19 replies to this topic

[jpbellavance]

The attached link displays a map I generated for the upcoming ESRI conference. Not sure they will accept it but I thought I would get some peer review before I do so.

The map is generated so that it looks like it might have been printed during the late 40's. I tried to find fonts and graphics that look similar to the time period.

The map is based upon the idea that the zombie virus is less aggressive at temperatures below 40 degrees F. This creates a seasonal map that displays zones that run from safe to unsafe as listed in the legend.

I tried to make the map sort of look like a propaganda/informational handout that you might have seen hang on the walls of your high school or public building.

Any feed back would be appreciated. Especially if you see a spelling error. ;-)

Post New Link Soon....

[jpbellavance]

No suggestions? Errors?

[Strebe]

No suggestions? Errors?

Nope. Just, cute.

— daan

[Dennis McClendon]

Two-letter state abbreviations are seriously anachronistic. In 1947, Hawaii and Alaska are no different from Puerto Rico or Guam, so it seems odd to mention the former two. The upper-left paragraph wouldn't be all caps. It, and the labels on the map, would probably be in Futura/Tempo/Vogue. Windows shouldn't have an apostrophe, nor should its only act of motivation. Which affects the cerebellum. No need for halos on city names; with only one or two per state they should be placed to never cross a state boundary. Not sure how you're choosing supplementary (non-capital) cities: Detroit, New Orleans, Omaha, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, Cleveland seem conspicuously absent.

[jpbellavance]

Two-letter state abbreviations are seriously anachronistic. In 1947, Hawaii and Alaska are no different from Puerto Rico or Guam, so it seems odd to mention the former two. The upper-left paragraph wouldn't be all caps. It, and the labels on the map, would probably be in Futura/Tempo/Vogue. Windows shouldn't have an apostrophe, nor should its only act of motivation. Which affects the cerebellum. No need for halos on city names; with only one or two per state they should be placed to never cross a state boundary. Not sure how you're choosing supplementary (non-capital) cities: Detroit, New Orleans, Omaha, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, Cleveland seem conspicuously absent.

Great! Thanks for the feedback.

[Adam Wilbert]

I'll admit to not really keeping up with the scholarly work being done in the field of zombie infestation, but why are there areas around major cities that indicate a Good level of safety? Wouldn't population centers be more risky, not less, than their surroundings? And why are they rectangular?

[jpbellavance]

I'll admit to not really keeping up with the scholarly work being done in the field of zombie infestation, but why are there areas around major cities that indicate a Good level of safety? Wouldn't population centers be more risky, not less, than their surroundings? And why are they rectangular?

Unlike in The Walking Dead and Max Brook's World War Z , which is a modern take on the a zombie invasion. This invasion took place during the 40's when the government was treated as a believable source of information and was quite competent in handling a crisis. In this alternate reality the cities were quickly quarantined and "divested" of their un-dead inhabitants. They became the first safe zones for people to group together and start over. Rectangular shapes are just used as a general representation of the safe areas. In actuality they are much larger but to be safe the real physical zones were drawn smaller.

[jpbellavance]

Two-letter state abbreviations are seriously anachronistic. In 1947, Hawaii and Alaska are no different from Puerto Rico or Guam, so it seems odd to mention the former two. The upper-left paragraph wouldn't be all caps. It, and the labels on the map, would probably be in Futura/Tempo/Vogue. Windows shouldn't have an apostrophe, nor should its only act of motivation. Which affects the cerebellum. No need for halos on city names; with only one or two per state they should be placed to never cross a state boundary. Not sure how you're choosing supplementary (non-capital) cities: Detroit, New Orleans, Omaha, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, Cleveland seem conspicuously absent.

I did find a source that displayed upper caps in the map. Maybe not at the top but within the map. Not sure what font it is. But maybe you are speaking of traditional government produced maps.
http://cvgs.cu-portl...ds_map_1950.jpg

[DaveB]

The subject of that map may be about conditions in 1950, but it looks like the map was made in 1976, so the style may not not be a good indication of a late 1940's map style. (just pointing that out)

[jpbellavance]

The subject of that map may be about conditions in 1950, but it looks like the map was made in 1976, so the style may not not be a good indication of a late 1940's map style. (just pointing that out)

Is that because of the pics used or the style of the map? Thanks,

Jesse

[Dennis McClendon]

That Chicago neighborhoods map was drawn in 1976, showing the conditions of 1950. It's part of a series showing ethnic settlements over the decades.

Titles and labels are often in all caps, but no graphic designer—then or now—would do it for an explanatory paragraph unless his only tool was Leroy lettering.

[jpbellavance]

That Chicago neighborhoods map was drawn in 1976, showing the conditions of 1950. It's part of a series showing ethnic settlements over the decades.

Titles and labels are often in all caps, but no graphic designer—then or now—would do it for an explanatory paragraph unless his only tool was Leroy lettering.

Ahhh. Would it be characteristic of maps back in the 40's to have text like that at the top of the map even if it were lower case?

[Dennis McClendon]

No problem to have a paragraph of explanatory notes on a poster of this type. But "good citizens" is very odd language. The issuing agency would have spelled Department correctly. And in 1947, the Secretary of War was Robert Patterson, not Henry Stimson.

[jpbellavance]

No problem to have a paragraph of explanatory notes on a poster of this type. But "good citizens" is very odd language. The issuing agency would have spelled Department correctly. And in 1947, the Secretary of War was Robert Patterson, not Henry Stimson.

Cool. Since I will have a hard time finding his signature the map may become a "1945". Thanks again.

[Dennis McClendon]

Well, if you back up to 1945, all the focus on Communists will seem very strange. The Russians were still our (warily) trusted allies, who hadn't yet started mischief in Poland and Greece.