Conquer Club

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 3:18 am**

RAIL AUSTRALIA

Quenched Version 30

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Indian-Pacific youTube Clip
& lyrics...

From coast to coast by night and day, hear the clickin' of the wheels
The hummin' of the diesel, of her ribbons of steel
Carryin' the memories of a nation built by hand
See the Indian Pacific span the land

She's the pride of all the railway men 'cross country where she flies
From blue Pacific waters to where the mountains rise
By lakes and wide brown rivers, through desert country dry
See the Indian Pacific passin' by

Oh the Indian Pacific she goes rollin' down the track
Five thousand miles to travel before she's there and back
Beside the line, a drover waves his battered old grey hat
And kids are catchin' yabbies down by the river flat
And a woman hangs her washing in a backyard near the line
As the Indian Pacific's rollin' by

Hear the whistle blowin' lonely 'neath the Nullabor star light
Saluting those who walk across the track she romps tonight
Callin' to the railway camp and the fitters on the line
I'm the Indian Pacific, right on time

From the silver of the Broken Hill to old Kalgoorlie gold
She mirrors all the colours of the land so hot and old
Then the western clouds are blooming and the air is just like wine
And the Indian Pacific's makin' time

Oh the Indian Pacific she goes rollin' down the track
Five thousand miles to travel before she's there and back
From the waters of the western sea to the eastern ocean sand
The Indian Pacific spans the land
Oh the Indian Pacific spans the land

Original Map

Why?
A logical extension for all the train enthusiasts to addition to Rail USA and Rail Europe.

Concept
Rather than use the linear train journeys for this map, i broke with that and divided the rails into State Rails.

This provides a more "classic" continent setup, rather than the linear setup of previous rail maps.

Small rail networks in smaller states provide good opportunity to gain continents early in the game, and there will be extra bonuses for connecting mineral towns marked 'M' to their ports marked 'P'.

Design
The very simple design of the stations has the standard army box plus a boomerang over the top of the station.

The outline for the Australian continent is a form of aboriginal artwork, taken from aboriginal drawings...the large dot clusters represent a meeting place and the three line connecting these clusters represent the travels and journeys of the poeple in the meeting places....quite appropriate i think!

No of Territories
7 continents
QRail (15 terts)
NSWRail (13 terts)
VicRail (6 terts)
TasRail (2 Terts)
SA Rail (9 terts)
WARail (15 terts)
AsuRail (4 terts)
Total 64 terts.

Enjoy!

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:03 am**

this r again win

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:28 am**

honestly, i feel like this is a better concept than rail usa and rail europe, although i may be partial because of my poor record on the rail usa map... but i like the idea

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:33 am**

first thing i noticed was that WARail has 1 border. then i looked at the minerals and ports and added the continent bonus and got a staggering 11 bonus for just 1 border. not good. not good at all.

second thing i looked at was the ports and minerals on the map. chances are a player may start with huge bonuses. imagine a 2p game where a guy has 3 minerals and 3 ports. that's an 18 bonus from the start. game over in round 1. and getting 3p and 3 m is very easy considering there are 9 of each. heck, a lucky guy might get even more, like 6p and 6m which means 72 bonus.

so you need 2 things.

1. add more connections to the map, either by adding rails or by making ports connect
2. you need to lower the minerals bonus to 1 and then lower the chances of getting it by making 1p+2m=+1

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:55 am**

I noticed the same ^^ with rail WA, it looks very enticing and certainly a game winner once you have it.

Perhaps connecting ports would open up its borders a little? (was this already in the plan? it's not mentioned anywhere)

Another option might be to add in some sort of truck/bus/plane sort of concept? not sure which, something to open up the top end of wa.

What does the dotted line from TNC to MTI do?

Do minerals go to -all- ports? or only their nearest one, specific to each mineral? Sending from MLL to Syd wouldn't make sense, bonus wise... Also would you have to have the connection? not just the start and end? ie, Len-Klg-Esp? not just Len and Esp?

Graphically, I'd like to see some sort of great barrier reef added off the coast of queensland/nsw, just to look nice

and attract tourists!

Do the aboriginal meeting place circles represent any particular place? Could they perhaps provide a link up between the ports?

It's looking good and I like the idea. The more Aus maps the better imho

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:56 am**

also if we're looking at minerals, possibly including some off-shore gas rigs might give some extra space/place and create more connections to the ports?

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:00 pm**

whitestazn88 wrote:honestly, i feel like this is a better concept than rail usa and rail europe, although i may be partial because of my poor record on the rail usa map... but i like the idea

Kewl...but this is a rail map with quite different aspects.

DiM wrote:first thing i noticed was that WARail has 1 border. then i looked at the minerals and ports and added the continent bonus and got a staggering 11 bonus for just 1 border. not good. not good at all.

second thing i looked at was the ports and minerals on the map. chances are a player may start with huge bonuses. imagine a 2p game where a guy has 3 minerals and 3 ports. that's an 18 bonus from the start. game over in round 1. and getting 3p and 3 m is very easy considering there are 9 of each. heck, a lucky guy might get even more, like 6p and 6m which means 72 bonus.

so you need 2 things.

1. add more connections to the map, either by adding rails or by making ports connect
2. you need to lower the minerals bonus to 1 and then lower the chances of getting it by making 1p+2m=+1

Thanks for comment DiM....how does this new V2 below address some of those issues?

Tieryn wrote:I noticed the same ^^ with rail WA, it looks very enticing and certainly a game winner once you have it.

Perhaps connecting ports would open up its borders a little? (was this already in the plan? it's not mentioned anywhere)

No it wasn't in the plan, but is now.

Another option might be to add in some sort of truck/bus/plane sort of concept? not sure which, something to open up the top end of wa.

More rail added to top end of WA to reflect the development of mineral wealth occuring there...and now connected by Future Rail.

What does the dotted line from TNC to MTI do?

Future Rail connects as per map.

Do minerals go to -all- ports? or only their nearest one, specific to each mineral? Sending from MLL to Syd wouldn't make sense, bonus wise... Also would you have to have the connection? not just the start and end? ie, Len-Klg-Esp? not just Len and Esp?

Yes, there are now Minerals to Port pairs where the bonus +1 is only now applicable

Graphically, I'd like to see some sort of great barrier reef added off the coast of queensland/nsw, just to look nice and attract tourists!

Not enough room and was never going to happen...not in the design.

Do the aboriginal meeting place circles represent any particular place? Could they perhaps provide a link up between the ports?

No they don't mean anything, they are purely for design. Being close to ports is mere coincidence.

Thanks for your comments Tieryn. Great work and thought.

Version 2 below

Changes:
1. Legends moved around
2. Mineral->Port pairs developed for pairing bonus +1
3. More rail added to top of WA.
4. More bonuses for long distance passenger services.
5. All ports connect.
6. There is a Future Rail concept, where new lines could possibly be added to open-up the country.
7. Continent given a bevel.

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:01 pm**

Tieryn wrote:also if we're looking at minerals, possibly including some off-shore gas rigs might give some extra space/place and create more connections to the ports?

This one is too way-off main subject matter sorry Tieryn.

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:02 pm**

onbekende wrote:this r again win

Thanks onbekende...i trust you'll be available for the bonuses?

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:07 pm**

The map looks great. Although it is kinda dark, mabye you could lighten it up a little.

--lanyards

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:27 pm**

lanyards wrote:The map looks great. Although it is kinda dark, mabye you could lighten it up a little.

--lanyards

Yes i can do that, but don't want it too bright as I'll only get asked to make it less bright.

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:36 pm**

the new bonus system is definitely better

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:54 pm**

lanyards wrote:The map looks great. Although it is kinda dark, mabye you could lighten it up a little.
--lanyards

How's this....Version 3?

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:41 pm**

I dont like the way the pink looks now. (Actually only TNC and ASP)

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:43 pm**

v3 is better. easier to read except for the blue text on the water.

anyway. i still think the chances of an opponent starting with a big bonus are pretty big. don't know the exact chance but in 2 or 3 p games i think somebody will get bonuses right from the start.

and speaking of bonuses, the bonus for long distance passenger services is a nice addition but it has a big problem of being hard to spot. for example by the time i read the whole indian pacific route and identify the stations on the map i think i'll miss my turn.
perhaps marking each bonus with a coloured dot and then adding that dot to the stations?

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:48 pm**

Kaplowitz wrote:I dont like the way the pink looks now. (Actually only TNC and ASP)

OK.. I'll adjust that to the colour of Darwin

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:49 pm**

are those rings that float around australia ports?

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:52 pm**

DiM wrote:v3 is better. easier to read except for the blue text on the water.

anyway. i still think the chances of an opponent starting with a big bonus are pretty big. don't know the exact chance but in 2 or 3 p games i think somebody will get bonuses right from the start.

is there anything really wrong with that given the spread of terts.

and speaking of bonuses, the bonus for long distance passenger services is a nice addition but it has a big problem of being hard to spot. for example by the time i read the whole indian pacific route and identify the stations on the map i think i'll miss my turn.

i luv u when u exaggerate...u do it so well LOL

perhaps marking each bonus with a coloured dot and then adding that dot to the stations?

I'm not sure a coloured dot would be helpful to the rest of the colour schemata,,,i don't want this ot end in mayhem/chaos whatever Hehehehe!
However, a simple box with I in it might be appropriate on the left over the station for the Indian-Pacific. I'll see what i can dooooooo - didgeridoo, doo, dooooooooooooooooooo

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:02 pm**

cairnswk wrote:
DiM wrote:v3 is better. easier to read except for the blue text on the water.

anyway. i still think the chances of an opponent starting with a big bonus are pretty big. don't know the exact chance but in 2 or 3 p games i think somebody will get bonuses right from the start.

is there anything really wrong with that given the spread of terts.

it depends. as i said i don't know the exact chances to get a some ports and resources in 2-3 player games but surely i wouldn't want a guy going first with 6 extra armies. i would be at a great disadvantage.

cairnswk wrote:
and speaking of bonuses, the bonus for long distance passenger services is a nice addition but it has a big problem of being hard to spot. for example by the time i read the whole indian pacific route and identify the stations on the map i think i'll miss my turn.

i luv u when u exaggerate...u do it so well LOL

cairnswk wrote:
perhaps marking each bonus with a coloured dot and then adding that dot to the stations?

I'm not sure a coloured dot would be helpful to the rest of the colour schemata,,,i don't want this ot end in mayhem/chaos whatever Hehehehe!
However, a simple box with I in it might be appropriate on the left over the station for the Indian-Pacific. I'll see what i can dooooooo - didgeridoo, doo, dooooooooooooooooooo

a box a dot i don't care. as long as it's some sort of identifier so that people don't have to look at the map and then at the text and then back at the map and back at the text and so on.

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:49 pm**

I fully support this cairnswk creation...

...but I do not like the colours.

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:24 pm**

whitestazn88 wrote:are those rings that float around australia ports?

no, whitestazn88, please go back and read the first page.

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:25 pm**

Gozar wrote:I fully support this cairnswk creation...

...but I do not like the colours.

More info please Gozar.

Posted: **Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:01 pm**

cairnswk wrote:
Gozar wrote:I fully support this cairnswk creation...

...but I do not like the colours.

More info please Gozar.

Turn that frown upside-down! The colours will not ruin this map.

I personally do not enjoy the purple colour of the continent. Sorry, I have no suggestions to make it better. Maybe make the orange image in the center take up the whole thing?

My main concern is the blue text on the water.

Keep railroading!

Posted: **Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:03 am**

cairnswk wrote:
onbekende wrote:this r again win
Thanks onbekende...i trust you'll be available for the bonuses?

sure, why not he

Posted: **Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:09 am**

Bonusses + comments:

NSWRail: 13 terr, 7 def/att, 6 cont => Bonus of 8 (7 is good, stays 7)
AusRail: 4 terr, 4 def/att, 6 cont => Bonus of 5 (this is a pickle, 2 is kinda low, 5 is definatly to high, guess a 3 is in order)
WARail: 15 terr, 6 def/att, 6 cont => Bonus of 8 (this is even a bigger pickle (I don't even like pickels

) but a bonus of 4/5 is in place, offcourse this seems like a lands end, but the Prts are sufficient here to make it happen)
TasRail: 2 terr, 1 def/att, 1 cont => Bonus of 1 (good)
VicRail: 6 terr, 3 def/att, 3 cont => Bonus of 4 (3 is more then fine, I am even considering less, more later on that)
SARail: 9 terr, 5 def/att, 6 cont => Bonus of 6 (I say 4 even, thou 5 can happen too, depends on your view on what I will say later)
QRail: 15 terr, 7 def/att, 6 cont => Bonus of 9 (6 is fine me thinks)

now the biggest problem I see is Adelaine/ALB (dunno long name, think) because it gives you a bonus of 8 for only keeping those 2 as border! Dunno about a solution, but I know as hell I would take that if I play this map!
+ that part is easely expandable, via SARail that is

Another thing, nice port/mineral stuff, thou in QRail the top 2 look way to similar in color, make 1 orange or so?

thats it for now, I am not going into the extra bonusses unless I find the time and will to copy your map and draw those lines out in paint (hard to see them hé)

Conquer Club

Rail Australia [Quenched]

Rail Australia [Quenched]