Map Discussion

[BCLG100]

How are we going to make the map?

Will we just get a random map or a specially created one which has equal luxuries, i assume if its a random map then GA or Regentman will take a look at world builder first to make sure everything is ok?

Just figured i'd start this so we can get a bit of discussion going and the game can progress along a bit faster.

 

[Ginger_Ale]

We will decide this later once teams have formed and they decide it in the private forums...I guess you can discuss it here too.

First, decide on the map type, and then we'll decide on how it will be made.

 

[BCLG100]

Well that was what i inteded we could talk about here as well, though i appreciate from my post that it may not have been obvious. i think a continents game would be best on a standard sized map.

 

[Swissempire]

Standard randomly generated map. Terra. We should also not do the equal distribtuion thing because that would take a lot o suprise and fun out of the game. Also Terra would be amazing because the colonizing race, and then the colony wars would be fun!!!

 

[DaveShack]

Standard randomly generated map. Terra. We should do the equal distribtuion thing because that would take a lot o suprise and fun out of the game. Also Terra would be amazing because the colonizing race, and then the colony wars would be fun!!!

I asume you mean not do the equal distribution thing, if your goal is to keep the surprise factor?

 

[Swissempire]

yea, sorry about the typo! I think it is unrealistic to give all the teams say 2 horses, gems, gold, iron, ivory and all that jazz

 

[peter grimes]

I don't know what others think, but I feel that the uniformity of the civ3MTDG map somewhat nullifies the need to compete for resources, though there are clear benefits of playing on that sort of map.

The game will be more exciting if teams have to live and die by the luck of the terrain to a certain extent. Obviously, we can't have a situation where someone gets a tundra start, but there should be some variability.

*This in no way should be read as a criticism of Rik's work on the civ3 MTDG map. I may not go to his church, but respect him nonetheless

 

[Furiey]

At the moment 5 teams appears to be winning, so how does that affect the map?

If we go continents we could get 2 civs on 1 continent, 3 on another or 2 continents with 2 civs and 1 alone on a third.

If we want to try and keep things roughly equal, an archipelago map with each civ on an island would be one way to do it, but I think that Pangea would probably be the best bet.

As the demogame save is the first one I've ever managed to load above Tiny, I can't really comment on map size.

 

[Swissempire]

At the moment 5 teams appears to be winning, so how does that affect the map?

If we go continents we could get 2 civs on 1 continent, 3 on another or 2 continents with 2 civs and 1 alone on a third.

If we want to try and keep things roughly equal, an archipelago map with each civ on an island would be one way to do it, but I think that Pangea would probably be the best bet.

As the demogame save is the first one I've ever managed to load above Tiny, I can't really comment on map size.

Or we could go completely random, with a terra map. This would ensure that everyone is on the same contient, that there would be an exciting colonizing race, while also making the teams compete for prime real estate on the "old world".

 

[Tubby Rower]

@ Peter, we've been fighting among ourselves over at KISS for the wines.

I've always liked random maps. That being said. It would suck if a team was planted in the middle of a desert with no resources but sand and sun.

But I've never seen a non-playable start. maybe unwinnable but none unplayable. Personally I would take it as a challenge to see how far my team went if we were down a fairly critical resource. I think that this mimics the real world a little more and would make for an interesting game. Once Permanent alliances come about, a smaller state could win the game alongside a larger state. So both COULD taste victory.


Pangaea Standard has my vote regardless of how the # of teams poll turns out

 

[grahamiam]

I'd prefer lakes so each team can have a maximum amount of land.

 

[Swissempire]

Random Standard Terra has my vote.

Also, This is a newbish question, are there AI's or just the 5 teams? And how many AI's

 

[Tubby Rower]

no AI at all except barbs.

Isn't Terra where you have to find the other continent? Lakes wouldn't be bad but the team in the middle as opposed to the edges will be caught in the middle of everything since there is no world wrapping. Somthing that simulates a globe would be best IMO.

 

[grahamiam]

iirc, lakes does world wrap. It's the Great Plains that does not. At least, in gotm2, it did worldwrap.

Since this is just a discussion thread, not a vote thread, my reasons for Lakes as follows:
1. Starts can be northern or southern and still get good expansion room
2. with the dispersal of resources in CIV and the amount of land on this type of map, it should allow each team to develope a powerful civ
3. based on 2, it should be easier to balance without using the games "balanced start" algorithm when generating the map.
4. All teams will share a border with at least 2 or 3 teams (if I'm visualizing it right)

Drawbacks:
1. No navy's to speak of.
2. Large barb population to kill off (well, it's good training for teams with AA UU's)
3. long borders between civs (could be tense ). Possible to appease this by making the ocean level high, thus more lakes (and maybe making drawback 1 less so).

Anyways, just my USD$0.02 Maybe we should try a pitboss game later this week with 5 players on a lakes map to test it?

 

[Swissempire]

no AI at all except barbs.

Isn't Terra where you have to find the other continent? Lakes wouldn't be bad but the team in the middle as opposed to the edges will be caught in the middle of everything since there is no world wrapping. Somthing that simulates a globe would be best IMO.

A Terra map is a map in which ALL the Civs start out on a continent on one side of the world, kind of like europe. THe map is generated to simlutae the globe, but not be exactly like it. This lack of space after the intial expanison can lead to border clashes, and wars for single cities. After the appropriate tech is discovered, there is a race to discover and colonize the "new world", which can sometime be full of native barbarian cities that needs to be taken care of. Terra maps offer an amazing experience, and in my opinion, they would make for an amzing MTDG experience!

 

[Swissempire]

Pro's:
All teams on the same continent to begin with
Share a border with at least 2-3 teams
Colony racing
Fun experience
Lots of warring

Cons
Lots of warring
Sometimes have to make war or wait to colonize the new world to get a certain resource
early border clashes

 

[grahamiam]

re: terra

But why even explore the new world? seems like the game could be finished before anyone steps foot on the other continent.

 

[BCLG100]

re: terra

But why even explore the new world? seems like the game could be finished before anyone steps foot on the other continent.

No because generally the teams are fairly even in talent and dont tend to be destroyed too easily.

 

[Whomp]

Is there any way we could get Sirian to make a special map for this game?

 

[Ginger_Ale]

RM or I can always ask him - what do you have in mind?

FYI: We'll ask TF for private forums soon, and post a sign up thread so each team can start discussing the map they want.