[Flatcher Goth]

Hello. In this short video, you will see the most detailed evolution of the colony map during the development of the game, starting from the very first prototype drawn by Mike Hoge in 1997 and ending with the familiar map from the release version.
First Version: https://youtu.be/czJ6QWR3ozw
Second Version: https://youtu.be/jTMamsTQO44

[lali]

Very well done. I would include it into the Archive under Research/ if you want to send it to me.

[Flatcher Goth]

Very well done. I would include it into the Archive under Research/ if you want to send it to me.

Of course. I can do it in GIF format. I can also send maps separately. If needed.

[lali]

Yes, that would be cool. I would include a subpage of its own with the pictures and the gif. Vaana had done a similar analysis and maps and I will compare them, but back then no one had access to the new material, so I guess you have done it accurately. Also thank you for the work on the Orpheus map, very nice that you have colorized it similar to the others.

[Flatcher Goth]

Yes, that would be cool. I would include a subpage of its own with the pictures and the gif. Vaana had done a similar analysis and maps and I will compare them, but back then no one had access to the new material, so I guess you have done it accurately. Also thank you for the work on the Orpheus map, very nice that you have colorized it similar to the others.

I will write to you shortly.

UPD: Updated my post. Added a second version, where he removed some flaws. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/jTMamsTQO44

UPD2: Btw, I don't know how appropriate it is to talk about this in the context of this topic, but I would like to draw your attention to the fact that If take into account the map of Orpheus and summarize it with the information presented in guild infopool from 1997 year, as well as with other concept arts by Mike Hoge that was drawned at that time, displaying a slightly different design than that of Ralf Marczinczik, then on based this material could would develop a completely different game. The information that is presented in guild infopool corresponds to this map, but this so there is quite an obvious explanation, at the time when these early replicas were written for the guilds, in 1997, other maps did not exist at all. Project might even have taken a different development path and looked would different than in Phoenix if would Ralf not jointed to team summer 1998 year. Ralf joined the team when the name Orpheus was already rejected. So, already from the very beginning of 1998, Gothic had the internal name Phoenix, but not Orpheus. If recall the design of monsters that were also developed before the arrival of Ralf by old Orpheus concepts: goblin, troll, orc, crawler, scavenger, shadowbeast and snapper, this alone already is enough to understand that it was completely different game. Not only that the release version and early versions of Gothic do not have such an area from Mike map as the fields around the Altes Kastell and the opposite place for the old mine from the old camp, but still and also the location with the Orc caves had to be located under a free mine and, accordingly, from this place may was already possible to get to the ancient temple, which will later be called the temple of the Sleeper. Orpheus is such an ancient material and concept that it is not even an image of the pre-alpha versions of Gothic from 1999, it should be a different game at all, imho.