Future GOTM Map Suggestions

[ElephantU]

Triremes CAN travel more than 3 squares at sea; they just have a 1/2 chance of getting "lost", dropping to 1/4 with Seafaring and 1/8 with Navigation. Five squares is only one turn at sea, which is very doable; prioritizing sea techs is also doable once you have 4-6 cities (you can probably squeeze a couple in ICS-style).

I believe the "known map" option does not show all units and all cities all the time (correct me if I'm wrong); I thought it was more like the Apollo snapshot where you see all the landforms and existing cities. Playing the world map "in the dark" with a random start can be interesting trying to figure out where you are (I thought I was in North Africa once; turned out to be Australia...). Another thing to consider is that the AI ALWAYS knows the full map, as well as wherever the other players are. I have seen AI civs make beelines through unexplored territories to take out another civ early in the game. And for the sake of newer players a world map or known map start can help them plan things out.

I also would like to see a few maps that are more water than land, which would probably mean hand-made as the generator does not do small islands well. The few I have played have been interesting for the naval aspects of war and trade. I would probably go for more like 10 squares between islands (zig-zag layout?) and 6-8 cities per island.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Originally posted by noughmaster
I'd like to play that. Can you attach it?

Let me know if this works.

HaftJazire 120x75

World consists of 7 islands each shaped like a )
stretching north south. The islands are to east/west
of one another and far enough not to see one another.
The first one is only large enough for 3-4 cities and
then they get progressively larger. There is more
distance between islands 1 & 7 than there is between
any other adjacent ones.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Originally posted by ElephantU
Triremes CAN travel more than 3 squares at sea; they just have a 1/2 chance of getting "lost", dropping to 1/4 with Seafaring and 1/8 with Navigation. Five squares is only one turn at sea, which is very doable; prioritizing sea techs is also doable once you have 4-6 cities (you can probably squeeze a couple in ICS-style).

You are of course right. But I think the risk is too much for this to be viable.

I believe the "known map" option does not show all units and all cities all the time (correct me if I'm wrong); I thought it was more like the Apollo snapshot where you see all the landforms and existing cities.

I do not know. The way I play known maps is just like regular maps with the darkness except that I have a copy open in MapEditor which I refer to freely.

I also would like to see a few maps that are more water than land, which would probably mean hand-made as the generator does not do small islands well. The few I have played have been interesting for the naval aspects of war and trade. I would probably go for more like 10 squares between islands (zig-zag layout?) and 6-8 cities per island.

You are right on. Even if you choose the Archipelago option during the map creation you are not going to get a lot of small islands nor would you ever get islands that are all farther than 3 sea tiles from one another. I have designed quite a few Archipelagos and I can tell you playing on one is a different experience than the usual maps. Your choice of wonders and techs change dramatically.
Here are descriptions of a couple of my archipelagos:

49 isles 75x72

Each isle consists of 4 land pieces where one piece
touches the other 3 and none of the other 3 touch one
another. This is the smallest island on which you can
place 3 start up positions.

There are 7 isles dedicated to start up positions.
Each has one Forest and 3 Plains. The other 42 isles
contain 7 "one kind terrain" isles consisting entirely
of Desert, Grassland, Plains, Forest, Hills, Jungle,
and Swamp (all except Mountain and Tundra). The other
35 isles are "two kind terrain" isles. All possible
combinations are represented except Forest and Plain
combination used for start up positions.

Each isle is placed in its own 5x5 block.

8 Triangles
The world has one big land mass right in the middle shaped like a Triangle and with plenty of good land. This triangle is surrounded by 7 small triangles each of which is home to one of the 7 same colored civs. The small triangles are only big enough to accomodate 3 cities but offer plenty of specials. Most city sites are a 3 or 4 special. I have also designed maps based on the same theme but with smaller amount of land and for only 4 players.

 

[LordValuna]

sounds like an interesting map.

It "failed to load game: file not a saved game"

am I doing something wrong or is problem at your end.
I use MGE

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Originally posted by LordValuna
It "failed to load game: file not a saved game"
am I doing something wrong or is problem at your end.
I use MGE

It is not a saved game. Just a map. You have to open it in map editor.
You may also have to change the .sav at the end. I do not know what extension Civ2 map editor uses for saved maps. I use a Macintosh and these .extensions are not used in Mac OS. The only reason I uploaded it as .sav is that the forum requires a .exstension and I figured .sav is probably just as good as any other.

 

[LordValuna]

Originally posted by Ali Ardavan

It is not a saved game. Just a map. You have to open it in map editor.

thanks, renaming as a .mp file worked. can play using start on a pre-made world.

3 things i like about this map.
Good opprotunity for naval warfare
fair amount of rivers for the amount of land
the AI will have better islands than you

 

[ElephantU]

One thing with those specialty maps: do NOT let the game randomize the Resource Seed - the specials will shift from aligning with the designed terrain!

I'll see if I can find one or two of my old island worlds.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Originally posted by ElephantU
One thing with those specialty maps: do NOT let the game randomize the Resource Seed - the specials will shift from aligning with the designed terrain!

Good point. If the map is created with designed as opposed to randomized resources you should not let civ2 randomize them at the beginning of the game. Some of my maps are designed with resources (among them HaftJazire and 8Triangles); while others have random resources (49isles). I think if a map is designed with random resources Civ2 would not even ask you. So whenever asked say NO.

 

[LordValuna]

How bout something in a small (or medium) map
Next month is going to be very busy

 

[grigor]

This month was fun and because of the no huts, challenging and long. No huts and no starting techs significantly adds to the length of the game, even with instant Monarchy.

 

[Igor Galochkin]

I've got a suggestion for the next Game of the Month.

Map - Large, Land Mass - small, Continents. The player starts on North or South Pole (glacier tiles around). 7 civs without restarts, max barbs and Deity level. Only Conquest victory is allowed.

Sorry if game like that has already been played. Anyways, what do you guys think of this idea?

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

I've got a suggestion for the next Game of the Month.

Map - Large, Land Mass - small, Continents. The player starts on North or South Pole (glacier tiles around). 7 civs without restarts, max barbs and Deity level. Only Conquest victory is allowed.

Sorry if game like that has already been played. Anyways, what do you guys think of this idea?

I think it would take me about 3 months to finish that game.

 

[Igor Galochkin]

Well, for such a game not only saves at AD1, AD1000 and last turn should be required, but also one at AD1750 and one at AD2000, because I doubt anyone would manage to do successful full-scale conquest before that time.

I played a game like that on a small map a few times. One time I lasted till 2050 and in the end 7 stealth bombers, some helicopters and a bunch of ships attacking in one turn wiped out the last city with 3 mech infantry units on a hill with all defence structures. The total siege lasted for more then 20 turns. That was a great game.

Haven't tried it yet on larger maps, but I guess that pros would be interested in a challenge. It could be made even more difficult by forbidding the players to ever make peace or cease fire with AIs (or setting bloodlust), but that may be just too much.

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Well, for such a game not only saves at AD1, AD1000 and last turn should be required, but also one at AD1750 and one at AD2000, because I doubt anyone would manage to do successful full-scale conquest before that time.

It somewhat depends on just how desolate the starting location was, but I'd be surprised if the green star went to someone later than AD 1000.

Edit to fix star color, etc.

 

[Ace]

If the starting position on the pole has no connection to a continent, it could take a while to get mapmaking and get off the pole with just one city on tundra....

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

If the starting position on the pole has no connection to a continent, it could take a while to get mapmaking and get off the pole with just one city on tundra....

Being small land mass works well with this setup because you'll need map making to get to fertile land anyway. Then you can use that to explore/expand/build lighthouse. Small land mass also would limit AI growth so the delays getting started wouldn't be too much of an advantage to the AIs; they thrive much better on large grassy landmasses.

I figured between Peaster and a few others someone could do it by about 300AD "normally", then just added several turns to get a settler to a decent starting point, but like I said, it depends a lot on just how desolate the starting position is.

 

[Igor Galochkin]

I guess, the game admin who creates the initial save can't look at the whole map?
Position can be desolate if there are absolutely no resources on the ocean tiles next to the glacier/tundra on the pole. Also, there must be no resources on the glacier or turndra, too (or just glacier oil). And of course, no connection to the continent. Not even one within 3 tiles of ocean, so that triremes couldn't easily reach that without Lighthouse.

 

[Stegyre]

The most you can do is force players to take a few steps to find resources on or adjacent to the pole tiles, as resources appear in every line of tiles according to a set pattern. (Actually, I may have found a way to create a map with fewer than the expected resources -- what about a GOTM with no resources, for anyone?)

 

[URUWASHI]

INteresting....how about adding a little more spice and start without a Palace ,( similar to start of game game 65 ) and the city must be taken from Barbarians and new Palace should be build in that Location.....and the capital city is in another landmass 5 or 6 tiles away from starting point ??
No razing the City and rebuilt a " New " city....so a few extra saves will be required..

 

[Peaster]

A map without resources really cramps the style of a fast-growth player. I find those games difficult - not challenging - just difficult and slow. But maybe some players would enjoy it. Check out the swamp-world of GOTM 45.