I've been aware of this map from it's early creation stages (I still go to the map forum -
but have given up telling everyone to stop making new maps)
When I mentioned to General Mayhem about the New World Map that was being made - he knew nothing about it. . . . A lot of people never look around this site much. (when I first saw the Greasemonkey post - way back in the day - it was a useful addition to own early on) - so it pays to look around all forums.
I've been interested in watching this map be suggested, formed and tweaked into something we now see.
I watched, and said nothing - and now it's out I'm watching people play on it.
I've not played it yet - & I doubt that I will.
All of the Hulabaloo that surrounded the map lead to it being hurriedly issued with a lot of problems.
It's not suprising as it must of been a massive headache to enter all the codes of what area borders what etc.
As these new maps get made it amuses me to watch everyone holler and whoop about how cool it looks.
Everyone seems to be more interested in the look of a map - down to what sea shading style to use, instead of it's real playability.
When This map was first issued with no country names - I thought "hmmm - very stylised edges etc." - but to look at it now with text and army bubbles and great big thick lines denominating sub continents - its just too hard to read all the connecting territories.
The key to a good game of risk is understanding your way around a board.
I've played a game of escalating cards on the North America Map with a bunch of decent players, and that went all the way to round 20 where people were handing in card sets for 115 armies.
This map, if played correctly, should go to about 50 rounds (even in escalating) - but it won't be played correctly - because it's just too big to understand all of the routes / key choke points etc.
I'd imagine that the drop down menu of territories is hard to find what your looking for because - you'll be looking for somewhere, without the map in front of you, because you've had to scroll down the screen to get to the drop down menu.
I admire Zim's efforts in making this map, and all of his further posts answering and sorting out bugs - but its just too big!
Americans always think that big is best, but the best motorbike in the world is a Ducati - not a Harley. the same can be said for this map - big isn't always best