Twice used squares on time line : what do we really know ?

[Julius Brenzaida]

Many of you probably know that near the “time line”, when x=0 that is, the squares can be used twice. For example :
-2 –1 .0 .1 .2
x s2..s2..s2.x
x being the cities and s2, the square used twice. It is very interesting with the specials, many being oddly placed on the time line when the x coordinates are not a multiple of 8 (25 instead of 24 for example).

But now, I am wondering :
1) if a square can be used thrice ?
2) if it only works with 0. It looks it also does with –1/1 and even –2/2.
3) Is there a pattern to ideally place cities along the time line ?

In fact, any information on the time line would be welcome and I’m going to do a few test on my own. Twice used square can be very useful indeed, for the resources as I already said and for the lesser work to do for the settlers. For a perfectionist (like me) it can me a lot of time saved. And if the big cities are closer, it means less corruption before democracy.

[Smash]

I just happen to have an example from whale filled scenario I made for an easy game

here is the starting location.The white square is on line 0

left side

right side

Both working the same whale.The left city can work any square on the right side of line 0.Same deal with right city, just opposite.

[Sten Sture]

I did waste several hours one day trying to get five specials in a city radius using a variety of map sizes and resource seeds. Could not do it, but it was very boring!

Best location on a map would probably be immediately adjacent to the "date-line" - that would yield the largest number of twice-worked squares...

[SandMonkey]

dang Smash, did you edit that map? If not those are the sweetest starting positions I have ever seen!

[Blaupanzer]

If you don't build the map yourself, land does not cross the timeline. Whatever method the program uses to create land and water puts all squares on the timeline as water. This is according to the designers. While land can come close enough for the double use square, no land squares will be on the zero line. Not at all sure how a triple use could occur, since the idea is use by a city from each side of the line.

[DaveV]

Blaupanzer - I have, on a few rare occaisions, found land crossing the dateline on a random map, both in 2.42 and MGE, SP and MP. In one memorable MP game, I started near the dateline. I can believe that the programmers tried to prevent this, but they were apparently only partially successful.

[rah]

We usually play MP on real small worlds to encourage warfare and to minimize games of settler spittings.

40x42 for four players. Small maps increase the probablility of land crossing over.

From experience I would guess 50% of the time, land crosses over the 0 line or two land masses butt up against each other with a trickle of water in between that can be crossed. One game I started on the 1 line with a special on the 0 line that my first two cities were both able to use.

RAH

[Steve Clark]

quote: Originally posted by Sten Sture on 01-02-2001 07:52 PM I did waste several hours one day trying to get five specials in a city radius using a variety of map sizes and resource seeds. Could not do it, but it was very boring!

Must have been in the pre-baby days, huh Sten? Hope you are doing well, my friend.

[Sten Sture]

when were those days, Steve? Actually, work has been the culprit, not the little bundle of joy.

Cheers.

BTW - playing "flat map" does obviously eliminate the time line but also the bad terrain near the poles - I prefer that setting on small maps.

[Smash]

They can't be used "thrice".The horizontal has no such "line".Too bad.You could work 84 squares while actually using only 30-40.