Need help with map creating

[Lord_Icewind]

Hi!
As I have absolutely no experience in mapmaking, I need your help guys!
The problem is I want to make an absolutely equal-chance map, but very asimetric and "real" like. It is destined for a paper RPG I want to make for some conventions here in Spain...the main idea is that all players play as a faction leader (with a possible helper/s) and they have to roleplay all the way through the game (exchanges, territorial disputes, council, etc).
It would be a rather long game, and I would give a paper to each faction explaining in detail its ideologies and what does it think about the other factions, as wel as its objectives, etc.
Its a bit hard to explain, specially in a foreign language. but I hope you guys get the main idea...
Thanks in advance!

[binTravkin]

Uhh, you'll need the best CMNs out here to help you, as noone to pretends to have created such map before.

You could contact Googlie and Darsnan for advice if they don't come here themselves..

In general - you'll never be able to make a 100% or even a 75% balanced map. People differ - what's a disaster starting position for one, can be a foundation of victory for other..

[Lord_Icewind]

Guess you're right about the percentages...I'll ask them then. Thanks

[dacole]

I think there is a gurps Alpha Centauri as well that you might want to look at since you seem to be making a pencil and paper version of the game.

[Googlie]

The best that I've seen was Buster's (or maybe Flubber's) Veterans map:

[Darsnan]

Originally posted by Googlie
The best that I've seen was Buster's (or maybe Flubber's) Veterans map:

Lord_ICewind had asked for a very asymetrical map, though. From my understanding the Veterans map is perfectly symetrical.

From Lord I's comments above it may be that the players will not be taking into account terrain differences for combat purposes (i.e. rocky, river, open, fungus, etc.) - is this correct? How about monoliths, the Nexus, etc. ? Finally, what about improved city squares - are these going to be taken into account in your game? I guess I would need to know these answers before I could give considerable thought to this.

edit - Oh yeah, and what about pods and all their random effects (fungal pops, earthquakes, sonar readouts, etc.)


D

[Lord_Icewind]

No no, terrain effects and random effects will be just the same as a Thinker level (Not all of them have played SMAC. But most have played a Civ.)
The actual gameplay would be a Hot-Seat one, but most of the roleplay and contacts between any factions would be in "realworld".
I guess it would end up in a kind of mixture between a paper rpg and the actual game, were the players of each faction would have to decide Demo. Game-ish.
Anything else not explained?