Dawn of Dominions is *NOT* balanced, especially without the full set of expected nations.  I would not suggest it for this game.

 

Either of the two I suggested would work.  One being a bit smaller, but with balanced starting locations (made for another 8 player game), the other being a bit larger, but again, with what should be reasonable starting locations.

 

I don't see much reason to continue with this one unless Elana and ghostwes want to continue it., starting that close is just crazy.

 

Otherwise you guys didn't break any rules, hell we didn't make any rules about anything did we?  Communication is good, my earlier comment was just a warning, that in some cases you don't want to give out that information, especially to Niefel... ;)  Because Neifel can rush a Jarl by turn 4 to your capitol and you'll be hard pressed to do anything about it.  Sure, you might be safe in the fortress, but your game is essentially over at that point.

 

Not that Elana was going to do that... (I assume)

 

As an aside, even with a restart my ask for air/earth gems still stands, and my PMs to anyone still stand

Actually, my primary concern was that i did NOT want to rush ghostwes (or anyone else)... ask Ghostwes what I wrote when we discussed starting locations.  I could have lied to him, and said i was starting somewhere else, and also said i did not want any NAP with him right now because we were not near enough to have it make any sense.  That would have allowed me to show up on turn three or four and wack him.  instead, i wanted a fairer start for all of us... 

Yeah, I wasn't really talking about you in this game, just used Niefel as a likely rush nation, there are others (though not too bad in this line up).

 

I checked both the maps I suggested, and they are fine.

 

Stream Lands has a couple starts with only 3 between them, but most are 4, and the 3 only if you know where you are going

 

Land of Legends has mostly 5 or 6 with a couple at 4, but someone would have to fix the starts a bit, because some of us will get stuck on the edge, and thus have only 2 neighbors in some cases, which is not good for balance reasons.  Even fixing the starts a bit shouldn't force anything closer than 4, but someone besides me should do it, since I'm in the game

 

Also of note is that SL is wrap around and LoL is not.  For those who care about that.  LoL has everyone starting on the outside ring anyway, so you will have 2 neighbors, plus potentially anyone who's quick to go into the center island.  But quick isn't for the first 10 turns probably...

 

There is also The Desert Eye, which is a default map giving us 13.5 land provinces per player, and likely reasonable starts.

 

So anyway, I think we are going to scrap this current game and restart on a new map.  Unless I hear anything to the contrary by tomorrow morning, I will take care of it with whatever map people agree on.  Or, we can have wonderloss fix the existing map, but it's still a restart.

Dawn wouldn't work very well, I think, though it is a pretty one. Some of the nations, ie me for one, would be forced to start in their pre-set location. In my case that consists of swamp, swamp and more swamp. While C'Tis units have swamp survival, we would still have to deal with the lack of resources etc. I have been using that map for all of my test games so I'm familiar with it. Even if you randomize who starts in which location, whoever else starts on the east swampland would have the same problem, and probably be worse off.

I'm pro a new map and perhaps if the patch is out we could also patch up?

yup, i am also for the change of map, this is one is just too small

 

however, i do not have any preferences so you guys with more experience decide 

Patch has been released by the devs but is still in beta testing. Its expected soon. Patching can shake up a game. The host WILL patch (only a couple offer continuing to run a game on old versions) and all players will then have to rush to patch before the next turn. That means every active Dom3 MP player is in a rush to get the patch from the little Shrapnel servers (your desktop machine is probably bigger). Also some players tend to disappear with each patch since it "fixes" torrent downloads

Although I am not against the patch, I think it might create problems for me. As you may know I am still in the Elementalists game. Well, barely, but I fear I cannot patch my copy of Dom3 without affecting that game as well. I suppose I could try to find a sub for that game, or let my measly territories be taken over by the AI, if the other players consented.

My apologies for the map issues. I took on a task that was beyond my current skill and knowledge level. Sorry for the delays and restarts.

You can copy Dom3 to another directory before patching, and play the old game with the old version. I have half a dozen copies on my machine

No apology needed, Wonderloss. In any case, it seems nobody minds restarting the game.

llamaserver will probably patch once it is out of beta, so I doubt that will be an issue ghostwes.

wonderloss:  no apology needed, you volunteered to help us.  For that I am grateful.  And we all have learned from this. 

So I 'unstarted' the game.  However, I cannot change the map file.

 

We have 2 choices now.  Restart and hope the positions are groovy.

 

Delete the game, and remake a new one with a new map, or a fixed map.

i am for a new map, somewhat bigger; but i can play on this one too

Admin options--> alter game settings will allow you to choose a new map.

Ahh, so it will

 

So now the question is, which map?

 

Do you have time/interest to relook at the starts on this one wonderloss?

 

Then you'd have to send up the .map file.

 

Otherwise it will take me til tonight to get to putting in a new map.

By the way...

 

Plane of Rusty Nails looks like a well sized map for those who want more room.  There's also a 9 player fixed start version available which is probably pretty close for what we'd want, though somewhere would have a gap.

 

It's also wrap around I believe, as opposed to Land of Legends which is not.

 

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showpost.php?p=762185

 

Or this one maybe...

From what I have learned, I would rather not try to do starts again. There are a lot of details involved of which I was not aware. It would probably be better to go with a premade map.

You know I think wonderloss is 100% correct on this issue and a pre-made map is the way to go. I'd also like the slightly larger map option as well.

Ok, land of legends or Plane of Rusty nails.

 

Can someone other than me check the starting locations in the fixed versions floating around the llama map browser?

 

Otherwise just vote on wrap around or not, I don't  care either way

Fine with whatever.

If we have a nine-player map, though, maybe we can let the 9th player be a random AI, just for fun.

random AI.. yes, a little 'wild card' in the deck.. cool idea.

Or just an easy AI, placed next to yours truly. Surely no one could object to me throwing myself on that troublesome grenade!

Louist, of course, we all commend you for throwing your pretender on that troublesome AI run annoyance.  However, might you consider it better to leave the poor AI be, just in case something more annoying is on the other side?  Decisions, decisions...