Crucifixion - 1v1 map

[tkartong]

I've spent five or so hours on this map now. It is completely symmetrical (as far as I know). The idea is that the players should want to move to one of the two castles in the center, because the starting castles only have one spawn tower each, and because of the troublesome terrain around them.

I haven't really played Wesnoth for several years now, so I don't know how fun or balanced you think it is. Feel free to improve it or comment, but don't expect me to watch your replays.

[Leid]

Too much cold terrain. Saurians, drakes, cavalryman and lots of other units have very bad defense on this terrain.

[Captain_Wrathbow]

Disclaimer: I suck at cartography myself, but there are still a few more obvious errors I can help with, I think.

1. As Leid said, the map is terribly in favor of factions with units that perform well in cold terrain. You need a better balance of all different types.

2. Symmetrical maps are not balanced, although it's a common misconception, so I can't blame you. The reason is that player one will have an advantage, in moving first and getting to villages earlier. One way to solve this problem, used in several core MP maps I believe, is to start P2 out with a village already claimed. The other way is... well, for the map to not be symmetrical.

[PapaSmurfReloaded]

2. Symmetrical maps are not balanced, although it's a common misconception, so I can't blame you. The reason is that player one will have an advantage, in moving first and getting to villages earlier.

Not if there is a buffer zone big enough, though that is not the case here.

[Captain_Wrathbow]

Huh, I never thought of that, but you're right. Makes sense. Like I said, I can't even draw balanced maps myself.

[monochromatic]

The frozen terrain simply gives Gryphon Riders, Bats, and Ghosts an incredible advantage here. Especially with the over-abundance of snowy mountains, I'd say the map definitely favors Knalgans.

[tkartong]

Appreciated feedback.

Aren't asymmetrical maps, by nature, imbalanced too?

[Leid]

Most of them, IMO.

[IPS]

Too much cold terrain. Saurians, drakes, cavalryman and lots of other units have very bad defense on this terrain.

Calvaryman has 30% def in the snow and requires only 2 MP to move in the snow squares, so the calvaryman is the best unit in the snow terrain in the loyalist faction (merman has 30% and requires 2 movement too, but is more slower and has worse ressistances).

The frozen terrain simply gives Gryphon Riders, Bats, and Ghosts an incredible advantage here. Especially with the over-abundance of snowy mountains, I'd say the map definitely favors Knalgans.

Truely, Dwarves requires 2 Movement to move in the snow and there haves if I'm right 20% def. If this is true, the dwarves fight better in the snow terrain than other units because the dwarves haves more ressistances.

And every flying unit (exeptly the drakes) are the best in this map. tkartong Add more road in the map to balance it.

[Velensk]

Aren't asymmetrical maps, by nature, imbalanced too?

No they arn't. As long as both sides have an equal number of villages at roughly distance from the keep and neither sides villages are particuarly easier/harder to defend/attack altering the rest of the terrain dosn't hurt a whole lot. Terrain is by nature neutral and static : something the player can adapt to. Now some nuicances can give one player a significant advantage over the other even at that.

-If one players villages are closer to the keep than the others he can get reinforcements from the keep there easier.
-If there is less distance/slowing terrain between one players villages he can reinforce from other villages easier (may not be a problem).
-If one player has better access between fronts than the other player than he can shift forces more swiftly.
-If the terrain is positioned so that it is easier for one player to deny access to attack hexes on a village than the other then the former players village will be easier to defend.

Now this may seem like a lot but there is still quite a bit of versitility in how you can alter the terrain while avoiding these things. Symetrical maps can be balanced but it is easier to balance them if the maps are huge.

There is a guide on designing maps stickied to the top, you may wish to read it.