The Great Meadow (Velykyi luh)-Ukraine

[last hull]

Capture the Unique moment in history of young, yet only forming meadow on the bottom of old Kakhovka reservoir
(Salzwissen park type of reserve)

🐦Species:
-Waterfowl: Smew, Eurasian coot, Common moorhen, Grey plover, Northern lapwing, Eurasian oystercatcher, Mallard, Pintail.
-Upland Birds: Corn crake, Great snipe, pheasants, Rock dove, turtle doves, Great bustard.
-Rabbits, Beavers, Boars, Roe deers, European Badgers, Foxes, Raccoon Dogs

🌿Visual Atmosphere & Flora:

• Wetlands & Swamps: Reed thickets, freshly formed crystal-clear streams tracing the ancient Dnipro flow.
• Meadows & Fields: Red Glassworts, Red Rue, wild daisies, Ruta graveolens, and vibrant Papaver (poppy) fields.
• Woodland Edges: Goat willow, young cottonwoods, and creeping Polygonum.
• Shorelines: Sand mixed with shell gravel, rare Red Glassworts and reed inclusions.

🔊 Soundscape that changes throughout the day:
The reserve’s audio design immerses players in a living ecosystem:

• Morning: Frogs croak, birds trill, and water streams gurgles.
• Daytime: Wind rustles through reeds, distant seagulls, and crickets chirp.
• Night: heavy frogs croaking, owls, crickets.

🏺Story:
Based around ancient finds recovered after water went away. Scythian, Cossack, Viking related artefacts.
also marking migratory bird activity .

🧭 Exploration & Lore Points:

• Scythian Burial Mound:
• Cossack Watchtower Ruins
• Viking Stone Trail
• Migratory Bird Observatory

🔶 Map Zones:

🍂 Red Glasswort Flats:
Terrain Type-Coastal Wetland
Visuals-Crimson salt-tolerant plants, shell gravel, tidal pools
Species-Smew, Grey plover, Eurasian oystercatcher

🌹 Poppy Fields:
Terrain Type-Meadow & Steppe
Visuals-Rolling fields of wild poppies, daisies, and Red Rue
Species-Great bustard, pheasants, rabbits

🌿 Cottonwood Hollow:
Terrain Type-Riparian Woodland
Visuals-Young cottonwoods, goat willow, Polygonum thickets
Species-Boars, beavers, Rock doves

🎋 Reed Labyrinth:
Terrain Type-Marsh & Swamp(more like puddles, make it easier to move around)
Visuals-Dense reed beds, hidden water channels
Species-Common moorhen, Eurasian coot, Corn crake

🌊 Ancient River Spine:
Terrain Type-Stream Corridors
Visuals-Crystal-clear streams tracing the old Dnipro path, patches of reed, Red Glasswort, young White willow
Species-Northern lapwing, ducks, Streptopelia

🐚Shell Shoreline (maybe) :
Terrain Type-Shoreline
Visuals- Sand mixed with crushed shells,rocks, wind-swept dunes, with very rare Red Glasswort inclusions
Species-Migrating ducks, Grey plover, rabbits

On the right side map is limited by highly elevated bank, Left side limited by a water stream, bottom of the map is limited by shell shoreline.

P.S
There is not much information on this general area yet (for a good reason), But ecologist Vadyum Manyuk puts a lot of effort into researching this region, and i think he will welcome any interest in this topic, also there are videos with him online showcasing great meadow on different channels

in the end of the day its just a speculation, but for the most parts inspiration can be taken from Kinburn peninsula

[open tulip]

I do not think it is the best time for a Ukraine map.

[last hull]

there was no good time for it in the last 8 years, and there will be no in the next 8 years, while The Great Meadow forming is a short time event in history happening right now, and i hope won`t ever happen again

[leaden vale]

75% chance to step on a butterfly mine

[last hull]

collectable for an achievement

[hybrid mica]

Well in theory you could go back to 2014 or 11 years ago but I dont believe such things were happening in that area at that time.

[sick mantle]

We do have a Russian map and it’s still out on the market. If it would’ve been a political game, very different outcome. Now it’s about the nature, so if we focus on that we should be good

[last hull]

i actually avoided politics as much as possible while writing a map description

[leaden vale]

Politically speaking

Siberia is very disconnected from Western Russia culturally and politically. It’s akin to saying Montana’s gun laws should be the golden standard for Rhode Island. Literally the furthest ball game imaginable.

But yknow what, maybe they are unified in their beliefs. We wouldn’t know though because Russia fakes every election.

[last hull]

i still dont think these are the topics we should discuss on the map design thread

[leaden vale]

The point is. Eastern Russia has next to nothing to do with Western Russia and their foolish wars.

It’s utterly ridiculous to bring up Medved.

[last hull]

i am Ukrainian, i originate from mentioned area, i dont mind Medved being ingame

[last hull]

for a special weapon i was thinking between muzzle loader pistol or muzzle loader shotgun

to balance out single shot shotgun, id make an overall pellet spread bigger while keeping vitality on tier 1 animals

[sick mantle]

I imagine there’s a lot we would know if the news weren’t fake, but hey we can have this conversation somewhere else instead of on this map thread

[last hull]

i`d respect that alot

[turbid pagoda]

I remember the time when I made a Ukraine map