New map? Let me know what you think of it please.

[theycallmesquirtle]

So I went and messed around on paint, then made a second, slightly neater map. This took maybe 40 minutes, so input would be loved lol, it needs critiquing in a bad way. It has just over 50 regions. I've made moats which function like the rivers in South America, and an entrance to the wall on three sides from the outer fields with an entrance to the "courtyard" on the north side. The north moat section does not border the courtyard, but the two central north fields do. Outer fields with a siege engine (2 central south) or a ladder(one in east and one in west) border their respective walls in the section in which the siege engine or ladder is drawn. Sets (to be renamed, suggestions please): NE NW SE SW inner fields 1 each, N S E W outer fields 1 each, walls 1 each, all walls 6, 3 towers 1, all towers 2, all siege engine and ladder territories 2, courtyard(North central inner fields) 3, keep (much like E and W Berlin in cold war Europe) Resets to 4 at start of every turn except first round. The four towers border the adjacent section of wall on both sides as well as the corner inner fields. This map is designed to have many, many small bonuses which aren’t all that easy to defend, as in any castle the all important central "keep" which if used right will keep 3 units per turn coming in, and many interesting and strategic ways of getting from place to place and navigating the map with your armies hellbent on world domination.

Input or adoption would be loved all ye cartographers of the world.

 

[Jewmowrestler]

i vote yes but with 2 caveats: one i think it needs to be cleaned up a little. maybe the cartographers could base it off of some castle in europe. the second is that it needs a really bad ass name.

 

[Thunderous]

As a map concept i think its a great idea! i would definantly love to play on this style of map. As for graphics, it goes in the pile with mine that need lots of attention of someone skilled with a graphics program

 

[darincox]

I like the concept, and could work on graphics next month (leaving the country next week). I had a thought... the drawing makes it look like the central flag is the main objective. What if it was surrounded by dummy troops, so all players were scrambling to secure bonuses and acquire enough troops to break through the dummy troops and capture the flag?

 

[theycallmesquirtle]

Dar: I think that a better idea would be to make the central keep spawn with a neutrual on it, and open it up to all sides.

Thunderous: this was inspired by your post rofl, I saw it then went and messed around for half an hour and got this.

Jewmo: Lol It's named Castle Squirtle at present and yes I believe whoever creates the maps will "clean it up"

 

[Shepherd]

Wow, I see the natives are restless for our public map development forum. Glad to see some folks are already thinking about what they want to see around here!

 

[landmine]

i`m in if you make it fog game

 

[Shepherd]

I don't want to let any cat too far from the bag, but a castle/siege map is high on our to-do list, so it would be education to hear some more chatter about what would make for good gameplay.

For starters, I don't like the idea of moats operating as do the South America rivers. A castle's moat is designed to be a barrier, not an area in which an enemy may build up to stage an attack.

Secondly, it's very symmetrical. The most practical and defensible castles were those that took advantage of natural topography - built near a river, on a hilltop, into a cliff, etc. You plop up four straight walls in a field and you're just asking somebody to attack you and steal your gold.

An interesting place to start would be to discuss what made for a strong castle back in the day?

 

[mapguy]

I don't want to let any cat too far from the bag, but a castle/siege map is high on our to-do list, so it would be education to hear some more chatter about what would make for good gameplay.

For starters, I don't like the idea of moats operating as do the South America rivers. A castle's moat is designed to be a barrier, not an area in which an enemy may build up to stage an attack.

Secondly, it's very symmetrical. The most practical and defensible castles were those that took advantage of natural topography - built near a river, on a hilltop, into a cliff, etc. You plop up four straight walls in a field and you're just asking somebody to attack you and steal your gold.

An interesting place to start would be to discuss what made for a strong castle back in the day?

Did you see this ? http://www.conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=114701&hilit=siege&start=90#p2545335

 

[Shepherd]

Did you see this ? http://www.conquerclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=114701&hilit=siege&start=90#p2545335

Nope. I don't spend too much time over there - I got tired of spending 18 months helping to develop a map that still didn't end looking very good. I'd prefer to have a serious discussion with a handful of people who know what they're talking about (I would count you among this group, mapguy), figuure out what we want to see on a map, and hand it to an artist who can execute it.

By execute, I don't mean kill it.

 

[mapguy]

Nope. I don't spend too much time over there - I got tired of spending 18 months helping to develop a map that still didn't end looking very good. I'd prefer to have a serious discussion with a handful of people who know what they're talking about (I would count you among this group, mapguy), figuure out what we want to see on a map, and hand it to an artist who can execute it.

By execute, I don't mean kill it.

You do not know how much I appreciate those words. Yeah, I agree with you wholeheartedly about The total waste of time, that I spent over there. I tried every way that I knew how to produce something great, but I got shot down with every attempt, by a small group of talentless hacks, that cared more for protecting their overinflated ego's, than making good maps.

I would absolutely love an opportunity to work on a project or two here. ...Put me in coach, I'm ready to play.

 

[warneke]

Historically, the "best" castles, like http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/index/tour/3d.htm have defined approaches with the other side being things like cliffs that you just can't march up. Or, the Kremlin of Moscow, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moscow_Kremlin_map,_1760s.jpg with rivers on 2 sides. Or, of course, there's always the Peter & Paul fortress http://www.petersburg-bridges.com/peter-and-paul/today/the-peter-and-paul-fortress-map.html that Peter the Great stuck on an island.

I agree, the 4-sided approach is not the best for defense, which would defeat the purpose of the castle. Something with natural barriers is much better. And, would probably make for a more interesting game.

You know what might be a cool one to do? http://www.freshtourism.com/index.php?pageid=252 DRACULA!!!!

 

[ghost]

Historically, the "best" castles, like http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/index/tour/3d.htm have defined approaches with the other side being things like cliffs that you just can't march up. Or, the Kremlin of Moscow, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moscow_Kremlin_map,_1760s.jpg with rivers on 2 sides. Or, of course, there's always the Peter & Paul fortress http://www.petersburg-bridges.com/peter-and-paul/today/the-peter-and-paul-fortress-map.html that Peter the Great stuck on an island.

I agree, the 4-sided approach is not the best for defense, which would defeat the purpose of the castle. Something with natural barriers is much better. And, would probably make for a more interesting game.

You know what might be a cool one to do? http://www.freshtourism.com/index.php?pageid=252 DRACULA!!!!

yeahhhh... dracula, see.. now this is what i am talking about!

 

[Shepherd]

dracula's castle? I love it. That'll rise to the top of any to-do list. Talk about an easy-to-defend location - Vlad the Impaler new what the fiddlesticks he was doing.

 

[ghost]

dracula's castle? I love it. That'll rise to the top of any to-do list. Talk about an easy-to-defend location - Vlad the Impaler new what the fiddlesticks he was doing.

this is an amazing idea!!!

 

[WidowMakers]

Are we talking about an outside of Dracula's castle map or inside. Because inside a castle map (castle/dungeon) would be right up my alley.

 

[ghost]

Are we talking about an outside of Dracula's castle map or inside. Because inside a castle map (castle/dungeon) would be right up my alley.

i'd love to see either... inside would be intense.. and outside would be equally as intense.
can't we do both? lol.

 

[Kjell]

I'm all for it. Especially since it means seeing a new map.

 

[mapguy]

A couple of years back I started a map on Romania. My photoshop experience was only a few weeks in, so please excuse the dreadful graphics. I would lobby for a Romania map, as its layout lends itself perfectly for a game map.

 

[RjBeals]

you know ghost, I'm still waiting for that macabre project you promised.