Galaxy Design
Moderators: JettJackson, Holti, jouldax
making the UNIVERSE smaller is an ok idea....amking the GALXIES smaller and more of them is a bad idea. A small galaxy is easily defended, not to mention walled off from anyone thus limiting interaction unless interaction is sought out. 1 big galaxy does not have to make the game huge, it can be 20x20 or whatever, just put all the planets AND CAs and decent weapons that aren't racial in there, have about 5 warps from each galaxy into it, then marvel at all the interaction....hunters will have to go thru it to hunt racials (or just put racial sections into the big main galaxy), all CA and weapons are there, minefields around planet groups will be hit every day by newbies on accident, by vets on purpose and by some people just on principle. It will be hit from 15 different directions going who knows where. Anyway, you get the picture. Small, multiple galaxies does not now, and never has been a catalyst for MORE interaction. Fewer galaxies in general will always promote conflicts of interest in territories.
If there were "enough", it would make the game a lot less interesting. I think there should always be a shortage of galaxies to claim, to motivate the fight for territory more. I like the first proposed galaxy design, planet gals look to be large enough that it would be difficult to claim an entire gal. I like the 1-galaxy idea as well, would be nice to play a TBB style game again. Might need to be a bit smaller though, maybe 40x40 or 45x45 instead of 50x50.
Edain
I agree that unbalanced games with huge inaccessible minefields are not ideal, but we have to be careful not to move too far in the opposite direction.
IMO, defendable warps add a crucial dynamic to the game, promoting interaction by making them key sectors for both attack and defense. I do not believe that large galaxies will promote interaction - I think they will simply make holding territory much too difficult and increase Fed'ing.
The current galaxy design is interesting, but perhaps a little unbalanced because of the variation in planet galaxy types. I will think a little more about designs when I have time, but I personally think these basic principles should be universe design guidelines:
1) Neutral non-planet galaxies should have lowest port density and connectivity (best trade routes).
2) Planet galaxies should be removed from racial galaxies by at least 1 neutral galaxy.
3) Planet galaxies should have high port density - you should ideally have to work to make good planet galaxy trade routes.
4) Planet galaxies should be configured to promote interaction, but simultaneously make holding multiple galaxies progressively more difficult.
Other ideas that should be considered but are not essential:
1) Racials not connecting to each other, or perhaps to one other racial (perhaps a ring of (-racial-racial-neutral-)x4 around a central galaxy?).
2) Controlled CA locations - I'm still not convinced on this one, I believe that randomness should affect how desirable certain areas are.
3) A certain mix of planet galaxies with 1,2 or 3 warps, but being careful not to create situations with large chunks of real estate being much easier to defend than others.
IMO, defendable warps add a crucial dynamic to the game, promoting interaction by making them key sectors for both attack and defense. I do not believe that large galaxies will promote interaction - I think they will simply make holding territory much too difficult and increase Fed'ing.
The current galaxy design is interesting, but perhaps a little unbalanced because of the variation in planet galaxy types. I will think a little more about designs when I have time, but I personally think these basic principles should be universe design guidelines:
1) Neutral non-planet galaxies should have lowest port density and connectivity (best trade routes).
2) Planet galaxies should be removed from racial galaxies by at least 1 neutral galaxy.
3) Planet galaxies should have high port density - you should ideally have to work to make good planet galaxy trade routes.
4) Planet galaxies should be configured to promote interaction, but simultaneously make holding multiple galaxies progressively more difficult.
Other ideas that should be considered but are not essential:
1) Racials not connecting to each other, or perhaps to one other racial (perhaps a ring of (-racial-racial-neutral-)x4 around a central galaxy?).
2) Controlled CA locations - I'm still not convinced on this one, I believe that randomness should affect how desirable certain areas are.
3) A certain mix of planet galaxies with 1,2 or 3 warps, but being careful not to create situations with large chunks of real estate being much easier to defend than others.
It does have it's drawbacks, like any other map.
Thinking about it, the neutrals with no racial connections might be a bad idea, so some racials could go to those instead (eg top 2 racials switch from side neutrals to top neutral, and the same at the bottom), although that would make access to planet gal's slightly different depending what racial you are in, not necessarily a bad thing.
Thinking about it, the neutrals with no racial connections might be a bad idea, so some racials could go to those instead (eg top 2 racials switch from side neutrals to top neutral, and the same at the bottom), although that would make access to planet gal's slightly different depending what racial you are in, not necessarily a bad thing.
I dont really think we need more than the one neutral. We simply dont have the player base for it. They used a similier map in Galmeloft 1 and it was the funnest game I have ever joined. Lots of fights and wars. Thats why I like the map I posted. Your map would look good after about a 30% increase in active players.
Save the whales, harpoon a fat chic