Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

Map files have been updated! Follow the download link and download the fixed map files, they are in a separate zip archive.

This thread is a repost of the Faerun map. I have reuploaded the map. Borders and neighbors are as they should be and there have been some terrain tweaks in some places. The graphic has been altered to reflect the actual border situation near Uthangol Mountains, Eastern Chondalwood and Hardcastle. That had been on my to-do list for a small eternity.

You can download the map from here.

466 provinces, with 397 land and 69 seas. It's a fairly open map, so chokepoints are not that abundant except in some regions. No starting locations on land that don't have at least 5 neighbors and all sea starts have a minimum of 4 neighbors (IIRC). Some of the provinces with the most neighbors are made non-startable on purpose. Provinces that are intended to be special provinces in the adventure map version are also non-starts.

This version has both a No Specials and an Adventure Map version. Era specific map versions are unlikely.


Adventure map specs:

• Special provinces - old & new, all improved
• Most sites in special provinces are hidden, so they need to be found. Many are scripted but not all are #killfeatured, so playing with high site frequency may get some of scripted things replaced.
• 100 VPs scattered around the map and not only in special provinces. This enables MP games where it is possible to win without needing to fight everyone and where alliances and diplomacy play an even larger role than they do now.
• All inland seas contain poptypes that are amphibious to one degree or another, so units recruited there do not get trapped.
• There is one problem with the map specific to LA: Atlantis may end up starting next to an inland sea. This cannot be helped, but the probability should not be too overwhelming compared to coastal locations next to the large seas

Preview pic:

http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/dom3/...66_320x214.jpg

Feedback is welcome.

Re: Faerun 466
 

Can we have a graphical preview?

Re: Faerun 466
 

Thanks for this reworked version! I played the hell out of this map in Dom 2 days.

The Adventure Map version would be an awesome Xmas present :)

Re: Faerun 466
 

Feedback: very nice looking map. My next game will use it. Not tonight though, "Big Bang Theory" is on at 8PM, my favorite show.

Re: Faerun 466
 

Maybe. I'll need to produce a suitable thumbnail first and then attach that.

Mordici, thanks! You too Edratman. :)

Re: Faerun 466
 

I started a game tonight on it. It looks like it'll be fun, lots of islands that enable world hopping.

It took me a while, but I figured out that the 466 refers to the number of provinces. A convention that should be more widely adapted.

Re: Faerun 466
 

When you have posted a preview image I will add this to the map list. Thanks again for all of your hard work Edi. :)

Re: Faerun 466
 

Thanks Edi. I loved the Dom2 version of the map and I waited for Dom3 version as well.

Faerun was the map I played the most in Dom2 and I bet that this one is good too. I would like to see special version as well but I know its a lot of work to do for map of this size and content.

Re: Faerun 466
 

Thanks, Daynarr! :)

Here's a resized preview pic:

http://koti.welho.com/ehalttun/dom3/...66_320x214.jpg

You can actually make out the size and shape of the regions and the province borders in the clearer regions where there is good contrast, so it's a fairly good approximation. I was rather surprised at how well it turned out, in fact.

Re: Faerun 466
 

Damn I thought it would be the (for me better known) sword coast.

The mini pic looks great and I'm going to DL ASAP.

Would LOVE an adventure version of it though.

Re: Faerun 466
 

Ahh, Faerun. You kicked my *** so many times. A great map though. Thanks Edi.

Re: Faerun 466
 

Ah, excellent. I shall NI this and start playing it at once.

Re: Faerun 466
 

I have reuploaded the map. The graphic has been altered to reflect the actual border situation near Uthangol Mountains, Eastern Chondalwood and Hardcastle. That had been on my to-do list for a small eternity.

The more significant portion of this and the reason the whole shebang was reuploaded at the same time is that now there is also an Adventure map version of the game.

Adventure map specs:

• Special provinces - old & new, all improved
• Most sites in special provinces are hidden, so they need to be found. Many are scripted but not all are #killfeatured, so playing with high site frequency may get some of scripted things replaced.
• 100 VPs scattered around the map and not only in special provinces. This enables MP games where it is possible to win without needing to fight everyone and where alliances and diplomacy play an even larger role than they do now.
• All inland seas contain poptypes that are amphibious to one degree or another, so units recruited there do not get trapped.
• There is one problem with the map specific to LA: Atlantis may end up starting next to an inland sea. This cannot be helped, but the probability should not be too overwhelming compared to coastal locations next to the large seas

Enjoy!

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

I started a game on the adventure map earlier this evening. WOW, you have made some really tough provinces.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Intentional. The rewards are usually worth it, especially with an eye toward the late game. You just need to marshal enough resources first before taking them on. Hellgate Keep, Myth Drannor, Halruaa, Graycloak Hills, Calimport and the City of Shadows should be the toughest ones. Mithril Hall, Waterdeep, Silverymoon and Cormyr are no slouches either and all of those are useful. Myrloch Vale is probably the most dangerous to invade due to the AI grimoire spell selection. Charm with N9 is brutal.

Lots of VPs = use a scout first and start developing a strategy.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Strategy? I can't even spell the word. let alone develop a strategy. I'm a steamroller type of player. :D

I usually look over the map file, but this time I just started the game. After a few turns I decided that I had to correct my earlier omission. :o

Looks like a grand test for Gem Valley mod. :up:

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

My first dominions MP game was on the dom2 version of this map. I really loved it a lot. Thanks for providing new dom3 material for it.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Edi, I am having a lot of fun playing the adventure map.:up::up:

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

The Specials are crazy! This map is a blast.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Edi, I love the adventure map, it's been long since I started a SP game (except for testing for MP or my mods) but I can't get enough from playing SP again with all EA nations on the adventure map.

The thing I'd like to know is, I start in the province east of Mithril hall and all around me are pretty strong specials. I've not covered much of the map since expansion is a bit slower than regular (not only the map but I'm playing Marveni and just getting it rolling). So bakc to what I wanted to know: is the adventure map reasonably balanced for MP too or are certain (better know, for me at least, portions of fearun (sword coast and the north-west of fearun) more populated with specials than the rest of the map.

If not I'd love a MP game on this map

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Thanks for the feedback, guys!

Aezeal, province 453 (Surbrin Valley), which is east of Mithril Hall should not be startable on the Adventure map, because it doesn't have enough non-special neighbors. That's a map bug, just like 326 and 327 (Tilverton and Deepingdale) being neighbors.

It is true that the Sword Coast area has somewhat more special provinces than the rest of the map, though there are specials around the Moonsea, Thay, Aglarond and also in the south (Halruaa, Dambrath, etc) and in the Old Kingdoms (Mulhorand etc).

Even though the Sword Coast has somewhat more of the big specials, the map should be MP balanced for victory point play. That's because while the East has not as many high VP specials, it has comparatively more non-special VP provinces which are easier to take while the big ones require substantial resources.

I took a look at the file and it looks like I should add a couple more specials to the East, the Moonsea North and also the Vilhon Reach area. The problem with that is that I stopped collecting FR stuff at around the time D&D went to 3rd Edition (no money and too much stuff coming out at the same time). Shaar, Chult and the Bloodstone North / Endless Wastes area could also use something.

The thing is, I threw the adventure map together on a little bit shorter notice than was perhaps good, but the important thing was to get it out. It is easier to tweak later rather than just begin everything from scratch. It's also important to get feedback like this, because it helps highlight the areas that need more work.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Hmm I must say I did start in Surbin valley, but 3 of my neighbours didn't appear to be very special (419,417, 452)
Though one of them might have had some wizards roaming around, not sure. (I tried to check but... your file isn't very open (why do you type everything just behind the next and not just make a nice new line per province?) to readers)

a small suggestion would be to make the poptype of the Evermoors trolls btw, seems to fit better with the books :D

Another, larger, suggestion: how about adding an underdark map (this map isn't wraparound so you could just put it beneath it) I've seen the map I think you used on the web and there was a similar underdark map, but lower res and probably not usable, but I'm sure there must be something to use for this. Just a suggestion for when you have some spare time ;)

Seems there should be a (new) game on this map soon then :D, 2 bad I don't have time to start it myself.

(any reader with the same opinion: please set up a game and reserve a place for me, my personal suggestion would be EA since it fits the magical forgotten realms, Dnd style best, mod nations could also be an option.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

The criteria for startable provinces is supposed to be 5 or more, or at the very least 4 non-special neighbors so that early expansion is facilitated. It also spreads the start locations around a bit more.

Trolls for Evermoors would be thematic, but it would completely unbalance that map section because of all the other specials there too. So not happening. Might be I'll put lizards there or something else.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

you could make the recruits trolls though but just have it defended by other stuff (or just add a few trolls to whatever, the lizards for example, you put there.)

Personally I'd rather face trolls with my SC pretender than a curse from a lizzie shaman.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

As I had to go over the map file to set up Doedicurus on Llamaserver, I thought I might as well post up the .map file with fixes to the two issues mentioned.

Edit: I've noticed another issue. Corwell (194) has the population set at 12000, which will cripple a nation that starts there. Should they be on #nostart too?

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Hmm, that opo assignment is probably just an artifact of earlier times and should not be there. I'm going to put out fixed map files of my own probably tomorrow.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Raurin Desert (161) lists 4 special sites and are guarded by fearsome garrison. Shall it have #killfeatures?

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

If it is guarded by something that chews iron ore and spits out nails, it's a fairly safe bet that #killfeatures is in play.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Well, then that's something you might want to change. :)

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

Why? There are no map commands that make it more likely to give rare sites or powerful sites, so eventually people will know some of the good provinces to go for.

If I remove the #killfeatures command from those provinces, there might be a crapload of defenders there, but they could end up guarding a list that looks like

Brigand Lair
Tar Pits
Battlefield
Iron Cliff

for a grand total of +5 unrest, 1F, 1D, 1E or equivalent.

Of course, the more likely outcome is that there will be something random and something scripted (depending on site frequency, higher is worse for scripted if #killfeatures is not in play).

It's a difficult balancing act to do, which is why some provinces are going to stay killfeatured. Some may change.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

I should have said it clearly. You currently do not have #killfeatures for province 161. So you might want to add it. ;)

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

I just started a test game, and I started in province 453. It hasonly 4 neighbors. Two of them are heavily garrisoned. I think it is better not to count the big garrison province as a neighbor for starting provinces.

Re: Faerun 466 - Now with Adventure Map!
 

I know. I'm actually right now in the middle of fiddling with the map file to fix the known border issues (326/327), province 453 needing to be nostart, as well as a few other nostarts, adding in one more special province (Hello, Szass Tam in Northern Thay!), deleting Corwell and Caer Callidyrr from the scripted lists (they get bigger pop unscripted) and modifying some terrains in some provinces I just caught.

Oh, and Raurin Desert, I just checked it. Not being killfeatured was a deliberate decision with that one, but not a very good one in hindsight. The scripted sites are good, but just changing their order makes the thematically better ones appear with more regularity. They might get overwritten with the current settings and there are too many common sites that are not so good, so getting a rare one would not be guaranteed. With the scripted sites it's a guaranteed 8 gem income of various types (FAESD) plus a little something from one site, so the #killfeatures is definitely going in.

Suspect design decisions like that omission tend to happen when you edit map files at 1:30 in the morning. :)

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

The fixed map files have been uploaded. See first post for location.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

Great! Thanks!

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

My last suggestion for a underdark map didn't have a reply I was wondering
a. you don't like the idea
b. you don't have time for it
c. something else

I've seen a pretty nice underdark map now of good quality and my idea would be to add the underdark but with obviously less province than faerun it self but it as good potential for some nice province and could make for some well defended shortcuts across the map and a nice starting site for a cave nation.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

If you can point me to a suitable Underdark Graphic, why not, but there are the following problems:

• not enough time
• it requires altering the map graphics, which means completely redoing all names, terrains and borders, so in effect a different map
• I do have other interests besides Dom3 and aside from the bug list etc, I feel like doing some of those for a time, since spending all my free time on Dom3 related stuff, especially if it's not playing, is liable to cause Dom3 fatigue. That's not a good thing.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

I should add that the Borders map file is meant for easier modification of nostarts etc, the contents of the terrain/neighbor info can then be pasted to a modified map file that contains the specials.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

what is suitable... the ones I was thinking about where these:

http://smokeandmirrors.lucifel.net/v...nderdark01.jpg
http://smokeandmirrors.lucifel.net/v...nderdark02.jpg

these are a bit darkish but they are of good resolution (they can be blown up a bit) and with some names on them. And they actually belong with the map you've used so....

I understand it'll be a lot of work.. and that it might not be worth the effort (at this or any moment) it's just a suggestion which might further improve this already great map.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

Not happening. Too much work, a complete redo of the whole map and I don't have any idea of what should be where. What sourcebook is that map from? Because it's one the few I would like to acquire of the new Faerun at this point. I have limited myself to the old Forgotten Realms, 1st Edition and 2nd Edition AD&D, not 3rd Edition and newer D&D.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

no idea where it's from I've seen several different resolutions of this map and I think I saw it on the official sites.. but while I'm reading DnD books and in the past would have loved to play it (and have played a lot of DnD comp games, read the rules online and read bestiaries online etc) I've not actually played it so I''ve never bought any books..

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frx/20031019a

it seems to come from "Underdark supplement" according to this webpage (the acutal map on that page is much smaller in resolution though).

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

Just adding a quick bump for a big compliment, an observation, and a question.

Compliment: The adventure version of the Faerun map is seriously fun. Once you've tried it, you'll never roll over independents again without thinking of this map. For example, try taking on the City of Shadows ... then get back to me. Man, some of those garrisons are nasty! For me, the AI opponents are only part of the challenge....

Observation: Prepare for a long game on this map. If you like blitzes, Faerun is not for you. ;)

Question: I started playing on the unpatched version of the map, before Edi added his fixes on 10/29. Can I simply switch to the fixed map file in my current game, or would I have to start a new one? I know that you can hot-patch mod files in midgame, but I've never tried it with a map file.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

Thanks for the compliments! :D

You need to load the new map files into the maps folder, but they won't affect the omgoing game. The information from the map file is put into the fatherland file.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

That leads to an interesting question: Can you alter fatherland files while a game is in progress?

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

Edi: Thanks for the answer. I'll just finish out my game on the unpatched map, then. I've put way too much time into this game to want to restart now. Niefel, EA Caelum, and Sauromatia have all fallen to my demon monkey hordes. Hinnom is sinking like a paper boat in a hurricane, Yomi is on the ropes, and I have just opened a third front against EA Ermor. Three-front wars can be risky, but I'm far enough ahead that I should win. (No, I don't think the outcome of the game is actually in doubt at this point.)

If so, couldn't that be another avenue for cheating? For example, you could add 200,000 more peasants and a Summoning Circle to your capital....

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

Hah! Nailed it!
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6...nquerednx4.jpg
(I hid the opposing force numbers to blunt the spoiler-iffic nature of this post.)

Considering the gem cost, mage turns, and general effort required to conquer it ... there had better be some very cool sites hidden here! Seriously, though, that was a lot of fun. And honestly, conquering the City of Shadows took more planning and work than squishing any of the AI capitals. ;)

(Hint: Figure out a specific plan to kill magic beings.)

Next! :tough:

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

Just noticed a province named Vaasa. Hope it doesnt refer to the city here in finland (wich is also named Vaasa) as it seems to be filled with undead.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

No, but the name is probably lifted from Finland when Ed Greenwood was designing his world.

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

Is there a smaller version of the Faerun map? Or any other great looking maps? Ideally, I'd like to find a beautiful map with 100-200 provinces.

Thanks,
DB

Re: Faerun 466 - Adventure Map! (UPDATED!)
 

No smaller version at the moment, sorry to say. I have been intending to make one, but other commitments keep interfering.