Seeking map or need advice on making it

[Kristoffer O]

Splendid!

I feel my spirits rise

[diamondspider]

Originally posted by Targa:
Already?!! If you can make a map that quickly, I'm throwing in the towel!

This is all I've gotten done in a day and a half so far:
http://www.techno-mage.com/~targa/webmap.jpg

Hehehe... Well, being a computer professional for 22 years helps

I found a GREAT map that was given by a fan of D&D to the public domain via Wizards of the Coast.

Only thing now is that it needs balance testing meaning I get to play it 10 or 20 times

Final count is 39 provinces, all land.

Maybe someone can help me test it tomorrow.

P.S. Your map looks great! I like it a lot.

I might try to use my Campaign Cartographer too and see how that works. Pretty cool program, that.

[ January 30, 2004, 23:44: Message edited by: diamondspider ]

[Targa]

Originally posted by Kristoffer O:
Splendid!

I feel my spirits rise

Yes, I finally downloaded and installed GIMP, just so I could change the format of the xcf mapstuff pics. I'm following your excellent examples....or trying to, at least.

[Johan K]

Originally posted by diamondspider:
1) Can't find a list of site numbers. Sunray has a great list posted of the sites available but I need the associated numbers!

2) #start is a nice command, but it seems that the starting postions aren't random if it is used. I need confirmation on Gandalf's statement that if I use #nostart 37 times that it will cause a problem. If there is no way to randomize between 2 starting locations it will sink this map idea!?

1. You can use the name instead, like "volcano"

2. The nostart limit was for old Dominions I. There is no limit in Dominions II.

[diamondspider]

Originally posted by Johan K:

quote:

---

Originally posted by diamondspider:
1) Can't find a list of site numbers. Sunray has a great list posted of the sites available but I need the associated numbers!

2) #start is a nice command, but it seems that the starting postions aren't random if it is used. I need confirmation on Gandalf's statement that if I use #nostart 37 times that it will cause a problem. If there is no way to randomize between 2 starting locations it will sink this map idea!?

1. You can use the name instead, like "volcano"

2. The nostart limit was for old Dominions I. There is no limit in Dominions II.

---

WOOHOO! Thanks SO much! Once again, this game proves to be the most flexible in the history of TBS games

[ January 31, 2004, 13:12: Message edited by: diamondspider ]

[Gandalf Parker]

Originally posted by Johan K:

quote:

---

Originally posted by diamondspider:
1) Can't find a list of site numbers. Sunray has a great list posted of the sites available but I need the associated numbers!

2) #start is a nice command, but it seems that the starting postions aren't random if it is used. I need confirmation on Gandalf's statement that if I use #nostart 37 times that it will cause a problem. If there is no way to randomize between 2 starting locations it will sink this map idea!?

1. You can use the name instead, like "volcano"

2. The nostart limit was for old Dominions I. There is no limit in Dominions II.

---

Yes I have an old memory and sometimes its hard to kep 1 and 2 straight.

As I remember it, not only could you use the name but you HAD to use it. A problem for me. By any chance did Dom2 change that? Are numbers now useable with sites?

And if I read the MapEdit correct I thought #start was used to set a possible starting position and #specstart was used to lock a nation to one starting position. Doesnt #start randomize the assignments? Great on the no limit but the old almost-programmer in me wouild want to use whichever one creates the shortest list. If its shorter to mark the nostarts then I would do that. If its shorter to mark the starts then that seems a good idea (my maps take forever to come up anyway so any little bit helps)

[diamondspider]

Originally posted by Gandalf Parker:
Yes I have an old memory and sometimes its hard to kep 1 and 2 straight.

As I remember it, not only could you use the name but you HAD to use it. A problem for me. By any chance did Dom2 change that? Are numbers now useable with sites?

And if I read the MapEdit correct I thought #start was used to set a possible starting position and #specstart was used to lock a nation to one starting position. Doesnt #start randomize the assignments? Great on the no limit but the old almost-programmer in me wouild want to use whichever one creates the shortest list. If its shorter to mark the nostarts then I would do that. If its shorter to mark the starts then that seems a good idea (my maps take forever to come up anyway so any little bit helps)

Yup, you MUST use the name of the site. That was just misreading the docs on my part.

I tried #start and unless I flipped 7 heads in a row, it doesn't appear to be random. [would be nice to get confirmation on this, of course ]

Fortunately using #nostart is fairly easy although time consuming and bug-prone since it is easy to forget to click one of the boxes.

Still, most people seem to prefer random games so this shouldn't be a huge issue.

I'm uploading the map now and would love any feedback, suggestions and such on my first effort when (and if) they choose to deem it worthy and post it..

I plan on testing it for several weeks since I'm trying to use asymmetrical balance and that is very hard to achieve. Eventually I'd like to have it so that a strong player who was going to be assigned a random god would have no preference for which of the 2 placements they got dealt.

The goals of the map have expanded to the following uses:

1) Good for new players to practice on since there are no complexities of water and games are relatively short compared with the many larger maps,

2) A balanced game that feels a bit more "chess like" by removing most of the starting luck but still allowing the main *feel* of luck that is part of Dom2 by not overdoing the hard placement of creatures, sites, etc..

3) A game that is small enough to finish in a 3 hourish time-span so nice for a network play session. I wanted it to be just big enough to get some nice strong magic going but not so big as to take longer than one session usually allows time for.

4) For PBEM use, it might be a nice way for newer players to practice via email without worrying about spending weeks in a large game that has long turn cycles and/or getting embarassed about newbie skills.

[ January 31, 2004, 15:07: Message edited by: diamondspider ]

[Targa]

Originally posted by diamondspider:
OK, map is done but I am having two final problems:

1) Can't find a list of site numbers. Sunray has a great list posted of the sites available but I need the associated numbers!

2) #start is a nice command, but it seems that the starting postions aren't random if it is used. I need confirmation on Gandalf's statement that if I use #nostart 37 times that it will cause a problem. If there is no way to randomize between 2 starting locations it will sink this map idea!?

Umm...to limit starting locations to 4 (as you stated originally), I think you could just use #start in 4 provinces on one side of the map, and the same for 4 on the opposite side. In a 2-player game, the computer should place you on opposite sides of the map, in one of the 4 provinces listed as #start locations.?

[diamondspider]

Originally posted by Targa:

quote:

---

Originally posted by diamondspider:
OK, map is done but I am having two final problems:

1) Can't find a list of site numbers. Sunray has a great list posted of the sites available but I need the associated numbers!

2) #start is a nice command, but it seems that the starting postions aren't random if it is used. I need confirmation on Gandalf's statement that if I use #nostart 37 times that it will cause a problem. If there is no way to randomize between 2 starting locations it will sink this map idea!?

Umm...to limit starting locations to 4 (as you stated originally), I think you could just use #start in 4 provinces on one side of the map, and the same for 4 on the opposite side. In a 2-player game, the computer should place you on opposite sides of the map, in one of the 4 provinces listed as #start locations.?

---

-I went with 2 locations as there wasn't enough room to have 4.

-It SEEMS that #start places the human in the same place every time. Not sure with 2 humans as I haven't tested it MP yet. I'd certainly want it random though and it works perfectly with #nostart.

[Targa]

Where did you upload the map to?

P.S. If anyone's interested, I updated the web image to show the (slow) progress I've been makng:
http://www.techno-mage.com/~targa/webmap.jpg

[ January 31, 2004, 17:55: Message edited by: Targa ]