Clandemonium [GP,GX,XML,BETA]

[natty dread]

I agree. However, maybe you can update this map every year to reflect the standings in the Clan Ladder.

These points were all already made in the beginning of the thread. It would require some kind of special permission from Lackattack to create a map that gets "revamped" every year, so until & unless that happens we can just forget that approach.

As for the clan theme. Obviously you can not cram every clan of CC on a single map. And what about future clans? It's just not going to happen. Better to just pick a few that you can reasonably fit on the map, and maybe add apologies/references to the other clans in the legend...

Clans make an ok theme for a map I guess. Having never belonged to a clan myself, I have to admit the theme doesn't really appeal to me that much. This is why the map needs a balanced and working gameplay to stand on it's own.

However, I like how the clan theme attracts lots of "clan people" in the foundry. This map has in a short time caused a sizable burst of new people flowing to comment on the map. I just wish some of those people will stay, and comment on other maps as well. I for one wouldn't object on comments on my maps... Seriously, the foundry could use a boost in outside commentators, lately most comments to maps have been made by other mapmakers, which is not good. So if this map manages to bring new people in the foundry, I'm all for it!

[waseemalim]

May be change the poll to include "Yes carry on with the map. The theme is great, but gameplay needs to change drastically". Would really let people show their true feelings about the map. I definitely want a clan map in there which will have LOWs name stamped in history -- but is it too much to ask for a more original gameplay?

[Chariot of Fire]

May be change the poll to include "Yes carry on with the map. The theme is great, but gameplay needs to change drastically". Would really let people show their true feelings about the map. I definitely want a clan map in there which will have LOWs name stamped in history -- but is it too much to ask for a more original gameplay?

I agree. You want to be solely working on the gameplay so this becomes a map that everyone is excited about, rather than just those players whose clans are represented.

Make an Option C on the poll - "Needs work but stick with it" - you may find that garners most support.

[Gold Knight]

I do agree, and that since the majority of players that this map appeals to (clan members), perhaps you should poll these people and see what they look for in a map and its gameplay. This seems to be another "specialist" map, like a Feudal, AoR, City Mogul, etc... Just my opinion, but Im not a huge fan of this type of play because it seperates players in the clan based on maps they are skilled at and not, and I know not every player will be able to pick up on this...

Wanting to be completely honest, but it seems like the players that know alot about maps in here are also looking for revamping to the map and gameplay, so unless you want to spend quite a bit more time on this, I would say either pass it to another or give it up. Not meaning to be a buzzkill, but you asked for honesty, and I wouldnt want to lie to you and say this map will be a quick fix and it will be in beta in the next few weeks, because i cant see that happening... Also dont want to see you getting rusty on the rest of the maps

[stahrgazer]

Interesting concept.

The portals and the no-man's-land make it different enough from Feudals to be worth trying; those portals should change aspects of the game play significantly from Feudal, since one can leap across the board thru the portals rather than merely the stack-attack emphasis; perhaps some would think it's shades of Mogul there, especially with the no man's land... and I wonder if, as in Mogul, the no man's land will be an interesting center that no one ever touches???

To correct that, maybe the areas of no man's land should themselves be the leap-across portals? Perhaps bombards between the in-area 'portals' but to take over without going thru all the adjacents, requires access from no man's land?

As for those who worry that "top clans" will change next year.. of course it's my hope that we (AoC) shall be a force for that change But is it any different from continent changes? My ancient R-board still shows Australia, and the countries within the African continent are often changing; but the gameplay is still fun.

[Chariot of Fire]

My ancient R-board still shows Australia

It was still there last time I visited

[Finsfleet]

I like the idea very much and I`m looking forward to plying it. There are a few things I would change, though:

1) I really, really don`t like the idea of staring with 888 armies. I`m not sure why you did that, maybe you just wanted it to look differ from feudal, but this way there is too much stock on the dices, and too little on the players skills.

2) I like the portals idea, but I think they should carry more value with them. Not too much, but 7 neutrals instead of 4 would be fine, I think.

3) The same thing about pinnacle.

[grifftron]

they don't start with 888 troops, i was just showing that the 888 fits.

Thanks for support and more thoughts on the map itself. Just to let those know that are wanting game play to change, this is where it changes, here in the "Gameplay Workshop"... if you want changes, please post those changes you want to see, as we have been doing we have mixed tons of ideas to get the map that we have now, we really want to attract all audiences of people on CC and not just clans, so Blitz and I have been very open on game play and will continue to be.

Thanks again for ALL comments.

-griff

[barterer2002]

Blitz may I ask you something here. I'm curious about what your roll is in this map. Typically map medals go to the chief graphics person and the XLM person. Griff is clearly the artist on this one so unless he's also doing the XLM I'm not sure where your medal comes from. You're doing a great job stirring up debate on the map, although you do appear to be pushing it through at your pace rather than at the usual foundry pace which seems to be from 7-24 months for a map. I'm not trying to say that you're not a part of this one because clearly you are but you're not the graphics person and I've known you long enough to say that I'll be shocked if you do the XLM.

[jpcloet]

He seems to be the project manager and maps is one area he hasn't been involved in so far in his CC career. Good overall idea, bad gameplay, ok starter graphics. Blitz, I did some drawings last night and I will have some new gameplay ideas within the next 2 weeks.

[Blitzaholic]

Blitz may I ask you something here. I'm curious about what your roll is in this map. Typically map medals go to the chief graphics person and the XLM person. Griff is clearly the artist on this one so unless he's also doing the XLM I'm not sure where your medal comes from. You're doing a great job stirring up debate on the map, although you do appear to be pushing it through at your pace rather than at the usual foundry pace which seems to be from 7-24 months for a map. I'm not trying to say that you're not a part of this one because clearly you are but you're not the graphics person and I've known you long enough to say that I'll be shocked if you do the XLM.

We have someone to do the xml according to Griff, I am coming up with the ideas for designs, game play, amounts of neutrals,-clans, polls, etc. I am like the overall manager who over sees things, and he is drawing them up. I alos do a lot more through the pm's and chats. This has all been posted, Griff and I pm'd mrbenn over a month ago and us 2 would get the medals as only 2 can. I may be rushing, that could be my impatience, but, I also do not think it should take a year. I played every map CC has ever created and some are really good, and some are really poor. Sometimes, you just do not know for sure how it will play until you play it in beta. Here is the other thing bart, I more than anyone else have brought a massive range of new players to these map forums which was lacking big time. It is all good, I am trying to overall help CC, all my hundreds of hours time to get what? one medal? lol, well, that is the least they could do. But, I am really also helping clans get more recognition and the map foundry get more recognition. This is new for me and I tell you what, it is the hardest medal you can ever try to get, and the most labor and most stressful. But, the main reason is to get a clan map.

[Blitzaholic]

Complete the map and stamp those awesome names in the history of CC .

I don't like Feudal - but I like the design and idea of the map (I mean portals).

many seem to like the portals idea, we need to change them from 4 neutrals to 7.

[barterer2002]

Blitz, I'm certainly not trying to minimize your contributions here. You have clearly been the driving force behind the map and I think that everyone understands that. I also think that everyone understands that you want that 100th medal here I would just hate for you to put all this work into the situation and not get a medal but you've already cleared that so that the XLM person doesn't get one-just trying to watch out for your interests here bud.

[chipv]

I agree with barterer2002. Who is doing the XML? Why isn't that person getting a medal?. At least give them credit by naming them
I realise you're desperate for another medal but which is more important - getting a medal or making a decent map?

It seems that you're too anxious to push the map through rather than take the opportunity to make it a signature map.

Everyone wants to see a clan map but not one that is bereft in thought or originality.
I went through the posts I had missed and was dismayed to see dozens of good ideas for gameplay dismissed with a
"thx for your comments" without a proper appraisal. It also looks like you're only taking advice from your friends.

This is no way to get a map through the Foundry, go back through the thread and respond to all the ideas on gameplay,
not just a select few, and you have got a better chance. I would love to see an original clan map, as would everyone else.

[Blitzaholic]

ok, thx bart and chip, I will be patient and we will work on game play to nail it down more. I think griff has been working on an update now for several days.


what do you all think of this?

idea for coats of arms or flags for map?

[Blitzaholic]

Interesting concept.

The portals and the no-man's-land make it different enough from Feudals to be worth trying; those portals should change aspects of the game play significantly from Feudal, since one can leap across the board thru the portals rather than merely the stack-attack emphasis; perhaps some would think it's shades of Mogul there, especially with the no man's land... and I wonder if, as in Mogul, the no man's land will be an interesting center that no one ever touches???

To correct that, maybe the areas of no man's land should themselves be the leap-across portals? Perhaps bombards between the in-area 'portals' but to take over without going thru all the adjacents, requires access from no man's land?

As for those who worry that "top clans" will change next year.. of course it's my hope that we (AoC) shall be a force for that change But is it any different from continent changes? My ancient R-board still shows Australia, and the countries within the African continent are often changing; but the gameplay is still fun.

(AoC) is on the map

it looks interesting... impressive work so far,, you should keep at it.






ps - i abstained from voting

why?

[grifftron]

Here is our Clan world

Click image to enlarge.

15 lands each (including each drop point of course)
put portals up to 7 as requested, and castles too.

still think it sounds cool to have drop points as well as random troop drops all over the map as some have suggested.

and the coat of arms thing sounded really cool as well

We KNOW we need to work a lot on the game play to make this map more appealing to a wider audience of players, please comment ways to make the gameplay better on this map. We DO take every comment on gameplay under consideration.

-griff

[natty dread]

Right now, each clan only borders 2 other clans, and this is what makes the map so circular, and why people complain it plays like 8 thoughts.

To make the map less circular and "8 thoughts" like:

I don't think it would be bad if there were a couple places where 3 clans border each other. This could then be balanced by other means, for example, having the clans that have 3 neighbours a higher bonus, or easier access to portal, or something like that.

For example, you could move the Myth castle to the left a bit so that Dragoons, Tofu & Empire all border each other thru the myth castle.

Also that unnamed clan in the top left corner, could border Land of LOW in addition to Legends. By extending the lower edge to the right a bit.

[Finsfleet]

Also that unnamed clan in the top left corner.

Which one?

[jiminski]

I really like the concept and i am impressed by the very steady speed at which it is being improved graphically (the image needs more polish and depth at the moment though). Also your openness to change and opinion is commendable... i think maybe just one killer novelty could be nice.... maybe based on having a territory in each Clan bonus area = a collective bonus
(call it the 'Clan Cup' - each territory named something along clan lines eg. 'The Monki Span Cup'' territory.)

Perhaps even make it so if any clan has 3 territories + all Portals then you win the game ... Just thinking out-loud but perhaps somehow work into the map a means of victory in the Clan theme. Giving some kind of a chronological step process to victory based on 'Clan ranking' or even 'Clan Ladder' for example (within the dynamics of the map not base on or referencing ranking outside of the game)

anyway keep going, you are doing excellently so far!

[happy2seeyou]

Does Blitz get a medal for just thinking of the idea of the map while someone else actually makes it?!?!?

[natty dread]

Does Blitz get a medal for just thinking of the idea of the map while someone else actually makes it?!?!?

Coordinating and designing the gameplay of a map is just as important as making the graphics.

It is a common procedure in the Foundry, where mapmakers who have no talent in graphics or just for some other reason wish to hand the graphic design to someone else, design the gameplay of the map while another person does the graphics. Many good maps have been made by teams of 2 mapmakers.

There's much more to making a map than just drawing pretty pictures, you know.

Anyway, could we please keep this whining about who gets what medal out of the thread and concentrate on the gameplay of the map?

[barterer2002]

One of the possibilities you could do for gameplay would make it kind of a race to the center type of thing. As in each clan's goal is to move forward and grab the pinnacle. To do that it would need to be something worth having. Right now it can attack all the drop spots which is worth something but doesn't necessarily make it a race in there, what if, however, the pinnacle could attack every other tert but reset to N10 each turn. You'd have to go in with enough to knock out a bunch of the opposition yet wouldn't want to leave too many there as you'd lose them next turn, however you'd want to leave enough so that your opposition didn't just take it from you instead. Team play could be interesting as well.

[natty dread]

How about making it so that you can attack drop points only through the pinnacle? Kinda like poland-type gameplay.

[jiminski]

Does Blitz get a medal for just thinking of the idea of the map while someone else actually makes it?!?!?

Coordinating and designing the gameplay of a map is just as important as making the graphics.

It is a common procedure in the Foundry, where mapmakers who have no talent in graphics or just for some other reason wish to hand the graphic design to someone else, design the gameplay of the map while another person does the graphics. Many good maps have been made by teams of 2 mapmakers.

There's much more to making a map than just drawing pretty pictures, you know.

Anyway, could we please keep this whining about who gets what medal out of the thread and concentrate on the gameplay of the map?

heheh lighten up a tad natty Hapitu is just playing a coy, teasing game with blitz in order to get him into the sack... she's a sexual predator!