Battlefields of Valhalla Discussion Thread

[rednax]

Wait! Is KCU Master's Inner Courtyard still up for nomination? Dignan is the only one who has voted on it so far. Sorry if the answer is something I overlooked. If so, forgive me.

[KCU Master 2007]

Yes it is. And I'm patiently, yet eagerly, awaiting the decisions of a few others. It will stay nominated until the remaining four judges make up their minds.

1 yes to review makes me happy though. If it makes you feel better MM, KoW have taken the wall and the match many times

[nyys]

I've played on Feylund Fountain many many times, YESto review. The rest in the queue will have to wait until after NHSD. I'm staring at 13 maps in my basement right now. Between the BoV and NHSD there's simply no more room for any more until after this weekend.

[Dignan]

Maps Pending Acceptance for Review:

Swamp Gas by Mad Wookie

I've spent a lot of time looking this one over. I'll definitely need to play on it to figure this one out. YES to review.

Feylund Fountain by Velenne

As a map that I've chosen for my own event down here in Texas, I think this one deserves a review. YES to review.

[Dignan]

Logged Dignan votes: Paved Paradise YtR, Feylund Foutain YtR, Swamp Gas YtR
Logged Mattias votes: Paved Paradise YtR, Feylund Fountain YtR, Swamp Gas YtR
Logged nyys votes: Feylund Fountain YtR
Added Swamp Gas, Inner Courtyard, and Feylund Fountain to "Pending"


Updated 10/16/09

Maps pending acceptance for review:

Graveyard of the Lost Souls by Creationist
YES = 3 (Dignan, Kahrma, Longheroscaper); NO = 2 (Matthias Maccabeus, nyys); Pending = 1 (Bunjee)

Healing Waters by GameBear
YES = 2 (Longheroscaper, Matthias Maccabeus); NO = 2 (Dignan, nyys); Pending = 2 (Bunjee, Kahrma)

Kyrien Quarry by White Noise
YES = 2 (Dignan, nyys); NO = 2(Longheroscaper, Matthias Maccabeus); Pending = 2 (Bunjee, Kahrma)

Vadmont's Tomb by ProtoFury
YES = 3 (Dignan, Mathias Maccabeus, nyys); NO = 0 ; Pending = 3 (Bunjee, Kahrma, Longheroscaper)

Paved Paradise by Sup3rs0n1c
YES = 3 (Dignan, nyys, Matthias Maccabeus); NO = 0 ; Pending = 3 (Bunjee, Kahrma, Longheroscaper)

Inner Courtyard by KCU Master 2007
YES = 1 (Dignan); NO = 0 ; Pending = 5 (Bunjee, Kahrma, Longheroscaper, Mathias Maccabeus, nyys)

Feylund Fountain by Velenne
YES = 3 (Dignan, Matthias Maccabeus, nyys); NO = 0 ; Pending = 3 (Bunjee, Kahrma, Longheroscaper)
Swamp Gas by Mad Wookie
YES = 2 (Dignan, Matthias Maccabeus); NO = 0 ; Pending = 4 (Bunjee, Kahrma, Longheroscaper, nyys)

Maps currently being reviewed:

Invasion by LongHeroscaper
YES = 3 (Dignan, Matthias Maccabeus, nyys); NO = 1 (Kahrma); Pending = 1 (Bunjee)
*LongHeroscaper removed from review process per map creator

[rednax]

Good to see a lot of maps getting nominated and voted yes on!

[StarofEarendil]

Originally Posted by Dignan

Feylund Fountain by Velenne
YES = 3 (Dignan, Matthias Maccabeus, nyys); NO = 0 ; Pending = 5 (Bunjee, Kahrma, Longheroscaper)

There should be 3 for Pending.

[Dignan]

Originally Posted by StarofEarendil

There should be 3 for Pending.

Thank you. Fixed.

[bunjee]

Hey all, I had it in my head that the first post was getting updated. I've done that and will be getting some posts done by tomorrow night.

[dok]

OK, for almost certainly the last time, I'm going to nominate a version of Swamp Helix, Swamp Helix 7.3.



In addition to the book I wrote back when I first nominated an earlier version, and the multiple comments I made along the way of the previous nomination process, there's a number of changes (see here, here, here, and here for the discussions that led to the evolution to the current form, and the arguments behind all the changes).

To briefly summarize the changes since the last nominated version:

• The stairs have been flipped to the other side, which allows a much more compact map that actually fits the gencon map contest dimensions with a full hex to spare.
  
• The freed-up material allows for a little more height in the areas off the walls on each side.
  
• The stairs now extend pretty deeply into the startzones, which are more corner vs. corner as opposed to side versus side. Most figures can go from the top startzone hex to the platform in 1 move. (The startzones are still 13 14 hexes apart.)
  
• The side glyph locations are now more balanced - 7 hexes from both startzones. The trees are pushed against the walls to protect the glyphs from any attacks from the walls.
  
• The ladders have been rearranged so that all four sets access the middle area of the platform.
  
• The battlements on top have been peeled back in some spots, to make it harder to hide ranged figures.

The clincher for me to re-nominate was the positive feedback I received at the Colorado NHSD event on the map. I was running the event, so I suppose it's possible that people were blowing some smoke up my butt, but the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. One player (who picked up his first ever castle set from the prize table) was even asking where he could find the build instructions, which was so cool to hear.

I'd like to close by saying that, acceptance, review, or no review, the process of fine-tuning this map for BoV consumption has made me a better map maker. I have, by my count, about 24 versions of this map on my hard drive. I learned a ton about map balance from the time I put in on Swamp Helix. So, a big thank you those who are responsible for the BoV - just by creating this institution, you inspire people to make better maps.

[ProtoFury]

That's quite the inspiration story, Dok! I do like this map a lot, hopefully it goes through well.

[Matthias Maccabeus]

OK, KCUM2007 the comment about the knights storming the wall has me interested. I'll vote YES to review. I'm still very hesitant about castle maps. It's (usually) just a lot of movement for melee units to try and storm the wall while they're getting shot at multiple times in the process.