Dignan's Maps - New Map 01/30/24

[OEAO]

Originally Posted by Dignan

Update 6/16/23

Finally got around to uploading another map. We used this one at the recent draft tournament and we've enjoyed having on the table for the past few months. After a little bit of tweaking, I think we finally have it running well. Hope you enjoy it.

Map: Respite
Date Uploaded: 06/16/23
Requires: 1 RotV, 1 BftU, 1 RttFF

Cool- very unique! I like the minor asymmetry you did with the big tree and the split 3-hex/1-hex outcrops.

[Dignan]

Update 10/19/23

This map is probably my most revised map of all time. I've been working on a variation of this map since the summer. Now I have completely torn it down and started over several times, but this last iteration has gone through several different changes. We even played it last week at our NHSD tournament and I made additional changes after that. I think I just have to stop here before I tear it down again and start over.

Map: Verdant
Date Uploaded: 10/19/23
Requires: 1 RotV, 2 RttFF

[Cleon]

Originally Posted by Dignan

Update 10/19/23

This map is probably my most revised map of all time. I've been working on a variation of this map since the summer. Now I have completely torn it down and started over several times, but this last iteration has gone through several different changes. We even played it last week at our NHSD tournament and I made additional changes after that. I think I just have to stop here before I tear it down again and start over.

Map: Verdant
Date Uploaded: 10/19/23
Requires: 1 RotV, 2 RttFF

Cool map. I like the ruin placement, and how the glyphs are kind of in their own private areas.

Although you are missing a grass two hex and water in the blue start zone, right now it’s only 22 spaces. I assume it’s supposed to be symmetric to green’s?

[Dignan]

Originally Posted by Cleon

Although you are missing a grass two hex and water in the blue start zone, right now it’s only 22 spaces. I assume it’s supposed to be symmetric to green’s?

Thanks for the catch, I overlooked that start zone on Blue. I'll get that corrected.

[Dignan]

Updated file has been uploaded. Thanks again for the catch, Cleon.

[MegaSilver]

Originally Posted by Dignan

Updated file has been uploaded. Thanks again for the catch, Cleon.

Add another tick to the Revision box.

[Cleon]

Originally Posted by Dignan

Updated file has been uploaded. Thanks again for the catch, Cleon.

No prob

[Killometer]

Originally Posted by Dignan

Update 6/7

Added a new single tundra and RotV map to the list. This one is slightly asymmetrical, but it's not noticeable during game play. I've been trying to get more out of each expansion lately and also use heavy snow more often. This one surprised a few of the playtesters in my group, as they didn't expect much when they sat down to this one. It's rather unassuming, but we've found the gameplay to be pretty compelling.

Map: Fissure
Date Uploaded: 6/07/09
Requires: 1 RotV, 1 TT - Heavy Snow, Normal Ice

Digging a bit into the wayback machine of your maps for this review...

We had a NorCal gameday last weekend. Killo Jr. picked Fissure to be one of the maps, since TT is the only expansion I (and therefore he) don't have. I defaulted onto it for my first match, and wasn't initially very enthused about that. It looked pretty small, the watery canyon looked like it would split play, and I like to move fast, so heavy snow is usually not my favorite.

Instead it was a fantastic, engaging map with lots of options. The heavy snow dominating height made it play bigger than it is, there are a myriad of pathing options to cut off or bypass opponents depending on goal, the interspersed ice tiles keep the low water from being too daunting to cross, well placed LoS blockers allow slow melee hiding places to leapfrog to engage range, and the fixed Valda is very attractive to help balance the snow penalty but not so important that it can't be situationally abandoned. My second match also ended up being on Fissure, and I had no complaint at all about playing it back-to-back. This is one of my favorite maps I've ever played on.

The only weakness I saw was that the 3 hex glacier doesn't seem 100% efficiently used on the edge of the map. I wonder if a low path around the outside would be possible and beneficial?

Killo Jr. is reading my review over my shoulder, and asked me to include "[I] had a ton of fun on it also."

[Dignan]

Originally Posted by Killometer

Digging a bit into the wayback machine of your maps for this review...

We had a NorCal gameday last weekend. Killo Jr. picked Fissure to be one of the maps, since TT is the only expansion I (and therefore he) don't have. I defaulted onto it for my first match, and wasn't initially very enthused about that. It looked pretty small, the watery canyon looked like it would split play, and I like to move fast, so heavy snow is usually not my favorite.

Instead it was a fantastic, engaging map with lots of options. The heavy snow dominating height made it play bigger than it is, there are a myriad of pathing options to cut off or bypass opponents depending on goal, the interspersed ice tiles keep the low water from being too daunting to cross, well placed LoS blockers allow slow melee hiding places to leapfrog to engage range, and the fixed Valda is very attractive to help balance the snow penalty but not so important that it can't be situationally abandoned. My second match also ended up being on Fissure, and I had no complaint at all about playing it back-to-back. This is one of my favorite maps I've ever played on.

The only weakness I saw was that the 3 hex glacier doesn't seem 100% efficiently used on the edge of the map. I wonder if a low path around the outside would be possible and beneficial?

Killo Jr. is reading my review over my shoulder, and asked me to include "[I] had a ton of fun on it also."

Hah! That's great, man. Thanks for the feedback on that map. I really appreciate your comments (and those from Killo Jr.). It's crazy, but some of the things you said line up directly with what I was trying to do with this map so many years ago. It sounds like a lot of my intent translated well and you guys had a good time with the map. Glad to hear that the map still holds up.

As for the 3 hex galcier, I'll have to take a closer look at the build and see what is possible. I've actually been going back and looking at some of my older maps, so I might need to take a look at this one as well.

Thanks again for the post.

[Dignan]

Update 01/30/24

Here is the first map of the new year for me. I've been working on this one for a little while. It started when I rebuilt Fulcrum to take another look at it. I played on Fulcrum a few times and remembered some of the aspects of the map I really enjoyed. I then started thinking about using the same footprint and generating a new design. After messing around with the terrain a bit, I came to a layout that I really enjoyed. I really dig the feel that this map has and have really enjoyed the games on it.

Map: Deja Vu
Date Uploaded: 01/30/24
Requires: 1 RotV, 1 FotA, 1 TJ

[Sir Heroscape]

Double Wannok?! haha, spicey!

Also, curious why you didn't make it symmetrical with the bushes? any particular reason?

[Shurrig]

I am a fan of the visual asymmetry! Raises the aesthetic of the map by a lot by doing a little. Really dig it.