Island Settlers X1

[Tazuwukei]

Anyone ever played the semi-popular map Island Settlers before?

I'm currently working on a mod of it with a lot of new and improved features.

In this new version, I've included:

• various unit changes and rebalances
• multiple new islands and areas
• forced free for all with optional teams
• temporary invisibility/invulnerability on start up
• resources system revamp (including random locations for resources on islands instead of preset)
• T7 (Futuristic Age)
• Random events which everyone will want to fight for (rewards with rare materials required for unique tech branches in T7 that only one player can gain per game)
• Androids and Lasers! Stealth and Forcefields! Teleportation, Anti-Radar!
• Items to customize your units and make them more powerful and/or have new abilities

I'm hoping to get some feedback and suggestions from people who have played the map before.

What else do you think I should include in T7, or just in general? If I find your idea suitable I will add it.

 

[doom_sheep]

i think i played that a couple times, prolly wouldve done so more often if the resources were random. was sort of a disappointment the second time.

overall sounds like good work. dunno about tiers, try to keep it real.

 

[Tazuwukei]

Yeah, there were originally 6 tiers. In the v5 mod it was reduced to 5 tiers. I'm basing my version off of v5, and adding a 6th tier.

The resources are partially random now; that part is finished. All that remains is the balancing around it. What value minimum/maximum should be given to each unique island? Etc.

I've measured that it takes approximately 200k money and 40k metal to achieve T5 with all upgrades without making an army. So I'm basing the randomness off of that to some extent. How many islands should each player have to find in order to harvest enough resources to reach the final tier?

There are 17 islands total, and 18 bonus mineral areas including mountain tops, caves, and tiny islands etc.

Maximum of 8 players per game.

What do you think I should have as total harvest-able resources on small islands? medium islands? large islands? islands with bonus areas inside/nearby?

I was thinking of making bonus areas randomly activated so that only 9 out of 18 are randomly present in each game. The others are filled with junk. I could just scrap the bonus areas all together, what do you think?

 

[Gausslander]

I'd even it out to 20 islands and 20 bonus mineral areas to keep it balanced, perhaps 2 islands to reach t6, and 3 to sustain an army and get get to t6.

 

[Tazuwukei]

I don't mean to be rude but that's a really stupid suggestion.
Cluttering a map with 3 extra islands just to achieve matching numbers =/= balance.

But yeah, I'm thinking along the lines of the biggest islands will give up to 50-100% of T5.. Medium islands will give 40-80%, and Medium-Small islands will give 25-50%. Bonus areas will give 0-20%.

There are:
8 large islands (50-100% = .75 avg) 8x0.75 = 6 T5
6 medium islands (40-80% = .6 avg) 6x0.6 = 3.6 T5
3 small islands (25-50% = .375 avg) 3x0.375 = 1.125 T5
18 bonus zones (0-20% = 0.15 avg) 18x0.15 = 1.35 T5

With half of the bonus zones enabled, it gives the map a total average resource value of 12.075 T5's, spread across the entire map for 8 players to fight over. There are also buildings that generate income slowly as well if resources manage to run dry (doubt it.) But the main thing to notice is that even with a large island, you'll inevitably have to harvest another island's resources in order to full tech out or make armies. I think this will encourage more fighting early-mid game for resources.

Any feedback? How does that formula sound?

 

[Gausslander]

It's not, if you think about it. You could have 10 large, 5 medium, 5 small. Making random islands of random sizes could end up being unbalanced gameplay-wise, and I assume it currently is. Bonus zones should be made randomly, as well, and should be given a number according to the amount of players actively playing the map.

 

[Tazuwukei]

It's not, if you think about it. You could have 10 large, 5 medium, 5 small. Making random islands of random sizes could end up being unbalanced gameplay-wise, and I assume it currently is. Bonus zones should be made randomly, as well, and should be given a number according to the amount of players actively playing the map.

1) I disagree entirely; sorry
2) Bonus zones are in preset regions which are randomly activated, which I think is suitable given the maps terrain. Are you suggesting it should be absolutely random instead, ditching the preset locations?
3) Great point. I hadn't considered integrating the number of players to resource generation until now. I feel this map shouldn't be played with less than 8 players though, and after some consideration I don't think it's worth the effort of complicating things. If people want to play a map intended for 8 players with less than 8 players, the map size itself is going to affect a lot already.

 

[Gausslander]

I'd go as far as to create completely random islands depending on whose playing at game start-up, but i understand that is quite difficult. Anyway, good luck.

 

[Tazuwukei]

Haha, yeah. Random terrain generation is a little out of my league.

Thanks!

 

[Tazuwukei]

Like the loading screen? lol

 

[Wazzz]

i don't recall it being overly popular, but are you referring to anteep's island settlers?

 

[Tazuwukei]

i don't recall it being overly popular, but are you referring to anteep's island settlers?

Yup, that's the map I'm working on.

 

[Wazzz]

ah cool i liked that map, even though it had many a flaw it was really fun
in fact, a while ago i made an attempt on a project inspired by it which basically made the addition of having fantasy races instead of just the same race (which were smaller than the larger race, but the idea was that a lot of research was required to climb the techtree)

 

[Tazuwukei]

Heh. More races is something I've considered, but I think it would be more suited to a new map altogether. There is however one new race that makes a debut in this version, hehehe.. Not playable, though!

Island resources are no longer preset, which was the biggest flaw of all. Now it's random to an extent.
I've also added a lot of new and interesting content so far. I'm sure you'll love it if you had any interest in the original.

The map is almost ready for going live, and will probably be posted this upcoming weekend; but I'm not making any promises on that, it could be delayed.

 

[Tazuwukei]

Island Settlers X1 build 1 is now released! I hope you all enjoy it. Download links below!

http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/maps-564/island-settlers-x1-204670/

http://www.mediafire.com/?iyv4y0ufbj7j5v0