You can expand to a larger map - also you can look at the order history.

If I were to see one improvement, I would like to see alternate diplomacy maps. Selection of the best map variants. For example, the ancient Mediterranean version seems to be more balanced. The default Diplomacy map is imbalanced - Italy is in a weak position, but one variant fixed this by putting an additional territory between Italy and Austria.

Having alternate maps would certainly give more variety to different games. There are thousands of variants - only the best and balanced Diplomacy variants should be selected.

I vote for the Mediterranean one, and the slight variant that gives Italy a more balanced position.

I agree that Italy blows in this version. Especially with the current trend of alliances that almost never work for Italy.

+1 for variant maps.

I personally would find it very helpful to see a "clean map" like lemec describes, possibly even in addition to the present map.

The current setup (map, zoom, moves history, etc.) is excellent and very well thought through. Making improvement suggestions when you've just joined and haven't finished a single game yet is not, sorry :)

I haven't really looked into it, but apparently making a variant map is rather simple.

figlesquidge is working on a customisable SVG map, which should allow you to make a map without any of the orders on it, I understand.

I like the map. I would like to see shorter phases than an hour introduced. I would be able to play this game a lot more if I could play one game in a few hours. I don't have much time at the moment (for the forseeable future alas) so I join very slow games - but even then I often find I will have a few days where work keeps me to busy to really play this game properly. However I can find a few/several hours spare which would be perfect for playing game.

Unless it was just an option (say a drop-down) and you could still get to/see by default the current map with the arrows, you'd lose handy info from the last move.

I was suggesting an additional map, not losing the first one. I am not advocating any of the variant maps that this discussion has turned to, merely a clean map that shows only where the pieces are at this moment. An example is the maps produced by the dip2000.com server.

And yes, Ivo, as you cleverly pointed out I have only played one game...on this site. I fail to see the relationship between number of Dip points and the potential to discover an improvement....in fact it often takes an outsider's point of view to notice a change that could be made. Ivo, I thank you for displaying your leadership on this website by bluntly calling my "idea for improvement" poorly thought out, you've been a real help.

@lemec:
1. I did not say there's any connection between points and improvement suggestion. I said there's a relation between you not being here long enough and being qualified to make improvement suggestions. If you're going to get into an argument with me at least try to get it right, not play cheap trick changing my words, it's not challenging enough otherwise :)

2. There are thousands of other people here, all of them joined at some point (were outsiders before, just like you) and had to get used to this enviroment. It's not perfect, none other is. But maybe you think all of us here are ignorant or stupid and you have to spread the light? :) - what else can explain how there's no clean map after a couple of years history wth thousands of people and games...

3. You are right I was of no help and a prick. Sorry about that. Saw something that looked stupid and commented on it. What can you do - it's the internet :) - and I guess I'm sometimes in a funny mood. I'm sure we'll have other encounters :)

I've been here a little while, and I think that a clean map would be nice sometimes. Just set a link for it next to the link for the big map and make it work the same way. (I don't see any need for a big clean map.)

Why not just a check box that allows you to see the results either with or without orders reflected on it.

That would be perfect, Draugnar....do the admins of this site read these threads?

They do, but the developer is basically, one person: Kestas. And it's not like someone pays him. You must understand that this is a privately help site by an individual who does this for the love of the game. He isn't making money and barely breaks even between the donations and the cost to keep the site hosted.

figle is, I repeat developing a map. I've done a little testing of it a long time back, and its really quite neat.

I don't mean to be pushy, but is there any chance at all that within the near or far future that variant maps will be implemented?

I would like to see daffodils on the map. Also, Kestas, can you mail me a chocolate pony?

I think that it's reasonable to ask if something is likely to happen soon.

Daffodils on the map: doable but not likely.
Chocolate pony in the mail: not practicable in the foreseeable future.
Variant maps: ???

One guy once offered to mail me cupcakes...

Variant maps, like those referenced earlier on...

As posted by DougWebber:

"Having alternate maps would certainly give more variety to different games. There are thousands of variants - only the best and balanced Diplomacy variants should be selected.

I vote for the Mediterranean one, and the slight variant that gives Italy a more balanced position."

I spoke to Kestas this morning, and said map variants "could be added sooner than I had planned" because of some work being done on the dev forum.