Maps

[Vesuvius]

Greetings all. I am a relative newcomer to BFW and was just wondering about a few things. I noticed in the map editor that the maximum map size is 200x200. I personally like playing epic size games and I think I'm going to make a few 200x200 maps. I was just wondering if anyone plays that sized maps and or has made any? Do people post home made maps on the site? I know there is a forum for Scenarios and Campaigns but I'm not talking about scenarios, just plain maps. Is there an archive of user made maps anywhere? I know that in the opening menu there is an add-on button which will direct me to the screen where people have posted various era's, campaign's, map packs ect. but I was wondering if this is any other archive of user made maps anywhere?

Apologies if this is not the correct forum for this thread. Have a good day all

p.s. One more thing. In multiplayer, when you play against the computer, you have the option of default AI or something called RCA AI. Does anyone know what the difference between the two is? Thx for any replies.

[Pentarctagon]

I was just wondering if anyone plays that sized maps and or has made any?

i believe gambit's empire builder has a 200x200 map, but generally the only time people play (and actually finish) maps even half that size is with a group of friends.

I know there is a forum for Scenarios and Campaigns but I'm not talking about scenarios, just plain maps.

the multiplayer development forum is generally where people post for feedback about maps.

Is there an archive of user made maps anywhere?

one was convieniently made just a little while ago

[Vesuvius]

Thx for the reply pent. That archive site you directed me to doesn't seem to allow the download of maps or am I missing something (yes I registered)?

[MDG]

Searching on RCA AI turns up various hits...

[norbert]

I was just wondering if anyone plays that sized maps and or has made any? [...] I was wondering if this is any other archive of user made maps anywhere?

http://www.wsrsw.org/search.php
Map Size: Huge (x/y > 50)

This will give you several large scenarios, like GEB Big Map.

[Ken_Oh]

Just a piece of personal advice: If you don't have something interesting with which to actually fill up a 200x200 (or otherwise ridiculously huge) map, don't bother.

Not to consider you guilty before you can prove otherwise, but I've been down that road before and it didn't end well.

[Caphriel]

For comparison, the biggest mainline 1v1 map is Cynsaun Battlefield, which is 41x41, for a total of 1681 hexes. This is generally considered unmanageably large by most players. The Wilderlands is a huge, sprawling 4p free for all map, with a 5th AI side. It's 60x60, or 3600 hexes. A 200x200 map would have 40,000 hexes. That's almost 28 Cynsaun Battlefields, or about 11 Wilderlands. That's a lot of space. For further consideration, the biggest 1v1 maps normally played are about half the size of Cynsaun and don't even use all that space.

[Vesuvius]

Thx MDG, I tacked on the question about the RCA AI as an afterthought and forgot to run a search. As for the 200x200 map making, I just wanna try making one for the fun of it to see how it plays and if I end up liking the epic feel of it. I wanted to try it more for a one-on one experience against the AI. We'll see how it goes

[Icarusvogel]

I assure you, you'll need a LOT of time to make and balance that.

[Captain_Wrathbow]

Is a 200x200 even balanceable?

[Rya]

The balance should actually become better the larger the map is (assuming the map design is balanced itself). However, it will be dead boring to play.

[Thrawn]

@Rya, the larger the map, the better drakes are at hit-and-run

[Caphriel]

And the longer it takes the dwarves to stump across the map...

[Gambit]

Is a 200x200 even balanceable?

Theoretically yes.

Nobody has really done a 200x200 map with default in mind though. They're all for special projects (like GEB) that provide their own flavor of balance. In GEB's case I provide a giant blank canvas. Players transform the map through the course of gameplay. They also get to choose their own starting positions from (IIRC) over thirteen different places. Also they all have the same units and starting resources.

It balances itself. Player skill and style (because there are many different ways to run your empire) is all that matters.

[Icarusvogel]

The thing with maps that size is that any game will probably be stopped after a few hours because people will leave. I only managed Brotherhood of Light with a friend in a local game - people always quitted after about 20 min online.