What do you want to see in a map?

[Mister Fork]

I made a posting addressing this issue but I think the topic was vague.

I plan to develop a few maps now that I have the summer off. What I would like to know is...

a) What you like about the current map
b) What you dislike about the current map
c) What you hated about previous maps
d) What you liked about previous maps
e) What you would like to see in a new map

This will help me and other mappers out there develop a series of excellent gaming environments for future use.

[AKSWulfe]

All of those are void unless you talk to HiTech first and get the requirements. Not trying to sound like a pompous ass, but it doesn't matter what we all want if it doesn't meet HT's requirements. Which is what most people seemed to have missed about the current "AK" desert... some of our guys built it, but not to our guidelines/desires, but to HT's.
-SW

[10Bears]

I wanna see a valley with rows and rows of giant beer bottles.

[NoBaddy]

Originally posted by 10Bears
I wanna see a valley with rows and rows of giant beer bottles.

I heard the next AK map would be rows and rows of Shiner bock bottles to go with the pizza

[gofaster]

Originally posted by Mister Fork


a) What do you like about the current map

The variety of altitudes and terrains, the number of bases, the caverns and valleys, the number of aircraft carrier fleets available.

Mister Fork asked
b) What do you dislike about the current map

Too big to fit onto clipboard and "find the fight" from the tower.  Limited access for GV battles, particularly where bases are divided by canyons.  The "peace sign" design is too goofy.

Mister Fork asked
c) What did you hate about previous maps

Too easy for one side to overrun another.

Mister Fork asked
d) What did you like about previous maps

The historical accuracy (where applicable).  Ease of finding a fight from the clipboard/tower.  The occassional "Easter egg" joke - such as the giant squid.

Mister Fork asked
e) What would you like to see in a new map

A mix of islands and mainlands, canyons and mountains, lakes and rivers.  Diversity in the terrain to keep strategy interesting. How about a map with canyons and mountains on one end, and low, flat terrain with rivers and lakes on the other?  Why not simulate a series of volcanic islands (dormant, of course) with a lake in the middle of the volcanoes.  Might be fun to throw in a Godzilla-esque "Easter egg" somewhere.

[StracCop]

Here's the features I would like to see incorporated into a new map.

1) A broad front like we have in TC
This would allow for multiple salients, flanking movements and pincer entrapments all within a combined arms paradigm.  Breakthroughs could be exploited by the accumulation of additional troops (players), defenses organized and rallied to repel the breakthrough and new defensive lines established.  The winner in this battle would be those squads/players/countries that are best organized and skilled enough to battle effectively.  Naturally, since we're stuck with a four 'country' theme (which I personally don't understand given that all planes are avaialbel to all players), such a map would have to be incorporated into an allies vs. axis structure.  Not likely...so why am I bothering?  To instigate those synapses!

2) Varying topography
This will augment the tactics possible under (1).  features such as swamp areas, rocky terrain, mountainous terrain, oceans, rivers, forests, level plains, BRIDGES, and yes, even an occasional canyon could all be exploited for defense and attack by creative players.

3) Oceans
I once heard a rumor that subs might one day be introduced into this game.  They will need oceans, not rivers, to operate in.

That is all troops.  At ease!

- Dave

[Steven]

An area that makes the CV's a more important asset rather than just a nice change from taking off from a land-base.

[Mathman]

An area that makes the CV's a more important asset rather than just a nice change from taking off from a land-base.

I think this map would have great potential for the CV's to be used as weapons to create a second front or raid rear area bases except for one thing:  the limited area for them to maneuver.  It is very tough to maneuver a CV effectively in the restricted waters we have.  Everytime that I set waypoints, they are too close to land.  Something like Mindinao with the large areas of ocean or even NDIsles allowed for some quality CV fights.  Here it is very tough to get one going or even set up with the limited areas of operations.

What would make a great CV map that offers stuff for those that prefer the land-locked planes?  I have no clue and couldn't even pretend to offer an alternative to what we had before.  Just throwing out something to chew on.  Feel free to spit it out.  

-math

[LtHans]

Mixed terrain, incuding large ocean areas.

The three side's homeland boundry clearly defined by geography.

The variety of terrain changes (deserts, mountains and praire) don't need to exactly mirror each other.  They can be more or less the same size, but switched around in their positions in each land.

Evenly spaced bases.

The strategic targets towards the rear corner of the country, not near the borders.

[Innominate]

I'd like to see a map that is centered around CV vs CV fighting, instead of field vs field or CV vs field.