14-09-2001 19:09									#1
	DD's HMoP Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

I don’t play SMAX as much as I used to, but when I do I typically play it on Dilithium Dad’s Huge Map of Planet (HMoP). I like this map for a number of reasons. First, it is huge (obviously) and is suited for builder types. This larger map means that the tech rate is slowed down (since this is tied to the size of the world – see Datalinks), and that the AI has more space to expand. Single player is typically not very interesting, but at least on HMoP the AI will give you a run for your money. The AI seems to do better on larger areas since it will expand more aggressively, and the slower tech rate give it a chance to expand before the human player can run it over. Second, the map is very nicely constructed. There are tidbits of special terrain all over the map instead of clustered in one area. For instance, there is a big Monsoon Jungle like on Map of Planet (MoP), but there are also chunks of it on all the continents. This means the Jungle isn’t as unbalancing since everyone can benefit, even if they won’t get as much. Similarly, there are multiples of all the special terrain features (except for locations such as the Manifold Nexus, which is unique). DD has spent a lot of time making sure the HMoP has all the details correct, such as xenofungus that crisscrosses the map, just like the random map generator will do and as it exists on the MoP. It also has a nice sprinkling of monoliths, minerals/nutrient/energy specials, and rainy squares (which also helps the AI). My only humble suggestion for DD’s HMoP is to add a few seed forests (as if by Unity) so they can spread a bit, which would also helps the AI.

So, if you haven’t tried it go to DD’s web site and download his map (Chiron Guild -
http://guild.ask-klan.net.pl/eng/index.html). I promise that you will enjoy it!

Hydro

	14-09-2001 23:00									#2
	Get a bigger avatar today!

Thanks for the nice comments! I did spend a lot of time with it. I also made a "balanced random map" now in use by Tau Ceti in some of the tournaments.

The HMOP is designed mainly to boost the AI and also to separate human players with ocean and fungus barriers in multiplayer, and also to gaurantee equal start sites without the boredom of identical islands.

The additional forest is a good idea if you know where the human player is going to land. Human players getting forest to start would be terribly unbalancing. One alternative is to add forest as a "landmark". I added some of these to the "Islanders/Hive in the Middle" map (Surewood Forest, Wooded Isle). So these are not on your start site, but you can explore and find them and colonize (which is usually happening right around the time of Tree Farms, anyway).

	14-09-2001 23:15									#3
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

I've done the same in several of the scenario starts I've built for the advanced level games at Rynn's Gallery

(http://googlie2.tripod.com/rynnsgallery/)

where I have seeded small plots of forest where the AI woiuld likely expand - just a few tiles at obvious spots. I've been pleased after playing fifteen turns or so then opened the scenario editor to see that it has indeed set bases utilizing these tiles.

I agree too that being faithful to the fungal net concept is important too. It can be seen in all the various MoP sizes, and adds to the game integrity if it is maintained in scenario set-ups.

My biggest disappointment lies in the continued ignoring of supply crawlers by the AI, even when three or so are seeded for them from the beginning. After 200 years in games I've only seen the Drones and Morgan build them with any degree of numbers (one game saw the Drones with over 40 built). After opening the SE, I've seen the uni and the believers with their three I gave then to start not even deployed any longer (they had terraformed the forests tiles to farms) That was really disappointing.

My best scenarios involved placing three or four CPs for each AI faction at specific locations, playing the first turn to found bases, then setting their base governors with specific agendas and limiting their choices. They stayed pretty faithful to that for the game.

As an aside, any scenarios anyone has that I can hang in Rynn's Gallery are welcome.

G.

	20-09-2001 19:17									#4
	Love it! Suffering from ads?

The altered HMoP is a real treat

I've just started my first game on it as the Gaians, and landed
of all places just to the west of Mount Planet. With and all of having to expand through a rocky little isthmus, my expansion was fairly hampered in the beginning, and I was surprised to
see (once I built the empath's guild) just how much the AI
empires had grown. The hive in particular; they had landed in
the area of the old monsoon jungles and ICSed their way to
the top.

While I've just slingshot my way to the top of the board, I can
see that this is going to be one long, slow, and bloody slugfest. My favorite!

By the way, there were a few extremely odd random events (nothing to do with the map) while I was hovering in third position at the start of my game. I experienced quite a number of dimensional rift pod lottos, all of which seemed to bring me into an enemy's territory. Thanks to this I was much quicker at making both Morgan and the University submissive. Two or three mindworms a peice where rifted into the vicinity of their cities and this served me very well - has anybody else seen this kind of favorism?