Maps and Biome Guide

[Guest afeder]

Does that look about right?

What's with those hands on the tail feathers?

[Mythos_Ruler]

What's with those hands on the tail feathers?

It's a joke. I gave him this as a reference:

http://feltsocute.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/peacock1.jpg

[Mythos_Ruler]

Here's the 'Punjab' map I'm thinking of adding to the list. Any thoughts?

It's characterized by grasslands on the outskirts, with riverine forests in the center.

I think though that there are too many maps designed with the "a river runs through it" motif. Punjab works, but some of the others I think we can adjust so that the basic layouts are more unique.

[quantumstate]

Here's the 'Punjab' map I'm thinking of adding to the list. Any thoughts?

My main thought was actually that the palm trees look like flowers at this zoom, so you can pretend the map is actually pretty tiny, with a few puddles and some curious little model buildings exquisitely modeled and dropped on the ground.

On a more serious note, it is fairly difficult to think of significantly varied designs. One idea is to have two players put close together with a river flowing around them. Then they have to expand if they want resources but are under constant threat of attack by a very close proximity neighbor.

Another thing I think we should try and fix the performance problems with trees so we can have proper forested maps. This might be difficult and programming time seems to be fairly limited though(which reminds me that I should start doing more).

[Thorfinn the Shallow Minded]

Will female peacocks be represented?

[Spahbod]

Here's the 'Punjab' map I'm thinking of adding to the list. Any thoughts?

It's characterized by grasslands on the outskirts, with riverine forests in the center.

I think though that there are too many maps designed with the "a river runs through it" motif. Punjab works, but some of the others I think we can adjust so that the basic layouts are more unique.

Very nice map. Although I don't think there are Palm forests in punjab. Such forests are common in deccan instead. It is better to only use them singular.

[Zaggy1024]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pavo_cristatus_-Tierpark_Hagenbeck,_Hamburg,_Germany_-female-8a_(1).jpg

Peahen!

[Mythos_Ruler]

Added Punjab to the Tropic list, and updated the fauna list.

[Argantonius]

I use a small computer and clicking on the chickens is difficult already. So, instead of pheasants and partridges, can I suggest the gamebirds to be of bigger species instead such as:

- Great Bustard (Mediterranean, Temperate, Steppe) - there are similar species in Africa, Arabia and India too

- And of course the Ostrich (Desert and Savanna) - it was present in North Africa and the Middle East in Roman times too

Or you could just ignore me. That first peacock is absolutely gorgeous.

Edited January 25, 2012 by Argantonius

[Mythos_Ruler]

New (playable) mockup map added to the game. Should be a good example for the scripters.

Nile River

• Characterized as a water map only because the river is broad and in this case cannot be crossed by shallows, putting civs on either side of it at some disadvantage.
• If co-located to side with enemies, the only allied help that can come would have to transport across the river
• A good map for 3v3 teaming together or a good one for 1v1 initially defensive because of the breadth of the river.
• The river as the staff of life enters the map from the south falling over an impassable cataract waterfall (the 1st Cataract) then flows on northward to approximately where it would begin dividing in the delta but in this case terminates at the edge of the map.
• Crocodiles and Hippos can occasionally be a hazard to hominids immediately adjacent to river banks.
• As is the case for oases type maps, animal and wood bearing resources as well as farmable land are imbalanced toward the waterside, diminishing away from it while the converse is true for mineral resources.
• Civ Territories are divided proportionately along either side of the river (this map won't play for 3-player).
• Starting Civ Centres are most likely to fall closer to the river than away from it.

Flora Objects (Trees and Plants):

• Date Palm
• Senegal Date Palm
• Pistachio
• Pomegranate
• Dead Palm
• Dead Conifer
• Dead Deciduous

Fauna Objects (Animals):

• Crocodile
• Lion
• Bear
• Cheetah
• Gazelle
• Hippopotamus
• Partridge
• Rabbit
• Chicken
• Ostrich
• Oryx
• Goat
• Sheep
• Horse
• Camel

I added the suggested Ostrich to the fauna lists (Desert and Savanna). Also added Hippopotamus to the Savanna, Desert (only African desert types), and Tropic biomes.

[feneur]

Marvelous work Michael. A real challenge for the scripters to get that into RMS form, but it will be great if they manage to translate your map making skills into scripting

[MishFTW]

Dude, I cant wait to play the Nile! Please commit this soon!

[Pedro Falcão]

Can land units cross the river without transports?

[Mythos_Ruler]

Can land units cross the river without transports?

No.

[Jeru]

Excellent map!

(Fun fact: Pyramids are located only on the western bank of the Nile)

[Mythos_Ruler]

(Fun fact: Pyramids are located only on the western bank of the Nile)

I know, but it felt wrong to only allow access to a pyramid for only one side. :/ I'm thinking of making them "ruins" by which resources can be harvested.

[Argantonius]

By the way, since there is a donkey model already (as part of the Iberian and Celtic trader units) what about including some wild asses/onagers (desert, steppe, mediterranean)?

[SMST]

Woah, awesome. Those maps in the OP are from AoM, right?

[Spahbod]

By the way, since there is a donkey model already (as part of the Iberian and Celtic trader units) what about including some wild asses/onagers (desert, steppe, mediterranean)?

I created an onager's texture based on zebras some times ago. Then found that we already have a separate donkey model. But of course they could be a very good addition to the game.

[marcosbm]

a question, in the scenario editor are not bridges? You could add the ability to build bridges in a similar way to the wall being built to cross rivers, could give much play.

something so

[marcosbm]

I created the scenario editor would look like with bridges, as I have no bridges as bridges fields hahahaha

[historic_bruno]

For scenarios you can make a "fake" bridge, see the Bridge Demo map for an example. Basically there is a bridge model and you raise the terrain inside it to make it passable. Not quite the same as a real bridge, but it looks surprisingly good

[marcosbm]

then there are bridges in the scenario editor?

[feneur]

then there are bridges in the scenario editor?

There are "bridge sides" in the editor =) In other words, you need to create the middle part manually, but there are parts which you can use for the sides to make it look like a bridge. Then paint the middle part with a road texture or something to make it work well together To find the bridge pieces just go to the Object tab in the editor and start to write "bridge" in the filter textbox (you only need to write "brid" to just have the bridge pieces displayed =) ).

[Pureon]

then there are bridges in the scenario editor?

Yep