Gargantuan [1.0] is submitted for review.

[KGB]

New map: Gargantuan [1.0] by KGB.
Map editor link: Gargantuan [1.0]

[KGB]

Thanks to Dild, the original author of this fun but challenging map that requires players to rebuild cities in order to expand. He submitted so many maps and doesn't play much anymore so I took it upon myself to save a copy of this map from 0.8 and update it for 0.9 game play so that it isn't lost forever.

Overall I left all the idiosyncrasies that make this a reasonably well balanced but non mirror map (which is my favorite type of map).

I made the following changes:

1) Added 4 rivers with waterfalls and fords from the central lake to the outer ocean. This will allow sea creatures but not boats to travel between the water areas on this map which makes producing sea creatures more viable.
2) Adjusted the home start islands of a couple of sides that lacked any cities with water access. Now the 2 razed cites in all start areas have water access for sea creatures. Added warning signs to let players know the towers are guarded.
3) Added 7 more ruins (shipwrecks) to some of the neutral islands that lacked ruins and the 4 corner positions. Also changed one of the L2 ruins toward the middle into a shipwreck.
4) Added 4 UL bless temples next to the fords in the river so that water/land units crossing the ford can get UL blessing.
5) Some minor adjustments to the road that circles the main island so that it's not 100% in the woods.
6) Lowered the value of the gold sites on the start islands from 200 gold to 180 gold. Changed the gold sites on the hills surrounding the central island to all be 40 gold and have an extra Dwarf defender. Lowered the gold sites at the bridges to the neutral islands from 50 to 20.
7) Lowered the value of the Green Dragon city from 110 to 80 gold and added 1 Hv Inf defender so that Elves and / or Eagles don't easily take these cities.
8) Lowered the value of the 3 outer cities on the central island that had lesser production from 110 to 80. Also added 1 Yeti defender. Added 1 Yeti and 1 Unicorn defender to the 4 middle cities in the central island. This will make these cities slightly harder to take so that a lone Barbarian at L4 can't just scoop them all up or Eagles easily take out the Archon.
9) Setup all the various sides for 2v2, 3v3, 4v4, 2v2v2 and 2v2v2v2 play.

Overall the goal was to reduce the amount of gold income because too often you ended up mid game with 20 cities and +1100 income due to sites and cities. This should reduce that while still leaving enough gold on the initial island to start the rebuild process. At the same time the center area should be harder to take and worth less gold.

I believe this map is balanced enough for ladder play now that the side setup is done. The map idiosyncrasies are more than balanced out by the slow starts due to the need to rebuild cities.

KGB

[smursh]

I always liked this map as it is so unique. It certainly requires a different sort of strategy. Thanks for bringing it back.

[Dild]

thank you for the time and work! I love this game, but i had to give it up for a bit cuz we had our first born and work hours were crazy. this map looks better than It ever has....in fact, im going to start a game NOW.....thanks again KGB,

[Dild]

thank you for the time and work! I love this game, but i had to give it up for a bit cuz we had our first born and work hours were crazy. this map looks better than It ever has....in fact, im going to start a game NOW.....thanks again KGB,