[Abandoned] - Maze Craze

WidowMakers · Post by **WidowMakers** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:33 pm

Mod Note:Abandoned - If resurrected, this one must be checked again.

Name: Maze Craze
# of Territories: 454 TOTAL – 192 Start Neutral
# on Bonus Groups: 12 (each bonus group has at least 3 sub groups or tbd)

Bonuses for each colored group are listed in the legend to the top right
All subgroup bonuses are based on the size of the subgroup (also explained int eh legend in the middle)

Unique Gameplay features: All territories are conquerable. Gray territories are killer neutrals, a player can attack through them to kill another player but once a player's turn starts and gray "border" territories they control will be reset to 8 (or tbd) neutrals thus resetting the "maze border"

OK here is Version 17 August 4 2008
Toned down the white territories and changed them to a cream color. Easier on the eyes.
[bigimg]http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/348/mc17stk3.png[/bigimg]
[bigimg]http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/4499/mc17laa4.png[/bigimg]

OK here is Version 16 JULY 30 2008
Large
http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/8891/mc16lyb0.png
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6112 ... eslei9.png
Small
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/1774/mc16shn6.png
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7991 ... esscy0.png
OK here is Version 15 MAY 18 2008
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3644/mc15slg2.png

OK here is Version 14 MAY 18 2008
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4614/mc14smb8.png
OK here is Version 13 MAY 14 2008
AGAIN: THE STARS ARE THERE TO SHOW THE POSITION OF THE STARING NEUTRALS IN THE COLORED REGIONS.
THIS IS TO ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF ANYONE EVER STARTING WITH A BONUS.
THE FINAL MAP WILL NOT HAVE STARS!!!!!
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/2699/mc13sxh4.png
OK here is Version 12 MAY 10 2008
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/5568/mc12sys3.png

OK here is Version 11c MAY 5 2008
Fixed J's in the column letters and added starting neutrals and 3's
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/575/mc11cspx4.png

OK here is Version 11b MAY 5 2008
adjusted bonuses and added starting neutrals and 88's
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/4027/mc11szr4.png

OK here is Version 10 MAY 3 2008
http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/7926/mc10sxh2.png

OK here is Version 9 APR 29 2008
Gameplay Discussion version ignore graphics
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8276 ... opyjm5.jpg
OK here is Version 8 APR 21 2008
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8329/mc08seh5.png

OK here is Version 7 APR 17 2008
Large:
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2962/mc07lwh2.png
Small:
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/5524/mc07sgo9.png

AndyDufresne · Post by **AndyDufresne** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:43 pm

Hm, I actually like the idea of the Killer Neutrals you have. It's like a real Hedge Maze...I.E. you can follow along the designated path, or if you feel like it...you can cut through the Hedge (though this grows back amazingly fast).

The graphics I'm not sure about. Top notch looking, but it looks more like an online arcade game...perhaps Bejeweled.

Maybe consider going with a Hedge theme or a Field (as in corn, wheat, etc) maze.

--Andy

edbeard · Post by **edbeard** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 4:49 pm

I like how neutrals start with two armies and reset to five. It's like you can reinforce the wall around yourself if you want.

So, I'm a bit confused about the connected territory thing.

Lets say I hold all the blue territories at the top left. I get +4 for holding them all. There are fifteen of them so do I also get a +6 for holding nine of them AND a +3 for holding a separate six connected?

Ditocoaf · Post by **Ditocoaf** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:01 pm

Yeah, I'm confused about that, and also what you mean by "Territories cannot overlap to recieve multiple bonuses."

I also agree about the graphics; this is very well done, but perhaps a bit too Bejeweled-ish. Maybe if you just had colored squares as part of the maze, instead of the shapes.

Awesome map idea, though. Finally someone's using the "killer neutrals." Looking forward to playing already.

pepperonibread · Post by **pepperonibread** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:10 pm

This is a-maze-ing.
Someone had to say it :lol:

But seriously, looks cool. I like Andy's field possibility, though I'm really liking the grey squares you have now.

WidowMakers · Post by **WidowMakers** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:47 pm

AndyDufresne wrote:Hm, I actually like the idea of the Killer Neutrals you have. It's like a real Hedge Maze...I.E. you can follow along the designated path, or if you feel like it...you can cut through the Hedge (though this grows back amazingly fast).

The graphics I'm not sure about. Top notch looking, but it looks more like an online arcade game...perhaps Bejeweled.

Maybe consider going with a Hedge theme or a Field (as in corn, wheat, etc) maze.

--Andy

I was going for the bejewled look.

I want to keep it arcady like it is now.

edbeard wrote:I like how neutrals start with two armies and reset to five. It's like you can reinforce the wall around yourself if you want.

So, I'm a bit confused about the connected territory thing.

Lets say I hold all the blue territories at the top left. I get +4 for holding them all. There are fifteen of them so do I also get a +6 for holding nine of them AND a +3 for holding a separate six connected?

That was my idea for the neitrals you could "build" a better wall around yourself.

As far as the overlapping rule, I wanted to make a way to get smaller bonuses without holding the entire color. The overlap rule make it so a player can't hold 4 in a row and get the bonus for 3 and 4.

Plus the bonuses are not worked out. If a player hold teh entire color, the bonus will be worth more than any combination of smaller portions.

These just need to get worked out.

So I am needing suggestions on...........
1) Neutral start and reset army values (currently 2 and 5)
2) Bonuses for holding sub portions of a color (3, 4, 5 etc) in a row
3) bonuses for holding an entire color (must be larger than any possible combo of sub connections and this bonus will override all other bonuses of that color.
4) Wording

Thanks
WM

InkL0sed · Post by **InkL0sed** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:52 pm

What is this about killer neutrals? Isn't that going to be an optional setting, like Fog?

blackraptor58 · Post by **blackraptor58** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:21 pm

i think this looks awesome!
and the neutrals, they start at two amd go to five?
when would they go to five?

edbeard · Post by **edbeard** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:30 pm

InkL0sed wrote:What is this about killer neutrals? Isn't that going to be an optional setting, like Fog?

no. it's an XML option like bombardment or objective.

InkL0sed · Post by **InkL0sed** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:32 pm

edbeard wrote:
InkL0sed wrote:What is this about killer neutrals? Isn't that going to be an optional setting, like Fog?

no. it's an XML option like bombardment or objective.

Now that I did not know. The possibilities are endless!

WidowMakers · Post by **WidowMakers** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:43 pm

blackraptor58 wrote:i think this looks awesome!
and the neutrals, they start at two amd go to five?
when would they go to five?

after they are attacked and captured, the following turn at the start of the players turn they reset to 5 neutrals.

bryguy · Post by **bryguy** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:49 pm

if you do a corn field for it then make it look like a picture, like a giant CC with the CC star and circle

sfhbballnut · Post by **sfhbballnut** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 12:13 am

this looks great, think you may want to go higher on the neutrals though, depends on how well it balences and I haven't gotten to look properly

WidowMakers · Post by **WidowMakers** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:48 am

bryguy wrote:if you do a corn field for it then make it look like a picture, like a giant CC with the CC star and circle

I will not be doing a "cornfield" style map. I want the bejeweled look.

sfhbballnut wrote:this looks great, think you may want to go higher on the neutrals though, depends on how well it balances and I haven't gotten to look properly

Thanks. I too do not know the best value for the neutrals. This is my first thought about the numbers.

I wanted the borders to get stronger after they are attacked. I figured 2 and 5 because the 2 is fairly weak but still has two defending dice everytime. The killer neutral reset is 5 so the border is stronger.

I wanted to make a player think more strategically about when and where to attack through the neutral walls. If you attack too soon the new wall becomes stronger and it might be harder to attack again. If you attack to late the player could already have built a large army.

Choices Choices.

So again as of now the neutrals start at 2 and reset to 5 (at start of occupying players turn)

I think that we would want to keep at least 3 armies between those two numbers (i.e. 3-6 or 4-7)

So maybe 3 and 6 are teh best options. Starting off the wall is just like any other neutral in any other game but after the initial attack it jumps to 6 and becomes more difficult.

Any thoughts?
I still am thinking about the bonuses. If there are any ideas please let everyone know.

WM

yeti_c · Post by **yeti_c** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:52 am

Love the 2-5 (or 3-6) neutrals thing... one small note - you state "Attacked" in your legend... perhaps change that to "Conquered"... as you could wittle them down to 1's and they will only rebuild after they are actually conquered...

C.

WidowMakers · Post by **WidowMakers** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:55 am

yeti_c wrote:Love the 2-5 (or 3-6) neutrals thing... one small note - you state "Attacked" in your legend... perhaps change that to "Conquered"... as you could wittle them down to 1's and they will only rebuild after they are actually conquered...

C.

thanks. Thats what I meant. :oops:

Skittles! · Post by **Skittles!** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:07 am

So do you actually take over the neutrals? And if you can, when/if you leave armies on the area that the neutrals are, do you lose that amount of armies so the neutrals can go back to 5?

yeti_c · Post by **yeti_c** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:33 am

Yep... At the start of your turn - your armies get replaced with X neutrals.

C.

yeti_c · Post by **yeti_c** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:34 am

WidowMakers wrote:
yeti_c wrote:Love the 2-5 (or 3-6) neutrals thing... one small note - you state "Attacked" in your legend... perhaps change that to "Conquered"... as you could wittle them down to 1's and they will only rebuild after they are actually conquered...

C.
thanks. Thats what I meant.

No need to be embarrassed... I knew you meant that cos you mentioned it in the thread... but the image didn't say that - thus what you knew and what newbs know were slightly incompatible...

C.

AndyDufresne · Post by **AndyDufresne** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:01 pm

I'm not sure I'm a fan of the look still...it doesn't say Maze to me.

--Andy

TaCktiX · Post by **TaCktiX** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:00 pm

I like the look and the map. I'm just a little curious: when are killer neutrals getting added? The map idea makes the near-assumption they're already here. I feel like I'm out of the loop.

And as for starting bonuses on the neutrals, I'd say 3/5. 3 is rather hard to break down early game, making an effective wall (the purpose).

Ditocoaf · Post by **Ditocoaf** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:23 pm

Killer neutrals are already an option with current XML, just nobody's used it in a map until now. Which makes this map even more awesome, since it's finally making use of a feature that has had a lot of possibility. Hopefully this will kick off a lot of use of killer neutrals.

I really like the 2-5 for the walls. People naturally avoid attacking neutrals, since it costs armies without doing any damage to your opponents. 2 is just below the standard army level (3), making it more breachable, while 5 puts the wall just out of standard reach. If you add a standard bonus (3) onto an army of 3, then you'll be just above the new level. I don't think you could do any better than 2 and 5.

Although, one recommendation: walls that are surrounded on all sides by walls, should have a smaller number of neutral armies; otherwise they will never be attacked.

bryguy · Post by **bryguy** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:36 pm

i like how it starts out 2, then resets to 5. That makes it kinda like a penalty for breaking through the wall

WidowMakers · Post by **WidowMakers** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:48 pm

bryguy wrote:i like how it starts out 2, then resets to 5. That makes it kinda like a penalty for breaking through the wall

Or a way to build up better walls for protection. :wink:

WM

bryguy · Post by **bryguy** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 8:59 pm

WidowMakers wrote:
bryguy wrote:i like how it starts out 2, then resets to 5. That makes it kinda like a penalty for breaking through the wall
Or a way to build up better walls for protection.

WM

that to, so basically it can be your best friend

or you're not-so-worst enemy :twisted:

[Abandoned] - Maze Craze

Do you want to see this map?

[Abandoned] - Maze Craze