Project: Battle Field Maps

[isoaker]

This is not a contest, rather a community resource development project.

The goal is to provide members with maps of possible/potential water warfare locations (places people have been or wish to go). While members can have a little fun creating hypothetical scenarios for a given location, the locations, themselves, should be real (no fictional places) and preferably be open to public use.

Sample Map: Ashbridges Bay

sampleMap.jpg (293.69 KiB) Viewed 2303 times

Made this map using Windows 7 Paint program just to show that a simple map of a park with some starting locations can be made fairly easily. Of course, this example is one of the simplest sorts of maps that members can make. If someone wishes to mark more interesting areas on their maps, by all means do so. Otherwise, doing some screen caps from Google maps and sharing the name and location of a recommended park is all that is needed to help out! I opted to use satellite photos, but even the basic maps would suffice as well.

That said, do NOT post up maps of your local neighborhood that would identify where you live. While I'm sure many may use battlegrounds that may be close to home, avoid having your actual home included (definitely do not identify where you live as these maps are intended for public viewing).

If many members start submitting maps of viable water warfare locations, I'd be then tempted to create a section of the wiki dedicated to identifying known/available water warfare battle grounds.

[marauder]

Gotta say that I love this idea isoaker. Once I'm done with my last final exam, later today, I will come back and edit this post to include a few maps of my own.

[isoaker]

Gotta say that I love this idea isoaker. Once I'm done with my last final exam, later today, I will come back and edit this post to include a few maps of my own.

Well, I'll have to give partial credit to CA99 for getting the whole idea of maps in my head in the first place. I just figure it would be nice to actually try identifying water war friendly areas. I know I'll be pushing up more locations as well, time permitting.

Perhaps this may even help with organizing future community water warfare events!

[cantab]

The only places I could really give are unfortunately not where I now live. They're also areas where we never had any trouble as students, but one at least would risk getting non-students into trouble (as it's University property), and on another non-locals running around the alleys may be a bad idea.

[isoaker]

The only places I could really give are unfortunately not where I now live. They're also areas where we never had any trouble as students, but one at least would risk getting non-students into trouble (as it's University property), and on another non-locals running around the alleys may be a bad idea.

I wouldn't count out those locations, but if you've got time to grab and share a map or two, you can always note some details about a place (i.e. best for water wars organized by local groups/residents, university property for students only, etc.) The idea here is that perhaps people in those places may visit the community and hadn't considered having a water war in that part of town/part of the campus.

I'd only say avoid places that are individual private property, corporate property, restricted areas, and truly dangerous/hazardous areas. Of course, truly public areas are best, but also feel free to include places like college and university campuses where potential water warriors may also reside and have easy access to.

[HBWW]

Satellite pictures don't mean a whole lot without ground pictures. In particular, tree canopies hide the real cover value of a tree as well as where it is exactly along with other cover below. (i.e. tall grass, bushes, etc.) It is very difficult, if not impossible to judge how good an area is for a water war just by satellite imagery.

Instead, it may be better to gather up good locations locally; get a digital camera and get some pics of an area supplemented by the satellite images. Or at the very least, utilize Google's ground views if provided, and perhaps look at Bing maps of the same area. Bing has some high-resolution aerial (not satellite, so they're angled) photos taken at 4 angles at a time, and their resolution is slightly better than Google's. However, sections are very small and limited, and they don't seem to have aerial coverage of a whole lot of places. (They do for my area though.)

[isoaker]

Satellite pictures don't mean a whole lot without ground pictures. In particular, tree canopies hide the real cover value of a tree as well as where it is exactly along with other cover below. (i.e. tall grass, bushes, etc.) It is very difficult, if not impossible to judge how good an area is for a water war just by satellite imagery.

Instead, it may be better to gather up good locations locally; get a digital camera and get some pics of an area supplemented by the satellite images. Or at the very least, utilize Google's ground views if provided, and perhaps look at Bing maps of the same area. Bing has some high-resolution aerial (not satellite, so they're angled) photos taken at 4 angles at a time, and their resolution is slightly better than Google's. However, sections are very small and limited, and they don't seem to have aerial coverage of a whole lot of places. (They do for my area though.)

If/when ground pictures of areas of a map are available, the added detail is most definitely helpful. At the same time, I'm hoping for members to start with places they know or are at least decently familiar with. Optimally, a member should have had a battle in the location they are submitting a map for. While a satellite/overview map may not show all the details, it's still a good start. More details on a location are definitely welcome, but don't want to over-complicate things either at this stage.

Perhaps maps should be tagged by a member regarding whether they have actually been to the place or not and whether or not they have actually had a battle there.

[scottthewaterwarrior]

Defenatly wouldn't complain for some ideas of battle areas around were I live. My normal one is actuly on a members only island (guests of members are alowed though) so is rahter small. Any one got any good DC/Marland/Virgina maps of water war grounds I would love some ideas.

[DX]

Your area is a water warrior's absolute dream because of its amazing density of parks, many of which follow natural waterways.

Some localities worth a look:

For a small war:

Little Falls - the upper stream area. A bit narrow, but interesting potential for ambushes and cross-brook fighting. I didn't see a single tick!
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 7&t=h&z=18

Carderock - Not the park indicator listed on Google Maps, but the recreation area given below. Easily accessible, the best fighting area is SW of the parking area and field. The main trail has ambush potential and the terrain is varied. The woods get rather remote the further you go from the main facility.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 4&t=h&z=17

For a large war:

Lake Bernard Frank - The abandoned lots have potential as starting areas. Nice trails and hills surrounding the lake. Crabbs Branch park is nearby and also has potential, but is much busier.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 4&t=h&z=17

Lake Artemesia - The park grounds are pretty open and busy, but the surrounding trails and woods are nice. Two rivers converge SE of the lake, lots of water sources. Doom hosted a nerf war at this locality.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 4&t=h&z=17

Mason Neck - The crown jewel of your area. The place to have a massive war, if legal. Much of it is a bald eagle sanctuary and might be closed (the wildest sections were closed when I was there, but it would be easy to sneak in).
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 8&t=h&z=14

[isoaker]

@DX: Man, some of those places look awesome to hold a water war in. Regarding to what CA99 noted, though, seeing the satellite and overview maps of a park, while a start, don't have all the useful details. What I do like, though, is that you included comments beside each of these map links which is perfect and adds more depth to these suggestions!

[SEAL]

Here's where I was thinking would be a good place for the big event this summer. It may not look like much from the picture, but I will try to go there soon to take some pictures.

[HBWW]

Huge open areas alter the dynamic of a field considerably. My own playing area, though far smaller, is also dominated by open areas. Players can choose to take the longer, stealthier route, or they can take the direct, open route which will result in very demanding firefights that aren't very fun without cover.

[isoaker]

Seeing the potential of this thread, I've opted to create a dedicated forum for posting up maps and locations of member-recommended water warfare battlegrounds, For future maps/locations, please create a new thread with the location (name, city, province/state, country preferably) in the title.

Thanks for the great interest in developing this as well! I intend to use this forum as the initial recommendation place for members to post and then create a formal, more organized section in the iSoaker.net Wiki.

[HBWW]

SEAL, can you post the coordinates/link to that Google map? On the Google maps page you can get a link that'll direct to the area.

[marauder]

*Bump*

I know this is an old post, but I really like the idea of battlefield maps. I am currently working on a few for my website, which I will also post here. If anyone else has made some battlefield maps let's go ahead and upload them. Also, why are all these old uploaded files in this thread lost?

[isoaker]

Also, why are all these old uploaded files in this thread lost?

The were lost in the transition from iSoaker.net to here. The original thread with still working images lives here. Sadly, the links/attachments did not transfer over here properly.