Map Uropia (Dominons in "Europe")

zepath · #1 October 28th, 2006, 07:02 PM

This is my first go at mapping (well, the first time I've "finished" a map). I haven't done extensive play testing on this map yet, but am confident it's ready for a v0.9 release

This map vaguely resembles Northern and Mediterranean Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, but everything is a mirror image and the details do not conform to true European geography. I was interested in the idea of having a map similar to that presented in "Medieval: Total War" where various kingdoms from the eleventh to fifteenth centuries vied for European dominance. With so many nations in Dominions that correspond to real historical states or at least the mythologies of certain regions in real history, this sort of map seemed natural.

Please check it out and play around with it. The "Europe" region of the map is LOADED with resources thanks to tons of forest, mountain, and border mountain terrain. "North Africa" is conversely quite barren and I had a good bit of trouble getting off the ground while playing as Abysia based near "Carthage". Let me know what you like and dislike (as well as what is broken or unbalanced) so I can make this map even better!

Zepath

Ballbarian · #2 October 28th, 2006, 08:38 PM

Very nice first map zepath. I like the way you handled docks and the shipping lanes. Will definitely give this map a try for my next game. Thank you for sharing it.

Recruit · #3 October 29th, 2006, 10:42 AM

The map looks great. Nice work!

Will give it a try for my next game.

zepath · #4 October 29th, 2006, 07:23 PM

Thanks for giving the map a go! Please pass along your experiences, good or bad.

I've done some play-testing and am progressing in a game as Early Ages Abysia against all the nations mentioned in the map's description. I've noticed Oceania (the lone sea nation in the current game) and Agartha (which benefits from a pretty awesome start point) are dominating. However, I've been able to destroy C'tis in "Egypt" and secure all of "North Africa" against serious invasions while throwing up a Second Sun and preparing to campaign against "Europe". Haven't found anything broken yet, but I'm still looking.

Endoperez · #5 October 30th, 2006, 04:05 AM

Dom:PPP, or Dominions 1, had a Europe map. Abysia was in Sahara, C'tis in Egypt, but there were only 14 nations altogether. It'll be interesting to see how you've located the others.

Tichy · #6 October 30th, 2006, 11:52 AM

Playing a ME Vanheim (Lich D9W6, Luck 2, Prod 1, Dom 7) game with about 10 of the hostiles, all on mighty.

I tried it once and let Jotun live too long. Got beaten up bad with the giant factory two provinces over.

Then I tried it and made a point of mercenarying Jotun into non-existence before turn 10.

Then I had two fortresses, which was nice. Now I have four. Ermor did me the favor of beating up on Ulm. But now they fall to the blurry priests on horseback. (BTW Vann's PD is extremely effective vs. Ermor attacks. Set it at 30, drop a few priests in and they keep throwing undead at it and losing 80-90 of'em a turn.)

No problems yet...I like the way you did the mountains.

Tichy · #7 October 30th, 2006, 11:54 AM

Ooops -- the Lich started imprisoned to get bless+decent scales, relied on death bless and mercenaries for early expansion.

Nerfix · #8 October 30th, 2006, 11:57 AM

This is a great map. Played as Agartha. Built a small empire. Waited till Arco and Sauros went to war and then I attacked the Sauros. This shot me to the top of the world in the charts and I also conquered Arcos in the process. But now Ermor attacked and my armygroups are elsewhere...but once I get my warmachine back to order I'll beat them. Ermorian forces are invading my heartlands, but I think that massed Umbrals and Magma Children can beat them back. Especially the Umbrals.

zepath · #9 November 1st, 2006, 06:56 PM

Endoperez, I had no idea such a map had been done before in the first title. I'm happy to have revived it! Seems like a given to have maps that resemble real geography.

Tichy, I tried to use sea lanes to give Niefel/Jotun/Utgard players a way around the close presence of Vanheim/Midgard through "Iceland" (which is terribly far off its real-world location). Obviously the AI prefers to bash the nearer opponent than seek new harbors.

Nerfix, I've noticed Agartha rising to the top of the heap in both the games I've played at length on this map.

Thanks for playing this map! Keep the comments coming when you think of them.

Nerfix · #10 November 1st, 2006, 07:16 PM

Hehe, back in Dom: PPP I played hardly anything else than the Europe (Old World) map.

Agartha has a nice starting position I think, but against a human player starting near Sauromatia, Mounted Terror of Early Age who shoots to top of charts in any game is propably somewhat disadvantageous. I also got some nasty indies to deal with, but that could have been random.