Maps and scenario ?

[Dread_SMAC]

Hi all... I'm looking for custom maps for SMAC, here's a list of sites I've found so far:
http://www.civ.org.pl/downloads.php?lang=Eng&type=SMAC
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=139622
http://apolyton.net/smac/
http://ac.strategy-gaming.com/main.shtml
http://apolyton.net/dir/index.php?sid=612201187&cat=176&t=sub_pages

Anyone know of others? There seem to be some good ones there, I have a huge map I've been working on... wish I could tell the comp where to localize faction starting points without making it a scenario! Any ideas?

I've noticed in creating scenarios, all my factions advantages/disadvantages in the social engineering table are wiped out. Is there any way to set these? How can I get around this?

Also, I'm designing a scenario to start at the "mid-game" point with heavy eco penalties, lots of mindworms, and where the Hive and the Peacekeepers didn't survive planetfall I'm thinking about tweaking ascendence out of the rules, and making it economic victory-only. Any thoughts on outlawing tech-trading? Does that limit the losing factions' propensity to make demands to prevent Vendetta? I like the idea of having more spy-games and resource competition than over-whelming military campaigns that end the game too quickly. I'm also thinking about weakening the weapons/ strengthening the defense parameters to make conquering a city a truly monumental occasion. Any thoughts, ideas, and contributions are welcome.

 

[vyeh]

http://www.civgaming.net/smac/maps.shtml

Could you post your scenario?

 

[Dread_SMAC]

I have to say tweaking the rules for the scenario was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I ended up making the ocean a shallow, fungus-filled expanse, with it creeping onto land at low-lying penninsulas.

I do believe preventing tech-trading makes the game more peaceful, because factions can't demand as much (would a powerful faction ever demand a base just because they wanted it?). I've played the scenario through on my tweaked Morgan... and I apparently tweaked him too much! Even with a focus on conquering the radical Greens to the south I still had enough money to corner the global market in 75 years of game play (!?).

Psi defense and attack is a huge part of this game... even though the Gaians start with a disadvantage with respect to development, their isles of the deep and demon boils could quickly expand their empire with the right game play. Playing as Morgan, taking Deirdre's two weakest citiest meant a huge expenditure of resources and loss of troops... I had my first expeditionary force (4 clean, trained missle rovers) completely decimated!

The Spartans were a bit too friendly, and didn't bother to do anything. Their high-morale troops would be critical to fighting off planet's and Deidre's mindworms if played by a human player.

The University stayed ahead of the tech game, and so the Gaians and Spartans kept asking Morgan to ally against Zak... but with the University being Morgan's best trading partner, I wasn't having any of it.

As it stands now, it's a fun time trial to play as Zak or Deirdre to take out Morgan before he corners the global market... and with some minor tweaking it would be fun to have Santiago allied with wealth or knowledge to take on Deirdre and her mindworm boils.

I'll post it soon