Riverwar

[steff]

Is the Riverwar map completed?
It looks really cool from the minimap view and it would be awesome to test in the Beta2....

[SnotlinG]

Yes the map is completed, built by piranha. I think he put in some more time building it than I did with the beta1 map though

Now we are just finishing of the last few bugs/features and then we will start beta2

[Pretion]

Yeah the map looks like it took a while to create. looking forward to playing it!

[KGB]

Is the map editor advanced enough so that players could start creating a few maps for variety?

KGB

[SnotlinG]

The mapeditor isnt quite ready for common use yet, there is still some work that needs to be done on the interface etc. Also I think I will have to re-work parts of it when I start on the FOW functionality, as I plan to change how the map is created in the database etc.

If you want to create an additional map we could work something out I guess

[KGB]

SnotlingG,

If it's not too hard to use the editor and not too time consuming to create a map I'd be willing to take a shot at creating one.

Mostly so there would be at least 2 different maps to chose from.

KGB

[piranha]

I agree that it would be good to let users create maps. We could use a 5-6 player map, and a 2-4 player map too.

Its not very difficult, but it is time consuming. But you can build on it save, and get back again and do some more later so its not that bad.

There are some things that are a bit annoying too. For example you can't delete cities right now so you have to plan them very careful. One placed it must be there. The best way is to build the map and place cities last.

I can give you the URL private and you can try. If anyone else should like to try it, please send a mail to piranha or snotling.

[KGB]

Piranha,

Sure, send me the URL and I'll see what I can do. I made a few scenario maps for Warlords 3 so I know it takes some time to do one.

I hope you get the ability to delete cities done though because that's a big issue not being able to edit their placement. Are ruins/shrines available for map placement in Beta 2?

And here I was going to ask about other map editing features that Warlords 3 had like:

A) Placing razed cities in addition to regular cities (esp if a rebuild cities option is added).
B) Placing units on the map outside neutral cities and placing items inside/outside neutral cites on the map.
C) Specifying the number of defenders in neutral cities so you can make stronger/weaker neutrals as desired.
D) More terrain types (Desert/Ice).

Guess those will have to wait

KGB

[piranha]

I sent you the URL in a message.

Deleting cities in the map editor will be added.

Ruins / temples is planed for beta 3.

More terrain types is something we talked about too. How did ice and desert work in warlords 3?
Any thing special about them?

A,C will probably happen. Not sure if it will be in beta 3.
What should a computer unit do on the map? Guard a bridge or something like that?

[KGB]

Piranha,

Ice/Desert Terrain worked just like forest/hills/swamp work. Basically they restrict movement to some degree and of course some units get combat terrain bonus (like giant scorpions in the desert) in these new terrains. Mostly the new terrain types (there was also a lava terrain, a rock terrain etc) were added for more variety for scenario map designers.

One thing that Warlords 3 did do differently was forests. In Warlords 2 there is only 1 type of forest, the kind you have now. In Warlords 3, there are 2 types. The first type is completely impassible except for fliers so it functions like mountains do. The second type is a forest that lies ON TOP of the underlying terrain and all units can pass through it. The difference between this and Warlords 2 forests are that Warlords 3 forests can be overlaid on the plains, hills, rocks, ice etc so that you get 2 terrain features on one square that can doubly restrict movement (ie forest + hills is be really slow unless you had one or both bonus's) or provide multiple terrain bonus's.

Computer units on the map do exactly what you mentioned. They just guard the square they occupy. Often they are used to guard a bridge or a narrow passage through mountains or a shrine or stand on top of magic items etc. You can place from 1-8 units on a square just as in a normal stack. Scenario designers sometimes use this feature for extra variety. The computer units on the map NEVER move and never replenish if they are lost.

KGB