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Felix Hermansson's TWC Random Map Pack
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Author |
File Description |
Felix Hermansson |
Posted on 11/12/06 @ 05:28 AM (updated 12/03/06)
File Details |
Game Version: |
TWC |
TWC Random Map Pack
by Felix Hermansson, Tsunami Studios (hoodncloak@hotmail.com)
11 November 2006
This map pack contains updated versions of four of my most popular random maps:
Island Hopping
A large map, highly randomized as far as topology and player placement are concerned. Lots of little islands dot the map and provide an abundance of treasures and resources, but not much space to build. Players start with an additional caravel, galley or a couple of war canoes. There are only a few native settlements around, which makes them even more valuable allies.
King of the Valleys
This is no 'King of the Hill' map, but controlling the center is just as vital here. The players start in valleys with either a Cree or Nootka camp close by and are separated by impassable mountain ranges. The valleys meet at the center of the map where a trade route and some gold mines are waiting to be claimed. Controlling this area is the key to victory!
Land Unknown
Snow, grass, or sand? Different landscapes, varying resources, and random placement of players, natives, and even trade routes make this large map truly random. There are no oceans, but apart from that, just about everything is possible! Are you ready to go exploring?
Rainforest
This huge map provides the players with an abundance of resources and treasures, but the dense forest also makes moving around difficult, especially for bigger armies. There is no trade route, but up to six hidden Tupi or Zapotec villages. Players and natives are placed randomly, so scouting is essential here!
All four maps have been updated for use with AoE3's 'The War Chiefs' expansion. They play basically the same as before, but some minor adjustments had to be made for the new native civilizations to work properly. Check the readme files of the single maps for more information and installation instructions.
I would appreciate any honest feedback, good or bad. Please tell me what you liked, what you disliked, and especially, tell me why. If you have any ideas on how to improve the maps, all the better.
I would appreciate it even more if you did not modify these scripts without contacting me first.
Please send any comments or questions by e-mail to hoodncloak@hotmail.com. Oh, and add 'Age of Empires' to the subject and use proper language, otherwise your message will probably be deleted by the spam filter.
Have fun!
Felix
UPDATE, December 3 2006:
I have updated the 'Rainforest' map. It now features additional Huari strongholds which can be destroyed and looted by the players. |
Author | Reviews ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
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dr nefarious |
Posted on 11/21/06 @ 02:40 AM
Rating: 5
Four for the price of one, and four of the best at that! This map pack is really great. It suffers a bit from the fact that there is nothing really new to it, but I really liked these maps in AoE3 and I'm glad to see them in TWC as well.
Now for the single maps:
Island Hopping: 5
As I said in my review of the AoE3 version, this map is fun to play, and it's (for all I know) pretty unique. The player really has to adapt his style here as it plays so different with all those little islands. The nomad start with a caravel is a nice touch too. The map really emphasizes naval warfare, much more than Amazonia or Caribbean do. Too bad that the AI still cannot handle it, but it's great fun on the LAN!
King of the Valleys: 5
Another unique map! Its unnatural, "geometric" look put me off a bit at first, but it's definitely fun to play, especially in FFA games where players simply cannot avoid each other in the center. The new trade monopoly victory condition added another nice touch here; it rolled the basic version and your KotH version of the same map basically into one.
Land Unknown: 5
Great! As I said in my review of the AoE3 version, this is certainly one of the best random maps I've seen so far, simply because it really is random. I especially like the trade route which looks different every time you play. Too bad that the native's ability to see all TPs right from the start takes away some of its appeal, but forcing the players to actually search for the enemy instead of simply walking straight across the map is still a huge improvement compared to ES's standard maps. And as it's really random even native players cannot guess the enemy's position from the placement of the TPs as e.g. in ES's 'Unknown' map.
The maps may not always be perfectly balanced, but so far I've never come across one I'd really call unfair. I think these little imbalances just add to the fun and make the games more interesting.
Rainforest: 4
Another good map, definitely, but it's just not on par with the other three here. It misses that "extra little something" that would make it really different from the bulk of maps out there. It's a bit bigger than most, and the dense forest is unusual, but that doesn't really set it apart from any other "jungle" type map. Besides, once again, the native's ability to see all TPs right from the start takes away some of its appeal, as scouting is no longer so essential. Perhaps this one is a candidate for some TWC-specific improvements. Have you thought about adding Huari strongholds or something?
Additional Comments:
Nice work, all together! Though it was probably quite easy since you had your originals to work with... ;)
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dogaldo |
Posted on 01/10/07 @ 05:37 AM
Playability: 5
(Insert Playability analysis here)
Balance: 5
(Insert Balance analysis here)
Creativity: 5
(Insert Creativity analysis here)
Map Design: 5
(Insert Map Design analysis here)
Detail/Accuracy: 5
(Insert Detail/Accuracy analysis here)
Additional Comments:
Great maps, very impressive. Please let me know if you have more maps to share. |
tomekO |
Posted on 07/02/07 @ 10:41 AM
Playability: 5
The maps all gave a new playability. Very different to the Microsoft ones so full points.
Balance: 5
Maps had gold and trees placed over the areas near to player centers.
Creativity: 5
The best of the 5 feilds, a create layout for these maps, thank you.
Map Design: 5
As good as the microsoft ones, so 5 points.
Detail/Accuracy: 5
I didn't get any errors so nothing to give you less points
Additional Comments:
Thank you for this maps pack, they are very fun to play, I needed new ones. Very creative and well made. |
HGDL v0.8.2 |
Rating |
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5.0 | Breakdown |
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Playability | 5.0 | Balance | 5.0 | Creativity | 5.0 | Map Design | 5.0 | Detail/Accuracy | 5.0 |
Statistics |
Downloads: | 7,210 |
Favorites: [] | 0 |
Size: | 43.11 KB |
Added: | 11/12/06 |
Updated: | 12/03/06 |
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