to use

Raider

Warlord
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
169
I am really disliking the new parchment map style fog of war.

1. First of all, it breaks up the map into presenting two information types and graphical styles. The main map is clear and easy to see, color coded and reasonably clear. At the same time, the fog of war relies more on texture and shapes to tell the same information. So you have to operate in two modes and constantly expend extra effort to decipher the parchment map. The two styles completely clash.

2. Parchment fog of war is downright harder to decipher than the main map. There is less contrast to it and that makes it harder to gather information at a glance. The fact that it's also on the minimap makes it harder to even tell which areas you've explored and which you haven't.

3. Parchment fog looks worse than the main map.

Why design a clear and easy to use map and then take 2 steps backwards in presentation and usability by introducing a gimmick?
 
This is one of the main complain about the UI that I hope someone will fix it fast. It's not that I can't see it, but it's hard when I need to quickly detect things on the map while scrolling across the continent.
 
Thank you for your argument, which you expose as a fact but is actually an opinion.

I think, imho, that it's actually super cool, it looks good, it leaves only the useful info and it's easy to distinguish what you still have to discover vs what you have discovered but is currently out of your line of sight.

If I may try to answer your question the reason is the designers and a lot of other players have the opposite opinion.

All the best.
 
I wouldn't want to say 'I told you so', but that's exactly what I did. :p

Now the only two questions are: how hard will it be to mod this, and who's going to do it?

@Gorbles: Sorry, but no. That's like getting used to sand in your icecream. Even if you could do eventually it, you will know the experience is inferior, every time you look at the map slightly confused / feel that sand crunch in your teeth.
Sure, the time you'll spend confused will go down the more you play the game. But it's there, and there's no real reason for it. It already adds enough to immersion to have the unexplored territory as a map-like surface. That was a brilliant idea, one to be commended. :goodjob: This abomination, otoh, has no more reason to exist than I have reason to rub sand in my icecream.
 
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I don't have a problem with it. But maybe it would help if they added a touch of more saturated colour to some elements. It probably won't be too hard to mod.
 
It is harder a lot harder than CIV 5 and it is even worse when you have a visual impairment like i do.
I completely agree that better work needs to be done to satisfy common sight-based problems, but have you considered using Strategic View? This doesn't help greatly if you suffer from colourblindness but it might help with near / farsightedness.
@Gorbles: Sorry, but no. That's like getting used to sand in your icecream. Even if you could do eventually it, you will know the experience is inferior, every time you look at the map slightly confused / feel that sand crunch in your teeth.
Sure, the time you'll spend confused will go down the more you play the game. But it's there, and there's no real reason for it. It already adds enough to immersion to have the unexplored territory as a map-like surface. That was a brilliant idea, one to be commended. :goodjob: This abomination, otoh, has no more reason to exist than I have reason to rub sand in my icecream.
Your opinion that this new Fog of War is akin to inedible sand in your edible ice cream is just your opinion, and not some kind of metric of usability.
 
Oddly enough, I find the new fog of war really good and clear. I even turned off the resource icons. What resolution are you playing on? (I use 1920x1080 in a 24")

In Civ V it was too contrasted and provoked me headaches.
 
I have a hard time differenting grass/plain/flatland/hills so far but maybe i will get used to it.
Still seems like it should update at some point, this style is fine for Medieval and ren era but industrial and later the map can be more modern...
 
Your opinion that this new Fog of War is akin to inedible sand in your edible ice cream is just your opinion, and not some kind of metric of usability.
To the contrary; the analogy is perfect. You can eat sand just fine. But most people would agree that it will only make icecream worse, and so will elements that impair visibility in a thing that is meant to provide it. My opinion is just mine, that's true; but if we made a poll about this, I bet a significant amount of players would prefer the old style of fow. Their experiences are all subjective, but they start to matter (or should) when there's enough of them.
 
Another thread about the fog of war?

Personally I really like it, and have no problems with it.
 
I think the new map style looks awesome. It will take a bit of time to adjust to the new shapes, but that's to be expected. Happens with every new game. Even my wife commented on how good it looked, and she never says anything nice about the games I play :)
 
To the contrary; the analogy is perfect. You can eat sand just fine. But most people would agree that it will only make icecream worse, and so will elements that impair visibility in a thing that is meant to provide it. My opinion is just mine, that's true; but if we made a poll about this, I bet a significant amount of players would prefer the old style of fow. Their experiences are all subjective, but they start to matter (or should) when there's enough of them.
You might want to Google "is sand edible", but other than that, feel free to make a poll that spans the entire Civilisation playing community so that we can get an actual valid set of statistics that doesn't just span CFC and includes people that don't visit online fora.

Because apart from that appeal to popularity, all you have is your own opinion. And me, mine. Which is why I recommend waiting and getting used to the new art style before complaining that on a mechanical level it impairs readability.
 
You might want to Google "is sand edible", but other than that, feel free to make a poll that spans the entire Civilisation playing community so that we can get an actual valid set of statistics that doesn't just span CFC and includes people that don't visit online fora.

Because apart from that appeal to popularity, all you have is your own opinion. And me, mine. Which is why I recommend waiting and getting used to the new art style before complaining that on a mechanical level it impairs readability.
You cannot honestly make the claim that it doesn't take more time to decipher e.g. plains vs. grassland on the new fow vs. the old one. You may consider the added visual appeal to outweigh that detriment, but your opinion cannot alter facts, period.

I simply value readability infinitely more than looks when it comes to the fow. Granted that I may be an exception from most players, in that I played in strategic view in Civ V almost all the time, because I preferred its clarity vs. the visual 'enhancements' of the normal view.
 
To the OP, I agree, I don't like the map either and find it hard to read at times. In fact, the more I play the more I dislike the baby cartoon graphics.
Everything else about the game I love so far.
 
have not had a chance to play much, but I like the new FOW. It has a ancient map/age of discovery feel that fits right in to the theme of the game. It also makes it easy to see what areas you have explored, but do not currently have LOS to.
 
You cannot honestly make the claim that it doesn't take more time to decipher e.g. plains vs. grassland on the new fow vs. the old one. You may consider the added visual appeal to outweigh that detriment, but your opinion cannot alter facts, period.

I simply value readability infinitely more than looks when it comes to the fow. Granted that I may be an exception from most players, in that I played in strategic view in Civ V almost all the time, because I preferred its clarity vs. the visual 'enhancements' of the normal view.
It took time to adapt to CiV's graphics as well. Going from something familiar, to something new, will take time. That is the only fact in this weighing of opinions.
 
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