Lurker Discussion Thread (NO PLAYERS)

[scooter]

Alright so I'm basically just creating this because I want Kyan to post in here and tell us about the map since the posts about it have piqued my interest... So come on Kyan, spill the details.

Players you know the drill - if you clicked in here, get lost.

[Krill]

Cyneheard should have taken Portugal. CHA plus caravels that can carry units? Anyone thought how broken it is to start making other players divert resources to defense and a navy to stop you settling overseas early on, or stopping you from invading them (even a threat counts)?

[Kyan]

Making it now. Screenshots later today!

[Kyan]

Ok. pics inc!

SHINE

Basic premise is that each civ has their own starting triangular island. This land is EXTREMELY commerce poor but has a decent amount of food and production.

In between every couple of starting landmasses is an interim island. This is very food rich and has huge commerce potential.

In the centre is utopia with a mega floodplains/rare metals spot. Oh did i mention this spot has the only uranium in the game?

There are ZERO metals on this map. None. Nada. Everyone starts with a horse underneath their capital.

There are mini 'peak islands' dotting around making everything galleyable and should hopefully lead to some very fun naval warfare. The map is large and the world is flat. I was unsure of whether this turned Magellans off or not but it's going to take an AGE for anyone to get it if it is possible which i think is a good thing as it could be too big an advantage.

Everyone has coal, aluminium and oil handy.

Happiness/luxury resources are VERY sparse. There aren't many in the game at all.

[Kyan]

Civ 1:



Civ 2:



Civ 3:



Civ 4:



Civ 5:



Civ 6:

[Kyan]

Interim islands:





As you move around the wheel, the interim islands alternate stone then marble. Since each civ has easy access to an island on each side, they can priorise as they deem fit.



Crazy potential city. Oh, for incentive purposes, the players all have vision keyed in for a few of those centre tiles. I did this in case one civ stumbled on it and settled early and forged too much of a lead. Now, they all KNOW what's waiting in the fog and should be rushing their asses off to found it. Hopefully leading to some huge skirmishes as NOBODY is going to willingly cede that site to anyone else.



A picture of the mountain gauntlet. Should be fun to watch.



This picture shows rather vividly just how few happiness there is to go around.

[Bobchillingworth]

Very interesting... you might want to rethink the "no metals" though, since no iron means no frigates or ironclads (and possibly no Triremes, Ships-of-the-Line or Railroads, I forget what they need). And having to attack and defend islands with only archery / gunpowder, mounted, and siege units delivered by stacks solely comprised of cargo ships limits a lot of strategic options.



What about creating an external ring of very small islands which encircle the main triangular ones and contain iron and copper? Perhaps make it so that there's only enough of both that one player will always have to go without, to encourage combat over them . That would also give players more than one objective to fight over, and in an opposite direction from the center, plus reduce the impact of luck from popping mines iron.


Also several resources seem to be missing- dyes, sugar, clams, silk, probably a few others. Not a huge issue except that a couple corps will be gimped and health and happiness caps will be low. Edit: upon re-reading one of your posts, it sounds like you did this on purpose, which is fine, but you might want to replace the ivory with sugar at least, so that standard ethanol is kind of viable. Although everyone already has two sources of oil, so whatever :P


Also also some people will have marble, others stone. Not sure that that really matters, but since you allotted almost all the other resources in equal proportions it stands out.

[Shoot the Moon]

No iron also makes Arabia incredibly powerful (I would say overpowered if they can get enough galleys out), as they will be the only civ that will have any unit available between longbows and gunpowder. On top of that, there won't be any pikes to stop camel archers.

[athlete4life10]

The map is large and the world is flat. I was unsure of whether this turned Magellans off or not but it's going to take an AGE for anyone to get it if it is possible which i think is a good thing as it could be too big an advantage.

This means there is no world wrap right? If so then I'm pretty sure Magellan's is turned off.

I'd also reconsider on the no metal thing. Though if you limit it somehow that would be better than just giving it to them. Perhaps no copper but a couple sources of iron? Or maybe 2 copper and 2 iron dispersed around "outer" islands as Bob suggested? Taking some objective away from the middle spot?

Overall very interesting map. Should prove to be a ton of fun watching this one play out!

[Bobchillingworth]

Final point from me about no Iron: without frigates to stop them, Netherlands will be essentially invincible once they can produce their UU, opposed only by privateers.