Wrap-around maps?

[Chazar]

An option to create wrap-around maps (by allowing movement from a tile on the edge of the map to the corresponding tile on the opposite map-edge)

The corners of a map are usually a huge advantage for any player that can grab them. A torus has less corners than a rectangle. Therefore, I would prefer playing on a torus.

It should be technically pretty easy to connect the tiles on opposite edges (EAST-WEST and NORTH-SOUTH), AFAIK, even pathfinding should remain the same.

[smursh]

Don't you know the world is flat?

But seriously I love this idea.

[KGB]

As long as it's part of the map itself and not a game option (otherwise most maps would be ruined) I'm all for it. It would be nice to select no wrap maps, E/W wrap maps (the normal world maps we use), N/S wrap maps and E/W+N/S wrap maps.

The most important thing that would need to be done is to have a changing mini map. Right now it's static. But what you'd want on a wrap around map is to have the mini map redraw so that the selected unit was always centered in the mini map. That way you would not get the feeling you are walking off the edge of the map and wrapping around.

KGB

[piranha]

Fun idea. I've written it down. It's true that it would allow much more creative maps to still be balanced. Everyone is starting in the middle, it could be pretty interesting.

[Chazar]

The most important thing that would need to be done is to have a changing mini map. Right now it's static. But what you'd want on a wrap around map is to have the mini map redraw so that the selected unit was always centered in the mini map.

Hm, I disagree with having a dynamic minimap. Even on wrap-around maps, a static minimap is ok since it provides orientation. You can spin around, but you always know which side is up. So a dynamic minimap option might be nice to prevent sneaky edge ambushes, but I dont think it is necessary. More important would be that the big map can be scrolled smoothly across the edge.

[KGB]

I guess that would need to be another personal preference that a player could turn on/off.

Dynamically scrolling the main map might prove to be a lot tougher coding wise than doing the mini-map because of all the blending of terrain that has to occur if you want both E/W and N/S scrolling.

KGB