Barely legible map modes

[SchwarzKatze]

Here's the infrastructure map mode. How easily can you tell the infrastructure level of Alsace-Lorraine, Sudetenland, and Tyrol?

Here's the population map mode. Can you tell the relative population levels of Holland, Vlaanderen, Rhineland, and Lombardy?

Here's the terrain map mode. While it's not as bad as the previous two, how easily can you tell the terrain in the Netherlands and Belgium?

And it's only okayish in Europe because cold colors are dominant. Consider China where warm color is dominant: Can you tell apart anything around Beijing?

And it's not just the zoom level. Even with maximum zoom, the colors are still barely visible. It's easier to see the terrain texture and props than to see the terrain colors

 

[Riekopo]

It's because they're doing to transparency thing i think.

 

[Mousetick]

Yes it's due to each country's color being superimposed on the map mode color scheme, producing a set of unrecognizable or too undifferentiated colors.

If the nation's color shading were to be removed, there would be no issue. In the terrain map mode for example, there would be only 5 or 6 different easily identifiable colors to look at over the entire map, currently there are dozens of variations to look at, that don't make any sense.

A good example of form over function, style over substance.

 

[BeauNiddle]

Yes it's due to each country's color being superimposed on the map mode color scheme, producing a set of unrecognizable or too undifferentiated colors.

If the nation's color shading were to be removed, there would be no issue. In the terrain map mode for example, there would be only 5 or 6 different easily identifiable colors to look at over the entire map, currently there are dozens of variations to look at, that don't make any sense.

A good example of form over function, style over substance.

Not entirely - in HOI3 the terrain map mode contained no information about borders and thus was much harder to use. The screenshots above were carefully taken as zoomed out as possible just to make the edges as big as possible, if you zoom in a little (as you would if you actually wanted to see the information) then the borders are less of an issue.

I can see UI tweaks to improve the issue but I like the fundamental concept.

 

[HugsAndSnuggles]

And it's not just the zoom level. Even with maximum zoom, the colors are still barely visible. It's easier to see the terrain texture and props than to see the terrain colors

Still way easier than default mode. The main problem with it: you can't use it to draw an attack order, making it completely pointless.

 

[billcorr]

The OP makes a good point. HoI4 maps can be improved so that information is transmitted "at-a-glance".

My pet theory is that the artists who designed the colour schemes have a highly developed perception of different hues. They can distinguish colours that the typical gamer cannot.

 

[Mousetick]

The OP makes a good point. HoI4 maps can be improved so that information is transmitted "at-a-glance".

Exactly. The purpose of the map modes presented by the OP is to show at a glance, just by the different colors, without needing to zoom in and spend time to look closely. They completely fail at their purpose.

My pet theory is that the artists who designed the colour schemes have a highly developed perception of different hues. They can distinguish colours that the typical gamer cannot.

That's being very generous. No amount of color perception can tell what a province terrain is just by glancing at its color. Consider the following examples:

A forest in Belgium. It's yellow. Compare with the greenish forests in Germany next door.

A plain in the UK. It's pink.

A plain somewhere in China. It's brownish. The yellow-turning-to-orange provinces below are also plains by the way.

A plain in Sweden. It's light-blueish.

A plain in Soviet Union. It's purple-brownish.

If anyone reading this can make heads or tails of the terrain color-coding, please share your secret. What color is supposed to represent plains in the terrain map mode?