Here is an Earth map that allows to play full games during a reasonable time, with a "reasonable" level of detail :)

This Earth map was basically designed by Matt, but I changed it so that it would look more accurate, especially concerning Europe (still a little bit oversized, but not more than necessary for gameplay reasons).

Here are 3 files :
- first one : standard rules.
- second one : rules and units of the Beta Test Mode. I think those changes really improve the game, and as I only play with them I tought you could use this...
- third one : rules and units of the Beta Test Mode PLUS World War II units. I just configured the rules so that the built-in WW2 flavored unit appear in the game. I also joined the PediaIcons.txt file, stored in the adequate repertory. You just need to copy the WW2 Units files of PTW into the Art/Units directory.

Some miscellaneous comments...
- Matt, sorry I dont remember where I got that map, if I did I would have asked for your permission ! great job you did anyway ;)
- I only changed one unit in the BTM set of units : now the Guerilla consider all terrains as road. This is in order that guerilla can conduct well... "guerilla" operations. I do not think that this changes the balance of the game very much, but I prefer to see that guerilla can still play a role in modern strategy, instead of being totally nuts as soon as you get rubber...
- The Celt start point is not on the historical location of Entremont, but that was way to close between the Romans and the French
- It's difficult for Arabia to become a major power but I didn't feel like turning arabian desert into bonus grassland...
- I would like to have added oil in Romania but I couldn't decide to put desert there ;)

If ever you have comments feel free to post them ! Those scenarios are nothing really new or original, but I felt the need for them as I found that my games on Marla Singer's excellent world map where too time-consuming. I offer them as is so well... feel free to modify them if you wish, and enjoy !

Oh, I forgot, here is a view of the map... It's only a screen copy of the mini map, if one of you knows how to get a better snap shot please let me know... ;)

Ran

Doesn't Civ3 have a world map in it?

Northern Canada and Northern Russia too fertile. This can create major game inbalances if you try and play it.

So, to answer the 2 last posts...

- yes Civ3 does have a built-in world map, but you can hardly recognize the actual shape of the continents of our real world (not until you have had at least 5 dry vodka, but in this case you can recognize almost anything anywhere :) )

- northern Canada and Siberia are mostly forest tundra, and that does not make them very fertile... In all games that I have played on this map (...lots !), northern Canada and Siberia never become important strategic zones, and the civs who mostly develop there (Iroquois in Canada and Mongols in Siberia) are usually, sooner or later, destroyed by their neighbors enjoying a richest and more fertile land (Americans, Chinese, or any European Civ).

I have played numerous games, and I never found a real crack in the game balance, with those 2 exceptions :
1) A.I. Aztecs always seem to lose against the Northern American A.I. civ (America or Iroquois), but as this happens rather late in the game (end medieval or later) maybe its not a big concern after all, since the human player can change history by that time.
2) A.I. Ottomans never really make it, being surrounded by numerous powerful foes (Europe, Persia, Egypt). I dont know how to help those poor guys...

2) A.I. Ottomans never really make it, being surrounded by numerous powerful foes (Europe, Persia, Egypt). I dont know how to help those poor guys...

The Ottomans were vaguely descended from Seljuk and other Turkic peoples from Central Asia. Certainly the Ottoman Empire was finally centered at Istanbul, but they actually conquered that after the rise of the empire. As a result, you could think of the Ottomans as representative of Turkic peoples, and could start them up around the Aral Sea. It's just a rationalization for something that might help them out...

horrible map

Now that's not a good thing to say! Either give something constructive to work with or don't bother posting at all. I think (a small chance, but much larger than most other earth maps) that it might be just what I need for my scenario, which I want to be a combination of a few of the conquests (age of discovery, and napolean specifically)

I know that it's not a good thing to say. But it doesn't even look by far similar to the world. The continents must be reshaped.

So if you wish to be helpful, start by showing or explaining how to reshape them. I mean, this is a 100x100 map, so there isn't a lot to work with.

I know that it's not a good thing to say. But it doesn't even look by far similar to the world. The continents must be reshaped.

That is unfair in the extreme.

Whilst it may not be particularly accurate it is clearly recognisable as a world map with a reasonable approximation of terrain type and placement. It is by no means the worst map made and I'm sure alot of people could have alot of fun by with it.

People could be nasty to you and say the terran graphics you use in your mod look rubbish despite their being far nicer alternatives. It doesn't really help you know why I think it is rubbish nor where to start improving.

So if you wish to be helpful, start by showing or explaining how to reshape them. I mean, this is a 100x100 map, so there isn't a lot to work with.

I've already told. There's not much I can say, it's the shape of the continents. He has to choose a projection, or more than one, and try to make the shapes similar to it. The rest of the map is quite good.

Anyway, you are right in I should have said it earlier. I get angry, too when someone votes 1/5 and gives no reasons.
I didn't spend much time analysing, and I said horrible because the first look from the mini-map is horrible. After a more accurate analysis, the rest of the detail is not crap (except there are few mountains)

A quick reply while I am around...

Rhye, I think you will not resent me if I do not feel the need to justify myself after your two-words-including-an-insult post. But if you posted that in a morning after a party, with a headache and/or a heartbreak maybe this can be forgiven...

Well, anyway, if someone had said that in a more constructive manner, here is what I should have replied : look, I am a wargamer, not a geograph. Most common pojections yield wide areas to strategically uninteresting territories. Who cares to play on a map where Groenland and Siberia take half the place, and everybody else is squeezed in a few european tiles ? Same comment for the maps where black Africa seems huge, although not populated before late in the game. I just try to make things look nice while keeping the game balance. And yes, I admit, I spent most of my efforts on Europe because this is the place I know the best...

To other people, well, thanks for your support ;) You know it's not easy to draw something nice, although most of the credit go to Matt who placed the continents first hand...

Hygro, feel free to use my map, I would be honored if it could prove useful for your scenario. It is a good map for playing interesting games while not spending your whole life on it : 5 to 10 hours, depending how much you like to micromanage... I have no time right now to help, but I would be pleased to see the result.

IbnSina, your idea seems good. At least someone who cares for poor Ottomans... I admit my total ignorance of turkish history but maybe I will be able to fix that someday ;)

At first sight you only notice the shape of the continents. So if the shape is horrible, the first sight is horrible. I can confirm this, even if it not so kind to say. I didn't mean to insult you.
After a less superficial look, the map isn't bad: as I've said you need more mountains and hills, and more variety. Of course you need to work on the shapes.
That's all.