Gandalf's Crazy Solo Games - Page 5

Gandalf Parker · #41 January 10th, 2007, 07:16 PM

I think I might have found the map I wanted to put extra time into.
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMap...tContinent.jpg

Not only is it fairly maze-like, and has 4 oceans which tone-down the abilities of the water nations. But best of all it randomly provided the color of sea borders that I like. I tohught I was going to have to wait for the next patch to get that. So I got my land, water, land border, and water border colors.

The other maps I was considering are here.
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMap...ers/_index.jpg

alexti · #42 January 11th, 2007, 02:51 AM

Maze-like maps are fun, but they unfortunately makes the game against AI much easier.

I was thinking about 4D hyper-cube map with attached opposite side (sorry, can't recall how it is properly called). Idea is that on 3x3x3x3 (81 provinces) hypercube any 2 provinces will be neigbours. On larger one - 4x4x4x4 some pairs won't be neighbours any more, but it will still be very open map. It sounds like a good idea, but I'm not sure how to visualise it in 2D. Ok for 3x3x3x3 map you don't really need anything complex - you just know that everything has a common border. But figuring out what borders and what not on 2D visualisation of 4x4x4x4 hypercube is non-trivial and '8' won't help much because there will be so many edges indicating connections

Gandalf Parker · #43 January 12th, 2007, 03:30 PM

You want an insane game against the AI? Try the game at the beginning of this thread
http://www.dom3minions.com/RandomMaps/MegaMap.zip
with the indepts set to 3 or 1 or even zero. That way the only opponents that the AI will hit are the specials that will grant it extra magical equipment.

Maltrease · #44 January 12th, 2007, 03:36 PM

That is an interesting idea Alex. Even a map with say 60 provences where every provence connects to every other one would be interesting.

Or something like each capital connects to every other provence, but capitals are not connected, and individual provences are not connected to other individual provences.

Shovah32 · #45 January 12th, 2007, 03:38 PM

That type would kind of make rushes a little too strong, being able to hit any other capitol as soon as you conquer 1 indy provinces(the sort of resources capitols could pull in would also be insane).

Maltrease · #46 January 12th, 2007, 03:55 PM

It would certainly be a very different game and would definitely need to play with balanced nations (all good rushers or all bad). What would be interesting is no provence would every be "safe". So you probably could not expand that fast or someone else can just snatch each provence away from you again. High PD could be extremely usefull (along with your regular force).

Maltrease · #47 January 12th, 2007, 04:21 PM

Here is another idea. Although this would be much better for a MP game instead of AI.

A map like this (see attachement) could be built for any number of players. Basically a spoke wheel of sorts. Each player will have only have direct contact with 2 other player. You could have any number of provences between the players, and on the inner wheel. The center provence should be guarded by an insanely powerful group of Indies with commanders able to withstand most remote attack spells. Also load it up with powerful magic sites (50% off spell cost site). Make the 2-3 provences near the center also guarded by powerful indies in each spoke, to make it difficult for a flying race to hop over them.

Gandalf Parker · #48 January 12th, 2007, 04:40 PM

I think there are some Spirograph programs out there that can help you create maps like that

Taqwus · #49 January 12th, 2007, 04:49 PM

Problem with the 'guardian monster' concept is that currently, they don't. You can even let them automatically replenish forces (via Soul Contracts for free devils, for instance; or maybe one of the freespawning pretender types?) but they won't stop a Black Servant from sitting around with a Bane Venom Charm, or catch the massed Valkyries led by a Dis.

It'd also be useful for various map concepts if independents patrolled; perhaps even more interesting if some areas could be designated as 'no-teleport' zones or 'cannot fly into here' (cave provinces in general?). An underworld where you -must- fight you way through the hard way, because your mages don't know the precise locations and therefore can't teleport there, or where if you're going to be sneaking you risk being caught -- that'd be fun.

Gandalf Parker · #50 January 12th, 2007, 05:05 PM

Ive asked for independent patrols for a long LONG time. Randomizing maps would me much more interesting. Right now I can scatter forts and labs and temples around the map but the indepts dont seen to use them. And a fort is just a freeby if even a scout can take the province because everyone is inside the fort.