New Map - Page 2

Gandalf Parker · #11 November 4th, 2003, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by apoger:
My scenario is a seven nation game where each nation starts with 10 provinces, temples, forts, armies, and some spells. Effectively it begins with players in control of a small "kingdom" rather than a province.

Ahhh rats. THATS where I got the idea for the "AI fixing map". Sorry about that. Should I kill that thread and let you pursue it? How about the other ideas for "fixing" the AI using .map settings?

Quote:

The question is, does anyone like such a scenario or am I wasting my time?

People dont understand how to "pay" for free things they like so they will see more like it.

Pocus · #12 November 4th, 2003, 08:53 PM

I'm downloading it. Thank for the effort Alex.

apoger · #13 November 4th, 2003, 09:39 PM

>Ahhh rats. THATS where I got the idea for the "AI fixing map". Sorry about that. Should I kill that thread and let you pursue it? How about the other ideas for "fixing" the AI using .map settings?

Nah, any work is good work.

My scenario isn't exactly "AI fixing", although it does play out different than normal.

I've considered making a Version that forces a player to play through a set nation, and that way I can pump the computer nations, but I don't know if there is even a shred of interest in such a thing. I was hoping to get some input on the first scenario before branching out.

licker · #14 November 4th, 2003, 09:53 PM

I'd guess there's always interest in challenging maps or senerios. My only qualm is that saying that these maps 'fix the AI' is entirely misleading. They provide an additional challenge to the player, but they do not overtly 'fix the AI'.

See my other post in Gandalfs theard for more on this issue, and why it bothers me

apoger · #15 November 4th, 2003, 10:06 PM

You are absolutely correct. The scenario's are scripted challenges, not changes to the computer AI.

If I could get into Illwinters code, I would. In the meantime I'll have to be satisfied with the tools I can reach.

Kristoffer O · #16 November 5th, 2003, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by apoger:
Gandalf's map is pretty cool. I've enjoyed it myself. The chaos is fun.

My scenario is a seven nation game where each nation starts with 10 provinces, temples, forts, armies, and some spells. Effectively it begins with players in control of a small "kingdom" rather than a province.

The question is, does anyone like such a scenario or am I wasting my time?

If you are wasting time so are we. We have one setup in the full Version where all 17 players start with 5 (IIRC) provinces each and an extra watch tower. I like premade kingdoms. The only thing about them in the current game is that you will know the exact starting locations of everyone else. A random feature would be cool. I'm not sure how far down our list it is. Actually I'm not sure what's on top of our list.

BTW the list has become something scary and neverending.

Keir Maxwell · #17 November 5th, 2003, 02:09 AM

I should get another session with the game tomorrow Alex and your and Gandalfs scenario's are top of my list to check.

Alex you are certainly not wasting your time - in my view setups such as you have produced will be the key to a higher quality of games for PBEM. You are, as with Dom I, helping lead the way. As I said to Gandalf - people don't always recognise quality.

My big concern in this area is that we get enough small maps. Big maps with starting positions for 17 players are great but often the corresponding small maps get left out.

Just to clarify my idea of small I would rate Aran as medium. Even maps with as few as 40 provinces could be fun for a certain sort of multi-player or head-to-head game. A good spread of games at the small to tiny end will be a big boon to PBEM based on my past experiance of it.

Cheers

Keir

Pocus · #18 November 5th, 2003, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kristoffer O:

quote:
Originally posted by apoger:
Gandalf's map is pretty cool. I've enjoyed it myself. The chaos is fun.

My scenario is a seven nation game where each nation starts with 10 provinces, temples, forts, armies, and some spells. Effectively it begins with players in control of a small "kingdom" rather than a province.

The question is, does anyone like such a scenario or am I wasting my time?

If you are wasting time so are we. We have one setup in the full Version where all 17 players start with 5 (IIRC) provinces each and an extra watch tower. I like premade kingdoms. The only thing about them in the current game is that you will know the exact starting locations of everyone else. A random feature would be cool. I'm not sure how far down our list it is. Actually I'm not sure what's on top of our list.

BTW the list has become something scary and neverending.

Would you care to tell us if you have restarted coding on something? As you just released a game, I can understand that you are taking some weeks of resting (thats kinda normal after a rush)

bug fixing, AI improvements, something else?

also, speaking of multiple starting provinces, I think I will be done with the option by december (I already said that I was developping a scripting utility). I'm kinda slow, but you know what real life can do to prevent us from doing important things

Gandalf Parker · #19 November 5th, 2003, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Keir Maxwell:
My big concern in this area is that we get enough small maps. Big maps with starting positions for 17 players are great but often the corresponding small maps get left out.

Just to clarify my idea of small I would rate Aran as medium. Even maps with as few as 40 provinces could be fun for a certain sort of multi-player or head-to-head game.

Im surprised someone didnt jump on my comment in another thread. Dont remember which. Some discussion about the lack of a battle simulator. Even the old simulator left much to be desired and making it better amounted to making it treat battles with all the options of a game. So the advnaced players just learned how to test-bed using games.

The .map I will mess with, its just a text file. The .tga takes abit more doing and I dont totally understand how Dom2 treats them (and Im still learning GIMP paint program). But someone should be able to create a 3 province .tga with a simple heavily commented .map file which explains to people how to assign their desires to 2 nations and duke it out in the middle.

Sorry to jump in the wrong thread with this.

Kristoffer O · #20 November 7th, 2003, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by apoger:
Gandalf's map is pretty cool. I've enjoyed it myself. The chaos is fun.

My scenario is a seven nation game where each nation starts with 10 provinces, temples, forts, armies, and some spells. Effectively it begins with players in control of a small "kingdom" rather than a province.

I have now played briefly on your map and i like it. Shorter initial period of peace (good), but a bit less enjoyment in taking new territories. Miasma with swampguards recruitable in all those towers was nice.