Idea #1. Create a Cartography Guild. If there is interest, the first members (established cartographers) can create rules for membership and what the guild would do.

Idea #2. Map Beautification Project. Identify maps that could be better -- in appearance or playability. Create a common account for multiple mapmakers to use to work on the map together. When finished, send the svg back to the original mapmaker. New map goes public. Maps are better. Games are more fun.

Idea #3: DIY Board Games. With Fizzer, mapmakers and players discuss turning Warlight maps into DIY board games. Some things to consider --> Dice rules. How to create game boards (lamination vs other options). Game pieces/armies (coins?). Neutrals (empty lands have fixed neutral values for each game?). DIY Board Games' download links located on each maps main page. Cost of download (determined by mapmakers? is there a reason for this to be free? or would a little monetary incentive encourage more and better mapmakers to create more and better maps?).

These are ideas to improve the quality of WarLight maps, take the WarLight experience a step further (DIY board games to be played with friends and family, who would then be more willing to play online), and provide greater incentives for people to make more and better maps.

What do you think about these ideas? Are they worth pursuing?

idea 2 looks good. i would definitely want to help perfect currently existing maps. though i'm probably not eligible for membership currently.

#1 - No opinion

#2 - Would need mapmakers consent to alter their maps. Not all would look kindly on strangers saying their map needs to be improved upon or 'prettied up'. This of course assumes that the original mapmaker is in agreement with your desired changes... the concept of the ideal map is different from person to person.

The other flaw with this is that a large part of map-making takes place in Warlight and is not reflected in the SVG file. Therefore, ownership couldn't simply be transferred back via and SVG but would require assistance from Fizzer (assuming it is even possible)

#3 - Haven't a clue what you are trying to get at with this.

#2 --> 1. Mapmaker comes forward and asks for help. Group of people help. 2. Group of Beautifiers looks for maps to improve. They ask mapmaker about it. They work with mapmaker. 3. Try to adopt maps.

#3 --> Simple. Kill two birds with one stone. Bird 1 --> Bring WarLight to board games in people's living rooms, to expand its popularity and get new players. Bird 2 --> Give mapmakers more incentives to spend hours making maps, to make WarLight better. Without mapmakers, what does WarLight have? Fizzer's great ideas rely on having great maps. Wouldn't more great maps -- by finding more ways to support mapmakers -- lead to greater popularity and success for WarLight?

about #2, do you mean the same as http://warlight.net/Forum/Thread.aspx?ThreadID=3990 somehow?

Okay, that is more reasonable. Still think you would have issue with approaching people to improve their maps as it could be seen as insulting. I know I would take it as such.

Idea #1. Create a Cartography Guild. If there is interest, the first members (established cartographers) can create rules for membership and what the guild would do.

Meh.

Idea #2. Map Beautification Project. Identify maps that could be better -- in appearance or playability. Create a common account for multiple mapmakers to use to work on the map together. When finished, send the svg back to the original mapmaker. New map goes public. Maps are better. Games are more fun.

Nice idea in theory, but as Richard said, a person makes a map with an idea in mind. The map they make presents that idea within the limits of warlite. What your idea of "fixing" and "dolling up" is may be very different from mine or anyone elses idea.

Idea #3: DIY Board Games. With Fizzer, mapmakers and players discuss turning Warlight maps into DIY board games. Some things to consider --> Dice rules. How to create game boards (lamination vs other options). Game pieces/armies (coins?). Neutrals (empty lands have fixed neutral values for each game?). DIY Board Games' download links located on each maps main page. Cost of download (determined by mapmakers? is there a reason for this to be free? or would a little monetary incentive encourage more and better mapmakers to create more and better maps?).

Risk already exists. }; )> The advantage of warlite is that is online, can be saved online, and as far as game play goes it does not take hours to set up like Axis and Allies or Risk, does not have hundreds of game pieces, and if you have company visit you dont have to take the game away. You can pick up right where you left off online without needing to write down what player had how many armies on what territory.

Again nice ideas, and I am not trying to shoot them down, but I see it as un-needed.

I would like Fizzer to head up some sort of committee to make general rules on map making that are not currently covered in wiki. Highest on my list is what constitutes bordering (assuming no link drawn). That has to be decided before any identification of maps in need of work. But I agree that should be done in some manner.

I am actually a map maker outside warlight (GIS major), so I would love to help in any way possible.

I am also not sure what the point of #3 is. I play warlight because you can play with friends (or strangers) from anywhere and you don't have to play real time. A board game would eliminate every benefit of this site outside the unique maps. If you wanted to do that, all you have to do is print out a large version of the map and play with risk pieces (card system wouldn't match but you could also do that on your own).
Another issue is you can't do simultaneous play like here (completely different game then). I have no interest in this as I mentioned because I don't play realtime anyway. Why not just have everyone in the same house on their own PC/laptop (LAN party) and play realtime online?

Regarding the board game:

• The second you try to make money on a board game version you'll get swamped in lawyers from whoever holds the rights to Risk.
  
• Unique gameplay element from WL: playing online (against people on the other side of the planet). Does not exactly translate to a board game.
  
• Unique gameplay element from WL: fog. Does not exactly translate to a board game.
  
• Unique gameplay element from WL: turn orders. Could be done as a board game (Diplomacy does it..., but typically with far fewer orders per turn), but will be very tedious.
  

Unless you have some brilliant ideas how to tackle those problems, I don't see a WL board game being anywhere near possible.

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I don't really have an opinion on your other ideas.

can you explain idea 1 better don't get it much.

The first two ideas sound great, but i dont know if the board game idea would ever become a reality.