Conquer Club

MrBenn wrote:Conditional Autodeploys
The tag for autodeploy is currently a <bonus> tag within the <territory> collection. It would make more sense (and add more versatility) to add a conditional autodeploy to the <continent> collection.

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<continent>
   <name>Oceania</name>
   <bonus>0</bonus>
   <components>
      <territory>Indonesia</territory>
      <territory>New Guinea</territory>
      <territory>Western Australia</territory>
      <territory>Eastern Australia</territory>
   </components>
   <autodeploy=”2”>Indonesia</autodeploy>
   <autodeploy=”-1”>Eastern Australia</autodeploy>
</continent>


Killer Neutral Tweak
**NOTE: There is a known bug when players are eliminated by a killer neutral – it may be worth resolving this!

There have been requests to update the killer neutral code to allow for the neutral to respawn/reset to a different value.

Description: At the moment you can have
<neutral>2</neutral>
or
<neutral killer="yes">5</neutral>

The Maze Craze map requires this to be tweaked slightly... could we change to?
<neutral killer="5">2</neutral>
So the neutral initialises with 2 but when captured it returns to 5.

Alternatively add a separate <neutral reset> tag, which could be used with the neutral killer, or proposed decay?

Decay to Neutral
Negative autodeploy currently stops when a territory has a single army on it. With killer neutrals, a precedent has been set for territories to revert to neutral, and so it would be logical to extend the behaviour of decaying territories. However, in order to maintain backwards-compatibility, I would suggest the addition of a <decay> tag:

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<territory>
   <name>No Mans Land</name>
   <borders>
      <border>Dalhart</border>
      <border>Clayton</border>
      <border>Boise City</border>
   </borders>
   <coordinates>
      <smallx>90</smallx>
      <smally>90</smally>
      <largex>200</largex>
      <largey>111</largey>
   </coordinates>
   <bonus>-1</bonus>
</territory>

<territory>
   <name>No Mans Land</name>
   <borders>
      <border>Dalhart</border>
      <border>Clayton</border>
      <border>Boise City</border>
   </borders>
   <coordinates>
      <smallx>90</smallx>
      <smally>90</smally>
      <largex>200</largex>
      <largey>111</largey>
   </coordinates>
   <decay>1</decay>
</territory>


Conditional Borders
Previously (and frequently) referred to as Dynamic Borders, conditional borders have been mentioned a number of times under various guises. Their addition would open up Conquer Club to a whole new level of strategy, and further differentiate from the well-known Hasbro clone
Previous suggestions have incorporated multiple map images, although this could initially be done within a single static image: a 'green key territory' could be used to open attack routes through 'green doors'... hold a ladder/rope to climb/descend... etc. etc.
The below example is an idea of how it could be implemented - continents have been included for versatility.

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   <territory>
      <name>Door</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Hallway</border>
         <conditionalborder>
            <required territory>Key</required territory>
            <required continent>Guardhouse</required continent>
            <border>Drawbridge</border>
            <bombardment>Moat</bombardment>
         </conditionalborder>
      </borders>
   </territory>


Permanent Visibles
There have been murmurs of approval for some sort of sentry/scout/lookout post territories for use in foggy games – territories that can see through the fog, without the ability to attack.
Note: Visibles could theoretically be included in conditional borders (above)

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   <territory>
      <name>Lookout Post</name>
      <borders>
         <border>Inner Wall</border>
         <border>Outer Wall</border>
         <visible>Over The Hill</visible>
         <visible>Far Away</visible>
   </territory>


Perma-fog
The antithesis to the lookout post/permanent visibles, would be permanent fog (for non-adjacent territories)

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<territory>
   <name>No Mans Land</name>
   <borders>
      <border>Dalhart</border>
      <border>Clayton</border>
      <border>Boise City</border>
   </borders>
   <coordinates>
      <smallx>90</smallx>
      <smally>90</smally>
      <largex>200</largex>
      <largey>111</largey>
   </coordinates>
   <bonus>-1</bonus>
   <permafog>True</permafog>
</territory>


Grouped Starting Positions
If there was any way of assigning starting positions to teams, then that would be a very welcome addition. Rather than specifiying positions for particular players, is there any way that the starting positions could be grouped so that groups of positions will be given to the same team… The maximum number of teams in a game is 4 (4x doubles), so perhaps <group> tags could be added each position – and then each player will be assigned positions corresponding with their teammates – but you could keep it randomised so that team 1 would not necessarily be allocated group 1...
If there are more teams than groups, then the start positions should be ignored. Equally, if there are less teams than groups, then each team could be given two positions (ie if there are 4 coded groups in a quads game, then Team 1 (red, green, blue, yellow) would receive two groups, with team 2 receiving the other.

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<positions>
   <position>
      <territory>Britain</territory>
      <group>1</group>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>France</territory>
      <group>1</group>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Holland</territory>
      <group>1</group>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Spain</territory>
      <group>1</group>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Portugal</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Inuit Homeland</territory>
      <group>2</group>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Comanche Homeland</territory>
      <group>2</group>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Aztec Homeland</territory>
      <group>2</group>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Mapuche Homeland</territory>
      <group>2</group>
   </position>
</positions>


Default Starting Position
It would be nice if you could select a single starting position that would always be allocated – ie. In a Humans v Aliens map, with 7 different species of alien, you could ensure that somebody would represent Humans in every game…

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<positions>
   <position>
      <territory>Humans</territory>
      <default>True</team>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Ewoks</territory>
   </position>
   <position>
      <territory>Vulcans</territory>
   </position>
</positions>


Objectives Tweak
Amend objectives to include <continent> tags as well as <territory> tags. This would allow for more flexibility of objectives (such as “Control 60% of the board.”)

Starting Bonus Override/Delay
One of the things that we have become semi-obsessional over with maps, is to reduce the probability of the first player receiving (large) bonuses. In order to help mitigate the luck of the drop – and to try and add more balance to the game, it would be nice to be able to specify bonuses to be ignored during round 1 (or possibly to be reshuffled in the same way as when an objective is held on the drop)

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<?xml version="1.0"?>
<map>
   <title>Classic</title>
   <smallwidth>600</smallwidth>
   <smallheight>325</smallheight>
   <largewidth>800</largewidth>
   <largeheight>433</largeheight>
   <filetype>jpg</filetype>

   <delaybonus>
      <continent>South America</continent>
      <continent>Oceania</continent>
   </delaybonus>
 

Game Start Message
Just a simple xml tag to define a message posted to chat or the game log at the start of every game on that map.

Mostly for storytelling or "setting the mood"

Would need standards set - under x number of characters, yes/no to "map created by", "Beware the prison of Alcatraz for you shall never escape it" is a gameplay tip but in character so to speak where "Alcatraz has no outward borders" is just an explanation - which, if either is acceptable, etc etc etc.

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<?xml version="1.0"?>
<map>
   <title>Classic</title>
   <smallwidth>600</smallwidth>
   <smallheight>325</smallheight>
   <largewidth>800</largewidth>
   <largeheight>433</largeheight>
   <filetype>jpg</filetype>

   <startmessage>”"Beware the prison of Alcatraz for you shall never escape it."</startmessage>

</map>


Industrial Helix wrote:Suggestion Idea: Troop cap

Description: Limits the number of troops a territory can hold.

Why It Should Be Considered: Adds a lot of options to scenario maps and has the potential to add new dynamic to territories. It would also introduce new strategies to games. Territories would have more of a unique use and could act more like the things they represented. For example, if there was a castle then you wouldn't be able to fit more than 40 men in it, accurately reflecting its storage capacity. Belgium can't hold more than 20 troops, Germany can't hold more than 80. On a map with a bridge that can be occupied, for example castlelands, a bridge can't hold more than 10 men at a time meaning you better secure your way across or not attempt.

captainwalrus wrote:That would be hard for reinforcements. You wouldn't be able to move lots of troops though at once.

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      B
  /      \
A --  C -- E
  \      /
      D


the.killing.44 wrote:

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      B
  /      \
A --  C -- E
  \      /
      D


A has 30 units on it; E has no limit. B, C, and D all have a cap of 10 units. We can bring 30 units from A to E, right?

the.killing.44 wrote:

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      B
  /      \
A --  C -- E
  \      /
      D


A has 30 units on it; E has no limit. B, C, and D all have a cap of 10 units. We can bring 30 units from A to E, right?

Evil DIMwit wrote:Suggestion Idea: Losing Conditions

Description: They're like winning conditions, but the other way. A set of territories and/or continents such that if you don't own a single one of them, you're eliminated from the game and the rest of your territories revert to neutral.

Why It Should Be Considered: Allows for myriad game possibilities: Perhaps players have capitals that they need to hold onto in order to stay in the game. Or perhaps there is a central playing area and external territories, and if any player is eliminated from the center they're eliminated from the game. Furthermore, certain maps exist such that if you are relegated to a certain set of territories (particularly, ones that are bombard-out-only), you can no longer win at any case. A losing condition can allow a player to leave such a game immediately, freeing them from the unwinnable scenario and eliminating vengeful kingmakers.

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<territory>
<name>Catapult</name>
...
<dice type="Attack">3</dice>
</territory>


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<territory>
<name>Easy Target</name>
...
<dice type="Defence">-3</dice>
</territory>


chipv wrote:Suggestion Idea: Dice Bonus

Description:
Add a <dice> tag to XML with a single number (positive or negative) for adjusting dice rolls.
Can also have 2 attributes(or separate tags) for separate adjustments of attack / defence rolls.

[/code]

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<territory>
<name>Birds</name>
...
<dice type="Attack" to="Freshly Washed Car">1</dice>
<dice type="Defence" to="Shotgun">2</dice>
</territory>


Army of GOD wrote:Suggestion Idea: Random Bonus


Description: There are maps that have continents and territories that give out assured gains and losses. A random one will add more pizazzto every war. The mapmaker can make it so that a certain continent can gain/lose a bonus of -1 to 3 units or 0-5 or whatever s(he) feels like, instead of forcing "you will definitely receive x many if you hold this, no ifs ands or buts" (BORING! )

Why It Should Be Considered: Complete reinforcements in real war are never assured and things such as war-time disease and "accidents" exist all the time. Adding this feature and allowing us to use it will give map-makers another key tool when drawing and planning out maps.

the.killing.44 wrote:I personally won't play any map with a dice adjustment. Terrible idea that ruins the integrity of R*sk.

captainwalrus wrote:

the.killing.44 wrote:I personally won't play any map with a dice adjustment. Terrible idea that ruins the integrity of R*sk.

Seconded!

ender516 wrote:Suggestion Idea: Continental Reinforcements

Description: The <reinforcements/> tag would be made available within the <continent/> tag, thus simplifying the XML when a bonus structure like "Hold 4 for +2, 6 for +3, 8 for +4" is desired. The game log could state "ender516 received 3 troops for holding 7 regions in Blue Nitrogens".

Why It Should Be Considered: Some maps have enormous XML files in order to simulate this via multiple continents with bonuses and overrides and whatnot. Smaller, more understandable XML files are certainly to be desired: easier to create, easier to update and maintain.