[PB65 LURKERS] We lurk in single-file to hide our numbers

[Magic Science]

First impressions; the map looks similar to PB40? Probably not an issue, and that map did seem to work well.

I second this first impression. The difference is that this map is distinct for its total lack of islands, rather than unusual presence of them. Also there are many mountains on this one.

I took a look at the map.

Strategic Resources:
Marble: None.
Stone: Only one, closely equatorwards of Celts, remove or multiply.

Copper: all have it safely seawards, none have an instant trade connection. There is only one extra, between Arabia and Germany.
Horse: all have it safely seawards, none have an instant trade connection. There is only one extra, between Arabia and France.
Iron: all have it closely equatorwards. There is only one extra, between Arabia and France.

Coal: easily possessed by Celts, Khmer (one extra each for these two), and France. None for Arabia, Germany, and Carthage.
Oil: only 2 on the whole map. One inaccessible far in the North Sea. One contested in jungle between Arabia, Germany, and Carthage.
Uranium: only 3 on the whole map. France easily has one. One is between France and Celts. One is between Celt, Carthage, and Arabia.
Aluminium: 5 on the map: Arabia has one guaranteed, one close. France has one guaranteed, one close. One is between France, Celts, Khmer.

Lack of any extra strategic resources could be interesting, but either everyone should have a chance for an extra (without conquest, of course), or no one.

Luxury:
Gold, silver, and gems: they are all present in contested equatorial lands. Two of each. Gems jungled, others not. Could use some capital distance fine-tuning for fairness. Is gold still a hammer-multiplier for that one religious wonder I forget the name in Close to Home? Maybe everyone should have a chance to claim it, then? Maybe gems should be unjungled?
Fur: there is none.
Ivory: there is ONE, guaranteed for Celts, remove ivory or multiply it (how do war elephants work in Close to Home?).
Silk: there is ONE, guaranteed for Khmer, none anywhere else. Remove or multiply.
Wine: Arabia has one easily, Khmer has one easily, none anywhere else. Remove or multiply.
Dye and spices: scattered in the contested regions. Dye jungled, spice forested. Could use some distance and quantity fine-tuning for fairness (ex. France easily has two spices, Arabia and Celts must fight over only one between them).
Incense: there is none.
Sugar: there is none.
Whale: all have it safely seaward. Only thing is Carthage has only one tile option to settle for BFC whales, maybe adjust that? (what tech unlocks these in Close to Home?)

Food:
Not sure how much this is subject to change now that starts are shown and picks are complete, but I will still say a bit.

Every civilization needs two of Hunting, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry for their starting food. Khmer does not need Animal Husbandry at all, Germany and Arabia only need it for one resource.

Khmer is the only start with a 6 food tile (wet corn).
Carthage has a dry rice for one of its three starting resources.
France and Arabia have 4 food tiles as their best starting resources.
Germany has a deer without a forest?
France has a cow with a forest?

Otherwise, no one has any outrageous capital relocation options, everyone can have the coveted second city that shares food with the capital, secures new food, and goes towards the enemy all at once, and no one seems totally screwed by lack of food in the surrounding area.

Overall, I like it. No islands and many mountains should be interesting and memorable without overpowering normal solid gameplay stuff. Also there are no deserts at all, which is odd but fine.

Commodore, what map script did you use as the base of this?

[Commodore]

This is a tectonics base, actually.

[Commodore]

Sent to Ramk, in his hands now.

[Commodore]

Smack talk about starting picks to come soon?

Think there's really much to talk smack about? All the choices are at least defensible, imo. Most odd is Giggles of the Zulu but I certainly don't think there's anything wrong with it...

[Commodore]

Updated map, btw.

[Magic Science]

This is a tectonics base, actually.

I like Tectonics.


Observations about map 3.0:

The only strategic resource that is still unbalanced is aluminium. There are only 5 on the map, and they are not evenly spread. Carthage could conquer all of America and and all of Zululand and still have none. In the unlikely case that the game lasts that long, someone might be stung by this.

There is now one island in the south and one in the north. Both can only be settled with galleons. They are not equidistant from the three starting places that are in contention for them, but it would be impossible to make them so, and whoever reaches Astronomy first on each ocean will easily claim the island even if they are the farthest away from it, so this should be fine. The only thing I worry about is that Carthage in the north will likely eventually notice that there is an island when their borders expand out to the ocean, but for everyone else it will be a surprise. The northern island could be moved away, or maybe everyone could be clued in with some weird means like putting --> arrows made of ice pointing to the islands seawards of all the capitals?

Food and luxuries seem about fine. Nothing seemed crazy anymore on a cursory scan.


It will be interesting to see how the mountain valleys influence early interactions.

[Ginger()]

Or instead of making it visible on the map in some contorted way, you can just say “heads up, mapmaker’s note, there’s Astro Land”, that way every player has equal opportunity to find out.

[Ramkhamhaeng]

Updated map, btw.

Just a short note because the version of your PM was also 'v3': I've used the attached version of this post for starting the game.

[Commodore]

Good point on this map being closer than it initially looks.

[Ginger()]

I think this is probably the most CRE-friendly map since PB60’s troll fish. I don’t hate Pindicator’s choice to orphan the fish for a much more convenient second city, although I’d normally scream in protest at ruining a 6 food tile.