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General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: TW9 on February 13, 2010, 08:03:07 PM

Title: Please no more big maps
Post by: TW9 on February 13, 2010, 08:03:07 PM
approx 10 years ago I gave up my ps2 for a pc because i thought it would be fun to actually play against other people online. I did some random searches and somehow found aces high. I was instantly hooked. well after i learned how to take off anyways.

 It didn't take long at all to get into it with opposition, there was action generally at any base minus a few of the rear ones. But it didnt really take long for those bases to get their share especially near a reset. YAH! we actually had resets back then.

Maps were small which forced people to fight eachother, forced opposition. Now a days with everyone making these huge maps the game play just seems so watered down. I think i spend more time in tower looking for fights or trying to get to one than i do actually fighting anybody. And once i finally find something as soon as there is a hint that my side is getting the edge the opposition will move on to one of the billion other fields.

The only fix would be smaller maps or making every day like titanic tuesday because split arena's + large maps ='s bunk game play.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Lusche on February 13, 2010, 08:24:31 PM
Only small maps? No thank you.
It was a happy day for me when the big maps came back up. Variety & choices are the way to go.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Yeager on February 13, 2010, 08:26:44 PM
It is an interesting discussion topic.  I for one am not a big proponent of the "massive" part of MMO.  I prefer smaller gatherings...typically for me having 20-30  players per team on a three team medium sized map  (aka Mid War) is far preferred over those enormous LW maps with a hundred players per team.  Typically on those giant maps it degenerates into two or three massive fights anyway leaving vast expanses of terrains un-utilized.

I have no solutions for you, I agree with you.  Good luck.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: TW9 on February 13, 2010, 08:54:54 PM
Variety & choices are the way to go.

Horde or be horded I like your choices  :aok . Small fights can be fun but eventually even those will die out. You either end up fighting alone against a small mob or being part of a mob yourself fighting against ack  :huh depending on what side of the stick you end up on.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Lusche on February 13, 2010, 09:02:26 PM
Horde or be horded I like your choices  :aok . Small fights can be fun but eventually even those will die out.

And other will come up.

What I do like is variety. Variety of having large maps as well as small maps, for both have their pro's and cons. While I do like to fly with many players on a small map from time to time, I absolutely don't like it all the time - because depending on map layout, the gameplay choices it offers to me are often very limited.

(At this point, I bing up my old wish: LWO large maps, LWB small ones only.)
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: The Fugitive on February 13, 2010, 09:04:17 PM
I'm starting to like the zone limit idea that has been bounced around here before. If there are less planes allowed in a 4 sector square the flights will be spread out more and you will have many smaller battles going instead of one huge horde on a single front.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: PFactorDave on February 13, 2010, 09:44:02 PM
I think I would be happiest if HTC simply set a large map in LWO and a small one LWB all of the time.  Nothing is more irritating to me to have a map that I don't like in one arena only to find the same map in the other arena.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Slash27 on February 13, 2010, 10:21:21 PM
Give me Mindanao!!! :old:
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: mechanic on February 13, 2010, 10:24:32 PM
Give me Mindanao!!! :old:

 :rock
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: shiv on February 13, 2010, 10:49:13 PM
(At this point, I bing up my old wish: LWO large maps, LWB small ones only.)

I think I would be happiest if HTC simply set a large map in LWO and a small one LWB all of the time.  Nothing is more irritating to me to have a map that I don't like in one arena only to find the same map in the other arena.

So why not?  Has HTC ever given a reason?
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Slash27 on February 14, 2010, 12:03:37 AM
Make it so.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: The Fugitive on February 14, 2010, 09:07:37 AM
I think I would be happiest if HTC simply set a large map in LWO and a small one LWB all of the time.  Nothing is more irritating to me to have a map that I don't like in one arena only to find the same map in the other arena.

I'd like to see this as an experiment for a couple of weeks. Either it would be a big hit and the caps would rise fairly evenly and cause no trouble, or we would have a overwhelming vote as to which size map people prefer to plan on and would have cap issues and complaints like none before.

Give me Mindanao!!! :old:

Man I miss that map. There were a lot of great spots for fights on that map. Resets happen way to fast on that one tho.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: pervert on February 14, 2010, 09:28:05 AM
Only small maps? No thank you.
It was a happy day for me when the big maps came back up. Variety & choices are the way to go.

Is it? conversely it can also make it a lot harder to find the reason for playing.  I have to agree with TW9 I also spend most of my time scanning darbars and feeling bored, I lack a lot of motivation now, I don't know whether thats due to gameplay or overplaying on my part though. Roll on WW1 thats variety  :)

Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: bj229r on February 14, 2010, 09:32:43 AM
I'm starting to like the zone limit idea that has been bounced around here before. If there are less planes allowed in a 4 sector square the flights will be spread out more and you will have many smaller battles going instead of one huge horde on a single front.
I was thinking that very thing last night. The map in Orange has 400 sectors, and probably 90% of all Bish online are crammed into 2-3 of em rolling bases. Not sure how being 1 guy in a 50 plane whord rolling overwhelmed fields is fun...but whatever. I always like AW's idea of having a maximum amount of planes (not sure if it differentiated planes and GV's) able to be aloft from any 1 base at any time. Mebbe small bases...20...medium..30..larg e..40? One invariably hears posts in the scenario along the line of "it's just more targets!" I'm damn sure no Richard Bong, but 1-2 planes attacking a whord with a 20k cap isn't much fun...ya can't go more than 1 turn with them, else their fellow whordlings are all over you. Dunno...262..Tempest...mebbe K4...skirting on the edges..that's about it
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: LCCajun on February 14, 2010, 09:41:00 AM
+ 1 for Big map in LWO and small map in LWB.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: LLogann on February 14, 2010, 09:46:59 AM
I DEMAND SMALL MAPS



I DEMAND LARGE MAPS



I DEMAND NEW MAPS



I DEMAND YOU BRING BACK THE OLD MAPS










It's a never ending cycle...................  :bolt:
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: AWwrgwy on February 14, 2010, 10:04:01 AM
I fail to see the difference between a hoard on a large map and a hoard on a small map.

Do you believe that small maps = less hoards?

Bases closer together just means the hoards roll them that much faster.



wrongway
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Estes on February 14, 2010, 10:49:07 AM
Im one of those guys who is pretty impartial to what map is up, as long as there is a decent fight going on somewhere.

That being said, I do get a bit irritated seeing the same map in both arenas. I wouldnt mind seeing them have some sort of way to make sure they dont have the same maps up in both arenas.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: TW9 on February 14, 2010, 11:55:26 AM
Im one of those guys who is pretty impartial to what map is up, as long as there is a decent fight going on somewhere.



thats the problem. unless its peak time theres often not a fight going on. not a sustainable one anyways and i end up going to DA or logging after sittin in tower looking for something. when you have a map with over 200 fields and split arena's where one is capped at 200 and the other has 150 in it you can pretty much guess there isnt going to be much happening.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: fudgums on February 14, 2010, 12:03:57 PM
Funny thing is, is that alot of people wanted trinity map back, to have a GV fight in the tank town. And no one ever shows up there.  :lol :lol
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Lusche on February 14, 2010, 12:38:44 PM
Funny thing is, is that alot of people wanted trinity map back, to have a GV fight in the tank town. And no one ever shows up there.  :lol :lol

Unfortunately the players on the board are just a minority of the players in game. Mostly old-timers.

Trinity was unknown to the majority of AH players in game when it came back after almost 2 years. For them, it was a new map. Also most players haven't seen a real Tank Town, because the one on Ndisles was pretty much ruined by terrain redesigns in 2007. One can say the "tradition" was broken.

When Trinity came back, I immediately went to TT area in hope of getting a revival. I saw a number of old hands  there too... but it just wasn't enough to get things started, as for the hundreds of newer players it's been just a couple of Vbases in the middle of the map.

And that's very sad for me... I had tremendous fun on all TT incarnations on the various maps during my first year of AH. I miss it a lot :(
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: thndregg on February 14, 2010, 02:34:06 PM
Variety is good. Small maps are fine. Personally I lean towards larger maps that have the room for putting up a cool bomber mission here & there. Just my particular flavor of fun. :)
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: TW9 on February 14, 2010, 03:49:29 PM
Variety is good. Small maps are fine. Personally I lean towards larger maps that have the room for putting up a cool bomber mission here & there. Just my particular flavor of fun. :)

bomber raids can be fun but unfortunately those are about the only missions i've seen recently. I've only been back a couple months but havent seen a single mission like the classic typh or 38 raids of old. Those use to be ran at least 10 times daily. And even if i did i doubt i'd join one just because more often that not we wouldnt run into any opposiion. And its kind of sad because those missions were very good in teaching new players the basics and shortening the relatively wide learning curve this game can have on people who have never flown flight sims.

I think that shows a lot in game as well. Doesn't seem like many have a clue on how to capture a base even though they are for teh war and always seem to have something to say to furballers here on the BBs. They fly in take out all the FH's and BH's and not touch the VH or de-ack the field and wonder why they're getting shot up by the 20 or so Flaks. Then you have the tools that claim to be all about captures flying a Temp or a spit whining on range asking why the town isnt down.  :huh

I honestly do not see the same variety you guys see with these big maps. If anything i feel the game has lost a lot of the variety it once had. If you chose to go off on your own and not run into opposition on a small map you could do that. You could bomb hq or a strat and maybe stir up 1 or 2 cons or noe a rear base. Which is something i use to do a lot when the towns were small and the bases werent so far apart.. Who didnt run solo lancs noe to a town then come back with a goon and take the base? there were big fights, there were small fights, gv wars. You could pretty much count on some opposition when running missions.

I use to join those bops and giap raids all the time but once the big maps were implemented the opposition was gone. I stopped caring much for the war and was labeled a furballer.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: grizz441 on February 14, 2010, 04:31:29 PM
Titanic tuesday is really the only time a big map gets completely filled out with action.  Any other time it's like an 8 yr old walking around in size 14s with his heals popping out with every step.   :cool:
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: grizz441 on February 14, 2010, 04:46:04 PM
I think that shows a lot in game as well. Doesn't seem like many have a clue on how to capture a base even though they are for teh war and always seem to have something to say to furballers here on the BBs. They fly in take out all the FH's and BH's and not touch the VH or de-ack the field and wonder why they're getting shot up by the 20 or so Flaks. Then you have the tools that claim to be all about captures flying a Temp or a spit whining on range asking why the town isnt down.  :huh

I actually have no problem with WtW guys taking down hangars, as along as, the town is down or close to down.  If you're trying to take the base, fine, but have a plan to take it and execute it.  Don't just randomly take down FHs with the town full up, nothing is lamer or more useless.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Kazaa on February 15, 2010, 05:21:28 AM
Titanic tuesday is really the only time a big map gets completely filled out with action.  Any other time it's like an 8 yr old walking around in size 14s with his heals popping out with every step.   :cool:

+1.

You've impressed me with such a wonderful analogy.

I miss the old single LW main arena, it just hasn't been the same after it was split in two some years ago.

Tuesday is such a wonderful day, if I'm able to stay up late, it's a real dream to fly with such many people online at once.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: JunkyII on February 15, 2010, 08:13:18 AM
I actually have no problem with WtW guys taking down hangars, as along as, the town is down or close to down.  If you're trying to take the base, fine, but have a plan to take it and execute it.  Don't just randomly take down FHs with the town full up, nothing is lamer or more useless.
+1 Ive been saying this for awhile now!!!


ndisles has always been my favorite map, second to ozkansas but the problem is ndisles is small and gets reset to fast unlike ozkansas which is alot harder to reset. OzKansas is huge but you can always find some type of fight.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Shuffler on February 15, 2010, 08:58:50 AM
I DEMAND SMALL MAPS



I DEMAND LARGE MAPS



I DEMAND NEW MAPS



I DEMAND YOU BRING BACK THE OLD MAPS




I DEMAND WE RECYCLE LLOGAN  :D
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Knite on February 15, 2010, 10:00:10 AM
I actually kind of like the idea of different map lists for LWB and LWO, but I think somewhere it was mentioned that HTC thinks it would "split the community up". (Please correct me if I'm wrong)


As far as the localized "plane limit", how would you limit that? Just not allow planes to fly into that sector? I don't like that at all.
However, as a refinement to the idea, how about instead of a "plane limit" do a somewhat localized ENY? For instance, setting it so any more than... 12 planes per side in a 4 square radius affects a "localized" ENY modifier (due to attrition perhaps?). Doesn't stop you from bringing a Tempest to the party, but it makes you have to bring it from a sector away. Also think this should NOT affect CVs or GVs.
Again, don't know how I feel about it overall, but I suspect this would bring a HUGE number of complaints when you take off with your squad in 51Ds, get shot down, and then can't reunite with your squad in a D.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: LLogann on February 15, 2010, 02:53:24 PM
I've been taking Vitamin D thinking it's recycling some of my older map cells........................  Nothing yet though.   :lol


I DEMAND WE RECYCLE LLOGAN  :D
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Slate on February 15, 2010, 03:19:36 PM
  For those that want variety I agree. I would mix things up if a limited plane set would be available at different fields. Not limiting the amount of players that could up but having say an allied base with p-51's and spits. Another base with german iron or Japenese. No base should have every plane available and capturing a base that has a plane set you desire could direct the fighting all over the map.
 
  :old: Those that remember the glory days of AH we used to have wind in the MA, bomb craters on the runway that were something to avoid, difficult bomb sight calibration, and alot more 1v1. Watered down for the masses I guess.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: dedalos on February 16, 2010, 11:46:30 AM
approx 10 years ago I gave up my ps2 for a pc because i thought it would be fun to actually play against other people online. I did some random searches and somehow found aces high. I was instantly hooked. well after i learned how to take off anyways.

 It didn't take long at all to get into it with opposition, there was action generally at any base minus a few of the rear ones. But it didnt really take long for those bases to get their share especially near a reset. YAH! we actually had resets back then.

Maps were small which forced people to fight eachother, forced opposition. Now a days with everyone making these huge maps the game play just seems so watered down. I think i spend more time in tower looking for fights or trying to get to one than i do actually fighting anybody. And once i finally find something as soon as there is a hint that my side is getting the edge the opposition will move on to one of the billion other fields.

The only fix would be smaller maps or making every day like titanic tuesday because split arena's + large maps ='s bunk game play.

Small like Pizza and Trinity?  :D  I'd love to see Mindanao or even Pizza back though.  I think the first time I logged in trinity was up.  I took a guess and only fired at red planes.  Actually, that took ours since I was always the last to get to a bad guy.  Eventually, I figured that flying the 202 was not a good idea lol
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: SEraider on February 16, 2010, 11:51:07 AM
Small like Pizza and Trinity?  :D 

Small like Pancake?  :neener:

How about a small map called pancake?  :joystick:
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Shuffler on February 16, 2010, 12:02:39 PM
Small like Pancake?  :neener:

How about a small map called pancake?  :joystick:

Cupcake or Pizza Roll
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: SEraider on February 16, 2010, 12:05:07 PM
Cupcake or Pizza Roll


If you're Greek, Gyro..... :lol
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Peyton on February 16, 2010, 12:20:58 PM
Have a map that has some bases real close and some far away.

Island hopping maps are not that fun because everyone hides captured cvs or doesn't want their cvs to get captured.  Especially if the islands are far apart.

Have more cvs in the game.

No round  circle maps

Create a new Uterus map

Any other suggestions?
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: AWwrgwy on February 16, 2010, 02:34:04 PM
Any other suggestions?

Yeah.  Get to work.  Maps aren't going to get made on their own and HTC has a full plate.

 :devil


wrongway
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: dedalos on February 16, 2010, 02:55:58 PM


If you're Greek, Gyro..... :lol

Thats as Greek as the Greek mashed potatoes you had the other day?  I ll send you a recipe for Greek chili dogs if you want.  Only $20 for you  :D
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Peyton on February 16, 2010, 03:26:56 PM
Yeah.  Get to work.  Maps aren't going to get made on their own and HTC has a full plate.

 :devil


wrongway

Cool...I'll make some maps.  Send me a link to the map makers page.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: The Fugitive on February 16, 2010, 03:29:48 PM
Cool...I'll make some maps.  Send me a link to the map makers page.

Here Ya Go !   (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/board,61.0.html) Now get to work!
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: dedalos on February 16, 2010, 03:31:28 PM
Here Ya Go !   (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/board,61.0.html) Now get to work!

Is it ready yet?  We don't like it btw  :lol
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Peyton on February 16, 2010, 03:35:20 PM
Is it ready yet?  We don't like it btw  :lol

It's a great map...and guess what?  You can't play it.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Bizman on February 16, 2010, 03:36:40 PM
No round  circle maps
Amen!

Although I drive a Mercedes-Benz, I don't like the maps designed like the logo of it! The globe is round, continents aren't. :old:

I like Baltic, just because it isn't threefold symmetrical in every detail. And I can find my hometown there :cool:  Mindanao was nice, although statistically one of the areas was quite certain to lose the war, if I remember right. Circulating chess pieces on the map at reset gave each country equal chances to win due to an advantaged starting position, so no hard feelings being on the losing side every once in awhile.

IMO it would be nice with more real world maps arranged for gameplay. They would add some twist into the gameplay, since there would always be someone fighting for his hometown. Just as it is with the Baltic map, or the Mindanao, they needn't be historically correct fighting places, just dots with names on the map. How about a map of the British Isles, with England, Scotland and Ireland against each other? Or the Great Lakes dividing the three Chess countries in the Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario area? Would you like to play on maps like that?

It's the Main Arena maps we are discussing here, right? They need more than just the Terrain Editor to be usable and in circulation. Excellent historically correct maps for scenarios and AVA are already plenty available thanks to enthusiastic map makers.



Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: dedalos on February 16, 2010, 03:43:55 PM
It's a great map...and guess what?  You can't play it.

 :(
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: SEraider on February 16, 2010, 04:16:02 PM
Thats as Greek as the Greek mashed potatoes you had the other day?  I ll send you a recipe for Greek chili dogs if you want.  Only $20 for you  :D

Hey, how would you know?  :headscratch:  :noid

Oh yeah, I forgot.  :lol

I can email you the recipe.  It's pretty good mashed taters ya dweeb.  :D
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: TW9 on February 16, 2010, 07:59:03 PM
Small like Pizza and Trinity?  :D  I'd love to see Mindanao or even Pizza back though.  I think the first time I logged in trinity was up.  I took a guess and only fired at red planes.  Actually, that took ours since I was always the last to get to a bad guy.  Eventually, I figured that flying the 202 was not a good idea lol

lol well actually i was thinking b4 pizza and trinity though i did like pizza as well. good cv battles and canyon fights. and if there wasnt anything to do u could always have a little fun with the gv's since they spawned so close to the bases. Also it had some of the best resets with all 3 countries  fighting for that last high alt base near whoever was losing's hq.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: ZetaNine on February 17, 2010, 10:30:09 AM
seems like a nice happy compromise between the long range bomer desires........and the small map/more action people...may be one large land mass......with a series of many small islands jutting out for many miles into the sea.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: ZetaNine on February 17, 2010, 02:04:45 PM
I suck.....but this is the general idea.  and by the way...as an added bonus....if you look at my map and squint your eyes..you can see a john wayne gacey clown face.  I'm a giver.

it actually may make it a bit more fun to name each island.  "roger....flying sups into A233 on tarrowa now" ..and to make it more interesting...perhaps no air bases on that top row of islands...which could make fighting on that smaller center island a lot more interesting.

(http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn304/ZetaNine/AHMAP2.jpg)
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: dedalos on February 17, 2010, 02:47:13 PM
I suck.....but this is the general idea.  and by the way...as an added bonus....if you look at my map and squint your eyes..you can see a john wayne gacey clown face.  I'm a giver.

it actually may make it a bit more fun to name each island.  "roger....flying sups into A233 on tarrowa now" ..and to make it more interesting...perhaps no air bases on that top row of islands...which could make fighting on that smaller center island a lot more interesting.

(http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn304/ZetaNine/AHMAP2.jpg)

I ll pay you 10$ for Bikini Island
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: LLogann on February 17, 2010, 03:11:41 PM
But it doesn't even look like a bikini...................   :P

I ll pay you 10$ for Bikini Island
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: ZetaNine on February 17, 2010, 05:51:53 PM
I ll pay you 10$ for Bikini Island

radioactive    :uhoh
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Babalonian on February 17, 2010, 06:21:25 PM
I suck.....but this is the general idea.  and by the way...as an added bonus....if you look at my map and squint your eyes..you can see a john wayne gacey clown face.  I'm a giver.

it actually may make it a bit more fun to name each island.  "roger....flying sups into A233 on tarrowa now" ..and to make it more interesting...perhaps no air bases on that top row of islands...which could make fighting on that smaller center island a lot more interesting.

(http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn304/ZetaNine/AHMAP2.jpg)

I like your map and island idea.  Just gotta make sure each country has a fair and even starting position.  Personaly it has a little too much open water for my taste, but I also am not a fan of the mega-ultra-size cymetrical MA maps we have now.
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: 321BAR on February 17, 2010, 06:25:45 PM
Only small maps? No thank you.
It was a happy day for me when the big maps came back up. Variety & choices are the way to go.
variety and choices and cough tactics cough
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: ZetaNine on February 17, 2010, 07:36:05 PM
I like your map and island idea.  Just gotta make sure each country has a fair and even starting position.  Personaly it has a little too much open water for my taste, but I also am not a fan of the mega-ultra-size cymetrical MA maps we have now.

the idea of so much water is to allow some of the long range bombers their fun....with most of the other battles going on in a smaller more compact mainland area..below center. (a little give and take for both sides)

I happen to dig naval battles from time to time...and they are rare...so perhaps all that open water could call for more CV's....  I also like the idea of the upper tier of islands on top not having any air bases...just Vbases and Ports

agreed on the fact that the starting positions must be equal...
Title: Re: Please no more big maps
Post by: Babalonian on February 18, 2010, 05:45:56 PM
the idea of so much water is to allow some of the long range bombers their fun....with most of the other battles going on in a smaller more compact mainland area..below center. (a little give and take for both sides)

I happen to dig naval battles from time to time...and they are rare...so perhaps all that open water could call for more CV's....  I also like the idea of the upper tier of islands on top not having any air bases...just Vbases and Ports

agreed on the fact that the starting positions must be equal...

Starting positions dont need to be symetrical though, just "average equal".  That's what I dislike about most of the current MA maps, but at the same time to creat equality without symetry is a bi... beast, so my hat is off to you if you undertake this.  Key things would be number of bases and types (equal types, altitudes, distances from strats/HQ, vehicle spawns, etc..  ), distances from base to base, distances of front line base to opposing frontline bases (when the map first starts), aproaches/access to targets/areas (IE: britania has a bunch of 10k mountains around it's HQ/city area, an uneven disadvantage is if the island countries had their HQ/strats at sea level and within reach of an off-shore CV's guns), etc..

I love naval battles too.  One thought comes to mind with all that open water, is that you could have a lot of ports and a lot of CVs maybe.  If they were all operating in the middle oceans a good amount of time then I can see frequent fleet vs fleet encounters, but they'll be random, sporatic... and likely most of the time if two CVs coem within guns range on each other, no player might not be around ot even see it before tboth fleets extend away.

If there is a low number of CVs limit, or if you want to increase the frequency/likelyhood of this happening, then lowering the amount of open water, creating more narrow "channels" between bases/islands (similar to what I see in a lot of the current MA many-island maps), or basicaly anyhting that funnels the CV movements into particular areas, will increase the likelyhood of contact.  I personaly like your open water idea more if you can get the map to support enough fleets for each side that they're bound to stumble into one another out there in all that water.  Might be fun to see what it would spawn in the player base, maybe more anti-CV missions based off of carriers or coastal airbases.