Lava Island

[Thomassaurus]

This is my first map, it doesn't have any xml yet.

At the start of the game the positions of troops will be randomly placed. The lava and in-between will be neutral.




Update 3
http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu21 ... land-1.jpg

Update 2
http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu21 ... Island.jpg

Update 1
http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu21 ... illNew.jpg

Original
http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu21 ... heHill.jpg

[natty dread]

You don't need XML at this point.

A few things you do need though:

- a theme for your map. At this point it's just a nameless piece of land, which is not going to be very interesting for players. You need some kind of theme to carry the map, so to speak.

- a graphics software other than ms paint.

- a rough plan for how the gameplay will work. Will it be random drop or starting positions? How will you balance the bonuses?

- the map needs to be legible. You need a legend, which is clear and legible: any player needs to be able to tell all the rules and features of the map by looking at it. Ie.

[Industrial Helix]

Looks like Castle lands with lava... throw in some dinosaurs and we'll talk.

[Thomassaurus]

No dinosaurs, i'll think of something else.

[Industrial Helix]

No dinosaurs, i'll think of something else.

With a name like Thomassaurus one would think you'd be a little more warm to the idea

Maybe make it a Hawaiian island or another Volcano island theme? I think that might be pretty cool.

And, forgive me, but how exactly does there exist a ring of lava and the center of the hill is not some exploding volcano?

Maybe you could substitute lava ring for a ring of volcanos...

[Thomassaurus]

I like dinosaurs I just don't like the idea of them on the map.
I think I'll take the volcano idea.

[Thomassaurus]

How is this?




At the start of the game the positions of troops will be randomly placed. The lava and in-between will be neutral.

[Industrial Helix]

How is this?




At the start of the game the positions of troops will be randomly placed. The lava and in-between will be neutral.

This is going to sound crazy... but along the lines of the volcano idea it strikes me that one should be running away from lava than towards... what if you made the hill area bigger and opened it to random deployment at 5 per territory, then let the outer ring remain neutral. Have the inner ring reduce by 1 per round so that a player has to essentially link as many territories as possible in 4 rounds and escape the inner ring to the outer ring. Once on the outer ring, there should be bonus areas or what have you... the objective is to retake the center.

Click image to enlarge.

[Thomassaurus]

If You had to excape the center that would make it to easy to retake the center, the only way you could hold the center till next round would be to protect it from the outside. I'm thinking more everybody fighting for this small area in the middle. This would be really hard being right in center hence the lava ring around it to help slow invaders down. More lava is a good idea, maybe a small island to the right.

Click image to enlarge.

[Thomassaurus]

So how do i get the Draft Approved stamp?

[Industrial Helix]

So how do i get the Draft Approved stamp?

You're probably going to have to thrash out more details here and have a very clear idea of where you want to take this, which you might but I'm just sayin.

Then you need to submit a design brief, fill out the info in the first post and then post in the thread.

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=105502

Have you taken a look at the how to make a map guide book yet?

[Industrial Helix]

I took a look at your design brief... you may want to edit it to say what your experience with graphics is or what programs you have experience with.

Also, you should state how the map is more unique than it has a volcano on it. I dunno if the existence of a volcano is gong to convince the mods that CC really needs this map.

[Blitzaholic]

An added volcano seems like it would be a good idea?

[Thomassaurus]

So now what? just wait?

If anyone wants to help me with the graphics that would be great.

[lurkerleader]

This is not the help your looking for, but one thing that immediately jumps out at me is your text on the map... according to this your bonus areas are either a) calculated wrong or b) need to be better described

Currently I am readying:
+2 for 1 hill territory
+3 for 2 hill territory
+4 for 3 hill territory
+5 for 4 hill territory
+3 for the top of the hill
+10 for all 5 of those territories

Where this is failing to make sense to me is that a single spot is worth +2 but once you own more the bonus is less... Perhaps rework that it is a +1 for 1, +2 for 2, +4 for 3, +6 for 4 OR +1 for 2, +2 for 3, +3 for 4 (probaby the better of the two choices imo. in which case you might want to lower it to +2 for the center and +6 or +7 for the whole)

I'll offer more advice in the morning

[Thomassaurus]

I want to someone to get at lest 2 troops for holding part of the hill, but I don't want someone to get to powerful for holding the whole thing.
Ive got a new idea though:

+1 for holding a part of the hill
+1 for every area you own in the hill
+1 for holding the top of the hill
+1 for holding all of the hill

so thats 2 for 1 area, and 8 for the whole hill.

[lurkerleader]

Is the Lave Hole the top of your hill? Making it 5 territories or Is like hill 4 the top? Making it 4 territories

You should not be worried too much about the bonuses yet, but your new thought is reading this to me.

hmmm after reading this through tell me if this scenario is right

Owning 1 territory: 1 standard terri = +2 ~~~~ top of hill = +3 -1
Owning 2 territory: 2 standard terri = +3 ~~~ 1 standard terri + top of hill = +4 -1
Owning 3 territory: 3 standard terri = +4 ~~~ 2 standard terri + top of hill = +5 -1
Owning 4 territory: 4 standard terri = +5 ~~~ 3 standard terri + top of hill = +7-1?
Owning 5 territory: 4 standard terri + top of hill = +8 -1?

Partial continent bonus//Owning a part of the hill continent = +1
Top of the hill = +2
3 other hill spots = +1
Whole continent bonus = +2


Here I have ran into the conclusion that the Lava territory must be the top of the hill (in which case, is there not a negative bonus for owning a lava spot or something? Ya automatically lose 1 troop, which means overall you are getting a +8 and a -1, which is a +7)

I cannot picture this volcano-ish map to make sense without lava being at the top... hmmm... Did you want the top to be a +2 after the -1? You will want to say +2 for holding the top of the hill in the list of your last posts. Or think of some reason to not be a -1 for being at the top of the hill (perhaps the entire hill is more of a secret lair and is suspended from the top of the hill - those 4 lava spots surrounding the hill compose the top)

[Thomassaurus]

im not sure on a -1 for the lava holl. but you've got the bonus right.

[Thomassaurus]

new version: http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu21 ... 1266020775

[isaiah40]

new version:

Click image to enlarge.

Fixed.

[Thomassaurus]

What now?

[Industrial Helix]

Looks like you wait for the mods to either approve or deny you're request.

Though, I think they are hesitant as the gameplay just isn't unique enough. I'd suggest using those lava rivers to segment the map into 4 areas, thus making players go for the hill if they want to win.

Then perhaps you could use starting positions?

Perhaps add some towns being engulfed by the lava, hold 1 for a bonus or something? To be honest, I think this map woul dbe an interesting starting position game.

[MrBenn]

Apologies for not commenting sooner - I missed this when I did my last round of Design Brief reviews.

Right now,

So how do i get the Draft Approved stamp?

You're probably going to have to thrash out more details here and have a very clear idea of where you want to take this.

While there are some vague ideas here, there does not appear to be a swathe of support, and in its current state I'm not convinced there is enough here that could entice people in.

Before submitting another design brief, I would suggest trying to come up with something other than a simple volcano as your theme - there is generally little real-world value in trying to conquer an active volcano! If you wanted to try and go for another angle, you could tie it in with something historical like Vesuvius, Krakatoa, or Pinatubo?

[Thomassaurus]

I'm working on another map now, so if this map doesn't make it with the current theme then thats that.