Help on space map

[Iconoclast]

I am currently making a custom space map for a scenario, with all new terrains.
My big dilemna is what to define open space as. Currently I started out with using Tundra, and making all units either air or land. I was going to use the outer edges and the middle as sea so the goto works.
Now I am thinking about using sea for open space, so that I can use carriers and have a random chance for a ship to die away from a system. But if I do this, I can no longer use goodies like roads, rails, irrigation, treats all spaces as roads, zone of control, etc.
What do you guys think? It is not necessary for my scenario to have carriers, and it is possible to create land units that refuel air ones. Anyone have experience with space maps with any insight for me? Any help would appreciated.

[kobayashi]

You've come to the right man. I have made two space scenarios, one using land as space (ST DW) and one using sea as space (ST BAQ). There is no best terrain to use as space, it depends on what you want to achieve but my preference is to go for the sea as space.

Alternatively, you can have land as small pockets of explored space and ocean as deep space. Especially if you are using planets as cities. If you are using space stations as cities, the terrain bonuses should be planets.

Another thing, the AI does not appreciate land based carriers.

[Iconoclast]

Hey I appreciate the info.
I may go with the sea based space after all.
All planets are land based and give good bonuses. I will give the space a resource and 2 trade. Originally I had my space as land with that, with a irrigation addition of 2 grain. But if it is ocean I cannot do that.
And basically, I am making the change with AI in mind. I want to limit the expansion of the empires at the beginning of the game, and using land based was impossible when keeping AI in mind.
I do not plan to use space station settlements, they will all be planet based. Which means settlers will be flying units with no range limits, that is once they get the tech to go that far.
Any other suggestions would be helpful, this is my first scenario here and I am trying to get the hang of it all before I tackle something big.

[kobayashi]

Now that you have made the sea-space decision, you have to decide whether all land is planets. If you have all land as planets, your land units can be terresterial style units and the planets ideally must be linked.

Alternatively, you can leave one type of land terrain as inner space (this is a better idea in my opinion and pioneered by John Valdez?). If you have one of the land terrain as inner space, your land units must be space style units. - I would have used this scheme for BAQ if I had come across it earlier. Sea units would be space going mothership type vessels with warp/hyperdrive capability.

[Iconoclast]

What I planned unit wise was for there to be limited land defenses, which have no movement allowance. Basically laser cannons. Beyond that there would be variable types of units, some for point defense, some for brute offense, some escort, basically what you see in Civ 2, or in a good naval scenario. I was thinking of having different types of space to represent different scaled distance, since you can not represent light years difference in maps. But all of this is rather confusing for the AI, and since this is my first modpack scenario, I do not want to be causing too much conflict unless I know what I am doing. I already have my basic terrain types down, all planets are land, suns too. Terran, Barren, Desert, Ice, Gas Giant, and Stars. The stars are either red giant, yellow, or blue dwarf in accordance with special resources. If I go with ocean space squares, I may add another planet type to up the food output, since I have 2 terrains I left open for future additions. My main problem with terrain is lack of good sets to use. I have so far cut and pasted some from other packs that fit for my own purposes now, but I will need to secure some better ones before all is said is done.
Basically the scenario is going to be a basic explore and populate game, with some added events. Not too complicated, but I am hoping to learn enough to be able to design a scenario based on a famous sci-fi series that would be alot of fun. Either way I have some work to do tonight.

[Iconoclast]

bump

I am nearly finished with my units right now, and looking for some input on balance, etc. So far, I have mounted units open, unhappy, and the extra 10 open so I still have plenty to add. If you want to help me out, email me at Iconoclast_9@hotmail.com or reply to the thread and I will send you the unit info.
Thanks