Conquer Club

It all looks good to me. When do we get to play?

After a little time and no further objections to anything.

Looks good oaktown, can't wait to get my kicks... well you know the rest.

Beta - Quenching

---The Final Forge period has concluded for the Route 66 Map. All objections have had their time. The Foundry and I hereby brand this map with the Foundry Beta Brand. Let it be known that this map is now ready for BETA Play. After an extended period of time in BETA and once all quirks and issues have been resolved, the map will be put into Full Play (barring any Lack vetoes).

Conquer Club, enjoy!

oaktown wrote:Kansas City is in the right place (on the border) on the large map. I can bump it a bit on the small map to get it back where it belongs.

And as noted, Kansas City, Missouri is indeed a larger city than Kansas City, Kansas. Missouri has the Royals and the Chiefs, Kansas has Dorothy and Toto.

Whoops, my bad. I didn't know Kansas City went into Missouri as well. Weird how one part of the city is one state's capital, and in another state the same city is there but larger.

PS - Yay quench!

...why isn't this map out yet?

I want to play it.

Wewt.

On a side note, I have been involved in two games where the opposing player help Route 66 and didn't win, and I think it's a bug or something......

Game 5720218
Game 5720123

There is no <objective> tag in the XML.

shit... I'll fix it right now and send up the new code to whomever. Several of us missed this!

This is why we have a BETA stage, right?

http://www.snapdrive.net/files/612537/route.xml

Mapmaker checks it as valid.

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<map>
   <title>Route 66</title>
   <smallwidth>630</smallwidth>
   <smallheight>473</smallheight>
   <largewidth>840</largewidth>
   <largeheight>630</largeheight>
   <filetype>jpg</filetype>

<reinforcements>
   <reinforcement>
      <lower>1</lower>
      <upper>48</upper>
      <divisor>2</divisor>
   </reinforcement>
</reinforcements>

<positions>
   <position>
      <territory>Fresno</territory>
      <territory>Phoenix</territory>
      <territory>Pueblo</territory>
      <territory>Lubbock</territory>
      <territory>Topeka</territory>
      <territory>Pocahontas</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Las Vegas</territory>
      <territory>Yuma</territory>
      <territory>Santa Fe</territory>
      <territory>El Paso</territory>
      <territory>Texarkana</territory>
      <territory>Des Moines</territory>
   </position>
</positions>

<objective>
   <name>Route 66</name>
   <components>
         <territory>Los Angeles</territory>
         <territory>Barstow</territory>
         <territory>Kingman</territory>
         <territory>Flagstaff</territory>
         <territory>Albuquerque</territory>
         <territory>Amarillo</territory>
         <territory>Oklahoma City</territory>
         <territory>Tulsa</territory>
         <territory>Joplin</territory>
         <territory>St. Louis</territory>
         <territory>Chicago</territory>
   </components>
</objective>


   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Los Angeles</territory>
         <territory>Barstow</territory>
         <territory>Kingman</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Barstow</territory>
         <territory>Kingman</territory>
         <territory>Flagstaff</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Kingman</territory>
         <territory>Flagstaff</territory>
         <territory>Albuquerque</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Flagstaff</territory>
         <territory>Albuquerque</territory>
         <territory>Amarillo</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Albuquerque</territory>
         <territory>Amarillo</territory>
         <territory>Oklahoma City</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Amarillo</territory>
         <territory>Oklahoma City</territory>
         <territory>Tulsa</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Oklahoma City</territory>
         <territory>Tulsa</territory>
         <territory>Joplin</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Tulsa</territory>
         <territory>Joplin</territory>
         <territory>St. Louis</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Joplin</territory>
         <territory>St. Louis</territory>
         <territory>Chicago</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>


   <territory>
      <name>Los Angeles</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Fresno</border>
         <border>Barstow</border>            
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>47</smallx>
         <smally>353</smally>
         <largex>67</largex>
         <largey>466</largey>
      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Barstow</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Los Angeles</border>
         <border>Yuma</border>      
         <border>Kingman</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>80</smallx>
         <smally>333</smally>
         <largex>109</largex>
         <largey>435</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Kingman</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Barstow</border>
         <border>Las Vegas</border>      
         <border>Flagstaff</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>132</smallx>
         <smally>323</smally>
         <largex>173</largex>
         <largey>424</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Flagstaff</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Albuquerque</border>
         <border>Phoenix</border>      
         <border>Kingman</border>      
         <border>Grand Canyon</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>170</smallx>
         <smally>312</smally>
         <largex>225</largex>
         <largey>407</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Albuquerque</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Flagstaff</border>
         <border>Santa Fe</border>      
         <border>Roswell</border>      
         <border>Amarillo</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>264</smallx>
         <smally>302</smally>
         <largex>348</largex>
         <largey>395</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Amarillo</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Raton</border>
         <border>Lubbock</border>      
         <border>Oklahoma City</border>      
         <border>Albuquerque</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>368</smallx>
         <smally>281</smally>
         <largex>490</largex>
         <largey>367</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Oklahoma City</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Tulsa</border>
         <border>Amarillo</border>
         <border>Dallas</border>         
         <border>Texarkana</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>433</smallx>
         <smally>259</smally>
         <largex>577</largex>
         <largey>337</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Tulsa</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Oklahoma City</border>
         <border>Joplin</border>         
         <border>Topeka</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>475</smallx>
         <smally>227</smally>
         <largex>632</largex>
         <largey>298</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Joplin</name>
      <borders>
         <border>St. Louis</border>
         <border>Tulsa</border>   
         <border>Little Rock</border>         
         <border>Kansas City</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>503</smallx>
         <smally>194</smally>
         <largex>663</largex>
         <largey>253</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>St. Louis</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Chicago</border>
         <border>Joplin</border>         
         <border>Pocahontas</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>541</smallx>
         <smally>145</smally>
         <largex>718</largex>
         <largey>184</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Chicago</name>
      <borders>
         <border>St. Louis</border>
         <border>Des Moines</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>538</smallx>
         <smally>58</smally>
         <largex>720</largex>
         <largey>68</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Tucson</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Yuma</border>
         <border>Phoenix</border>         
         <border>Las Cruces</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>180</smallx>
         <smally>381</smally>
         <largex>238</largex>
         <largey>501</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Roswell</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Albuquerque</border>
         <border>Las Cruces</border>         
         <border>El Paso</border>         
         <border>Lubbock</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>290</smallx>
         <smally>338</smally>
         <largex>387</largex>
         <largey>445</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>San Angelo</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Lubbock</border>
         <border>El Paso</border>         
         <border>San Antonio</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>394</smallx>
         <smally>347</smally>
         <largex>523</largex>
         <largey>458</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Dallas</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Oklahoma City</border>
         <border>San Antonio</border>         
         <border>Texarkana</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>439</smallx>
         <smally>313</smally>
         <largex>585</largex>
         <largey>411</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Little Rock</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Pocahontas</border>
         <border>Joplin</border>         
         <border>Texarkana</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>528</smallx>
         <smally>239</smally>
         <largex>704</largex>
         <largey>313</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Kansas City</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Joplin</border>
         <border>Topeka</border>         
         <border>Des Moines</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>481</smallx>
         <smally>162</smally>
         <largex>631</largex>
         <largey>210</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Omaha</name>
      <borders>
         <border>North Platte</border>
         <border>Topeka</border>         
         <border>Des Moines</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>426</smallx>
         <smally>119</smally>
         <largex>574</largex>
         <largey>152</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Salina</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Oakley</border>
         <border>Topeka</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>413</smallx>
         <smally>186</smally>
         <largex>545</largex>
         <largey>242</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Denver</name>
      <borders>
         <border>North Platte</border>
         <border>Oakley</border>         
         <border>Pueblo</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>275</smallx>
         <smally>188</smally>
         <largex>370</largex>
         <largey>244</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Raton</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Amarillo</border>
         <border>Pueblo</border>         
         <border>Santa Fe</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>296</smallx>
         <smally>245</smally>
         <largex>389</largex>
         <largey>322</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Grand Junction</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Pueblo</border>
         <border>Greenriver</border>         
         <border>Four Corners</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>238</smallx>
         <smally>226</smally>
         <largex>314</largex>
         <largey>293</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Grand Canyon</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Flagstaff</border>
         <border>Four Corners</border>         
         <border>Zion</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>165</smallx>
         <smally>272</smally>
         <largex>218</largex>
         <largey>353</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Salt Lake City</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Greenriver</border>
         <border>Zion</border>         
         <border>Elko</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>163</smallx>
         <smally>174</smally>
         <largex>219</largex>
         <largey>225</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Winnemucca</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Elko</border>
         <border>Reno</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>82</smallx>
         <smally>181</smally>
         <largex>106</largex>
         <largey>234</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Tahoe</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Las Vegas</border>
         <border>Reno</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>73</smallx>
         <smally>237</smally>
         <largex>75</largex>
         <largey>299</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Sacramento</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Fresno</border>
         <border>Reno</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>18</smallx>
         <smally>237</smally>
         <largex>26</largex>
         <largey>310</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Fresno</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Los Angeles</border>
         <border>Sacramento</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>41</smallx>
         <smally>300</smally>
         <largex>56</largex>
         <largey>390</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Phoenix</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Flagstaff</border>
         <border>Tucson</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>181</smallx>
         <smally>344</smally>
         <largex>239</largex>
         <largey>453</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Pueblo</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Grand Junction</border>
         <border>Raton</border>      
         <border>Denver</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>288</smallx>
         <smally>212</smally>
         <largex>384</largex>
         <largey>278</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Lubbock</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Amarillo</border>
         <border>Roswell</border>      
         <border>San Angelo</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>376</smallx>
         <smally>316</smally>
         <largex>495</largex>
         <largey>415</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Topeka</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Tulsa</border>
         <border>Kansas City</border>      
         <border>Salina</border>      
         <border>Omaha</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>451</smallx>
         <smally>173</smally>
         <largex>599</largex>
         <largey>225</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Pocahontas</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Little Rock</border>
         <border>St. Louis</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>540</smallx>
         <smally>202</smally>
         <largex>721</largex>
         <largey>264</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Des Moines</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Chicago</border>
         <border>Omaha</border>
         <border>Kansas City</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>469</smallx>
         <smally>107</smally>
         <largex>624</largex>
         <largey>133</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Texarkana</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Oklahoma City</border>
         <border>Little Rock</border>
         <border>Dallas</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>510</smallx>
         <smally>278</smally>
         <largex>682</largex>
         <largey>365</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>El Paso</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Roswell</border>
         <border>San Angelo</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>286</smallx>
         <smally>390</smally>
         <largex>385</largex>
         <largey>507</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Santa Fe</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Raton</border>
         <border>Albuquerque</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>270</smallx>
         <smally>271</smally>
         <largex>358</largex>
         <largey>357</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Las Vegas</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Kingman</border>
         <border>Tahoe</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>109</smallx>
         <smally>290</smally>
         <largex>142</largex>
         <largey>378</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Yuma</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Barstow</border>
         <border>Tucson</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>115</smallx>
         <smally>365</smally>
         <largex>152</largex>
         <largey>481</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Reno</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Sacramento</border>
         <border>Tahoe</border>   
         <border>Winnemucca</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>43</smallx>
         <smally>202</smally>
         <largex>54</largex>
         <largey>261</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Elko</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Salt Lake City</border>   
         <border>Winnemucca</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>121</smallx>
         <smally>183</smally>
         <largex>155</largex>
         <largey>237</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Zion</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Salt Lake City</border>   
         <border>Grand Canyon</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>161</smallx>
         <smally>232</smally>
         <largex>211</largex>
         <largey>305</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>   

   <territory>
      <name>Greenriver</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Salt Lake City</border>   
         <border>Grand Junction</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>194</smallx>
         <smally>211</smally>
         <largex>263</largex>
         <largey>273</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Four Corners</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Grand Canyon</border>   
         <border>Grand Junction</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>217</smallx>
         <smally>251</smally>
         <largex>290</largex>
         <largey>332</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>North Platte</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Denver</border>   
         <border>Omaha</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>338</smallx>
         <smally>132</smally>
         <largex>442</largex>
         <largey>171</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Oakley</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Denver</border>   
         <border>Salina</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>365</smallx>
         <smally>193</smally>
         <largex>476</largex>
         <largey>253</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Las Cruces</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Tucson</border>   
         <border>Roswell</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>237</smallx>
         <smally>362</smally>
         <largex>321</largex>
         <largey>475</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>San Antonio</name>
      <borders>
         <border>San Angelo</border>   
         <border>Dallas</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>438</smallx>
         <smally>371</smally>
         <largex>580</largex>
         <largey>489</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

</map>


Game 5722032

My opponent held route 66 and it did you win him the game. Does this need fixing??

Reading comprehension isn't strong in this one.

C.

soccerghost wrote:On a side note, I have been involved in two games where the opposing player help Route 66 and didn't win, and I think it's a bug or something......

the.killing.44 wrote:There is no <objective> tag in the XML.

oaktown wrote:shit... I'll fix it right now and send up the new code to whomever. Several of us missed this!

oaktown wrote:This is why we have a BETA stage, right?

Updated lackattack with XML I have.

i have play the map and hold the all route66 and dont win why?

5727601

Christ, read the post right above you!

The bonuses are off for the 2 player game.

If you are first one to go, u are getting an indefinite lead by 1 army, unless your dice screw u up: If u conquer at least one country in the first round (85% chance), u are getting 1 more army then the second player. Then in the second round u need to conquer 2 with deployment of 5 (at least 56%, if u cannot reuse anything from the first round). And so on and so forth.

A quick scan through the completed sequential automatic 1vs1 proves it. Out of the 20 games I have checked, only 6 were win by the second starting player.

The game play is quite an unbalanced for 1vs1.

Complaining many players are when held objective is.

LackAttack kicked ass must be.

When done is this balanced restored will be to the force.

AndrewB wrote:The bonuses are off for the 2 player game.

If you are first one to go, u are getting an indefinite lead by 1 army, unless your dice screw u up: If u conquer at least one country in the first round (85% chance), u are getting 1 more army then the second player. Then in the second round u need to conquer 2 with deployment of 5 (at least 56%, if u cannot reuse anything from the first round). And so on and so forth.

A quick scan through the completed sequential automatic 1vs1 proves it. Out of the 20 games I have checked, only 6 were win by the second starting player.

The game play is quite an unbalanced for 1vs1.

For starters, player 1 isn't starting with a lead, because player 2 gets to start with the same deployment: 4 armies. This isn't a lead, you're just BOTH getting more armies than you would in a four player game, for example. In order for P1 to reduce P2's deployment, he has to take two territories, since the players don't start with any adjoining territories. In most games P1 should get his 10th territory by the end of round 2, but chances are he has done so by hitting neutrals and he has set himself up to be attacked directly by P2.

You say that 70% of 1v1 games were won by player 1? Sounds about like any other map. 1v1 games always gives an advantage to player 1, and while this may be particularly so on a small map like this it is also particular so in large maps like World 2.1, where player one starts with enough armies to really put the screws to player 2.

Anyway, if you look back through the thread this was discussed a bit, but if somebody has a concrete suggesting, I'll happily consider it. Keep in mind that any significant changes to the number of territories that improves 1v1 games may negatively impact other game types.

I suspect that somebody who plays this map a lot will figure out how to play it as player 2. And in the end if this turns out to be a less-than-ideal 1v1 map, the community will realize that and not start so many 1v1s on it. Not every map is going to perfect for every game type.

oaktown wrote:I suspect that somebody who plays this map a lot will figure out how to play it as player 2. And in the end if this turns out to be a less-than-ideal 1v1 map, the community will realize that and not start so many 1v1s on it. Not every map is going to perfect for every game type.

Right, there will always be maps that don't create as quality games as others for certain settings (however you define "quality").

As long as a map isn't horribly out-of-whack, and serves a majority of settings, it is an acceptable map I'd say.


--Andy

oaktown wrote:For starters, player 1 isn't starting with a lead, because player 2 gets to start with the same deployment: 4 armies. This isn't a lead, you're just BOTH getting more armies than you would in a four player game, for example.

I think I've explained, how it works. He will be getting more armies other turn aside from the first.

oaktown wrote: In order for P1 to reduce P2's deployment, he has to take two territories, since the players don't start with any adjoining territories. In most games P1 should get his 10th territory by the end of round 2,

Again, read my post. There is 85% chance that he will get the 10th territory in the first round.

oaktown wrote:but chances are he has done so by hitting neutrals and he has set himself up to be attacked directly by P2.

There are several attack routes, without one being exposed to P2.

oaktown wrote:You say that 70% of 1v1 games were won by player 1? Sounds about like any other map. 1v1 games always gives an advantage to player 1, and while this may be particularly so on a small map like this it is also particular so in large maps like World 2.1, where player one starts with enough armies to really put the screws to player 2.

It maybe true in some small map, but any other map, compared in size to Route 66, does not give that advantage.

oaktown wrote:Anyway, if you look back through the thread this was discussed a bit, but if somebody has a concrete suggesting, I'll happily consider it. Keep in mind that any significant changes to the number of territories that improves 1v1 games may negatively impact other game types.

You can do the following:

1. Decrease the starting count for the players.
2. Increase the starting count for the players.
3. Make the first step to an extra army at 11 countries, not 10.

Basically anything, which will prevent getting an extra 1 army by just conquering 1 country from the start.

oaktown wrote:I suspect that somebody who plays this map a lot will figure out how to play it as player 2. And in the end if this turns out to be a less-than-ideal 1v1 map, the community will realize that and not start so many 1v1s on it. Not every map is going to perfect for every game type.

I thought it is task of the map-maker to make the map balanced for all the types of the game; and not to rely on community to "not to start many 1vs1 on it". Here is the quote from your own post, oaktown:

Subject: Mapmaker's Guide to the Foundry - in progress

oaktown wrote:Balanced Gameplay
Basically this means that a map should be fair for all players. We've all been in games where one player got a lucky drop and began the game with all of Australia, and while you can't account for luck you take into consideration whether or not your map will be prone to advantageous starts, or will quickly become lop-sided affairs. When developing your gameplay consider the following:
Game type flexibility. The map should support various game types and not be designed with specific/limited game settings in mind (standard, assassin, fog of war, 2-8 players, etc.).
Open-play. There should be many ways a game might progress on a map, and multiple roads to victory. Such features as unpassable borders should enhance, not limit, gameplay, and every effort should be made to limit the number of dead ends and bottlenecks in a map, unless they are justified by the desired play of the map. The map should be fun to play, not frustrating.

Well, I guess the above debate could be informed by whatever typical stats are for player 1 winning on non-small maps and stats for this map with a statistically sound number of games to get a reliable figure (50+ ?).

Even if it proves to be slightly above the average then it would prove to be a map to avoid for those with 1 v 1 wisdom. As long as the map is less skewed than Egypt:Lower then it fulfils requirements, I would think.

Theoretically, there shouldn't be too much player 1 advantage given that P1 cant easily attack P2. However, the fact that it is easy to move to an extra troop partly counteracts this fact.

Essentially, if P1 has reasonable dice in the first 2 rounds he is winning a territory race and can then work on Route 66 - here is where the player leading at the end of round 2/3 can really start to build a massive advantage.

As far as 1 v 1 is concerned, the bonus for holding cities on the route can quickly accumulate and finish the game off. It may be worth considering adjusting this just as it may be worth considering adjusting the normal territory bonus.

However, any such adjustments may affect games with larger numbers of players. It is worth assessing how the map plays with larger numbers of players and if a change would be detrimental. If so, it is up to oak if he wishes to change the balance in favour of 1 v 1 or not.

Ultimately, we need reliable 1 v 1 stats, to make comparisons and determine how much extra advantage is acceptable in 1 v 1, as well as to assess how the map plays with more players.

This map is awesome. Only one things id change (my opinion like it matters loll)
id put 4 neutral on the route 66...since its as easy as any other territories to take but it gives more unit ... if you are playing it well you just have to take one territoiries to another on the route and its easy (with some luck and good deployement)...

having 4 neutral on route 66 would make it more fair for everyone and would also make a kind of barrier between 'southern' and 'northern' part.

However nice map Oak

darkseb wrote:This map is awesome. Only one things id change (my opinion like it matters loll)
id put 4 neutral on the route 66...since its as easy as any other territories to take but it gives more unit ... if you are playing it well you just have to take one territoiries to another on the route and its easy (with some luck and good deployement)...

This was also discussed at length earlier in the map's development... at one point I was actually in favor of starting each Route territory with 4 armies, but in general CC users don't like seeing stacks of neutrals to begin a game. It is the opinion of many that large neutral stacks slows a game down too much, but I don't really give a rat's ass about this concern - some maps might be better if slowed a bit. The concern that persuaded me was that large neutrals on the Route cities might make players avoid those territories altogether, which would indeed be a shame because that's what the map is about. Reopening this discussion may have some merit, especially given the trouble that 1v1 players may be having. I'll discuss this further below...

@ AndrewB: it was certainly not my intention to dismiss your concerns about 1v1 games. As I said I am open to suggestions and I would be happy to implement any gameplay change that improves 1v1 play without negatively impacting play in other game types. There are four suggestions that have been floated...

1. Decrease the starting count for the players. (I assume this means increase the number of starting terits/player). Unlike most maps, we could actually decrease the starting counts for 1v1 games and not impact other game types, because of the pre-coded start positions. Starts were pre-coded because there was concern that a 1v1 drop could be unfair, and that both players need access to route territories. Trouble is that means both players start with 9 territories, not 7. Eliminating the start position makes the start more random, but perhaps improves gameplay. Right now this is my favorite option, and I'll outline how this can happen below.

2. Increase the starting count for the players. Would mean coding more start positions, which still would not impact other game types. I feel like this could actually make the problem worse, no?

3. Make the first step to an extra army at 11 countries, not 10. Unfortunately such a change would mean changing all other game types, and anyone who has played a 5+ player game on this map knows how long it takes to get up to ten territories.

4. Put 4 neutral on the route 66 territories. Would certainly slow down expansion in 1v1 games and force players to go after each other rather than just hitting dead zones for bonuses, but it might reduce other games to an absolute crawl. I wouldn't be opposed to possibly adding an army to every other Route 66 territory, but I'm afraid this might just create barriers in random spots of the map and limit action.

Here's what I propose we do: decrease the number of territories per coded starting position to two. This means there would be four territories pre-coded, and 17 randomly assigned (5 to P1, 5 to P2, 7 N). In a 1v1 game, P1 and P2 would each start with seven territories, which means both start round 1 with 3 armies (it is currently four). Then you'd need the regular luck to pick up an 8th territory in round 1 to increase your bonus, and it should take until at least round 3 to pick up a 10th - thus until round 4 before anybody deploys 5 armies. That gives P2 three opportunities to do something about it.

Coding just two starts obviously doesn't mix up the board as much as six, so we'll need to be strategic. I'm thinking we give Fresno and Des Moines to opposing players, so that both have access to an end of the route. Then I'm thinking the Des Moines player would also get Phoenix to be guaranteed at least minimal access to the western half of the route, and give the Fresno player Texarkana. This is also nice in that each player has a northern and southern territory.

Here's the new code... no reason not to get it up and running with the Objective fix.
http://www.snapdrive.net/files/612537/route.xml

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<map>
   <title>Route 66</title>
   <smallwidth>630</smallwidth>
   <smallheight>473</smallheight>
   <largewidth>840</largewidth>
   <largeheight>630</largeheight>
   <filetype>jpg</filetype>

<reinforcements>
   <reinforcement>
      <lower>1</lower>
      <upper>48</upper>
      <divisor>2</divisor>
   </reinforcement>
</reinforcements>

<positions>
   <position>
      <territory>Fresno</territory>
      <territory>Texarkana</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Phoenix</territory>
      <territory>Des Moines</territory>
   </position>
</positions>

<objective>
   <name>Route 66</name>
   <components>
         <territory>Los Angeles</territory>
         <territory>Barstow</territory>
         <territory>Kingman</territory>
         <territory>Flagstaff</territory>
         <territory>Albuquerque</territory>
         <territory>Amarillo</territory>
         <territory>Oklahoma City</territory>
         <territory>Tulsa</territory>
         <territory>Joplin</territory>
         <territory>St. Louis</territory>
         <territory>Chicago</territory>
   </components>
</objective>


   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Los Angeles</territory>
         <territory>Barstow</territory>
         <territory>Kingman</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Barstow</territory>
         <territory>Kingman</territory>
         <territory>Flagstaff</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Kingman</territory>
         <territory>Flagstaff</territory>
         <territory>Albuquerque</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Flagstaff</territory>
         <territory>Albuquerque</territory>
         <territory>Amarillo</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Albuquerque</territory>
         <territory>Amarillo</territory>
         <territory>Oklahoma City</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Amarillo</territory>
         <territory>Oklahoma City</territory>
         <territory>Tulsa</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Oklahoma City</territory>
         <territory>Tulsa</territory>
         <territory>Joplin</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Tulsa</territory>
         <territory>Joplin</territory>
         <territory>St. Louis</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>

   <continent>
      <name>Adjoining Route Cities</name>
      <bonus>1</bonus>
      <components>
         <territory>Joplin</territory>
         <territory>St. Louis</territory>
         <territory>Chicago</territory>
      </components>
   </continent>


   <territory>
      <name>Los Angeles</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Fresno</border>
         <border>Barstow</border>            
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>47</smallx>
         <smally>353</smally>
         <largex>67</largex>
         <largey>466</largey>
      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Barstow</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Los Angeles</border>
         <border>Yuma</border>      
         <border>Kingman</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>80</smallx>
         <smally>333</smally>
         <largex>109</largex>
         <largey>435</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Kingman</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Barstow</border>
         <border>Las Vegas</border>      
         <border>Flagstaff</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>132</smallx>
         <smally>323</smally>
         <largex>173</largex>
         <largey>424</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Flagstaff</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Albuquerque</border>
         <border>Phoenix</border>      
         <border>Kingman</border>      
         <border>Grand Canyon</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>170</smallx>
         <smally>312</smally>
         <largex>225</largex>
         <largey>407</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Albuquerque</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Flagstaff</border>
         <border>Santa Fe</border>      
         <border>Roswell</border>      
         <border>Amarillo</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>264</smallx>
         <smally>302</smally>
         <largex>348</largex>
         <largey>395</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Amarillo</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Raton</border>
         <border>Lubbock</border>      
         <border>Oklahoma City</border>      
         <border>Albuquerque</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>368</smallx>
         <smally>281</smally>
         <largex>490</largex>
         <largey>367</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Oklahoma City</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Tulsa</border>
         <border>Amarillo</border>
         <border>Dallas</border>         
         <border>Texarkana</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>433</smallx>
         <smally>259</smally>
         <largex>577</largex>
         <largey>337</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Tulsa</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Oklahoma City</border>
         <border>Joplin</border>         
         <border>Topeka</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>475</smallx>
         <smally>227</smally>
         <largex>632</largex>
         <largey>298</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Joplin</name>
      <borders>
         <border>St. Louis</border>
         <border>Tulsa</border>   
         <border>Little Rock</border>         
         <border>Kansas City</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>503</smallx>
         <smally>194</smally>
         <largex>663</largex>
         <largey>253</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>St. Louis</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Chicago</border>
         <border>Joplin</border>         
         <border>Pocahontas</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>541</smallx>
         <smally>145</smally>
         <largex>718</largex>
         <largey>184</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Chicago</name>
      <borders>
         <border>St. Louis</border>
         <border>Des Moines</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>538</smallx>
         <smally>58</smally>
         <largex>720</largex>
         <largey>68</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Tucson</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Yuma</border>
         <border>Phoenix</border>         
         <border>Las Cruces</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>180</smallx>
         <smally>381</smally>
         <largex>238</largex>
         <largey>501</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Roswell</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Albuquerque</border>
         <border>Las Cruces</border>         
         <border>El Paso</border>         
         <border>Lubbock</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>290</smallx>
         <smally>338</smally>
         <largex>387</largex>
         <largey>445</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>San Angelo</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Lubbock</border>
         <border>El Paso</border>         
         <border>San Antonio</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>394</smallx>
         <smally>347</smally>
         <largex>523</largex>
         <largey>458</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Dallas</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Oklahoma City</border>
         <border>San Antonio</border>         
         <border>Texarkana</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>439</smallx>
         <smally>313</smally>
         <largex>585</largex>
         <largey>411</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Little Rock</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Pocahontas</border>
         <border>Joplin</border>         
         <border>Texarkana</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>528</smallx>
         <smally>239</smally>
         <largex>704</largex>
         <largey>313</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Kansas City</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Joplin</border>
         <border>Topeka</border>         
         <border>Des Moines</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>481</smallx>
         <smally>162</smally>
         <largex>631</largex>
         <largey>210</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Omaha</name>
      <borders>
         <border>North Platte</border>
         <border>Topeka</border>         
         <border>Des Moines</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>426</smallx>
         <smally>119</smally>
         <largex>574</largex>
         <largey>152</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Salina</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Oakley</border>
         <border>Topeka</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>413</smallx>
         <smally>186</smally>
         <largex>545</largex>
         <largey>242</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Denver</name>
      <borders>
         <border>North Platte</border>
         <border>Oakley</border>         
         <border>Pueblo</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>275</smallx>
         <smally>188</smally>
         <largex>370</largex>
         <largey>244</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Raton</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Amarillo</border>
         <border>Pueblo</border>         
         <border>Santa Fe</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>296</smallx>
         <smally>245</smally>
         <largex>389</largex>
         <largey>322</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Grand Junction</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Pueblo</border>
         <border>Greenriver</border>         
         <border>Four Corners</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>238</smallx>
         <smally>226</smally>
         <largex>314</largex>
         <largey>293</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Grand Canyon</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Flagstaff</border>
         <border>Four Corners</border>         
         <border>Zion</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>165</smallx>
         <smally>272</smally>
         <largex>218</largex>
         <largey>353</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Salt Lake City</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Greenriver</border>
         <border>Zion</border>         
         <border>Elko</border>         
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>163</smallx>
         <smally>174</smally>
         <largex>219</largex>
         <largey>225</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Winnemucca</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Elko</border>
         <border>Reno</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>82</smallx>
         <smally>181</smally>
         <largex>106</largex>
         <largey>234</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Tahoe</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Las Vegas</border>
         <border>Reno</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>73</smallx>
         <smally>237</smally>
         <largex>75</largex>
         <largey>299</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Sacramento</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Fresno</border>
         <border>Reno</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>18</smallx>
         <smally>237</smally>
         <largex>26</largex>
         <largey>310</largey>

      </coordinates>
     <neutral>3</neutral>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Fresno</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Los Angeles</border>
         <border>Sacramento</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>41</smallx>
         <smally>300</smally>
         <largex>56</largex>
         <largey>390</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Phoenix</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Flagstaff</border>
         <border>Tucson</border>      
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>181</smallx>
         <smally>344</smally>
         <largex>239</largex>
         <largey>453</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Pueblo</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Grand Junction</border>
         <border>Raton</border>      
         <border>Denver</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>288</smallx>
         <smally>212</smally>
         <largex>384</largex>
         <largey>278</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Lubbock</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Amarillo</border>
         <border>Roswell</border>      
         <border>San Angelo</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>376</smallx>
         <smally>316</smally>
         <largex>495</largex>
         <largey>415</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Topeka</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Tulsa</border>
         <border>Kansas City</border>      
         <border>Salina</border>      
         <border>Omaha</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>451</smallx>
         <smally>173</smally>
         <largex>599</largex>
         <largey>225</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Pocahontas</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Little Rock</border>
         <border>St. Louis</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>540</smallx>
         <smally>202</smally>
         <largex>721</largex>
         <largey>264</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Des Moines</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Chicago</border>
         <border>Omaha</border>
         <border>Kansas City</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>469</smallx>
         <smally>107</smally>
         <largex>624</largex>
         <largey>133</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Texarkana</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Oklahoma City</border>
         <border>Little Rock</border>
         <border>Dallas</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>510</smallx>
         <smally>278</smally>
         <largex>682</largex>
         <largey>365</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>El Paso</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Roswell</border>
         <border>San Angelo</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>286</smallx>
         <smally>390</smally>
         <largex>385</largex>
         <largey>507</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Santa Fe</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Raton</border>
         <border>Albuquerque</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>270</smallx>
         <smally>271</smally>
         <largex>358</largex>
         <largey>357</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Las Vegas</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Kingman</border>
         <border>Tahoe</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>109</smallx>
         <smally>290</smally>
         <largex>142</largex>
         <largey>378</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Yuma</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Barstow</border>
         <border>Tucson</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>115</smallx>
         <smally>365</smally>
         <largex>152</largex>
         <largey>481</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>


   <territory>
      <name>Reno</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Sacramento</border>
         <border>Tahoe</border>   
         <border>Winnemucca</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>43</smallx>
         <smally>202</smally>
         <largex>54</largex>
         <largey>261</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Elko</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Salt Lake City</border>   
         <border>Winnemucca</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>121</smallx>
         <smally>183</smally>
         <largex>155</largex>
         <largey>237</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Zion</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Salt Lake City</border>   
         <border>Grand Canyon</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>161</smallx>
         <smally>232</smally>
         <largex>211</largex>
         <largey>305</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>   

   <territory>
      <name>Greenriver</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Salt Lake City</border>   
         <border>Grand Junction</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>194</smallx>
         <smally>211</smally>
         <largex>263</largex>
         <largey>273</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Four Corners</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Grand Canyon</border>   
         <border>Grand Junction</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>217</smallx>
         <smally>251</smally>
         <largex>290</largex>
         <largey>332</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>North Platte</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Denver</border>   
         <border>Omaha</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>338</smallx>
         <smally>132</smally>
         <largex>442</largex>
         <largey>171</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Oakley</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Denver</border>   
         <border>Salina</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>365</smallx>
         <smally>193</smally>
         <largex>476</largex>
         <largey>253</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>Las Cruces</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Tucson</border>   
         <border>Roswell</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>237</smallx>
         <smally>362</smally>
         <largex>321</largex>
         <largey>475</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

   <territory>
      <name>San Antonio</name>
      <borders>
         <border>San Angelo</border>   
         <border>Dallas</border>   
      </borders>
      <coordinates>
         <smallx>438</smallx>
         <smally>371</smally>
         <largex>580</largex>
         <largey>489</largey>

      </coordinates>
   </territory>

</map>


As for the "balanced gameplay" piece of the old How to Make A Map" - we've long acknowledged in here that not every map will be ideal for every game type. The only way to make that work would be to start eliminating game features, and nobody wants that. What a map should NOT do is only work in one game type; a map should not be designed so that it is great in 1v1 but a disaster in all other settings, for example. This is not the case here; I think that this map works for team games, multi-player games, fog or no fog, terminator, assassin, etc. I would, of course, like it to work for 1v1 games as well, but again not if it means sacrificing all other game types.

oaktown wrote:Here's what I propose we do: decrease the number of territories per coded starting position to two. This means there would be four territories pre-coded, and 17 randomly assigned (5 to P1, 5 to P2, 7 N). In a 1v1 game, P1 and P2 would each start with seven territories, which means both start round 1 with 3 armies (it is currently four). Then you'd need the regular luck to pick up an 8th territory in round 1 to increase your bonus, and it should take until at least round 3 to pick up a 10th - thus until round 4 before anybody deploys 5 armies. That gives P2 three opportunities to do something about it.

Coding just two starts obviously doesn't mix up the board as much as six, so we'll need to be strategic. I'm thinking we give Fresno and Des Moines to opposing players, so that both have access to an end of the route. Then I'm thinking the Des Moines player would also get Phoenix to be guaranteed at least minimal access to the western half of the route, and give the Fresno player Texarkana. This is also nice in that each player has a northern and southern territory.

Is there any way to start the 1vs1 game with 8 territories? Cause the proposed solution is not fixing the problem, really.

Currently u need just 1 territory to get extra 1 army in round 1. So does the proposed solution.

If they would start with 6 territories, then it would be ideal. Second best options is to start with 8 (but starting with 6 is better).