[SPOILERS] Mapmaking discussion

[Mist]

Do a highlands map. There's no dwarves picked yet, right?

Interesting terrain, challenging barbs ( a lot of hill giants and skellies spawn, everything defends on a hill most of the time ), aristofarms get a hit from want of much irrigated flat land. You can sprinkle some extra mining happy and AH food over the place to make it resource rich if you feel it's needed.

[Mardoc]

Here's a crazy idea: generate a tiny Highlands map, then make three copies to the north, east, and northeast. Put the players in the center of each copy.

Here's a silly question, then - how do you copy chunks of the world around? As a non-programmer, mind.

[Mardoc]

Do a highlands map. There's no dwarves picked yet, right?

Tempting. I actually don't think Dwarves would be as much a problem as if someone picks Lanun and can't build a single cove. One extra movement/turn is handy, but hardly gamebreaking.

I do think I'd want to add extra food if I took this route, just to minimize the bonus from the elf economy

[Selrahc]

Great Plains?

[Ilios]

Great Plains?

I seem to remember Bob mentioning there was a problem this map in FFH.

That Highlands map idea sounds good. Maybe give everyone the tech that unlocks Windmills?

[Mardoc]

Maybe give everyone the tech that unlocks Windmills?

No, that gets to be a variant. Plausible if I were planning an adventure, but not the sort of thing a mapmaker should do when asked for a generic map.

If food shortage becomes too much of a problem, I can always wield the bulldozer.

It's still not something I'll do if someone picks the Lanun. But otherwise, highlands seems like a good answer

[Mardoc]

1. Cardith Lorda
2. Arendel Phaedra
3. Mahala

Huh. This is an odd kettle of fish, and definitely not what I thought I'd get from yell0w after the picks discussion thread kicked off.

[DaveV]

Here's a silly question, then - how do you copy chunks of the world around? As a non-programmer, mind.

Copy/paste in the worldbuilder file, and change the coordinates.

The problem with a normal highlands map is that the balance is terrible, but this way everyone gets the same terrain.

Oh, and this doesn't work very well if Kyan joins as a 5th player.

[Mardoc]

change the coordinates.

That sounds more painful than just copying it inside Worldbuilder.

[kjn]

(luxury-constrained map)
I tend to think this sort of thing is more suited to an Adventure. Which, well, I'd be happy to play as soon as I can figure out a way to clear my schedule enough .

Good points. I'll probably put it in my list of projects to do.