Do you like to design maps?

[Double_Deuce]

Pepper said:
I'm in the process of designing what I think should be an interesting game variant that utilizes the SPMBT engine. The backstory finds player #1 in control of a USMC MEU as a formerly neutral foreign nation has just fallen in a military coup (player #2, Red). I will play as the "referee" and I will control the civilians, and interact in the game on the fly to keep it interesting.

I am envisioning that the game takes place on a 3x3 grid of 200x160 maps (9 maps in all). Column #1 (far left) would consist of 3 beach maps (off of which the USMC units are stationed). The remaining 2 columns would be land based. The far right column's right border would be a mountain range.

Nice to see others setting up and running these type campaigns.

This sounds similiar in concept to the Island Civil War Campaign I am currently running so if you want to look over my materials and use anything I already have in place feel free to do so. We are actually in the last turn of the operation so I expect the secure forum areas I have set up to be opened soon to the general public.

I don't know if I will have much time to help make you any maps BUT I would like to help out any way I can to keep this project moving forward. Will you have a supporting website?

Send me an email if you have any questions or let me know what I can do to help out.

[AB]

Pepper, check out the 'three jungle maps' i posted in this sub-forum. One of the maps is of the west coast of Africa. The map is partly someone elses map, not all original work. One thing i did on it was add 'mud' to all the forest areas, so the only way to move vehicles was to use the trails. This sort of thing can be quite appropriate, since in many parts of the world (think Jungle and rainforest), vehicles just can't travel off road at all.

To make the map you are talking about, it would be best to wait for the WinSPMBT CDROM, which will have expanded map editing tools, including cuttng and paste functions.

[Pepper]

AB said:
Pepper, check out the 'three jungle maps' i posted in this sub-forum. One of the maps is of the west coast of Africa. The map is partly someone elses map, not all original work. One thing i did on it was add 'mud' to all the forest areas, so the only way to move vehicles was to use the trails. This sort of thing can be quite appropriate, since in many parts of the world (think Jungle and rainforest), vehicles just can't travel off road at all.

I like that idea - limiting passability to trails. I may steal it
I'll check out the maps this evening when home from work.

AB said:To make the map you are talking about, it would be best to wait for the WinSPMBT CDROM, which will have expanded map editing tools, including cuttng and paste functions.

Yes, I took a look at the CDROM and I think those tools would be very helpful. I'll continue refining the content ideas so that once the CD is out if anyone wants to do a map, or 2, or 5, I can give them a very detailed outline on my vision.

[Pepper]

Never mind on this project, after learning more about the editor I just dont think I can make this happen

[Double_Deuce]

Pepper said:
Never mind on this project, after learning more about the editor I just dont think I can make this happen

What do you see as the biggest obstacle preventing you from moving forward?

[Pepper]

Well, I think tracking each units strength and ammo and morale etc. etc. manually is just going to be impossible. Anytime a unit crosses map borders -- it would be a nightmare. I'd have to manually reconstruct the unit in the editor. On top of that, much of the USMC force is customized, making the tracking/reconstruction process that much more difficult.
Finally, I think as I've played a few PBEMs and gotten a better feel for the 'pace' of a PBEM, the scale I was contemplating just wouldn't work too well as the game would likely take a very, very long time to play out.
So, instead, I'm just finishing up a traditional scenario.

[Double_Deuce]

Pepper said:
Well, I think tracking each units strength and ammo and morale etc. etc. manually is just going to be impossible. Anytime a unit crosses map borders -- it would be a nightmare. I'd have to manually reconstruct the unit in the editor. On top of that, much of the USMC force is customized, making the tracking/reconstruction process that much more time-sensitive.

There are some "creative" alternatives that I use that might help with this. Try to avoid overthinking what you want to do. It'll jut leave you with severe sleep deprivation. You can keep it simple yet still fun.

[Pepper]

Double_Deuce said:
Nice to see others setting up and running these type campaigns.

This sounds similiar in concept to the Island Civil War Campaign I am currently running so if you want to look over my materials and use anything I already have in place feel free to do so.

Yes, the idea was spawned in part by seeing your campaign! I think your project is in some ways more ambitious -- more players, more scenarios, etc. I view mine as being less of a traditional SPMBT campaign (with specific scenario maps) and more of an ongoing, dynamic single scenario. If the players are enjoying it, and I'm enjoying it, I can use reinforcements, etc. to keep up the good fight. Lots of flexibility. In some ways its like an RPG using SPMBT as the combat engine/piece tracker.

Double_Deuce said:
Will you have a supporting website?

It probably won't be necessary, but who knows. I was planning on simply sending individualized SITREPs to each player at the start of their turn.

Double_Deuce said:
Send me an email if you have any questions or let me know what I can do to help out.

thanks -- I really appreciate that. I think your experience will prove invaluable in helping me get this thing off the ground. But of course first I need some good maps