Baltic Crusades

[theBastard]

I think that unlimited reinforce are not fine for this map, based on auto-deploy units and castles...

let´s look at Rugen and Estonia:
Rugen - 2 regions which could be attcked from 3 regions
Estonia - 4 regions (including castle, town), which could be attacked from 6 regions.

I know about bonus calculator, I´ve tried it but with no big luck...

[natty dread]

I think that unlimited reinforce are not fine for this map, based on auto-deploy units and castles...

Maps should be designed so that they can be played on all settings...

[porkenbeans]

I think that unlimited reinforce are not fine for this map, based on auto-deploy units and castles...

Maps should be designed so that they can be played on all settings...

I do not agree. This will homogenize things too much, and in the end, will only limit choices in game type. I think that if it is absolutely necessary, you could just limit settings for maps. This will allow (for example), maps like Doodle and Lux. to make it to the floor. There are many players that prefer a small, simple map for a quicker game.

Making all maps that can be played equally on all settings, is not the way to go, if you want diversity in maps.

[natty dread]

Well, you may have a point, but such are the current foundry guidelines. If you want those changed I suggest taking it to the admin...

[Evil DIMwit]

It's not that maps need to be equally playable on all setting, but they must accommodate all settings without being utterly broken or imbalanced. In this case, there's no problem; there are plenty of maps with significant auto-deploys, and I assure you that it makes a difference even on unlimited reinforcements.

[theBastard]

o.k. but why you want have all maps playable in various gameplay settings? I think it could be better to build map for it´s settings. it is impossible to do good balance for all settings...

[theBastard]

I think we should go with this version. maybe some changes will be at names of regions. so now set up the bonuses, I think.
[bigimg]http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1421/balticcrusadesmap4.jpg[/bigimg]

[porkenbeans]

Well, you may have a point, but such are the current foundry guidelines. If you want those changed I suggest taking it to the admin...

I will use an automobile analogy.
-There are many types of cars. From sports cars, to SUV's, to Fiestivas, ...etc. If the Auto industry took our Foundry's guidelines, and incorporated it into their industry,

...we would all end up driving mini-vans.

[Evil DIMwit]

Well, you may have a point, but such are the current foundry guidelines. If you want those changed I suggest taking it to the admin...

I will use an automobile analogy.
-There are many types of cars. From sports cars, to SUV's, to Fiestivas, ...etc. If the Auto industry took our Foundry's guidelines, and incorporated it into their industry,

...we would all end up driving mini-vans.

Well, if you've got a suggestion, feel free to lodge it in the Tips & Discussions forum.

More on-topic, I like how this map is coming along, but I'd like it if you differentiated your bonus colors more. In many cases where there are two shades of the same color, it's difficult to tell which territories belong to which. Also, the Principality of Rugen looks very close to the Duchy of Samogiria.

[theBastard]

More on-topic, I like how this map is coming along, but I'd like it if you differentiated your bonus colors more. In many cases where there are two shades of the same color, it's difficult to tell which territories belong to which. Also, the Principality of Rugen looks very close to the Duchy of Samogiria.

when you look at older versions of map there were bigger difference between colours. but in "Map Ideas" I get some advices to do colours of the higher bonus (Kingdom of Poland - Duchy of Greater Poland/Duchy of Mazovia) closer.

no problem to do them more different...

thanks fo advice.

[theBastard]

I changed colour of Principality of Rugen and a little edited some colours. better?
[bigimg]http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/1047/balticcrusadesmap5.jpg[/bigimg]

[MarshalNey]

Much better, especially Rugen. Poland and Pomerania still need to have their individual bonus regions made a little more different in their shade, I think.

Keep it up, it would be a tragedy if this map weren't quenched!

[natty dread]

Livonia's colours could be separated more as well...

[Industrial Helix]

Teutonic Knights could be better colored on the map.

I don't like the trees as they look like they're from clipart.

I'd also like to see a map with some numbers showing what territory starts with what. Is Grunwald going to start neutral?

[theBastard]

thanks guys for feedbacks. I changed tones of some colours by your advices.
also changed bridges, which Helix does not like , about trees - they are official map symbols, have you any advice here (as allways )?
I added also numbers, all not marked regions should start as neutral. I think that I can not do "nobody lands" (sandy ones) all as neutal from start, because around Pskov there are too much these and it should be not balanced...
now every player will start with one castle (marked with shield), one Hansa town, one town (marked with religious icon) and three regions.

EDIT: I Rasterized all my text layers. is any way to turn it back?

[bigimg]http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/1047/balticcrusadesmap5.jpg[/bigimg]

[Industrial Helix]

The bridges are an improvement, but maybe light gray would work better? I also think you shouldn't be able to see the river beneath them.

At what number do the unmarked regions start at? What number does Grunwald start at? Just put any text numbers on there to make it easier to get a feel for the gameplay without having to read too much extra.

Alo, if you rasterized your text.. well, you're out of luck. There's the history box (Window, then History) but that clears out after you close photoshop.

[theBastard]

I will do something with bridges. about text, hm I´m in troubke than...

about numbers of starting positions. I do not know anything about balancing game, I think with this should help some gameplay workers? I think that maybe Grunwald should auto-deploy less as 3 armies as other castles.

EDIT: better?
[bigimg]http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/1047/balticcrusadesmap5.jpg[/bigimg]

[ender516]

I'm a little concerned by the wording of the objective, [player]theBastard[/player]. I hope you and everyone reading this will forgive me if I bring a short discussion of grammar into the topic.

I presume that the intended objective can be achieved in two ways:

1. hold Grunwald and all Teutonic strongholds
2. hold Grunwald and all Polish-Lithuanian strongholds

My problem, which may be related to my background in computing, is that when I see something like:

A and B or C

I tend to read it as

(A and B) or C

not

A and (B or C)

I think we need a way to make the grouping more clear, and I would suggest that

A and either B or C

is a wording which does the trick. So in this case, recognizing that your space is a little tight, I would suggest changing

to win a game hold Grunwald and Teutonic s
strongholds or Polish-Lithuanian strongholds

to

to win, hold Grunwald and either Teutonic
strongholds or Polish-Lithuanian strongholds

adding a grammatically correct comma and losing the unnecessary words "a game" and the "s" after Teutonic (you do not need to make a adjective plural in English to match the noun it modifies, unless it is a demonstrative adjective like "this" becoming "these", or "that" becoming "those").

Better yet, if there is room, try

to win, hold Grunwald and either all Teutonic
strongholds or all Polish-Lithuanian strongholds

or if that is too wide, then perhaps

to win, hold Grunwald and either all
Teutonic or all Polish-Lithuanian strongholds

Overall, your English is quite understandable. Keep up the good work!

[theBastard]

Overall, your English is quite understandable. Keep up the good work!

for me it also sounds a little peliculiar, but I was not able to fit it.
thanks for yours advices, I will edit it by you.

[Industrial Helix]

Bastard, you asked for some advice on the gameplay of the map and I'd say it looks pretty good to my eyes.

I would suggest tactfully pming a mod, Iancanton and evildimwit are the mods for this forum, and ask them to take a look at the gameplay of your map. Don't bombard them with PMs, but ask one of them to give it a look. They're a bit more attuned to the quirks of gameplay than I am and will be able to point out what this map needs to have addressed sometime soon.

[Evil DIMwit]

A couple of comments.
1: Please put the latest version of the map at the top of your first post rather than at the bottom. It's easier to look it up that way.
2: How, precisely, are starting positions/starting neutrals arranged? What are the starting neutral values? Do you have a plan to avoid letting any player start with a continent bonus?

[theBastard]

thanks Helix.

A couple of comments.
1: Please put the latest version of the map at the top of your first post rather than at the bottom. It's easier to look it up that way.

I´m working on new version, because there are much comments and advices from others. and unfortunately I, in artlessness , deleted most of my maps...
when it will be done I put it to the place which you said.

2: How, precisely, are starting positions/starting neutrals arranged? What are the starting neutral values? Do you have a plan to avoid letting any player start with a continent bonus?

the starting posititon which are on the last version is only from my head. the neutral values should be set up how it will be needed for balanced gameplay/start...
my idea was that no player will start with any continent bonus, but each player should have stronger position in any area.

I´m realy new, this is my first map, so I´m very open to advices for gameplay.
btw, Commander9 helps me with gameplay ideas (therefore I do new version of map).

thanks EvilDIMwit and to others for interest and advices.

[Industrial Helix]

When are we gonna get a new version of this map?

[natty dread]

Yeah, don't get too caught up doing reconquista. I'd like to see this map made first...

[theBastard]

guys, I´m pretty busy at this time, so I also do not know when I will finished new version. I hope this weekend?

pork is graphic master and it looks he has a little more free time now as me, so maybe the Reconquista will be the first...

thanks for kind words and support.