User Created Maps

[vyeh]

There might be a need for a map with 5 symmetric starting positions. Vets map has 4.

[Russia4Life]

There might be a need for a map with 5 symmetric starting positions. Vets map has 4.

I am not familiar with that map could you post it or direct me somewhere where I could view it?

Also is there a preferred size for an online map? Flat round? Islands land bridges Continents? How mountainous? Rainfall? Any other relevant information I would need to make a widely enjoyed map?

I am quite busy today, but after I come up with some ideas and whatnot I will probably start one Monday or Tuesday.

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Any opinions on the basic layout of the one I did in this post? Something very symmetrical like this is very easy for me to do, save for the rainfall patterns caused by elevation that can take some effort to keep things balanced, still not too hard though. Was the central area too overkill on resource bonuses I could easily tone things down if that's the case.

While fiddling with the world builder settings further, (and getting frustrated and not achieving the results I wanted) I decided to take a break and make a map. I am not sure what the demand is for an Online Multiplayer map, but I made one anyways.

It is a 4 player flat map, with well balanced starting areas. Each containing a narrow choke point leading to a resource heavy central area for players to fight for control of. All land and sea traffic must go through this area so controlling it not only allows you access to this resource laden area but also allows you to contain the other players.

The starting areas all have access to a Pholus Ridge type land mark and a freshwater lake. These Freshwater lakes can be connected to the rest of the water on the map via a city being placed in the appropriate spot. There are 4 rivers on each starting landmass. There are also a few hills and mountains throughout the area allowing for almost all of the terrain to be moist or rainy, one of which is a mountain range which also allows a defensible position just before the players choke, should control of the choke point be lost.

There is water on both sides of a thin strip of land preventing a direct sea route to other players starting locations, if determined though a city could be build on that land to allow the passage of ships. Doing so will take some effort though because the whole strip is covered by rocky terrain and fungus.

The center area contains a volcano, one side covered with a dense jungle and the other is known for it's rich uranium deposits. The water directly surrounding this central area is known for its geothermal energy.

[Russia4Life]

Wish you would have replied, but oh well I got impatient and threw something together anyways. It is not finished yet though. I definitely want some kinda feed back before I put fungus, pods, elevation, and rivers on it.

Anyways, this is what I got so far.

[bdanv]

I am not familiar with that map could you post it or direct me somewhere where I could view it?

the original map that was used for the veterans tournament is attached to this post

bellow you can find Mart's version of the vets map that has a balanced number of rainy tiles:

[Russia4Life]

the original map that was used for the veterans tournament is attached to this post

bellow you can find Mart's version of the vets map that has a balanced number of rainy tiles:

Thank's for posting that.

Big rectangles might get boring or something but it don't get much more balanced than that. Get's hard to get creative when you have to do it for 5 bases on a relatively small map. The islands could be expanded a little bit more probably. Definitely not the most creative map ever but for only spending an hour on it I think it turned out ok. did a super zoom out on the Screen shot because that was the only view I could get the whole thing to fit in.

I am too tired to try improving it anymore right now.

[vyeh]

I took a quick look at the map. I wouldn't place pods on it. The serious players probably want less randomness.

Besides adding fungus, I would add some small and medium islands.

Also some freshwater seas (inland lakes). I'm sure you are planning to look at the the minor landmark and natural landmark entries in the map editor to add more variety, but could I suggest that you think about adding monoliths around the starting positions?

In the early game, monoliths are a great boost for the players.

By the way, when you edit a post (like you did in #32), the forum doesn't indicate that the thread has been updated like it does for a new post. If you had created a new post, I would have seen that there was a new post.

I started a new thread in the multiplayer forum to call attention to the 5 star map. I think you pointed out elsewhere that there are people who only look at their own forum.

[Buster Crabbe's Uncle]

Russia, thank you for your contributions to the community- I'm sure they're much more widely apreciated than the posting indicates- (and I'm jealous of the volume of reaction you get, even so.)

A lot of us are interested, but just have nothing to add to the discussion.

[Russia4Life]

I took a quick look at the map. I wouldn't place pods on it. The serious players probably want less randomness.

Besides adding fungus, I would add some small and medium islands.

Also some freshwater seas (inland lakes). I'm sure you are planning to look at the the minor landmark and natural landmark entries in the map editor to add more variety, but could I suggest that you think about adding monoliths around the starting positions?

In the early game, monoliths are a great boost for the players.

I am definitely nowhere near finished just wanted input on what I had already. Not sure how much fungus to put in, the areas are not exactly large so I do not want to overkill it, but I still want enough that if you want to capture mind worms or use some other kinda fungus strategy you will have that opportunity. As for land I was thinking of adding on to the existing land so they are not just big rectangles that looks rather boring to me. Lakes and islands are a good idea too, I already had plans to add more islands in, it is tricky keeping spacing good as to not give a start location too much of a benefit.

I wouldn't have put monoliths in so it is a good thing you mentioned them. I usually get my monoliths from pods but if they are left out then adding them in definitely make sense.

By the way, when you edit a post (like you did in #32), the forum doesn't indicate that the thread has been updated like it does for a new post. If you had created a new post, I would have seen that there was a new post.

I started a new thread in the multiplayer forum to call attention to the 5 star map. I think you pointed out elsewhere that there are people who only look at their own forum.

I didn't realize that it did't get updated, if I knew that I'd have messaged you. Guess I am learning new things still. Not used to this forum yet. Other games I play have much better forum features, and are far more active(Yes I realize this is a 10 year old game). Don't misunderstand, I have nothing against Apolyton I think it is a great place for information and is by far the best forum I have found for SMAC.

Russia, thank you for your contributions to the community- I'm sure they're much more widely apreciated than the posting indicates- (and I'm jealous of the volume of reaction you get, even so.)

A lot of us are interested, but just have nothing to add to the discussion.

Well I guess you are welcome, I don't think I really deserve thanks for anything.
I don't let the volume of responses and feedback(or lack there of) get to me I realize this is a rather old game, and the activity on this forum is relatively low. Even if everyone hated what I made I'd still make stuff I guess(probably would stop posting it though), it is a good way for me to sit down and relax for a few hours. Then I can spend more time later playing a game on it.

[Russia4Life]

Update

Hopefully I am close to done. Still no fungus or monoliths yet, I did everything else I wanted to though, including an overhaul on the existing landmasses. The side bases were hard to keep symmetrical so I gave up trying for symmetry. I made them as close to balanced as I could though, hope there aren't many complaints on it. Anyone with an idea on how much or where to put fungus I am listening.

Side note: The middle doesn't look like a star anymore but thinking of a better name was not really high on my list of ways to spend my time.

[Buster Crabbe's Uncle]

You might want to have a look at Darsnan's new Worldbuilder thread at CFC. He'd love to hear what you think.

[Russia4Life]

I gave it a look, thanks for mentioning it. I don't spend much time there except for civ 2 related stuff.

[vyeh]

Remember in the early game the effect of fungus depends on whether you are native life or non-native life. For native life, fungus acts like roads; it only cost 1/3 mp to enter a fungus square. For non-native life, fungus is a barrier; it may take several turns to enter a fungus square.

So strips of fungus is one way to go. That allows the native life units (which the Gaians or the Cult will quickly capture as well as wild) to zip along. The areas between the strips allows the non-native units to move.

How about placing The Ruins at (95, 89) and the corresponding points on the other continents?

[Russia4Life]

Remember in the early game the effect of fungus depends on whether you are native life or non-native life. For native life, fungus acts like roads; it only cost 1/3 mp to enter a fungus square. For non-native life, fungus is a barrier; it may take several turns to enter a fungus square.

So strips of fungus is one way to go. That allows the native life units (which the Gaians or the Cult will quickly capture as well as wild) to zip along. The areas between the strips allows the non-native units to move.

How about placing The Ruins at (95, 89) and the corresponding points on the other continents?

Placed fungus in kinda a strip formation, 50 tiles worth plus the fungus generated by the ruins which I added because you requested it. I also added some sea monoliths, and 4 monoliths per landmass not including the ruins. Should I add more sea fungus? I was going to add more but again, not sure what is generally proffered for a multiplayer map. I put some around the islands and around the central landmass.

If no other suggestions or requests I'd venture to say that I am finished. Don't really care about the name of the map, Vyeh if you feel like naming it I will give you that privilege. other wise I will just call it "5 multiplayer map"(real original name huh)

[Petek]

Status report on game played on the 1024x2048 map:

I abandoned the game I was playing as Morgan in MY 2216. The main reasons for doing so were that the game was bogging down, I don't play Morgan very well, and the presence of pods doesn't seem to work very well on these mega maps.

So, I regenerated the map to remove the pods. Started a new game with me as the University and the other six original SMAC factions. As before, gave each faction a free former and adjusted the research rate to x3. Here's a status report on my new game:

Faction: University
MY: 2175
Research status -- Started with: Info Networks and Cent Ecol; Researched: Planetary Nets, Ind Econ, Ind Base, Biogenetics, Ind Auto; Currently researching: Social Psych (will be discovered in 7 turns)
Research rate: Breakthroughs every 7 turns.
Number of Bases: 32, plus 11 CPs active and 7 in production (Note: At zero efficiency, the bureaucracy limit is 302 bases!)
SE choices: Free Market, Wealth
Running Econ: 50%, Psych: 0%, Labs: 50%
ECs on hand: 101
SP status: Built WP and VW. Currently building HGP (which also is being built by Morgan).
No commlinks yet.

Who's who

Tech: Provost Petek
Mil: CEO Morgan
Pop: Sister Miriam
Wealth: CEO Morgan
Territory: Brother Lal
Overall: Chaiman Yang

I observed something that I don't recall seeing before. I built a condensor. I got the message that "Our Formers have altered the rainfall patterns near $BASENAME0." Right afterwards, I saw that approx. six moist tiles with farms became arid. Is that right? I know that raising or lowering land can change the moisture content, and that condensors raise the moisture of surrounding tiles. Perhaps I just hadn't noticed this in the past.

For anyone who's interested in the details of the game, I've attached a log of various events.

Petek

[Russia4Life]

There is something you don't see everyday morgan has the largest military.

How is the game running now without pods?