Maps & Scenarios

[Starship]

I will be working on making and converting maps to FfH II over the next couple of months, and if anyone has any requests let me know.

For starters I want to convert my Battlefield Illuria Map to current FfHII, and just have the map w/starting locations. It will be easier to move from update to update if it's just a map.

I also want to bring a European map over, as well as a world map.

Then maybe another fantasy map.

I just want to work with the maps for awhile until things stabilize.

What is the best way to build just the map? So that it would remain compatible with basically every version excepting totally new resources or terrain types.

Starship

 

[Kael]

I will be working on making and converting maps to FfH II over the next couple of months, and if anyone has any requests let me know.

For starters I want to convert my Battlefield Illuria Map to current FfHII, and just have the map w/starting locations. It will be easier to move from update to update if it's just a map.

I also want to bring a European map over, as well as a world map.

Then maybe another fantasy map.

I just want to work with the maps for awhile until things stabilize.

What is the best way to build just the map? So that it would remain compatible with basically every version excepting totally new resources or terrain types.

Starship

The challenge is going to be if anything you have in the mod gets significantly changed or modifed by a version difference then it will break the map. You can reduce that risk by minimizing everything. Start in the ancient era and only place the starting units. 0.13 will be changing the tech tree signifcantly so even some of the starting techs may not exist anymore. If I were you I would remove all of the civs starting techs so you don't have to worry about it.

I don't expect any new resources or terrains to be coming in anytime soon so you should be clear for the map perspective.

Of course the mod name will change for the next version. So you will need to update that and release a 0.13 version, but that should be a big deal.

As for what maps to request. I would love to see a new world sort of map where the civs start on small islands (alone or shared) and the barbarians have a lot of time to build on a large island without player involvement. Maybe the large island is in the middle with island chains on both sides. So the player fight on their side first, then they have to conquer the barbarians island and finally have a group of civs based on the other side (or if they take to long maybe the civs on the other side will own the barbarian ilsand before they get there).

 

[Starship]

Kael. Thanks for the reply, and the tips. I figure I can at least start working on bringing maps over, and building maps for future use. I know there are two schools of players out there on random and premade maps...I'm a premade guy, and I know a lot of people would enjoy your awesome mod even more on premade maps. So, I'll go ahead and get started. I will definitely make a New world map straight away. I wasn't looking forward to bringing over maps first anyway. Will update when I get done.

 

[TheCowSaysMoooo]

I was just getting ready to go over to the bmp to wbs thread to ask this, but I suppose this is as good a place as any...

I've modified the BMPtoWBSConverter.py file to include FfH bonus resources, but I'm having troubles getting pearls to appear. All the other resources work fine... Is there something different about pearls, due to their "invisible to most civs"-nature that's causing this (or some other reason)? If so, is there an easy solution?

 

[Sisonpyh]

Maps are fun, but any plans for a scenario soon Starship? I'm not a big fan or the early, land grab game. Would be nice if people like me had an alternative. Maybe a Good vs Evil setup or something.

 

[khanjackal]

the premade maps for FFH1 were great, i don't know how much thought went into the starting locations, as the civs were all the same, but thematically at least they were fun and appropriate

now with the different civs, starting location is pretty important

the ljosfar are brutal by themselves, even worse with the leaves, but if they started contained by mountains, with hippus outside on plains, that would leave them in a tough situation, having a great homeland, but a hard time breaking out

the lanun need coastline, but also some hammers too for example,
and yeah, each civ having a small location geared towards them, not neccesarily on their own island, but maybe sharing small landmasses, and then a large central landmass left for barbarian use would be very neat

the random mapgen just is too random for me, i don't like having orthus right on top of me when i'm in a bad spot, and i don't like having to found my city on a tiny crappy island with no resources

 

[Gileyal]

Starship - I loved your original map. I just hope you're not getting yourself into something that will require re-doing every time there is a change in the versions.

Maybe it would be smarter to try any make some custom maps?

 

[Starship]

My initial goal is to make/translate premade maps with just starting points and units. No preplaced cities or anything like that. As Kael noted above this should result in the fewest conflicts between versions, and be fairly easy to update.

Ideally these could be used for scenarios later on when the mod starts to come together into a more final state....and it is really awesome by the way. If I haven't said it already, wow!, FfH is already better than FfH1, and that's saying something. Congrats to the build team, keep it going.

Also, I'm hoping to incorporate the lessons I learned from my first scenario release to make the new maps better...regionalized resources, choke points, navigable city lock channels, and so on.

My first project will be a new world map. I would like alot of people to play it...do you guys think standard size map would be ok for slow pc's? Smaller?

I'm actually pencil sketching the basics right now.

 

[Silverkiss]

Standart is the best, because its the size most people with slow pcs (like me) play.

 

[Starship]

Ok. I am nearing completion of a New World type map.

The only thing that players should have is their starting settler, yes? This will indicate start points when a custom scenario is loaded, and people should be able to choose whoever they want? Is there an alternate way of laying starting points? Thanks.

 

[Good Sauce]

i'm going to update my old FFH maps, and make some new ones eventually, once the update schedual slows down a bit. I'm waiting for someone to make a map editor that can handle starting locations and mods easily. messing around with the map in text editor is a hassle.
(I've got a cool one in the works, large size, a green version of the earth viewed from the north poll. All thats done so far is the terrain.)

 

[TheCowSaysMoooo]

I've got a huge (150x75) fantasy map pretty much ready. It's mostly waiting on Friday's version so I can touch up starting units and techs. Aside from set starting cities and a couple (very) minor diplomacy effects, there's no scenario-type stuff going on, and won't be for quite a while... there's just too much stuff still to come with FfH to try to do that sort of thing yet.

And since I'm teasing a bit anyway, quick map with starting locations (white are civs, pink are barbs)...

 

[khanjackal]

oohhh, nice, are all the civs on the map?

 

[Xuenay]

That's a cool-looking map you have there, Cow. The New World one sounds nice, too.

 

[Red Boxer]

I have a little question, which seems like it could go here, rather than starting a new thread...

Is there a specific map (or even suggested map-type) that we were supposed to play the mod on? Perhaps based around specific starts, and such.

I saw reference to someone creating another map for the mod, but wasn't sure if they were talking about their efforts, or those of the mod.

Thanks in advance. I am really enjoying my playing so far. This mod is rather impressive.

 

[khanjackal]

i'm pretty sure the mod is currently designed to be fully comptable with the random maps, at least, that's all i've done for the last month or so

any pre-made maps are not by the mod-makers, at this time, i believe

 

[wilboman]

I think the team is planning scenarios (I certainly know I want them), but they're way, waaaaay down the line. The mod should really be finished(ish) before scenarios are a concern. So the maps and scenarios that are out now, are "fan-made", as it were. We all playtest on random maps, I think.

 

[woodelf]

I try balanced for the most part or panagea.

 

[TheCowSaysMoooo]

I've posted the first version of my map here, and I'm looking for feedback to improve it.

Thanks!

 

[strategyonly]

I have placed my own venue on these scenario's , hope you don't mind.

For starters I want to convert my Battlefield Illuria Map to current FfHII, and just have the map w/starting locations. It will be easier to move from update to update if it's just a map.
Starship

I already did this.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=174861

Posted by Kael: I would love to see a new world sort of map where the civs start on small islands (alone or shared) and the barbarians have a lot of time to build on a large island without player involvement. Maybe the large island is in the middle with island chains on both sides. So the player fight on their side first, then they have to conquer the barbarians island and finally have a group of civs based on the other side (or if they take to long maybe the civs on the other side will own the barbarian ilsand before they get there).

Also done, see thread above. Well close to it that is.

i'm going to update my old FFH maps

Also done.

Maybe a Good vs Evil setup or something.

Also done.