What is the Hemisphere map like?

[Ultimate_Waffle]

I'm planning on getting Beyond the Sword someday, and I can't find info on the Hemisphere map... So help is appreciated

 

[Grimus]

Well, the Hemisphere map is my new favorite. I think it's great among the default maps available in the game. I spent over an hour as soon as I got the game generating maps with the new scripts and going into the world builder to see how they look and how they disperse the civs.

It'll create continents somewhat like the "continents" map script. Although, you can choose whether you want snakey, normal, or massive blobby continents like in the "continents" script. I prefer normal, they look very natural and provides plenty of variety, kinda like fractal.

Also, islands are included as well in "hemispheres", and you can choose whether you want little, speckled islands or regular islands. Again, I prefer regular islands personally.

Also, you can designate how many continents you want and it'll create some nice looking continents, unlike the "custom-continents" script which goes to crap once you choose more than 2.

The civs get dispersed pretty well too... if you're playing with 8 civs / 2 continents, you'll get 4 on each most of the time if nobody starts on an island.

Beware choosing more than 3 continents though, since it'll produce 4 or more masses forming somewhat of a square formation around each other. In this formation, you lose out on jungle territory which is only located around the equator, since that area will be filled with ocean between the continents. 2 to 3 is the best in my opinion... though I usually choose 2 continents, on a standard map, with 8 total civs.

 

[Ultimate_Waffle]

Oh, thanks for the answer, this map type sounds pretty epic =). So continents and island will form on the same map?

EDIT: Also, if it's not too much trouble, do you think you could put up some screenshots of the maps generated?

 

[bonafide11]

Hemispheres is the best map in my opinion. It's way better than the old continents map because each map doesn't look exactly the same. I prefer the hemisphere map with three varied continents and regular islands (not tiny islands). On a huge map, this usually makes a pretty interesting game.

 

[Sekerah]

Here is a screen of a Hemisphere map with the following settings:
Size: Standard
Continents: Varied
Islands: Normal Size
3 Continents

 

[bonafide11]

Nice thanks for the screen shot... It shows exactly why I like the hemispheres map

 

[futurehermit]

It's amazing. My new favourite map!

 

[slightlymarxist]

I spent hours playing around with the new maps when I got BtS. I too think Hemispheres are the coolest, most balanced and varied script. Grimus summed it up nicely. You get 2 big landmasses, just like the standard Continents script, but also a chance for one or two small island chains. Also, the continents seem less "blobby" but maybe I'm just imagining things.

Also, I found "Medium and Small" really fun when you want to play around with lots of water. It divides the land into two hemispheres but adds lots of island formations (about 50% on each hemisphere). Fun fun fun if you're in mood for Vikings!

 

[elderotter]

Their best map yet - especially since you can choose varied for the shape of Continents.

 

[elderotter]

I spent hours playing around with the new maps when I got BtS. I too think Hemispheres are the coolest, most balanced and varied script. Grimus summed it up nicely. You get 2 big landmasses, just like the standard Continents script, but also a chance for one or two small island chains. Also, the continents seem less "blobby" but maybe I'm just imagining things.

Also, I found "Medium and Small" really fun when you want to play around with lots of water. It divides the land into two hemispheres but adds lots of island formations (about 50% on each hemisphere). Fun fun fun if you're in mood for Vikings!

I usually choose 6 continents and 7-8 civs on large and epic gives you a lot of room - 5 continents works too. I always choose varied for the shape.

 

[Admiral Willem]

If the Hemisphere map includes island chains, what's the difference between it and Big and Small?

 

[Mortac]

Great, it only took them a few years and two expansions to get a decently realistic map option. Don't know why there was no proper continent and island option before. That's such a basic thing, but still they had a ton of other crappy map options over that. I really welcome this new option but I still have to complain because it took them so long.

 

[slightlymarxist]

If the Hemisphere map includes island chains, what's the difference between it and Big and Small?

Big and Small doesn't divide the map into hemispheres. Hemispheres do.

Also, I think Big and Small has a larger number of islands than your average Hemisphere map.

 

[Landstander]

Their best map yet - especially since you can choose varied for the shape of Continents.

I was trying that yesterday, and was not happy with the outcome. All 5 maps I generated in a row had one 'normal' continet on one side, and a bunch of island on the other side. Nice if that's what your looking for - but I wanted at least two actual continets.
(ah, maybe I should choose 3 continets?)

 

[Landstander]

Also, I think Big and Small has a larger number of islands than your average Hemisphere map.

About Big and Small - anyone else notice that those maps are Huge and have very little water? The Standard size seemed much larger than a normal 'standard' map - and all that extra land makes for a lot of room to expand, but no real oceans.

 

[Zhahz]

About Big and Small - anyone else notice that those maps are Huge and have very little water? The Standard size seemed much larger than a normal 'standard' map - and all that extra land makes for a lot of room to expand, but no real oceans.

You could try setting sea level to high - that'll usually cut down on land mass.

 

[hgthechinese]

I've been playing w/Big and small, looks nice....you say hemi and B&S differ because hemisphere has....well, hemispheres, what exactly do you mean by that? Like, do you mean that their is a big ocean in the middle cutting off the two "worlds" the way earth does?

 

[Nikis-Knight]

Yeah, I think that is the intent. B&S will sometimes allow you to reach every player without caravels, hemis still has the seperation.

 

[MarkM]

Great, it only took them a few years and two expansions to get a decently realistic map option. Don't know why there was no proper continent and island option before. That's such a basic thing, but still they had a ton of other crappy map options over that. I really welcome this new option but I still have to complain because it took them so long.

God you must be a joy to be around!

 

[Ultimate_Waffle]

Thanks for the screenshot Sekerah . I really want to get this game, just for the hemispheres alone (All of the other stuff is great as well). Unfortunately, I might not have enough money for it when I get more money, because I really want to get Halo 3... So I can finish the fight .