Re: Map tricks/ideas

[Jens Granseuer <jensgr@xxxxxxx>]

Hi "Z", welcome to the list.

On 16.01.2007 23:53, Z wrote:
> First, thanks for the amazingly addicting game. I've enjoyed playing the 
> Windows Mobile port on my 8125 immensely.

Glad you like it.

> I looked around the archive a little and didn't see any threads on this 
> topic. (Didn't see a search feature.)
> 
> I had some ideas on more dynamic maps that would make things much more 
> interesting and strategic than they are already. I don't have time to both 
> create levels and play them,

With the current amount of maps we have, I don't think this is a valid
excuse. At least not for long.

> so I thought I would throw these ideas out to 
> the master map makers:

First off, let me say that the "master map makers" probably don't have
significantly more time than you have for building maps. And speaking
for myself, I'd also much rather only play and have maps be created
by others.

> 1. Demolition of bridges/buildings/mines or sabotage.
> 
> I've attached a very basic example of this (play the Good Guys). There is a 
> hidden mountain base that has only one way in: the bridge across the river.
> I've placed a special tile just southeast of the bridge that has a sethex 
> trigger on it to change it from a working bridge to a destroyed one.
> The trigger is activated when a specific infantry unit (currently in Good 
> Guy's Base) lands on that hex.

The tutorial campaign uses this in a very similar situation to remove
tank stoppers from a road, iirc.

> The only problem I have seen so far is that any unit that happens to be on 
> the bridge when it explodes will be stuck there. The easy fix for this 
> would be a more specific destroyunit trigger that would destroy any unit 
> currently at a particular hex position.

Sounds like a sensible extension.

> For the demolition idea to be used much more effectively, it would be 
> beneficial if the triggers could also check for the experience level of the 
> unit at the position. That would force a player (especially in a two player 
> game) to build up an infantry's experience before being able to blow up or 
> sabotage something.

This one, too, although stuff like this always depends on how much space
we have left in the trigger structure...

> 2. Timed diminishing of a mine's output.
[...]
> (On that note, ground units should be able to walk under and passed 
> flying ones. It's way to easy to block your opponent with Interceptors when 
> they have nothing but infantry to fight them with.)

(Well, we've had this topic before, and the answer is very likely to
stay the same: no they shouldn't.)

> Some of the maps would be much more interesting if the mines' production 
> slowly diminished after x number of turns. With the current build, this 
> should be really easy to do.

Yes, perfectly possible.

> 3. Timed increase of a factory's research.
> 
> Like many other similar games, it would be neat to see maps that only 
> allowed you to produce a couple different types of units at first. Then at 
> turn x, both sides could produce a few more different types, etc.  This 
> also should be relatively easy to implement.

Also possible right now.

> 4. Changing tides.
> 
> I thought of this last night. It would be neat to see a map with water 
> where the tide would come in and out. That would make it harder to bring 
> reinforcements via ship and would make your troopship get stuck until the 
> tide came back in. Could make for some fun maps!
> 
> This could easily be implemented by using circular triggers that activated 
> and deactivated each other after x number of timer calls.

Heh, yeah, I've wanted circular (or persistent) triggers for a long time.
There are lots of interesting use cases for them. Unfortunately, the
implementation is not quite as trivial as it sounds, and I've never gotten
around to thinking this through completely. Maybe one day...

> Those are just a couple of the ideas I had. If anyone is interested, I'll 
> gladly post more when I remember what they were.

Thanks for sharing. I'm sure you'll see a few of your ideas appear in
future missions. The best way to make sure they get used properly, is,
of course, to contribute a few maps yourself. I'm fairly certain the
map-making crew can't map as quickly as you can play...

Jens