Some additional info on the map I forgot:
1) To use it, unzip the file and place resulting .rgb and .map files directly in your dominions3/maps folder. It'll now be available when you start a new game.
2) I haven't begun to sort out the starting provinces yet. The final product will have 10 valid start locations, randomly assigned by the computer (sorry Vanheim, your not necessarily starting on the coast!). These start locations will be as balanced as possible, so all capitals will have plenty of indy neighbors, etc.
3) If you find a problem with a province, please report it with the province number. Most of the province names are randomly assigned.
4) Make sure you take some time to understand how the poles, tunnels, and the southern mountains are connected. As mentioned, this map has unusual connectivity, you don't want any surprises mid-game.
5) Some unexpected terrain quirks:
-tunnels are [small] [cave] provinces
-passes are [small] [true mountain] provinces
-poles are [deep sea] provinces, much like
Earth's North Pole
-poles have "Tundra" magicsites to force them to be cold; the equatorial waste regions have "Desert" magicsites to force them hot. Real climates!
-there are invisible "rivers" that permeate the map. Each mountain forms the start of a river that ultimately drains to the sea, and a river runs through every farm/swamp province. This has no actual effect on gameplay other then to slightly alter the magicsites that will appear.
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@ Burnsaber - underwater nations seem to be the fat kids at gym class...as designer of the proposed map, if you & apsophos don't want them, I'll play an uw.