Conquer Club

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Age of Steam - part 1
Orient Express 1883


Feedback requests:

- if there's anything that bothers you, speak up

Latest XML:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2010/2/7/2 ... ientx8.xml





Latest images:

v24
Large image

Smalle image

show: older versions

Map idea:

This is kind of a crossover between a rail map and a conventional map. Before you go and say "it is too similar to Europe 1914 or Rail Europe" think about it for a while: the gameplay is very different from either map.

For one, this map has an objective: hold all 8 stations of the main rail line (the Orient Express). Also it is 30 years earlier than Europe 1914, scale is smaller too... Which allows for more territories per country, of course.

Second, the Orient Express line being a convenient way for players to move around the map and expand their territories, makes the map centered around the rail line, but also gives them much more playground - and those who don't like rail maps because they find them confusing, might still like this map: the majority of territories are regular territories with borders.

This could also serve as a "practice map" for rail maps: something to make a smooth transition from traditional territory maps into rail type maps.



Map specifics:

Number of territories: 60 (of which: 45 country territories, 6 Orient Express stations and 2 termini, 7 regular stations)

Starting neutrals:
Switzerland - 3
6 express stations - 3
2 express termini - 3
7 regular stations - 2
Monte Negro - 3
Moldova - 3

Starting territories:
Number of starting territories is 42.

Territories connecting to express stations & termini (8 territories total) will be coded as starting points. These are:

Burgundy
Baden-Württemberg
Bavaria
Austria
Hungary
Muntenia
Bulgaria
Tekirdag

Bonus zones:

Land monopolies (all land territories in a country):
France - 7 territories
Italy - 5 territories
Switzerland - 1 territory
Low countries - 3 territories
Germany - 9 territories
Austro-Hungary - 10 territories
Servia & M.N. - 2 territories
Romania - 2 territories
Ottoman - 6 territories

Orient Express line - 8 stations (hold all for victory)

Both termini (Paris & Constantinople) gives an extra +2.

Train monopolies: holding all train stations (express or regular) in a country gives a train monopoly bonus. Some are paid only when held together with the land monopoly.

Paid independently:
France - 2 stations
Italy - 2 stations
Germany - 3 stations
Austrohungary - 3 stations (1 shared with Servia-MN)
Ottoman - 3 stations

Paid with land monopoly, 1 station each:
Low countries
Servia-MN (shared with Austro-Hungary)
Romania

Belgrade is a special station, it is shared between 2 train monopolies. If held with Servia-MN land monopoly, it gives the servia train bonus. If held with other Austro-Hungary stations, it gives the Austro-hungary train bonus. If held with both it gives both.

show: Original post

I think it sounds like it could be---but of course it all comes down the graphics and gameplay---and if they fit with the theme, add to it, or if they detract from it, etc.


--Andy

Ok. Did some more digging and found out this:

1883: Nagelmackers' flagship, the 'Express d'Orient', starts running, twice a week, Paris (Gare de l'Est) - Strasbourg-Munich-Vienna-Budapest-Bucharest-Giurgiu. At Giurgiu, passengers cross the Danube by ferry to Ruse in Bulgaria, where a second train would be waiting for the 7-hour journey to Varna on the Black Sea. An Austrian Lloyd steamer then connects for the 14-hour sea voyage to Constantinople (Istanbul).

So I was missing two key stations, Giurgiu and Ruse. The ferry connection would be nice to somehow include in the gameplay as well.

I was thinking something like this: along the railway, you can attack up to 2 territories away - as the rail connection is quicker than anything else at the time. Only, this doesn't apply at the ferry connection between Giurgiu and Ruse, or the boat connection between Varna and Constantinople.

So the railway would be:

Paris -- Strasbourg -- Münich -- Vienna -- Budapest -- Bucarest -- Giurgiu ... Ruse -- Varna ... Constantinople.

-- = train connection, ... = boat/ferry connection. So, the jump over one station would only work between Paris and Giurgiu. From Giurgiu, you could attack to Budapest, but not to Varna.

I'm going to start looking for a map to trace... the graphical style would be something like this:

Ok here's another image I found. It illustrates the route and the countries of the time quite clearly.

I'm seeing something like a combination of Route 66 and Rail Europe, maybe Europe 1914.
It could work as a map, but you'd have to sell me on some kind of novelty.

I'm seeing something like a combination of Route 66 and Rail Europe

That's exactly what I thought as well

maybe Europe 1914.

nu-uh, it's 1883

It could work as a map, but you'd have to sell me on some kind of novelty.

Novelty?

Novelties weren't invented until 1884!

edit: In McGill university, of course...

Latest version, version 1J. See first post for more info.




PS: don't be shy to contribute, now!

I'm not sure you have all the Germanic countries right. Where you have Lower Saxony was part of Prussia.

captainwalrus wrote:I'm not sure you have all the Germanic countries right. Where you have Lower Saxony was part of Prussia.

How exactly would you rename it?

edit: OK, according to my research (ahem) I could name it Niedersachsen or Bremen, either of them sound better to you?

I'd much rather go with Bremen... it fits better, I don't want to add another abbreviation...

Also, one thing to consider: should all region names be changed to the local languages? Eg. German names in german, Italian names in italian...

Bremen works best, I think.

OK. Are there any other territory names that require changing? Someone mentioned Burgundy, mainly that it seems weird for the Paris station to be in Burgundy...

I'm not sure about the Paris-Burgundy issue, but I like the rail vs. ferry distinction you mentioned earlier. I didn't see this in any of your PMs, and only noticed it now when I was catching up in here.

Edit: Perhaps Île-de-France would be better, since that is where Paris is found, but it does not extend so far north and west.

ender516 wrote:I'm not sure about the Paris-Burgundy issue, but I like the rail vs. ferry distinction you mentioned earlier. I didn't see this in any of your PMs, and only noticed it now when I was catching up in here.

Edit: Perhaps Île-de-France would be better, since that is where Paris is found, but it does not extend so far north and west.

Yeah, it's a pickle. IIRC the territory is merged from Ile-de-France and Burgundy, but I named it Burgundy because it is the bigger one of them...
I don't want to divide that territory, due to lack of space (it would look horrible in the small version). So I guess I'll just go with Burgundy for now unless I get better suggestions.

As for the ferry route... I'd so like to include it in the gameplay somehow, but I have no idea how, and also there's not much more room for any additional text... So I guess it'll just leave it as a purely graphical feature. Helix wanted me to get rid of the ferry route and extend the railway all the way to Constantinople, and I probably would if it wouldn't make the Tekirdag area way too crowded.

natty_dread wrote:

ender516 wrote:I'm not sure about the Paris-Burgundy issue, but I like the rail vs. ferry distinction you mentioned earlier. I didn't see this in any of your PMs, and only noticed it now when I was catching up in here.

Edit: Perhaps Île-de-France would be better, since that is where Paris is found, but it does not extend so far north and west.

Yeah, it's a pickle. IIRC the territory is merged from Ile-de-France and Burgundy, but I named it Burgundy because it is the bigger one of them...
I don't want to divide that territory, due to lack of space (it would look horrible in the small version). So I guess I'll just go with Burgundy for now unless I get better suggestions.

Well, given the two choices, I would use Île-de-France instead of Burgundy, because having that region which does contain Paris expand to absorb the others makes more sense than Burgundy absorbing the capital region.

Another possibility is to call it Centre which is, I believe, the bulge which lies to the southwest of Paris, jutting between Brittany and Rhône-Alpes. You might even move the troop circle for the region into that bulge, put the name Centre above it and put the Paris label above its station, because right now, the Burgundy and Paris labels might be confusing.

Hm. I'll give it some thought.

Another possibility would be to name the Paris station Gare d'Est according to the name of the train station... Then it perhaps wouldn't seem so disturbing.. But Paris is more recognizable...

natty_dread wrote:Hm. I'll give it some thought.

Another possibility would be to name the Paris station Gare d'Est according to the name of the train station... Then it perhaps wouldn't seem so disturbing.. But Paris is more recognizable...

No, keep the name Paris. It would be odd to have one station not named for its city.
Think hard on moving those labels, because as it is, the word "Burgundy" is closer to the Paris circle than it is to its own, and the word "Paris" is only slightly closer to its circle than it is to the other, and is about as close to the Burgundy circle as the word "Burgundy" is to the Paris circle. Sorry if that is confusing, but that is the point.

ender516 wrote:

natty_dread wrote:Hm. I'll give it some thought.

Another possibility would be to name the Paris station Gare d'Est according to the name of the train station... Then it perhaps wouldn't seem so disturbing.. But Paris is more recognizable...

No, keep the name Paris. It would be odd to have one station not named for its city.
Think hard on moving those labels, because as it is, the word "Burgundy" is closer to the Paris circle than it is to its own, and the word "Paris" is only slightly closer to its circle than it is to the other, and is about as close to the Burgundy circle as the word "Burgundy" is to the Paris circle. Sorry if that is confusing, but that is the point.

Yeah I know what you mean. I'll have to figure out something with the territory names...

OK, for version 2 I changed Lower Saxony to Bremen and fixed the Burgundy/Paris issue.




Also a version with an alternative title text.

Well, the positions of the Paris and Burgundy labels are much better, but I think you might still consider changing that Burgundy name.

As far as the title goes, I prefer the original.

I guess I might change it to Île-de-France. It seems the best option to me.



PS. I'll be working on this map for now, but when nordic & lunar go to workshop, I'll probably be putting this on hold (vacation) until I have a free spot for this map, so that this won't take all my attention away from my older maps.

Have no fear though, I do have every intention on seeing this map finished & quenched

OK. Since Nordic countries is in GP workshop now, and we're trying to get Lunar war through as well, I would now like this map to be put on temporary vacation. I won't be working on this map again until Nordic is in Final Forge, but I'm not abandoning this... I quite like this project if I say so myself.

natty_dread wrote:OK. Since Nordic countries is in GP workshop now, and we're trying to get Lunar war through as well, I would now like this map to be put on temporary vacation. I won't be working on this map again until Nordic is in Final Forge, but I'm not abandoning this... I quite like this project if I say so myself.

Yeah, I think this map is pretty cool as well, looking forward to its continued progress. It'll be cool when Nordic Countries is through the map gauntlet cause you'll be able to do some cool bicentennial anniversary for the Orient express in 2083.

It'll be cool when Nordic Countries is through the map gauntlet cause you'll be able to do some cool bicentennial anniversary for the Orient express in 2083.

Are you implying it will take 73 years to quench a map?

natty_dread wrote:

It'll be cool when Nordic Countries is through the map gauntlet cause you'll be able to do some cool bicentennial anniversary for the Orient express in 2083.

Are you implying it will take 73 years to quench a map?

Hey, it should not take that long. Be ready for the sesquicentennial in 2033. (I have loved that word ever since the University of Toronto celebrated its 150th anniversary and we crazy Engineering students referred to it as the Sasquatch-centennial.)

ender516 wrote:

natty_dread wrote:

It'll be cool when Nordic Countries is through the map gauntlet cause you'll be able to do some cool bicentennial anniversary for the Orient express in 2083.

Are you implying it will take 73 years to quench a map?

Hey, it should not take that long. Be ready for the sesquicentennial in 2033. (I have loved that word ever since the University of Toronto celebrated its 150th anniversary and we crazy Engineering students referred to it as the Sasquatch-centennial.)

Sesqui is a fun word, yes. Another number-related word I like is oligo. It basically means that there's more than one of something, but the exact amount is not known. Eg. oligomers are polymers with unknown or alternating amount of repeating molecules...

So I'm fully prepared to spend oligo years to finish this map...