Admin, map maker

[DaveShack]

Who's going to admin this one? Pretty much need to either have one or more volunteers, unless we're going to gang-press someone.

Do we have a map maker lined up? Again a volunteer would be good, but it would also make sense to recruit. I think Sullla did OK with the limited input we gave last time. Sure there were some problems but he freely admitted there were lessons learned from how it turned out. And we can do much better with giving a firm definition of what we think will work.

 

[Lord Parkin]

I have no preference as to who admins the game... just whoever is willing to volunteer and is able to put in the time really.

Regarding volunteers for making the map, I believe Krill and DaveMcW expressed interest in a previous thread... possibly some others I missed as well. I don't know if Sullla was interested or not.

 

[azzaman333]

Whoever volunteers, I guess. Krill seemed interested in doing it, I think.

 

[classical_hero]

I would be interested in making a map. i might need some help at first, but i know what will make a good MP map, since i play so many MP games and know what makes a good map and what does not.

 

[slaze]

I'd want DaveMcW to do it.

 

[Lord Parkin]

I'd definitely be keen for at least 2 people to be involved in the making of the map, regardless of who they are. Even if one makes it and the other just checks it over afterwards. That way, there is less room for mistakes and errors.

 

[Indiansmoke]

I would much rather prefer if wepicked a standard map generator instead of a totally made up map and then maybe somone can balance the starts.

Scripts like Wheel (even better green wheel), donut, ring (or green ring) or inland sea are great for 6 teams.

For 4 teams team battle ground four corners would be an idea.

 

[azzaman333]

I would much rather prefer if wepicked a standard map generator instead of a totally made up map and then maybe somone can balance the starts.

Scripts like Wheel (even better green wheel), donut, ring (or green ring) or inland sea are great for 6 teams.

For 4 teams team battle ground four corners would be an idea.

I wouldn't play if we played on one of the standard multiplayer maps. They're boring.

 

[dutchfire]

Could one of the admins of a previous game (Sulla, RegentMan, Ginger_Ale) explain what exactly an admin has got to do, how much time is required, if regular access to the game itself (IE. logging in) is required etc. etc.

 

[Sommerswerd]

I would much rather prefer if wepicked a standard map generator instead of a totally made up map and then maybe somone can balance the starts.

Scripts like Wheel (even better green wheel), donut, ring (or green ring) or inland sea are great for 6 teams.

I like all these ideas very much, especially the part about a generated map with custom starts.

I would like to encourage resource-rich starts... If everyone starts off with more resources (especially food) than they can possibly take advantage of early on, then no one will have any cause to complain. Also, give everyone lots of trees, close marble and stone, so everyone has a shot at early wonders.

If Sullla could make the map again, that would be OK with me... since he made the last map, he is very familiar with what went wrong, what was lacking etc...

 

[Lord Parkin]

I wouldn't play if we played on one of the standard multiplayer maps. They're boring.

Yeah, I tend to agree. A more natural-feeling and unpredictable map is so much more interesting to me.

Could one of the admins of a previous game (Sulla, RegentMan, Ginger_Ale) explain what exactly an admin has got to do, how much time is required, if regular access to the game itself (IE. logging in) is required etc. etc.

I've acted as an admin for an intersite game in the past, so I can give you some idea. Basically most of the time nothing is required of you. You're basically there in case any disputes arise, and most of the time the game runs perfectly smoothly by itself. Of course, you're welcome to keep up with the posts in the various private forums, but it's not required. However, when there's a dispute, especially a major one, it can be quite a time consuming process as you have to pick through forums, sometimes talk to individual members, and debate with the other admins as to a workable resolution to the issue. It can be a pretty gritty and unthankful job sometimes, but the bonus is that you get a birds' eye position to watch the game unfold from inside all the private forums. That can be quite fun.

I like all these ideas very much, especially the part about a generated map with custom starts.

I would like to encourage resource-rich starts... If everyone starts off with more resources (especially food) than they can possibly take advantage of early on, then no one will have any cause to complain. Also, give everyone lots of trees, close marble and stone, so everyone has a shot at early wonders.

If Sullla could make the map again, that would be OK with me... since he made the last map, he is very familiar with what went wrong, what was lacking etc...

I'm not so sure about resource-rich starts, since after a point if you have too many resources it becomes a bit silly, but certainly a decent (but not extreme) number of resources would be nice.

 

[remake20]

I'd be willing to make a map or be an admin. My map making skills aren't great so I would like to have 2 map makers and I be one. As far as being an Admin goes I'm active, and if I have that role it will make me feel like I promised I'd do something and I WILL keep the promise, making me even more active. Plus I've been here at CFC for almost 2 years now (though I spent about 6 months of that away) so I'm not a newbie.

 

[CommandoBob]

As Admin of a game, how well do you need to know the game?

 

[Lord Parkin]

As Admin of a game, how well do you need to know the game?

At least one of the admins should be very familiar with the various ways in which things can be manipulated in Civ4. Really, this means that at least one of the admins should have actively participated (preferably adminned) in at least one (preferably several) past democracy games, and have been active around the forums for at least a couple of years. However, as long as you have that one veteran admin, it doesn't matter so much about how well the other admins know the game, since the veteran can fill them in on the information concerning game mechanics and potential exploits. But all of the admins should at least be familiar with the basic game, and have a record of some reliability on the forums (i.e. moderate activity over at least a year or so).

I should point out that you really only need one or two admins in the first place though, since disputes are so few and far between (even if they seem vicious and prolonged at the time). Really, at the moment it's much more important to get active people playing on the teams, since after all without active teams there is no game. So I'm not quite sure why a lot of people suddenly seem so interested in adminning and making the map right now... at this rate it looks like we're going to end up with a dozen admins and/or map makers, and very few active team members and turn players.

For the record, I have no interest in either adminning or making the map. I'd much rather play the game.

 

[Indiansmoke]

I wouldn't play if we played on one of the standard multiplayer maps. They're boring.

Is that a threat?

 

[azzaman333]

Is that a threat?

No, just a statement that I would not be interested in playing such a game.

 

[classical_hero]

Basically the previous map was a map that was only slightly altered from the map that got generated. The map does not have to be equal, but rather a balanced map is better than a random one

 

[remake20]

It would be hard to do and we would have to leave some out, but I wouldn't mind trying to make a map where we see how many different maps types we could put into one.

 

[DMOC]

I'd prefer an admin-customed map, with 2 admins to check and balance each other.

 

[Sommerswerd]

I wouldn't play if we played on one of the standard multiplayer maps. They're boring.

A more natural-feeling and unpredictable map is so much more interesting to me.

Im confused What is the difference between a generated map that is edited by mapmakers for balance, resources etc., and what azzaman / Lord P want? Or do you guys just object to using a pre-made map that everyone is already familiar with?

I'm not so sure about resource-rich starts, since after a point if you have too many resources it becomes a bit silly, but certainly a decent (but not extreme) number of resources would be nice.

When you say "silly," what do you mean? Since I'm mostly talking about food-rich when I say resource-rich:
1. In your opinion... What amount of food resources cross the threshold from "decent" to "silly?"
2. When you say resource-rich would be "silly" Are you saying that it would not be fun?...Or That it would not be fair? Or that it would be too easy? I'm not sure I get what you mean.. that's all.