I haven't been able to find an existing discussion or poll on choosing a map type, so let's get this started. The map type options which will be included on the poll will be the ones which get at least one player's support in this thread. We really shouldn't choose one of the outlying options, but I'm not willing to deny anyone the chance to press for something weird.
Here is a composite screenshot of the options.
I recommend one of the fairly normal maps, (Archipelago, Custom_Continents, Pangaea, Terra).
Here is a composite screenshot of the options.
- Archipelago, Continents, and Pangaea are similar to the Civ3 options of the same name.
- Custom_Continents allows the number of continents to be chosen as an extra option.
- Great_Plains is mostly grassland and plains with some hills, and no oceans.
- Highlands is mostly mountains and hills. In this option it is possible to get a start completely surrounded by mountains, which then requires airpower to conquer. Of course if the human is in the box, you're toast.
- Ice_Age is a much wider polar cap with lots of tundra and very little good land, in the middle of the map.
- Inland_Sea is a pangaea wrapped around a sea in the center. There is no map wrapping -- you fall off the edge of a flat earth.
- Islands is Archipelago with smaller islands.
- Lakes is Inland_Sea but with lakes instead of a single body of water. I think maybe the map wraps for that one, don't remember.
- Hub, Maze, Ring, Team_Battleground, and Wheel are geometric created worlds.
- Balanced is one I'm not sure of what it does.
- Mirror produces a map which has part of it a mirror image of other parts.
- Oasis is desert in the middle with fertile grounds north and south.
- Terra is continents with an empty continent which can only be reached after researching ocean travel. It simulates the old world conquest of the new world.
- Tilted_Axis is a random map with the tilted squares you see in civ3. (I think)
I recommend one of the fairly normal maps, (Archipelago, Custom_Continents, Pangaea, Terra).
