New Map: Aegean Archipelago (Skirmish)

[Yavin]

Hello there!

In anticipation of my (also Mediterranean) vacation in Italy I want to publish the last map I mainly built in November to December 2021. As new Aegean textures came out in Alpha 25 the summer a year ago I tried to make some map out of them (I can remember @wowgetoffyourcellphone of wishing my Map "Metropolis" having used the new terrains ). After my maps "The Legend of Avilava" and "Metropolis" (both scenarios) I decided to resort to the Skirmish type of map giving the player more individuality by choosing their own civ. Thus, there are no starting structures / little cities besides the original headquaters each player beginns with.

Maybe I'm too generous in the assumption everyone playing 0ad has a proper gaming PC. I just like these huge maps (even beyond "giant" would be great) with gigantic battles and stuff, hence I've decided it's scale being "giant". The map generally is arranged to have a 4 vs 4 setting. Each player starts near his own team; far from enemy players. Relatively the same amount of starting resources near the headquaters accompany each player; every team should have land more or less equally distributed to gain resources from, to build and / or to expand on.

Having let some simulations with bots go their way, I've had a lot of fun watching them. Through this I've been able to correct some little flaws and some features that would hinder the game's fluency. It's likely this map isn't perfect or "fine" anyway (others have to say so), thus I imagine that I'll maybe make some further versions. And if others like to do so, you're granted permission to of course. You guys feel free to use this map in which way you want, it's yours!  

But I think now it's time to show you some screenshots to get a better understanding of what I'm talking about.

Best to show you the type of Mediterranean landscape that I love so much (regarding this I sadly live in Austria :D) and which I hope I've been able to properly reconstruct here:

 

 

 

 

Also a look onto the starting positions of each player (screenshot follows player number): (Team 1: Player 1 - Player 4; Team 2: Player 5 - Player 8)

 

 

 

 

Looking back, I'm happy enough with what came out of my conception of a Mediterranean "holyday-like" map. It's too good I'm now starting with feeling it all myself in my vacation in Italy! As for you guys, as I said - The map is all yours. Thank the 0ad programmers for having made this aweseome game and featuring the forum to have the gamers able to communicate and exchange with each other - and to publish self made maps!

Cya soon, this Saturday I'm out in Italy now yooooo!

Aegean Archipelago.xmlAegean Archipelago.pmp

 

Edit on 13.8.2022: The edited versions should be preferred I hope there are no problems with downloading them?

Aegean Archipelago First Edit.pmpAegean Archipelago First Edit.xml

(When a number in front of the map file's name occur, you have to delete this part of the file name. For example, after downloading, you may get the files with a certain number, like: "678349583_AegeanArchipelagoFirstEdit.pmp" and "678349583_AegeanArchipelagoFirstEdit.xml" - you have to delete "678349583_" of the file names to be able to play on the map)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2022 by Yavin

[wowgetoffyourcellphone]

Purdy! 

[Stan`]

@andy5995

[wackyserious]

Amazing! I really wish we had more natural looking maps like these, the shorelines, hills, ridges and scenic combat that can take place in these places. Excellent work!

[andy5995]

@YavinNice! As far as teams, how is it meant to be played? I see 4 players close together at the bottom, and the rest are spread apart. I think it would be good to set the teams from Atlas so people have a better idea of a good set up. Doesn't seem like a good FFA map when 4 players are close together but the other 4 are spread out.

 

 

I don't like how this CC is partially obscured from being so close to map's border.

 

 

Also, the map description should be changed to something other than the default.

Edited July 30, 2022 by andy5995

[Frederick_1]

I downloaded the files, put them into the folder with the scenario maps. First all looked fine, but on starting a game I got an Error message:

PS: Did not find an application log in ~/.local/share/0ad

 

[Frederick_1]

Okey, now I realized, the systems alters the file name of a document. After removing the 11-digit leading Numbers in the file name I can play on this map. 

This file name altering already puzzled me in presenting my maps (https://wildfiregames.com/forum/topic/87326-battle-of-the-tiber-modified-maps/)

Very nice scenery. Very crowded and hard to find  building space. The starting conditions of the default player are even more constricted because his influence area is limited his cc being close to the border. Albeit good protection in the beginning makes this challenging to get a good start.

 

[Frederick_1]

Map control at beginning:

player 1 0%
player 2 2%
all others 1%

Bit if it is fine, if you wan`t to have a more demanding situation.

 

[Frederick_1]

I felt so free do do some modifications to the map.  On maps with such long water ways I do like to use ships. So I modified the under water profile, to make the two main rivers passable for all kind of ship on the whole length. The cross ability of the rivers is practically the same. Aesthetic is also  no noticeable difference.

Rest and the  smaller ponds are the same, despite one thing: I have moved the civic center of player 1 to make it fully visible. It is possible to have 4 fields, what I have tried.

 

AegeanArchipelago_mod_F2.pmp AegeanArchipelago_mod_F2.xml

[Yavin]

Good evening, hello there!

I'm back from my vacation, it had been awesome, chilling around the beaches, taking swims and doing hiking all around the Mediterranean sea in Italy. I really needed that!

First of all, thank you guys for your critique of the map. Special thanks to @Frederick_1 and @andy5995 for going in depth and even doing some modifications to the map!

Although I'm more or less quite happy with my map, I already expected some problems with Player 1. Space is little for this player. As for @andy5995, you're right, maybe it's not too aesthetic to partially obscure its CC so close to the borders. I checked @Frederick_1's changed map out, best to use his map as this problem is fixed.

 

 

 

 

 

Though I did not think of it being too much of a problem, I also agree with @andy5995 it being irritating to have the players 1 - 4 so close together whilst the players 5 - 8 are being distributed from east to west. You think of it being reasonable to put Player 1 on the peninsula north of its original starting position, like some where here: ?

 

 

This would change the problems Player 1 cause, a) seeing its CC from the border b) having just small space to build on (for this player) and c) having the players 1 - 4 not that close together and more distributed on the map. But this may come with other problems (e.g. this player being very vulnerable?). What do you say?

Oh my god, I gotta go to sleep soon, this day of departure from vacation had been pretty exhausting. So again, thank you and Cya!

 

[Frederick_1]

In my playing on this map against bots my first expansion as player 1 was on this peninsula via ship. You are usually rather late as player 1 most fighting already took place in other areas. Well, luckily I was the strongest player due to the advantage being the only one not involved in fighting at the beginning. But I was also the one who has to secure and support my team members because they were rather down compared to the opponents (they did some stupid attacks as usual).  But I  managed to keep the fighting on the border of the peninsula, where my fortification was. Otherwise It might have been critical.

But I have no clue what would have happened when player 1 is there from the beginning.

 

[Yavin]

Thank you for giving me your opinion on moving Player One to its northern peninsula @Frederick_1 For now, I just let it be on its original position. I hope and think it is not that bad having Team One  (the southern four players) a bit more close together than Team Two (the northern four players) - but I can be conviced to something different!

I've now created "Aegean Archipelago First Edit" and want to post it in my main post. I included the ideas of the changes of @Frederick_1 (making the main rivers ship passable) and moved the CC of Player 1 a little bit forward and out of the map border. Also, I've written a better map description as @andy5995 suggested also explaining which player should belong to which team (although the teams are already set unlocked).

 

 

1447202180_AegeanArchipelagoFirstEdit.pmp 441450144_AegeanArchipelagoFirstEdit.xml

Edited August 13, 2022 by Yavin

[Yavin]

Although the fixes should be implemented by now, whilst starting to load "Aegean Archipelago First Edit" an error occurs: Do you guys know how to fix this?

I just had been doing some terrain modifications and changed the name of the map.

 

Also, in the Atlas Editor the map can't be opened:

[Stan`]

Does the PMP and XML exist? Do they have the correct names?

[Yavin]

Thanks for your suggestion of correcting the error, @Stan`! Now I think it works again, I can load the map.

It had been problematic for me as I had multiple versions of the map with slightly different names and thus had been pretty confused! haha
I hope I now understood the problem I also had with downloading the "Aegean Archipelago First Edit" I put on the posts - as other users had the problem - you have to delete the number in front of the file name in order to be able to play and not get "Error loading map - no terrain data".

[Yavin]

For me one question remains, I'm sorry for not having asked previously @andy5995 What does "FFA" mean exactly?

On 30/07/2022 at 5:57 PM, andy5995 said:

Doesn't seem like a good FFA map when 4 players are close together but the other 4 are spread out.

 

[Stan`]

Free For All aka no team

[Yavin]

Thank you for your explanation, @Stan`! Now I finally get to know what is meant by the term.

However, I'm sorry there had been a misunderstanding. The map should not be FFA, but the Players are set into teams. Player One, Player Two, Player Three and Player Four are in Team One while Player Five, Player Six, Player Seven and Player Eight represent Team Two. As the map type is Skirmish, I am now finding out that there is no option of setting the teams from start? Instead, it looks like:

 

Nevertheless, in the Atlas Editor I set the teams (for each player) like the following (under "Diplomacy" you could set the teams):

Though, in the map browser you see no teams set from start.

You guys know how to have the teams already set in the map browser although the map is Skirmish?

[Stan`]

Only scenarios have restricted settings IIRC.

[Yavin]

Thank you for your reply, @Stan`!

So the individual player of the map has to orient him / herself to the map description to set the teams. I hope @andy5995 is okay with the map being like this and not FFA?

[hyperion]

Just because teams aren't locked doesn't mean there can't be defaults. Looks like a bug.

[Stan`]

2 hours ago, hyperion said:

Just because teams aren't locked doesn't mean there can't be defaults. Looks like a bug.

Defaults are overriden by player's preferences. @wraitii might know why it was done that way.

[smiley]

#4661 -> See comment:1.

rP18806 -> Related fix

D2483 -> See Chapter 13

[Yavin]

Thank you for your suggestions!

I see there might be a fix to having the teams not being overwritten from previous settings on this map? Though, you have to know I'm not that into IT and 0ad programming in general, so I'm pretty confused by what the links @smiley you send me say. Do you mean there is a fix, that is a file, that one should integrate into their folders to not have the maps settings in Skirmish / Random overwritten? I'm sorry for not understanding but thankful for you trying to help me.

[andy5995]

1 hour ago, Yavin said:

Thank you for your suggestions!

I see there might be a fix to having the teams not being overwritten from previous settings on this map? Though, you have to know I'm not that into IT and 0ad programming in general, so I'm pretty confused by what the links @smiley you send me say. Do you mean there is a fix, that is a file, that one should integrate into their folders to not have the maps settings in Skirmish / Random overwritten? I'm sorry for not understanding but thankful for you trying to help me.

@YavinThanks for updating your map. I understand you're not into IT, but if you're at all interested in trying out GitHub a little, could you submit your map through the GitHub repo at https://github.com/0ad-matters/community-maps-2 ?

 

I can help guide you through the process if you could join my unofficial 0ad  Zulip chat

 

If you can do it through Github, it also makes submitting changes easier in the future.

 

None of that is a requirement though. If you don't want to try Github, I'll download and test your map again soon.

Edited August 20, 2022 by andy5995