(October 24th, 2012, 23:44)SevenSpirits Wrote: Awww, maybe he's just trying to be super friendly! He is afraid we will take his kindly-meant advice badly so he's trying extra hard to be absolutely clear it's meant as genuinely helpful and positive advice.
Sommerswerd, I can't post over on CFC because apparently that is against our foreign policy, but this is what I would write to you if I could:
Spoiler this is only for my bud SOmmerswerd
Thank you Sommy!! That is such a good idea. I had previously resigned myself to suspending all other game-playing activity for the 2-3 years I'm expecting this game to take. But it doesn't have to be! Signing up for game number two right now.
Seriously though, can we open up a ranting thread or something? This isn't technically productive; we don't need to hear about one annoying dude's out of game posts mixed in with useful stuff like the diplo thread.
Made my day.
Merovech's Mapmaking Guidelines:
0. Player Requests: The player's requests take precedence, even if they contradict the following guidelines.
1. Balance: The map must be balanced, both in regards to land quality and availability and in regards to special civilization features. A map may be wonderfully unique and surprising, but, if it is unbalanced, the game will suffer and the player's enjoyment will not be as high as it could be.
2. Identity and Enjoyment: The map should be interesting to play at all levels, from city placement and management to the border-created interactions between civilizations, and should include varied terrain. Flavor should enhance the inherent pleasure resulting from the underlying tile arrangements. The map should not be exceedingly lush, but it is better to err on the lush side than on the poor side when placing terrain.
3. Feel (Avoiding Gimmicks): The map should not be overwhelmed or dominated by the mapmaker's flavor. Embellishment of the map through the use of special improvements, barbarian units, and abnormal terrain can enhance the identity and enjoyment of the map, but should take a backseat to the more normal aspects of the map. The game should usually not revolve around the flavor, but merely be accented by it.
4. Realism: Where possible, the terrain of the map should be realistic. Jungles on desert tiles, or even next to desert tiles, should therefore have a very specific reason for existing. Rivers should run downhill or across level ground into bodies of water. Irrigated terrain should have a higher grassland to plains ratio than dry terrain. Mountain chains should cast rain shadows. Islands, mountains, and peninsulas should follow logical plate tectonics.
We made a comment about it, unless another team or two starts posting about being frustrated about the pace, we'll only manage to get seen as annoying and childish imo.
We made a comment, but that doesn't do anything. Why would you think we'll be seen as childish, it's not like we'll whine and troll. We make a formal request that may or may not be accepted. In my opinion that's the only way to change anything.
He is afraid we will take his kindly-meant advice badly so he's trying extra hard to be absolutely clear it's meant as genuinely helpful and positive advice.
Signing up for game number two right now. 
I'd like to see if any of the other teams will weigh in. Let's just keep quiet for now.
