Playing on a known map

[Ali Ardavan]

I am wondering how people feel about playing on a known map for GOTM. We often play on a game generated map. Of the 20+ GOTMs that I have followed I recall only once playing on Earth and once (current GOTM 53) playing on a known map. If we do play on a known map, would you rather be able to see the map apriori, know the general shape of the map apriori, or be completely in the dark about the map?

In the current GOTM 53, I submitted a general description of the map to the spoiler thread early on and advertised doing so in the game thread. Did you like/dislike this practice? Did you look at my description of the map? How did that change your gameplay?

 

[Ace]

I don't want to know about the map before I start playing. The size and if its a flat map or regular map are enough data. The early fun is in exploring. Otherwise, you might just as well reveal the whole map and eliminate the guesswork.

 

[Peaster]

I agree with Ace. But small tips about the map can add some interest. Like "you share a continent with the Mongols" etc. I am quite happy with the mix of maps we've seen in the GOTM's - about half are random ones straight from the computer and the others include some special twist.

 

[SideshowBob]

I like it when you get a couple of hints about the map, like you are utterly alone on this island too small to be called a continent or that it is a very arid or wet or cold map. Something that makes you think about the game before you start it. Could of course be posted in a pre-game discussion thread. It could then be ignored by the ones that don't want any information. I'd probably find it fun as well to know something about the map size and shape and where about on the map the starting location is.

 

[ElephantU]

I like variation. We've played Earth maps, custom maps, and random maps, mostly with the rest of the world black, and as Ace said I enjoy the early "exploring the unknown" factor. I've tried WW2 and Rome and a few other scenarios where the rest of the world is revealed but there is a different dynamic to those - often involved with special rules and units as well. GOTM has greater limits due to the inability to change RULES.TXT or add Events. I'd like to see a couple more GOTMs with revealed maps, but it seems to me there should be a particular reason why we do away with the fun of exploring.

BTW, I did not make a single choice in the poll because my answer would be "all of the above"...

 

[la fayette]

BTW, I did not make a single choice in the poll because my answer would be "all of the above"...

He wrote it for me

 

[Hexer]

Did you like/dislike this practice? - Yes, some get advantages, some don`t get them, those, who play it early. It is unfair and you don`t really know who is the best player...

Did you look at my description of the map? - Yes, when it is there, I going to read it.

How did that change your gameplay? - A Lot, I would have never send two fleets to the west and to the east. I would have build MPE much more earlier. But this time, I was able to put the Ressources in more important things.

I dont think that member supplied games have a future. You have to close spoiler-threads then

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Did you like/dislike this practice? - Yes, some get advantages, some don`t get them, those, who play it early. It is unfair and you don`t really know who is the best player...

The fact that the map description did not get posted till a week after the game was a glitch. I was unavailable for a couple of months and did not know that this game, which I submitted a long time ago, was going to be used for GOTM53. Should I do this again, I will make sure the description of the map gets posted at the same time as the game.

 

[grigor]

Like Elephant said.

In GOTM 53, I did not like the verbal description. It attempted to be detailed, as opposed to just giving a few choice hints. The verbal description was a clumsy substitute for the original intent, which was to reveal the map. The map itself was very interesting and was a good challenge regardless.

Some people use detailed map analysis tools which are partial substitutes for revealing the map. Are those tantamount to revealing the map? Some think so but others do not agree.

Playing on a known map changes the way one plays. We don't do it very often here. It can be very interesting for variety.

 

[Tanstaafl]

I agree with ElephantU in all respects. I, too, have played the revealed maps and they just don't have the same feeling of "discovery" that I enjoy in playing the game.

 

[SirBois]

I didn't vote, I like the variation others suggested.

I have made special maps in the past just to see how they worked, played some prefab maps and a lot of random ones.

I do agree that giving a detailed description is not much good. Either show the map or not. Hint may be nice, depending on what they say of course.

SirBois