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I like big maps. REAL big. I've generated and run maps as large as 2048 x 1024, but I find that 512 x 256 is about right for a long, slow game. I like the enhanced realism of a larger planet - somehow the scale on a 128 x 64 map seems cramped and weird to me. But on the really big maps, I run into a few problems. I wonder if anyone else here has experience with these issues and can offer opinions/suggestions.
I'm interested in finding ways to encourage interaction on very large maps; I'm working on a custom mod with a 512 x 256 map of Earth, and I want there to be a lot of interplay despite the distances. Of course, the obvious suggestion is going to be, 'use smaller maps'. But I wonder if there are other ways to tweak the game dynamic to make it not only desirable to travel outward and scour the globe, but even essential.
- Efficiency severely limits the size of empires. According to the hard-coded formula in SMAC, no matter how good your faction's Efficiency rating, any base farther than 64 squares from headquarters loses all energy to inefficiency. On small maps, this isn't much of a problem. On huge maps, it means that your distant outposts are going to be "loss leaders". This is not necessarily bad or unrealistic - most colonies in history have been heavy investments, and military bases on foriegn shores require heavy support. But this effect tends to discourage factions from venturing beyond their established homeland areas.
- AI factions tend to stay home and become hard-core builders - even the "conquest" factions. I prefer not to play with AI factions, but often there's little choice. On big maps, they become very insular. The same can be said with some human players as well - it's easy to sit at home and build roads. But I like to go out and try to find everyone and get the political machine rolling. Perhaps this problem could be solved by setting up a scenario with comm frequencies at the start of the game.
- War is more difficult to wage over long distances. Until missiles, needlejets and carrier decks become available, it's almost pointless to wage war on a distant neighbor. Raising movement rates helps a little, but because sighting/fog of war rules remain the same, raising them too far would through everything off.
I'm interested in finding ways to encourage interaction on very large maps; I'm working on a custom mod with a 512 x 256 map of Earth, and I want there to be a lot of interplay despite the distances. Of course, the obvious suggestion is going to be, 'use smaller maps'. But I wonder if there are other ways to tweak the game dynamic to make it not only desirable to travel outward and scour the globe, but even essential.
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