Robber's maps: Diplomacy 8/9/2020

[Robber]

New Map- Shadow Rift (Sorry, I have to use Megaupload until I become a site contributor/supporter)



This is my first "Caddy Corner" map, a common map type other mapmakers usually make. For some reason, I have had trouble with this kind and will usually ditch the map early into its building. But I finally cranked this one out, and it looks nice and plays well.

Shadow Rift uses 1 SotM, 1 BftU, and 1 FotA.

This is still a near-prototype. I have made 3 versions before this, but they weren't good enough to display on my thread. I felt this one, although it needs a little bit of tweaking, to be pretty good.

More versions will come according to your suggestions and my playtesting.

The treasure glyphs are represented by glyphs of Brandar. Recommended treasure glyph pool- 1 Heroic Rune, 1 Talisman of Defense, 2 Whetstone of Venom, 1 Potion of Healing, 1 Ring of Protection.

Treasure glyph trap- (Originally with the shadow tiles, but moved to water tiles due to their quantity and the usefulness of the shadow in the map)

When revealing a face-down treasure glyph, roll the 20-sided die. On a roll of 6 to 20, the treasure glyph is activated normally. On a roll of 1 to 5, destroy the treasure glyph and flip all other treasure glyphs face-up. All water spaces are treated as void spaces. When determining Line of Sight,
if the line passes over a void space, the defending figure can not be seen.
Any figure standing on a void space when the Treasure Glyph trap is activated is immediately destroyed. Figures can not move on to or over a
void space with a regular move or any special powers other than Tul-Bak-Ra's Teleportation ability.

[Killometer]

Shadow Rift is a really good looking map, both aesthetically, and tactically. I like your use of water and battlements to force armies to spread out, and I think that SotM+BftU is a fantastic looking combination (I notived that it fits the MfN criteria, as well ).

I recommend dropping the number of treasure glyphs down to no more than 3; 6 is a lot for a map of this size, especially with so many clustered in the middle.

The trap you came up with is cool, but it seems more appropriate for a scenario than general play.

[Robber]

With the limited number of Line-of-sight blockers, I used void spaces from the trap as blockers. I tested with 2 and then 4 glyphs, but I wanted the glyph trap to be set off once per game on average. I may swap the initiative glyph with a treasure glyph and take 2 treasure glyphs out, which will drop me to 5.

The best situation is having 2 glyphs, but the LoS blockers automatically will trigger. Another thought is having 4, and just raising the odds of having the trap set off. 1-8? That seems about right.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to look at my map and I will playtest and edit accordingly.

Also, the void thing seemed confusing. Basically, put a castle piece over the water tile, and if the defending figure can't be seen, then they can't be attacked.

[Dad_Scaper]

Originally Posted by Robber

New Map- Shadow Rift (Sorry, I have to use Megaupload until I become a site contributor/supporter)

Robber, write bunjee (I think, someone correct me if I'm wrong) and ask her for contributor status. Call attention to this thread and the Maps for Noobs project.

I don't know what the criteria are, but you seem like a deserving candidate to me.

[Killometer]

There are a few problems with using that trap for a "standard" game.

1. It's complex-I had to read it a couple times to understand everything that took effect (I think it was the LoS sentence that threw me off the first time I read it), it has ongoing effects, and it has a narrow list of units (well, unit) that can partially bypass it.
2. It can only be used once-as soon as one player rolls a 6 or less, no other glyphs are trapped.
3. It can disproportionally affect the player that didn't trigger it-immediate destruction of all figures on water could be very bad against the wrong army.
4. It has permanent effects-once it goes off, you have to remember for the rest of the game that water spaces are now infinitely tall, impenetrable columns.

I understand your goal with that trap, but I don't think that you need it for this map. If you have fewer glyphs in the center of the map, the glyphs and road nearer the edges will draw players there, and the central LoS blockers will become more effective. Making the peripheral glyphs power glyphs, then having 2 treasure glyphs in/near the central basin seems like it would really spread game-play across the map.

I hope this doesn't come across too harshly. Like I said, I do think that trap is cool, and is well suited towards a scenario developed specifically around it. It just seems like a bit much to be used in a default setting.

You might also consider making two versions of the same map, like I did with Relic-the basic build instructions are the same for both, but the glyphs and special rules for each make them very different.

[Robber]

Hmmm... if I make the trap "replace water with uncapped castle segments" will it be BoV eligible?

I'm really going for the map to be BoV eligible. In my new version, there are only 4 traps and they are triggered on 8 and under. The figure picks up the glyph on a roll of 5-20.

Otherwise, the only other changes to what should be the final map are moving one hex of wall-walk per "road" a little bit and maybe moving height some.

Edit- Or should I skip the treasure glyph thing and just put the walls there in the first place?

I will probably remove some water (Or, if I decide, castle segments) so that there are less choke points after the trap. A rat player with Q9 and other heroes could screen and hop on treasure glyphs until they activate the traps and then clog up the board.

[Killometer]

Uncapped wall segments are a quick way to ensure that your map is not considered for the BoV.

[Robber]

Which is why I was going for the void spaces...

Obviously, they are really confusing. I'll probably just add the castle segments and stop caring about an organization that probably won't accept my map anyway. The thing I don't get- if the BoV cares so much about good LoS blockers and melee-friendly maps, why do they persist on stopping maps from using the best available LoS blockers?

It makes no sense.

New version of the map coming soon- I need to get a little more playtesting in.

[Robber]

Here you go. This is the final version. I ditched treasure glyphs for good and just added in the uncapped pillars.

Shadow Rift- 1 SotM, 1 BftU, 1 FotA

Spoiler Alert!

[Typhon2222]

Robber, I'd love to see Shadow Rift in a brighter, larger, photo-quality picture, and (my personal preference) without the background table. I think it'd be gorgeous, and do a lot to bring deserved attention. Is your computer able to generate them?

[Dad_Scaper]

Hi Robber.

I am curious to know whether there was ever any action in the outer couple of hexes; it looks like once you get more than a hex outside the road there isn't much going on.

Thoughts?

[Robber]

Actually, most of the action (other than capturing/defending the glyph) happens in the area you wondered about. The level 1 and 2 hexes are "approach lanes" to the highest points (sand) on level 3 and 4.

I think there are only about 12 hexes of level 3 height outside of the sandy areas, so the outer edges are highly contested.

I couldn't get a good picture, so it is really hard to tell what is on height. Hold on, I can make a topographic picture soon.

Edit- I made the topographic view, but height between levels 2 and 4 is hard to tell apart. It's all blue-gray. You're going to have to download the PDF to see the height. Sorry.