New /retextured campign map needed....

**sgz** · June 08, 2019, 06:18 AM

Coming back to this classic mod recently I'm struck by 2 contrasting impressions. 1. how superb the units and environments are in battles and 2. how damn ugly and cluttered is the campaign map! It's really not befitting of such a great mod. I compare it to the maps seen in TATW and SSHIP. I wish the team would redo the map entirely. Or perhaps the SSHIP team would let them use their base map. I'm sure it'd be a lot of work but it'd be a major step forwards IMHO.

**QuintusSertorius** · June 08, 2019, 07:34 AM

Do you have examples from those other maps of how the textures are better?

**Rosbjerg** · June 08, 2019, 09:38 AM

I think the map is quite good, but you're right that the Stainless Steel Historical Improvement Project map is stunning!
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...w-Campaign-Map

From their own thread:

**(:Baktra:)** · June 08, 2019, 10:15 AM

Wow!!! That would be quite interesting to have textures like that on the EB2 map. But it looks like the campaign map scale for SSHIP is quite larger than EB2's map scale. I wonder if using textures like that with a smaller map scale like EB2's would still look nice.

Actually it would probably be very simple to replace the EB2 textures with these textures if someone wanted to show the Team how it would look in comparison.

**Erken** · June 08, 2019, 12:47 PM

In another style, TGC has (/will have) some very lively and contrasting textures, that a gives a more modern aspect to the game:

It could be a good inspiration, even if the current textures of the mod are not bad from my point of view.

**againster** · June 09, 2019, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by Erken

In another style, TGC has (/will have) some very lively and contrasting textures, that a gives a more modern aspect to the game:

It could be a good inspiration, even if the current textures of the mod are not bad from my point of view.

The terrian texture of TGC was taked from "Shaoding the road to Luoyang" 0.85, if someone interested, you can use the texture from this mod.
New version (such as Shaoding 1.0) have different texture, maybe fit EB more.

**sgz** · June 09, 2019, 07:24 AM

Wow that TGC map looks amazing. Hopefully the EB2 team might be able to do something to bring the campaign map side of the mod upto date.

**Lusitanio** · June 10, 2019, 10:27 AM

https://www.moddb.com/mods/blood-of-...linor#imagebox

This textures from a TATW DAC submod are soo good they don't even look like M2TW.

**Septentrionalis** · June 10, 2019, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by sgz

2. how damn ugly and cluttered is the campaign map!

While I agree that some of the other ones look especially beautiful, I do not agree that the one used in EBII is damn ugly. It is definitely cluttered but not without virtue as such. When I saw the map for the first time, I immediately liked the fact that it highlights the ways the region earns its livelihood. I find it befitting the atmosphere and style of the mod that there are quarries and vineyards and whatnot along with their tooltip explanations instead of just a few (over-sized) cities with nothing in between them. That serves a purpose in making history more accessible and as a reminder that that it is a whole live region and not just a patch on a gaming board to put your pieces on.

I was also quite surprised at the level of detail there after I bought a 32-inch 4K screen and upped the resolution.

EDIT: I forgot to say that I also generally prefer simple aesthetics over complicated and cluttered ones and can relate to sgz's point of view, but here, as EBII is not really a simple or dumbed-down game per se, some level of complexity works fine.

**z3n** · June 11, 2019, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by againster

The terrian texture of TGC was taked from "Shaoding the road to Luoyang" 0.85, if someone interested, you can use the texture from this mod.
New version (such as Shaoding 1.0) have different texture, maybe fit EB more.

I remember this map, I was very impressed!

**Aper** · June 11, 2019, 11:17 AM

Can't say about other countries but in the current map Italy seems to need a revision: out of my mind (it's been a while since I played last time) the biggest offenders were the weird course of the Tiber river, the fact that ancient Rome IIRC was placed mostly south of it instead of north, and the lack of the strategically very important Arno river.

**Jurand of Cracow** · June 11, 2019, 12:52 PM

I'm ingnorant in theses matters but thought that:
- there can be no changes to the campaign map due to some modding reasons (province borders?)
- the mountains in the EBII are not-so-impressive due to the fact that the EBII-team wanted to avoid battles on very steep slopes (as - I imagine - there's a close relationship between campaing field and the battle-field?

btw, I agree with this opinion:

Originally Posted by Septentrionalis

liked the fact that it highlights the ways the region earns its livelihood. I find it befitting the atmosphere and style of the mod that there are quarries and vineyards and whatnot along with their tooltip explanations instead of just a few (over-sized) cities with nothing in between them. That serves a purpose in making history more accessible and as a reminder that that it is a whole live region and not just a patch on a gaming board to put your pieces on.

I was also quite surprised at the level of detail there after I bought a 32-inch 4K screen and upped the resolution.

EDIT: I forgot to say that I also generally prefer simple aesthetics over complicated and cluttered ones and can relate to sgz's point of view, but here, as EBII is not really a simple or dumbed-down game per se, some level of complexity works fine.

**Marvzilla** · June 13, 2019, 09:25 AM

I disagree, I love that the resources in a region are visually highlighted and feel like much love has gone into the campaign map. Would love some more visually recognizable mountains but playing on or near them would be a sucker.

**Der Böse Wolf** · June 14, 2019, 04:52 PM

I like the EBII map, it gives the whole game this Ancient feel.

The SSHIP is equally stunning but it does have the medieval vibe.

In the EBII timeframe, there weren't such a developed network of roads nor big settlements especially in Europe (outside of Italy/Greece).

I think the map can be enhanced but it must keep this Ancient feel to it.

**Spartan 666** · June 15, 2019, 03:08 AM

I think that, the map in its easternmost part, is quite confusing. Personally, I am a lover of the old RTW Mundus Magnus with its proportions, so I am not particularly happy of having huge empty spaces like those between Aria and Persia. I know it is historically accurate and realistic, but I think this map takes it to the extreme. I can live with it thanks to the amazing experience this mod gives, something I have been unable to do with other mods.

My point, however, is that ground types in the Sogdian\Bactrian\Arachosian area are not clear. I have to select a character to see where he can go, because passable and impassable terrain look like the same. And it even seems that between Arachosia\Parapomisadae and India there are hills, not mountains.

So, yes, I think that some textures need to be changed to make the campaign map more clear. In other parts of the map, however, they are perfect the way they are.

**GROB** · June 16, 2019, 01:34 PM

Up to now, we can't expect any changes in regards the way the current map looks. The EB team have put alot of time and effort in this mod giving what we have today. I too, would like to see a better looking map. Because, Im a eye candy freak.(lol). No matter what, EB team keep up the good work. Thanks,