thanks for taking the time to comment on gameplay MarshelNey
MarshalNey wrote:There seem to be a lot of 'isolated' regions that can only break out or be attacked by going through a buggy killer neutral, which could have consequences for escalating games for instance, but really I don't consider that a big deal... it could even be rather interesting.
Yes, i think this makes gameplay quite different from other maps out there, and indeed it will be challenging.
As for the bonus values... while I agree with Sully's suggestions, particularly with the Witch Hill + Prison + .... bonus, I also think that it is not necessary to focus too much on balancing all of the bonuses against each other. Balance among all gameplay elements is more friendly to beginning players, but really I never considered these kinds of maps to be geared toward that sort of audience- it's a complex, deep strategy map meant to appeal to ambitious or veteran players. I'm not sure it's necessary to tweak all of the bonuses so that they provide comparable benefit for their cost.
Well, we'll see about that in the first few rounds from all the 'balanced gameplay' buffins. But i would like to have a relateivly balanced game to start.
The map's scheme follows the classic cairnswk 'layer' system where a single region or group of regions can apply to multiple bonuses. Thus, some bonuses could be considered 'kicker'/'support'/'secondary'-type bonuses that would only be pursued as the cherry on the sundae, so to speak, rather than as a core bonus to build a power base. Obviously gross differences in cost vs. benefit among the bonuses could be a problem, but I'm not seeing that here.
I think the landowner bonuses will be the main layer, while the other accused and assuser bonuses etc will rack up later in the game. The fact that you can't get a complete set of landowners in one go without going through buggy stops will at least lengthen the rounds, but no so far as Das Schloss.
That said, the Witch Hill + Prison + Judges + any Hanged bonus should be easier to accomplish than it is, not to balance it against other bonuses so much as to make it more attractive. Witch Hill and the Prison should have more of a spotlight in the gameplay of the map!
Thus, my feeling is that the bonus should be strengthened for thematic purposes. Right now, Witch Hill and the Prison are kind of a distant 'secondary' bonus and will probably be ignored in most (not all) games.
Unfortunately, i can't move the physical location of those terts to the middle of the map, and since they are proabably going to come in at the end of the game, perhaps they should be made an objective do you think?
If the objective come into play, then i would need to see all of Witch Hill, Judges, Prison, Meeting Halls, Accused and Accusers plus Hanged as the objective.
Having said that, I still don't have the starting positions on there, so will put them back on a new version shortly.
These will proably add significant challenges to the gameplay, I was concerned at the those starting terts that were in close vicinity to town, but see what everyone thinks.
I may need to look at the map again with fresh eyes in a day or two, but right now I think it's overall stamp-worthy.
-- Marhsal Ney
thanks for stamp comment, but i think there is a little ways to go yet on this one and gameplay decisions.
I look forward to further analysis.