GCA Maps

[Zalgariath]

Argh vectors.... there is an idea...

[caughtatwork]

Inkscape is a very nice vector editor.
If you like I can send your the GCA Australia outline and dot art (and the compass) as .svg vectors for Inkscape.
They're on my PC at home, so I can do this tonight if you like.

[Zalgariath]

That would be good... but I dont have illustrator so Im having a problem editing the vectors as photoshop doesnt like them Ive got Vector Magic which converts my raster'd images to vectors which is working nicely (if a little time consuming).

Ive tried changing the 'letter' to white but it is impossible to read. So for the Icon I think I will have to surrender the detail on the multi cache and rely on colours and letters.

The Map Pin Should be fine (it is the same width and not as tall as the old pin so I think I'll add a "Flag Pole" or other defined pointer to the bottom for an exact position lock). Naturally no probs on the Path Tags, they just need cleaning up a bit which the Vector art will do.

Im pretty busy this weekend, but will resume the fight asap next week.

zalgariath@yahoo.com.au

[caughtatwork]

The logo in svg is on its way.

[Laighside Legends]

Well, I'm amazed
What started as me wanting to load the maps quicker has now become an great set of new icons!

Is it possible to hide certain cache types on the map?

[oz lurker]

Yes, you need to be careful with what you ask for \ mention around here!!

Miracles are performed regularly, the Impossible seems to take a day or so.....



The admins are scarily client focussed..... (but in a good way!!!)

[caughtatwork]

Well, I'm amazed
What started as me wanting to load the maps quicker has now become an great set of new icons!

Is it possible to hide certain cache types on the map?

If you want specific information to go to the map, you'd be best setting up a query, so only the important stuff is sent there.
As the Google maps are all javascript based, we can indeed do that, but we don't as all of the processing is done at your end and it slows most machines down quite considerably.

[Zalgariath]

Miracles were on holidays this weekend, had a friend from Adelaide up visiting, will get back to work on the new logo / pins on monday

[Zalgariath]

OK - Here is a Mock Sheet of a number of different Icon Styles, starting with the Original, getting more complicated as it goes. The Original is the clearest and most functional, but boringest. The Bottom line are the most detail, but not as clear without good eyes What do we think? The Icons are the hardest due to the small pixel number available. The Pointers and theoretical Pathtags would be based on the detailed images in the bottom line... but they simply may not be an option for the icon. I am reaching the limits of my already very limited artistic ability!

[rbirtles]

To me 4 and 6 look good.

Cheers and good job!

[Zalgariath]

OK!!!!

So I was thinking one of the reasons it was hard to visualise what I am thinking is because we are looking at one Icon out of context. So, here is the COMPLETE List, Old and New, Side by Side.

Some have changed a fair bit. Some just a little. Some only got a touch up. And the B&W and Movable I liked so much I saw no reason to touch.

In PNG format, they are about 3kb each for some reason... must be a setting I have on Photoshop I havent figured out how to change .... But in GIF format they are around 500 bytes! Much better

C@W I can send you the lot in a zip if they are to your (and the community liking). Hope you all enjoy, changes are subtle but hopefully make for a little extra prettiness without sacrificing functionality.

[caughtatwork]

http://geocaching.com.au/pics/cacheicon_podcache.png
http://geocaching.com.au/pics/cacheicon_beacon.png

png preferred.

[CraigRat]

How do the Aus map ones look if you remove the hard black border from around the map?
The black border seems to add complexity to the icons

[Trigg-A-Nomics]

How do the Aus map ones look if you remove the hard black border from around the map?
The black border seems to add complexity to the icons

+1 for this. Check out icons #9 & #10 - much better. For the multi icon could you drop the arrows and just have the mini Aus maps on their own? That'd clean it up a bit and still give the idea.

[blossom*]

I reckon just a map of Australia with a T and an M in them is enough. No need to make the multi icon so messy really I think. because it's so small, it's hard to see the mini Aus maps probably?