Isolated Islands v9

[jleonnn]

This map consists of 72 territories, equally divided among 8 islands. For every territ held, +1 on top of the normal territ bonus. the ports can attack each other. Players start with one castle. Ports start off with. I have a few drafts. Ok, I've done an upgrade.

small image:

Click image to enlarge.

big image:

Click image to enlarge.

*Changes made so far:

• changed colour for islands

• Replaced one of the E8s with an E7

• Added a border, so that all islands have an equal number of territs.

• blurred the shores

• added two more islands for 8 player games

• Added ports

• changed port G2 to G5

• Added effects

• textured sea & land

• switched fonts

• Added central island

• Added additional bonuses

show: Older Versions

[jleonnn]

It's kinda blur I know...it didn't look like that in gimp. Why? Is there any way to sharpen it or something? Wow, saving it as jpg sure worked better.

[targetman377]

i like the new game play it is very interesting i cant wait to see this map go further.

[jleonnn]

Thank you. I came up with the map in a few hours so it's not anything spectacular...

[jleonnn]

I don't think this map will go much further. You are the only one so far to have said anything and 2/3 people say it's not good. sigh. And those who hate my map so much that vote for it, please tell me how I can change it.

[RedBaron0]

This map looks a lot like Feudal war, with a smidgen of AOR thrown in there. With 6 islands you wouldn't be able to support 7 and 8 player games. I'm assuming the castles are starting positions? How do you get from each island to the next one?

You've got a ton of work to do on this before it can seriously be considered as a viable map. Work on fleshing out your idea here, show us what you've got!

[jleonnn]

The point is that you'll have to bombard each other, no need to get from Island to island, I will get to the part of 8 islands, but what do you think of the idea- the bombarding enemies part?

[jleonnn]

I made the changes. What do you think now?

[SuicidalSnowman]

I like the map itself, but I think the bombardment only game play isn't a good idea, and here is why:

Basically, the only territories you can own are the ones on your island. Then you take those and bombard everyone else. Where is the strategy? It is just going to come down to who gets the best dice each turn, or even worse, who goes first.

In a two player game, your first turn you have your castle. So you spread out on your island, get one or two territories. Your opponent goes and does the same. Your next turn you get a bonus of +2, you now bombard him down to one territory, he gets a lower bonus, game over.
Or let's say first turn you have miserable dice, don't get any neutrals. Your opponent then just eliminates you.

In a game with more than 2, it would be ever worse. It is highly conceivable most people are eliminated before they take a turn.

Let's say we get into the mid game, like there is a gentleman's agreement not to bombard the first few rounds. Whomever gets a solid bombardment first is going to knock down the other's guys bonuses, and that's that. They then have to use troops retaking territories to build their bonus, which just gets knocked down, or they get much less troops to bombard with, making it less effective.

I think you need to find a way to 1) limit the bombardment so that each player has some protected territory to allow them to start the game and 2) have some way to allow some strategy in taking territories and building armies.

And clean the graphics up, but that will come in time I am sure. Also, this map might be an awesome freestyle speed test. Really test those fast clickies guys.

Good luck, you obviously have some good ideas, just keep thinking them and I am sure something will come together.

[RedBaron0]

Better, but since you start on the castle, you could possibly eliminate another player without a chance of retaliation. If you perhaps place a cannon in the territory furthest from the castle with a high neutral value that can bombard at least part of some island then you really need a path to jump from island to island. Bombarding only to win a game will only be a race to the cannon with the most armies or cards. There has to be diversity, multiple avenues to victory to be a viable map.

[thenobodies80]

Use the code below to post your image

Code: Select all

[bigimg]http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3652/map2z.png[/bigimg]

And some usefull links

How to make a map
Mapmaker's guide to the foundry
Mapmaking tools
Giving and receiving feedback

I'll come soon with more suggstions / critics for you

[jleonnn]

ok thnx, I'll work on that

[RedBaron0]

Definitely get us an update once you figure out land and sea texturing. I'd also suggest working with the larger image to start off with, it is much easier to shrink down an image and keep most of the detail rather than increase the size a smaller image.

[targetman377]

your g2 port is touching the castle that will give them an unfair advantage

[RedBaron0]

True. You need to move the port to G5 at least, then all ports are 2 territories away from the castles.

[jleonnn]

thnx. But could you help me with the sea and land texturing part. Not very good and don't know ho how to do it. I'm using gimp.

[RedBaron0]

Draft 4, without the lighting effect.

I'm going to put a bit of a guide for you in the thread you posted up in the thread you have in Tips and Suggestions about texturing.

[jleonnn]

thnx

[Industrial Helix]

The graphics are steadily improving, nice work so far.

But I'm wondering if this map offers anything unique to CC... it looks like a cross between AoR and Feudal War. Here's some suggestions that maybe will spark a few ideas for you:

1) Throw in a honeycomb pattern on the sea and make this a naval war. A port is the land's only access to the sea, plus 5 for holding a ship yard on land, plus 3 for holding a timber mill elsewhere on the island. Castles bombard the sea territories surrounding the land. The sea reduces all numbers per turn by 1 or 2.

2) Add a twist of Oasis and make some small islands connected via ports for colonization worth x amount of troops.

3) Cut the ports and add bridges worth 30 neutrals. Change the graphics to make it look like a treeless archipelago and write a little story about the environment. Perhaps throw in little variables such as a stone quarry or something which will increase troop deployment and thus making it seem like one island is building a bridge across to the other.

[RedBaron0]

Graphics are definitely improving, but I agree with Helix. With Feudal Epic nearly done, the map you have here isn't very unique. I like the idea of sea battles, territories on the sea and land. You'd probably have to move one of the land masses out of one of the corners to allow for a legend. Make one of these land masses an island. Play with it some, come up with a unique story line and see where it takes you.

[jleonnn]

thnx. I don't know anything about any storyline though. What do you think?

[jleonnn]

The graphics are steadily improving, nice work so far.

But I'm wondering if this map offers anything unique to CC... it looks like a cross between AoR and Feudal War. Here's some suggestions that maybe will spark a few ideas for you:

1) Throw in a honeycomb pattern on the sea and make this a naval war. A port is the land's only access to the sea, plus 5 for holding a ship yard on land, plus 3 for holding a timber mill elsewhere on the island. Castles bombard the sea territories surrounding the land. The sea reduces all numbers per turn by 1 or 2.

2) Add a twist of Oasis and make some small islands connected via ports for colonization worth x amount of troops.

3) Cut the ports and add bridges worth 30 neutrals. Change the graphics to make it look like a treeless archipelago and write a little story about the environment. Perhaps throw in little variables such as a stone quarry or something which will increase troop deployment and thus making it seem like one island is building a bridge across to the other.

thnx. That's quite helpfull! I'll try.

[jleonnn]

Sorry, I got a little carried away with the Singapore map, the updates are gonna hafta wait. Sorry.

[natty dread]

I think it would be fun if you changed the role of the ports/shipyards so that:

You can only access sea territories through shipyards, shipyards can't attack each other but they would have important roles as you'd need to hold a shipyard to get your troops to sea, and to another island. Also sea territories could only attack sea territories or shipyards.

Then you could get rid of the bridges, and the shipyards would have an important role as you would need one to get to another island. And prevent others from invading your island.

Although then you would maybe need to change the castles so that they bombard the land territs instead of sea, otherwise it would be too hard to take another's island.

It's just my noobish opinion, but I think the map would be a lot more interesting this way. The way it is now it seems just a feudal war at sea...

[The Neon Peon]

One thing you should consider is how you will fit in army circles in many of your regions. There are plenty which have to be redrawn or have images removed from them because the numbers won't fit.

On a similar note, why do some territories have such strange shapes? B1 is a good example. It juts out into the Castle reducing the usable space of that territory but adding no useful space to B1. There are several others that are shaped very strangely as well.

Why are there nuclear weapons on a map with castles and old ships?

No maps on CC tell how many neutrals territories start with. It wastes space in the legend since you can see them on the map. I'd suggest you remove the comments about how many neutrals territories start with.

Why would anyone ever take areas like D12? You have many sea territories that lead nowhere and that you woul dnot have to go through to get to any place. These will never get taken in any game. If you are looking for room to expand, get rid of these territories and make the ones on the land larger with the space.