...Or maybe this is your first time? I'm happy to announce that both the Tournament and Foundry Newsletters are now being linked to through a General Discussion sticky, courtesy of Lack and Twill. If you're new, we're happy to have you along and hope you enjoy the newsletter. For the people who've come back for a second taste, we've got more of the same from before, with some new changes. We've got new graphic headers to help find each section, as well as a Table of Contents. Maps in Development itself has been flipped backwards so that Quenched maps are first, followed by Final Forge maps (the ones closest to getting Quenched and going to live play) and so on. This way, maps that need finishing touches pointed out are easier to get to. I've babbled long enough, enjoy the second issue!
Senior Editor TaCktiX
CONTENT
Maps in Development
-Recently Quenched
-Final Froge
-Main Foundry
-Advanced Idea
Editorial
Spotlight
Community Perspective
As you are all probably aware this is the part where we give you a bite size portion on every map that is currently in development.
Name: Lower Egypt
Creator: cairnswk
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Description: First in the quadtych, Lower Egypt is stunning on the graphics and rock-solid on the gameplay. It's a small map based on the Nile Delta, with plenty of opportunities to get bonuses. Overall, a very well-done map to look out for.
Present Development: Quenched.
Name: British Isles Revamp
Creator: Gimil
Stamps:
Description: One of the most beloved maps in the game is getting a makeover. The creator has redone the look of the map to be much cleaner and geographically accurate to the Isles. Expect this one to be released soon.
Present Development: Stalled, but more or less complete.
Name: CC City Mogul
Creator: DiM
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Description: The dice have been complained about since the birth of CC. This map aims to make that a non-issue by making every single bonus 5 times the normal size. Craft a shopping empire on this blueprint-styled map, and erect a manor and shopping mall to declare your mercantile victory.
Present Development: Significantly slowed awaiting the XML to be released by the mapmaker.
Name: Golfe du St-Laurent
Creators: Lone.prophet and Unit_2
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Description: The Gulf of St. Lawrence (French, Golfe du St-Laurent) is the world's largest estuary, but conservation takes a backseat to beating the pulp out of others on this map of the gulf and its surrounding areas. It's an average-sized map with well-done textures and area-appropriate colors. Its classic gameplay is without any gimmicks and should be easy to pick up.
Present Development: Awaiting a post-Forge update, but one of the mapmaker is finishing off the school year, so it's delayed.
Name:Luxembourg
Creator: Ruben Cassar
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Description: Ruben Cassar has created a very simple map of Luxembourg. This map, with very few territories, should provide a nice alternative to Doodle Earth in the "small map" genre. The map is clean and simple, without any special twists or tricks.
Present Development: Luxembourg is proceeding at a good rate, with regular updates. It was recently moved into the Final Forge.
Name: Operation Drug War
Creators: edbeard, Telvannia, and zimmah
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Description: Multiple objective maps are yet to get into live play. That's what this map is addressing, simulating a drug war with cops, stashes, and much more. There are multiple paths to victory on this darkly rendered city nightscape, and multiple paths to defeat.
Present Development: Awaiting XML corrections to make it bug-free.
Name: San Marino
Creator: Ruben Cassar
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Description: The Ruben Cassar formula to a T: a simple map based around a small area. It's attractive to the eye, and while being average size has plenty of bonuses that should be easy to get and hold onto.
Present Development: Very recently moved into the Final Forge.
Name: Supermax: Prison Riot
Creators: mibi and Coleman
Stamps:
Description: Rival gangs are at war with each other in a maximum security prison. They're willing to bribe guards, use weapons, and even take over the entire prison to accomplish their goals. This detailed map offers dozens of ways to build forces, and its gameplay is like no other on CC right now. Take a look at this one before it takes you by surprise.
Present Development: XML is in progress, and should be reposted soon.
Name: Sydney Metro
Creator: cairnswk
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Description: In yet another map by the everpresent and prolific cairnswk, he depicts metropolitan Sydney, replete with ferries, traffic crossings, and buses. It's a large map with small bonuses that should make gameplay fast and enjoyable.
Present Development: XML is complete and awaiting checking. Current discussion is about the text explaining the map's unique features.
Name: Treasures of Galápagos
Creator: cairnswk
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Description: Darwin would be proud of this map that trumpets diving for the biological riches of the Galápagos Islands. It's a twist on the conquest gameplay seen in maps like Age of Realms, and the graphics are suitably tropical.
Present Development: XML is complete, and final balancing is being doublechecked.
Name: Upper Egypt
Creator: cairnswk
Stamps:
Description: The second map in the quadtych, Upper Egypt is a very good-looking small map. Despite being essentially a line of territories, it avoids bottlenecking and has some of the more creative ways of using map space out there.
Present Development: Very recently moved into the Final Forge.
Name: Archipelago
Creators: ZeakCytho and Mjinga
Stamps:
Description: A small chain of islands is at war! This fictional archipelago is fought over by the players in a simple classic-style map. The sharp graphics go hand in hand with the lack of gameplay quirks, a driving impetus behind this map.
Present Development: Gameplay recently got vetted, and progress is being made toward getting Graphics as well.
Name: CC Archery
Creators: Kaplowitz and gimil
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Description: CC Archery is a map that mimics players shooting at targets, and one disgustingly cute rabbit. Bonuses are easy to get, making gameplay fun in the early game. The graphics are heavily tongue-in-cheek, which serves as a boon for this map.
Present Development: After some gameplay-killing issues were raised, this map has gone back to the drawing board to help resolve them.
Name: Charleston, SC
Creator: RjBeals
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Description: Charleston, famous for its role in the American Civil War, the American Revolutionary War, and...Conquer Club maps? In this take on America's second largest Atlantic seaport, Rj has created a straightforward large map with simple but attractive graphics.
Present Development: Gameplay is a big topic of discussion right now, with more graphical edits to resolve any readability issues.
Name: The Citadel
Creator: TaCktiX
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Description: What better place to have a military takeover than at a military college's campus? That is the premise of The Citadel. Based directly off of the campus and its buildings, this medium-sized map goes for fairly straightforward gameplay, with a couple of quirks.
Present Development: This map seems to be nearing stamps, pending an update from the mapmaker.
Name: Conquer 4
Creators: gimil, KEYOGI, and yeti_c
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Description: In some ways, Conquer 4 is a simple map: all bonuses are determined by only two rules. But every territory can attack 8 ways and bonuses are where you make them. This map will certainly be crazy to play, with bonuses coming and going simply by conquering one territory.
Present Development: Further clarifications are being made to explain the ruleset, and the graphics have remained rock-solid in the theme.
Name: Cyprus
Creator: Ruben Cassar
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Description: Cyprus is a hotly contested country, with a Berlin Wall-style line splitting two disparate populations. So what better place to make a map all about conquering? The creator has created a map that not only incorporates the Green Line UN peace zone, but turns it into an interesting gameplay device. The simple, clean graphics only add to the attraction of the map.
Present Development: The colors of the continents have been in debate, with the present color scheme thought of as being too cold. Nothing new has happened in at least a week.
Name: Dark Age Britain
Creators: Balsiefen and Telvannia
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Description: It's a new take on Albion, this time aged back to the Dark Ages when castles ruled over everything and sea travel was treacherous. This well-rendered map offers plenty of gameplay options and has a style very reminiscent of its time period. Its mixed building and continent bonuses are different from the average map.
Present Development: Progressing slowly, mostly from a lack of comments. Recent changes have been made to several aspects of the graphics to make it more understandable.
Name: Eastern Hemisphere
Creator: Oaktown
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Description: What happens when you slice the world in half then age it 90 years? This map showing the far side of the world around 1910! It's the time when the great European empires are crumbling, and the creator has worked hard on making gameplay appropriate to the time setting. Expect a fresh world experience soon.
Present Development: The creator is still working on gameplay, changing connections and other abilities to balance things out. Comments are being actively encouraged.
Name: The Era of the Three Kingdoms
Creator: Gimil
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Description: After the Han dynasty fell, three kingdoms arose to fight for dominance in China. Re-enact that bloodthirsty time period with this simple recreation of the region. The map is of average size, but the subcontinents make getting and keeping bonuses fairly easy and gameplay fast.
Present Development: Readability issues are getting resolved at present, among other graphical tweaks. Updates have been slower but more substantial in overall changes.
Name: Europa
Creator: MrBenn
Stamps:
Description: The creator set out upon a simple goal: make a map about the way Europe really is, even down to Vatican City. He's stayed true to that vision, and the map reflects it, with a clean look to all the countries no matter their size. The map makes good use of natural boundaries to create impassables, adding to the clean feel of the map.
Present Development: Back in production with a lot of possibilities that the mapmaker has aired for people to comment on.
Name: Famine
Creator: Bryguy
Stamps:
Description: 8 players, 8 castles, and a famine on the land. Grab your empire's territories, but also grab the resources to feed it. It's a unique premise gameplay-wise, and should make play on it fairly exciting and ruthless.
Present Development: The graphics have come a long way, but presently the color scheme is undergoing an overhaul to fit the new famine theme. Updates can be a little slow when the mapmaker's schedule gets particularly busy.
Name: France, 18th Century
Creator: Pamoa
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Description: The French Revolution changed the course of European history, so having a map based on the country at that time only makes sense. It's a simple, attractive small map, with classic gameplay. The clean approach to the map has made it very interesting to watch as it has progressed.
Present Development: The color scheme is in heavy debate right now, input encouraged.
Name: Germany Revamp
Creator: Pepperonibread
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Description: The current Germany map, as many German members have pointed out, is quite inaccurate. In this revamp, Pepperonibread is redrawing many of the borders to more accurately reflect the real Germany, as well as changing many of the territory names. Finally, the graphics will be completely overhauled and replaced with, in the words of Gimil, "super cool, shit hot graphics."
Present Development: Almost all of the borders and territory names have been decided on. Pepperonibread is about to integrate these new items from the working paint image into the real version with great graphics.
Name: Imperium Romanum
Creator: Qwert
Stamps:
Description: The Roman Empire was one of the most powerful empires that ever existed. This map encourages you to build that empire for yourself by commanding legions, cities, and ships to gain an edge on your foes. Graphics are vibrant and eye-catching, with lots of Rome-related paraphernalia on the edges.
Present Development: The gameplay has been decided on, but comments have been slow in coming since that decision. The mapmaker is actively encouraging any and all comments.
Name: Madagascar
Creator: t-o-m
Stamps:
Description: Another small map in the pipeline, this time of the island nation of Madagascar. Gameplay is straightforward, and the territory naming accurately reflects the regions of the country. Graphics are fairly simple, which helps the appeal of the map.
Present Development: Gameplay is being heavily discussed right now, with graphical improvements sprinkled in. The map has come a long way since its first draft.
Name: Maze Craze
Creators: WidowMakers and yeti_c
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Description: This map is big: 454 territories big. And it has a very novel gameplay revolving around neutrals that reset to much higher values when they're conquered. This is definitely a map to watch as it develops further.
Present Development: Slowed a little bit since the XML code doesn't presently support the map's different neutral values, but progressing very well.
Name: Mexico
Creators: fumandomuerte and t-o-m
Stamps:
Description: This map just oozes the flavor of the country it is representing. It's a classic map with ports similar to the Philippines map, and its color scheme is straight off the Mexican flag itself. The vibrant colors and Mexican theme definitely contribute to the appeal of this map.
Present Development: Back from a two month vacation, the map is once again making progress. All feedback has been encouraged.
Name: Nubian Egypt
Creator: cairnswk
Stamps:
Description: In what the creator calls the third map in the Egypt Quadtych, the lesser-known part of the Nile, Nubia, is getting covered. It's a small map with fairly easy bonuses, and a dedication to the Egyptian theme that cairns has cultivated in his other Egypt maps.
Present Development: Comments are slow in coming, despite the map having the same style and an interesting twist to the gameplay.
Name: Oasis
Creator: wcaclimbing
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Description: Calling Oasis a phenomenon would do it no credit. This graphical feast has taken the Foundry by storm, leaving several regular commenters drooling for the next update. It's based around a central objective Grand Oasis surrounded by decaying desert, and lots of one-territory bonuses sprinkled throughout. Watch out for this map, it's certain to change the way objective maps are made.
Present Development: Once again awaiting an update. Go figure.
Name: Periodic Madness
Creators: shadowsteel9 and TaCktiX
Stamps:
Description: The periodic table. Boring reference material at the front of that accursed chemistry book, right? Wrong, it's a place to beat the crap out of other people at the atomic scale. In this map by shadowsteel9 and TaCktiX, they have used the setting of the periodic table to craft a large and interesting map.
Present Development: The mapmaker has promised a complete graphics overhaul in the next version, but that was over a week ago.
Name: Poker Map
Creators: yeti_c, Coleman, and WidowMakers
Stamps:
Description: Go all in with this take on a poker game. With a mixed-up deck spread on a well-rendered poker table, gameplay will revolve around creating poker hands through force. No bluffs here, this should turn out to be quite an interesting map.
Present Development: The card layout has settled down, and another graphical update is soon to come.
Name: Switzerland
Creator: Kaplowitz
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Description: Switzerland is famed for its bank accounts, neutrality in war, and sweeping mountains. So have a hostile takeover on this average-sized map of the country.Graphics are simple and the gameplay matches, with only classic continents and impassables.
Present Development: Adjustments are being made to make the map more Swiss in looks.
Name: Allegheny Forest, PA, USA
Creator: seamusk
Stamps: [Advanced Idea]
Description: This map has been a bolt from the blue. It's a complex map with lots of rules and bonuses, but all the rules fit with the way the map has been structured. Gameplay will likely be very varied when this map gets further along.
Present Development: The creator is extremely enthusiastic about making the map better, and accepts input. Current concerns are the understandability of the map.
Name: Castle Battle
Creators: Marvaddin and Telvannia
Stamps: [Advanced Idea]
Description: Terrifically good 3D graphics meshed with the medieval theme and gameplay of an army assaulting a castle. That is the premise of the well-started Castle Battle. Both gameplay and graphics on this one are complex and varied, a tour-de-force already at such an early stage.
Present Development: Gameplay is very malleable right now, and the graphics are changing to reflect gameplay changes in tandem. Comments are encouraged, but updates have slowed of late.
Name: Los Angeles
Creator: Oaktown
Stamps: [Advanced Idea]
Description: The City of Angels, famous for its sprawling hills and gridlock traffic. Both are present in this simply-designed map showcasing freeways, major areas, and of course, landmarks. Regions are large, offset by the bonus aspect freeways give, meaning this map should be great on all settings.
Present Development: The actual bonus freeways should get is up for debate, and landmarks are being added onto the map each time there's an update. Currently stalled as the mapmaker figures out how to incorporate the freeways.
As always DiM has gone out his way to give something truly excellent for this week's editorial.
This week for our spotlight, wcaclimbing was kind enough to give a few moments of his time to talk about his time in the foundry and his current map in development, "Oasis".
How old are you/what gender are you/where do you live? Answer specifically, vaguely, or not at all.
I'm a guy in high school, living in Georgia, USA.
How did you find out about Conquer Club?
I played Risk every morning with a few friends before school (yeah, we were the kids that play board games before school), and I really enjoyed playing. So I looked on the Internet, but somehow I didn't find Conquer Club. I asked a friend at school if he knew of anywhere online to play Risk, and he sent me here. I've been addicted ever since
What interested you in map-making?
I'm mostly interested in the graphics. Map-making is a way for me to get out and make things with Photoshop that I would never normally make, and then with community feedback added in, I learn a lot about how to create various things in Photoshop. I call it both a learning experience and fun at the same time, because I love digital art and really like improving my work so it can be awesome.
What was your first map? Why that one?
Oh no, not this topic..... My first map attempt (by attempt, I mean that it failed miserably) at map-making was to create a map of the periodic table. It was back when I didn't really know what I was doing, and like so many other people, I thought the periodic table would be a cool map. It was pretty awful, and most people in the foundry either hated it or left me so many major change suggestions that it was kinda overwhelming. Cause I was the new kid with the "no, its my map, i don't want to re-do it and make it completely different" attitude. So, that map ended badly, and after that I left the foundry for a couple of months. Yeah, this explanation did a bit more than answer the question, but thats my first map.
What kind of feedback do you like getting?
My favorite kind of feedback is the "its perfect, I love it" kind of feedback, cause it makes me feel good about what I made. Sure, actual suggestions are more helpful, but nothing boosts my map-making spirit like a few "I love this map, hurry up and finish it so I can play it" comments.
What "keeps you going" through getting a map through the Foundry?
Community support is what keeps me working on a map. Cause after a while, I realize "wow, I haven't made any updates on Oasis in 14 days, those people that have been supporting my map are probably annoyed that its taking me so long
What inspired you to create this map?
Nothing really "inspired" me; it just sort of got started. I had been looking for a map to make for a while, so I was browsing around the Map Ideas topic. My favorite maps are the ones with a ton of neutrals (AoR, Feudal), so I really liked the idea InkL0sed posted in map ideas, making a map based around a desert full of neutrals, using oases as bonuses. The idea for Oasis just sort of developed out of the conversation we had about the possibility of the idea.
How did you decide what game play and graphics styles to go with?
Game play just developed out of me talking to InkL0sed about how the game might work. The graphics, on the other hand, came from many different sources. First, I've always been a fan of realistic terrain in maps (AoR, Feudal, Omaha Beach) just because the graphics looked cool and they were a refreshing change from solid-colored continents. Then the graphics on Mibi's Trojan War map [clicky] were so completely awesome, it pretty much secured the idea that if I ever attempted another map after my Periodic Table disaster, it would be based on realistically drawn terrain.
If you have a unique game play style, why?
I like maps where you start in one location, and you have to manage the few armies that you have on a map with a lot of possible strategies, cross a lot of neutrals, and finally reach your objective. If it helps any, AoR: Magic is my favorite map, because of all the possibilities of how a game can progress. That endless amount of possibilities is an idea that I am trying to work into any realistic maps I make.
How much time do you spend on each update? How much of that time do you enjoy?
I could spend anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours on an update, it all depends on how much work I have to do and how complicated it is. Yeah, theres usually about two weeks between each update on Oasis, but thats just how it works for me. I go a while doing nothing, then do a bunch of work all in one day.
Was there anything in the Foundry that you found surprising or unpredictable concerning your map?
Nope. Everything has gone pretty much as I expected it to, no big surprises.
Were there any suggestions that you absolutely loved? Or any that you really hated?
Love: "Just do [insert suggestion here] and it will be perfect!"
Hate: "Get rid of this map. I hate it."
What do you think of the foundry process in general?
I think its an awesome process that really can produce amazing results. Sure, it could use a bit better explaining in a few parts of the Handbook, but overall, its good. With so many awesome maps being produced, I think it works pretty well.
Community Perspective
This week for the Community Perspective section of the issue, we posted a poll asking a simple question that will interest the community and encourage discussion. This week we ended up with this:
The results clearly show a preference to fictional based maps. This is most likely due to amount of freedom that they give to cartographers to be both creative and innovative. Here are some of the comments from the Community Perspectives thread for this issue:
Kaplowitz wrote:It depends on the map's theme, place, and/or game play
Seamusk wrote:I gotta say that its less about purely size and theme and more about good game play for me.
WidowMakers wrote:My favorite maps have always been those closer to standard rules. I like some of the new XML features, but not too many in one map. I prefer medium to large maps also. As long as it is fun to play, the theme or size should not matter
DiM wrote:From a map maker's point of view, I like fictional maps because they give me freedom. I can do whatever I want without any constraint.
Wrap up!
Anyways guys thats it for this weeks edition of the foundry news letter. Unfortunatly, TaCktiX couldn't be here this weekend to release the issue and left it in my (hopefully) capable hands! If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas which we could use to the make the newsletter better, please don't hesitate to get in contact with a member of the editing team!
Cheers and have a good one!
gimil & Editorial Staff
Subscription
Then feel free to subscribe to the newsletter by sending a PM with your name to the newsletter's senior editor, TaCktiX (clicky). By subscribing you will receive every new issue of the newsletter straight to your Inbox, keeping you up to date with all the new developments in the Foundry.
Originally posted June 22nd, 2008
